I am a Learning Center Teacher and the staff developer for my building for part of my role. My strategy that I use with teacher  is to teach the specific technology skills to the teacher as I teach the skills to the students. They create the project with me prior to the students’ instruction. My presentation builds on their prior knowledge and introduces the new skills needed to complete the lesson’s project.  The teacher is seated at a computer learning along with the classes. Each junior high teacher will bring four sections into the lab throughout the day to repeat the instruction, so by the end of the day they are very comfortable with the skill.

I collaborate prior to the instruction with the teacher to set clear goals and identify the software and skills that we will be using for their project. In our district specific technology skills have been established for each grade level. Parents and staff are given this information at curriculum night in our district. Then as the project is completed, the teacher marks on a checklist those skills that students and teacher mastered.

This approach helps staff and students work together, because it affords staff time to receive professional development and gives students a model that teachers are continual learners too. Role modeling is powerful to any visual learner and motivating for students. It is convenient, because an extra time schedule isn't necessary. However, I feel this goes beyond the normal teaching, because teachers get a real understanding of the integration of the skills. They, then, become proficient in teaching and integrating the skills in the curriculum. Teachers express how much that they have liked this new model. Our principal feels their skills have increased tremendously, because they are in a non threatening environment while learning. The collaboration between the teacher and me is also powerful. We plan together to accomplish not only the skill but also the strategy we will use to incorporate this into their academic area. This gives the teacher meaningful ownership in the entire lesson, because together we work on the standards that must be mastered in this content area.

In reflection I have seen positive learning outcomes from working with teachers as I work with students on specific technology skills. Together the classroom teacher and I have accomplished the national tech standards during this process. This year, however, I plan to enhance the process by giving all teachers a test of the skills at our retreat, so they can see where they need improvement. If they have mastered a skill, I will let them teach that skill to their class. This will afford me time to teach new skills and add to that bank of skills. Now, I will be able to teach Web Pages design in place of basic Word skills. Then at the end of the year we will take a follow-up test to see their improvement.