A
New Vision for Staff Development Renewing America's Schools
I read the quote "What
everyone appears to want for students a wide array of learning opportunities
that engage students in experiencing, creating, and solving real problems,
using their own experiences, and working with others is for some reason
denied to teachers when they are learners" and could relate. I have
really enjoyed taking workshops and classes where I was an active learner.
Sometimes it was a little uncomfortable getting started, but as the class
progressed, it was wonderful to see how things should be working in my
classroom. It gave me a better picture to strive for. I have
also enjoyed taking classes in which I could try out the information and
ideas immediately in my own classroom.
As I read the sections
on the Three Powerful Ideas for reshaping schools, I saw some of that happening
in my own district. First, Results-Driven Education seems to fit
well with our School Improvement Plan. We are striving for "clarity
of focus, beginning with the end in mind, [have] high expectations for
all students, and [work toward] expanded opportunities for success in student
learning." As a staff, we are trying to make changes to better the
education for all. Next, the section on System Thinking was harder
for me to see in my district. I understand how the process it to
work, but I'm not sure that I have been around long enough for me to see/realize
that happening in the school. I guess the best example would
be the IGAPs forcing primary teachers to teach writing at an earlier age
and now the upgrade students receive better writing scores. The Constructivism
idea hit home the hardest. After having taken two of Chip Bruce's
Inquiry classes, I really appreciate this type of learning. Of course
the "constructivist framework-whole-language, manipulative mathematics
programs, hands-on science, and cooperative learning techniques" means
a need for more money. My room was totally empty - except for
texts - when I was hired, what I purchased with my own money was what I
could use to teach without texts. Things are better now, but more
teachers need to be giving the opportunity to take Inquire classes and
to get a hold of the manipulatives and trade books needed to teach in this
fashion.
The article also mentioned
that training teachers needs to be followed by coaching. I firmly
believe this. Just as we don't expect students to learn something
in one shot, teachers need support and encouragement when they are learning
a new way to teach. Teachers would be much more inclined to make
self-improvements if they knew they weren't alone.
Learn and Live, short
articles in Ch. 1 & 8
Chapter
1:
As I read the first article, I said
to myself... "Wow! Sign me up to work at King School. It's perfect!"
Then as I read on I found that it wasn't a perfect school, it's not even
real. Yes, it would be wonderful to teach at a school where all students
are self motivated to learn, but a lot of things would have to change.
Change is hard for most people. Not only teachers would have to change
their way of teaching, but administration at all levels would have to change.
Since students would be working on learning in what they are most interested,
administrations and governments would have to realize that all students
would not be accountable for all the information that they are now.
Standardized tests would definitely not be given at King School.
Parents and the community would also have to realize that things were different
than when they were in school. The article did not discuss all of
the aches and pains that were experienced as they made the transition to
the "perfect school." I wonder how long it took and what opposition
was met?
Ms. Carrero's experience
in Florida really hit home. When I was a junior, I wrote an essay
about a car accident. When I received the graded paper, there were
no grammatical or spelling problems, only the grade "A-". At the
bottom of the paper, the teacher had written "this isn't what really happened."
What did the teacher know about what happened? She wasn't there!
I was driving! I totalled the car! Just as Ms. Carrero wasn't
able to state her own opinions, I wasn't able to discuss my true feelings
about the event without being called a liar. It is terrible to think
about how long that each of us has one little comment that has effected
us for so long. I am glad that she was able to return to her previous
school where she could think for herself. I was stuck with he same
teacher for two years!
It was nice to read the
second article to see that a school similar to King does exist. I
do wonder though, was the educational experience as good for everyone
as it was for Ms. Carrero? Did they all know that they had something
to appreciate?
Chapter
8:
When I read about the
Millennium School, I was frustrated. It was another perfect but fictional
school. But as I continued to read both articles, I became very pleased
that my school seemed to be already doing some of the idea. Two years
ago, my school started a School Community Council. It is made up
of a few parents and teachers. (As far as I know there are no business
participants at this time.) The council has sponsored school wide
programs such as a class attendance contest and an upper grade homework
completion contest. The students became very excited about the contests
as the the year progressed. (It was interesting to note that 5th
and 6th grade students did a better job completing homework and they younger
kids were better at coming to school on time. - Both 4th grades had trouble
with both contests.) Northwest also seems to have an apathy problem
among parents. The community council is trying to motivate parents
to take part in school activities. Next year the parents are going
to be invited to attend a special night each month. One month will
consist of art activities, while others may be technology, music or physical
education. I am very excited to see if they will work. As of
now, students are not part of the governing system of the school, but maybe
in the future they will be suggesting ideas on how to improve the school
and learning process.
Reflection
on guest speaker Tom McGreal
Wow! This ideas
seemed so realistic and doable. Maybe because Professor McGreal has
spent so much time in school settings. His comment, "It's not necessarily
the fact that people don't want to change, it's just that we all are going
to be more comfortable sort of doing the things we are most familiar with,
or falling back on the idea of 'well, this is how I was trained to teach,
and it has worked for me all these years', so it is harder to get
veterans to change," is exactly what I had been thinking about during this
week's reading but was not able to put into words. We can all get
set into our ways and not want to make a change. As we make changes
in our education system, teaching methods, curriculum, etc., we need to
find ways to help the teachers want to make changes.
As a read the section
on working in teams, I thought back to all of my experiences working in
groups and thought that CTER is the first positive group experience that
I have had. Then as I read more I realized that there are many other
"team" experience that I have found successful while teaching: inclusion
science class, team teaching with the other 4th grade teacher, and the
CTER "network" web board. A year ago I was part of a reading initiative
committee, where I attended several workshops throughout the year with
area teachers. We were paid to attend and I could tell the few people
that were there just for the money, but many teachers took advantage of
the time together. We shared ideas and networked. I wish the project
could have continued.... even for free! It was awesome.
I also thought his suggestion
for teachers to tie the new State Certification requirements into the district
and buildings was ideal. What a great way to improve on our School
Improvement Plans! Teachers would really feel that they have accomplished
something, rather than taking a class just to fulfil the requirement.
Professor McGreal did
make a comment with which I did not entirely agree. He said that
new teachers are not prepared to work with parents. As a student
in the Year Long Project, I felt very capable of talking to parents.
I was exposed to pre year conferences and fall conferences at Kenwood,
spring conferences at Thomas Paine and a personalized communication
note to parents each Friday. My school district now does not require
so much parent contact. I thought it was weird. Although we
don't have the pre conferences or spring conferences, I have always felt
comfortable communicating with parents through Friday notes and conferences.