Problem Solving

During the summer I like to clean out posts from my Google Reader. I tend to read more of my sports related items during the school year, opting to leave education for the occasional weekend read or for a break. Today I was cleaning out a few posts (fewer since I'd recently cleaned it out) from Weblogg-ed. A post that struck me was this one about how teachers often ask questions in order to justify inaction (in particular around technology).

I see that point of view as prevalent beyond technology. Being a first year teacher this past year, I'd often sit in trainings (with other first years, but also with veteran folks at times) where the question seemed to begging for someone to just wave a magic wand in order to solve it. "But how do I fit that in? I'm already really strapped for time." Another common one was "Well how do you do that, how do you make it all work because the kids in my room won't do that..." While some of the same questions circulated in my head, I lacked the impulse to verbalize them.

Why? Teaching takes patience in a myriad of ways. There isn't a magic wand to fix things. The reality is that your classroom will have warts, just like your practice, and just like everyone else's. You aren't alone in that. Fixing the things that aren't going well, or that you don't like, takes time. You need the time to think about what it is that is being done, how it is/isn't having the desired impact, what possible reasons for that could be, and possible solutions. Waving the white flag of "how do I do this..." may get you a short term solution. But unless you understand why you are doing it, or how you can make it work for you kids, you'll be back at the drawing board soon enough.

Knowledge is... what you know

I feel like I've been caught in a wind tunnel with the wind cranked on high this week. Training seems like it is over for the week, so I can catch my breath and digest all the information thrown at me. The first half of the week was spent in three hour content sessions going over elements of effective student-centered teaching for those content areas, as well as standards, and curricular materials. The second half was spent on the professional evaluation system, the new teacher support program, and HR stuff (payroll, benefits, paperwork tie-ups, accidents, etc). If I was a K-2 teacher I'd be heading to a half day training tomorrow, but I'm not sure where I'll be as of yet.

I don't have any personal experiences to compare this training system to. Using anecdotal references, I can tell you I'm far better off compared to other districts. My district seems intent on preparing their rookies, and ensuring they are not miles behind their colleagues. Instead of tossing us into the deep end without any support we've been tossed a life raft or life preserver. Don't get me wrong, we're still in the deep end. There aren't other teachers who'll come and take over for you at the instant you struggle. But the district provides you resources to get you through those struggles.

So far, so good.

More Than Just Keyboards

Today was the start of technology training. Two sessions, one to get familiar with policies and the second to get familiar with navigating the staff portal etc. The days of just using a computer and a projector are effectively over (at least for me). My student teaching featured a presentation computer attached to a document camera and projector. Together I was able to beam images, show copies like the old school ditto machine (transparency and all). That was effective for me, and it was a healthy amount of technology, but certainly not overly abundant.

Well, technology should be fully integrated this year. First off is having a whiteboard with an Activeboard on top if it... right in the middle. The expectation is that you will use the activeboard, make flip charts, and use it as a way to engage your kids. For example you can do the instruction you would do with a whiteboard, but you can then have kids writing onto the activeboard- and save it! Plus you can add in small checks for understanding that give you more information to assess where your teaching is (did I teach that concept effectively? do I need to spend a little more time with that concept or idea?). Additionally you still have your projector and document camera.

There were tons of other things learned today, not just how to use activeboards and create flip charts. The question I circle back to is: how am I going to teach what I want to teach AND integrate technology into it? That will be unsettled until I learn my grade and school. Much to look forward to.

And so it begins...

Tomorrow is the first day of training. I have two technology trainings tomorrow, the first as an intro to all the tech stuff they have and the second being a more in-depth look at the applications the district uses. Call me crazy, but I couldn't be more excited that my summer is over. I have one or two Friday's off the next three weeks, but it depends on the grade level I'll be teaching (still no word). I'm thankful to be getting down to business and not having to interview. Phew!

The schedule is booked now until June, bring it on!