I took two pages of notes today listening to the former MAC
grads. These ranged from savory food for thought — the fact that students are
accustomed to a world full of technology that offers them immediate results and
to what extent that handicaps their ideas of how learning happens, why practice
is important, and what they expect of themselves — to very specific ingredients
to keep on hand, such Quia.com. One of my favorite of these was the “Inspirational
Song of the Day,” or, using music to get students pumped up before a test.
The session also got me thinking about elements I should
address in my classroom management plan, such as: What will be my policy on
eReaders? In this way, hearing from practicing teachers is invaluable; they
brought up things that might not occur to me. For example, one teacher talked
about how she allows students to turn in papers by the end of the day, as
opposed to their class periods, because she has learned from experience that
some students don’t have printers at home and need the opportunity to get to
the school’s computer lab. This is a very specific but helpful thing to know.
But if I tried to articulate a single lesson for the day, it
would be this: I will do well to expand my notion of what a teaching job looks
like. I could be wrong, but I think that not one of the teachers who spoke with
us today works in a public school. They are teaching in charter schools, private
schools, and, interestingly, a hybrid high school-college program. I don’t know
why, but when I think about life after MAC, I imagine a public school.
Hearing from these teachers has opened up whole new worlds.
I took pages of notes, too -- it is part of why having alums visit is so rewarding. Glad you got some useful takeaways. In our group, the question of cell phones and how much factual information (e.g., dates, multiplication tables) should be memorized vs. available at the swipe of a finger. You raise a great point about the diverse settings of today's visitors. Magician Jeff puts together those groups for precisely that purpose -- to give MACers a variety of perspectives.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of allowing students to turn in papers by the end of the day. That actually makes perfect sense, especially in today's world where not everyone, even though we think they do, has access to technology at home. Also, as can be seen across my blog and blog responses, lol I loved the idea about smart phones and their uses in the classroom. Kids have them all the time why not teach them what else they can do. The biggest issue I see with my children, and their friends, is the lack of ability to "find" things...they always want the answer...where is this where is that, how do I this and how do I that, drives me nuts! Just this morning my son comes up to me and asks where are his rollerblades...I just looked at him and said, YOU want YOUR rollerblades so YOU can go out and skate...how about YOU go find them! He grumbled, walked off and less than a minute later was heading out the door to go and rollerblade...I think finding the answer is just as important as the answer itself!
ReplyDeleteI related the old saying, if you give a man a fish he will eat for a day if you show him how to fish he will eat forever on my blog...I can tell you or you can learn how to do it and not have to ask anymore is the important lesson kids need to learn...