After writing earlier this week (and thinking a lot about this over the last year) about teaching kids to learn, I’m thinking now about how we provide professional development to teachers and wondering if the whole approach is flawed.
There is so much emphasis on the importance of professional development (and this is how I make my own living). Most of that time is spent teaching discrete applications (e.g. Google Docs) or at best, integration strategies using general types of tools (e.g. using wikis for collaborative analysis). Some of what is taught sticks and makes it into the classroom; most probably doesn’t.
In a typical group of 20 or so teachers, there are usually one or two who grok technology as a tool for learning. More importantly, those same teachers seem to take control of their own learning and figure out what they need to know to use the tools. Most would probably do this with or without formal professional development (though they might benefit from some quicker, big picture exposure to different ideas or more in-depth in-classroom mentoring). I don’t necessarily find these teachers to be more technically adept than others; they just take the initiative to figure it out.
The majority of teachers though can’t or don’t embrace technology. They don’t have time. They don’t use technology tools in their own personal lives. They don’t see the benefits to students. They have anxiety. They don’t see it as a part of their job as educators. They can’t look at a new tool and just “figure it out.” With all those barriers, their already limited time is spent on other things.
So we talk about teaching kids 21st century skills focused on learning to learn, and yet we don’t apply this to our own learning.
Maybe we should throw out the existing PD model and start over. (I know there are a million reasons this would be difficult to implement, but I’ll save those for another post.) What do you think?
Of course I agree with you Karen that we need to improve professional development but maybe our target should be administrators? I am finding that many teachers in Arkansas aren’t using technology because of technical barriers. They seriously don’t have dependable email provided by their school, enough bandwidth to function in the Web 2.0 world, or the ability to get past content filters. Many of our teachers are locked out of technology tools all day just like the students. For some, their interest in learning new tools is low because of previous experience and a total lack of administrative support. In many trainings in this state, the more savvy and innovative teachers in workshops come from supportive schools.
You are so right — administrator support is essential. I also think that educators (teachers and administrators) need to be comfortable using technology as a personal tool. Otherwise, they are unlikely to support it fully as a learing tool for students.
Karen,
One thing that always strikes me is your candor when addressing educational issues: both in person or on the web. As a middle school teacher I agree with your ideas regarding the shortcomings of professional development. Every year I have learned to “address” a host of new system initiatives that often focus on the weakness of the last instructional year. We have professionals come in, along with cases of their publications, to instruct us on the “cure” to our current ailment. (This reminds me of the flaw often found in the study of military history: countries more often than not are always prepared to fight the last war!) These cures stack up year after year until it seems that the available time to really focus on our teaching is all but evaporated. Many teachers throw up their hands and a negative mood creeps into your building.
How do you turn this PD situation to your advantage? Resolve to get as much out of each new initiative as possible. Find real world techniques that you can actually use in every PD.
Where does the use of technology come in to play? Well I like to consider myself one of the 1-2 teachers that Karen cites as self-starters. If you wait for administration or some other group to set aside the time and resources you will never really get to embrace technology in your classroom. In the Army we were always hit with “training distractors.” Some Senator is visiting next month so we will trim every bush, repaint every stone, you get the idea! Well they only distract you from your mission if you let them and often teachers get similarly sidetracked.
You have to ignore the distractions as best you are able and remember that your primary mission is to teach. If you focus on your classroom, be positive, and use technology to engage the kids you will find that you will meet great success.
Karen thanks for sharing your thoughts with us all.
Wow, what a great discussion. As an associate principal I agree with much of this dialogue. However, I do think that we will never be able to “put our finger” on the best way to deliver PD. But, and as Karen and I have previously discussed, we seem to have a problem with sustainability. Essentially, we are all over the place in regards to new initiatives set forth by districts, states, and the federal government. Sustainability seems to be a word missing from the 21st century vocabulary.
I do not know if this is the best way to go about this problem, but i am starting by modeling my expectations. Basically, I’m not talking too much about authentically integrating technology into the education landscape, but more importantly just doing it. I am trying to set the stage with examples. Now that I have been modeling, I have had inquiries about this integration. When this happens I give them more information and more classroom application. Essentially, I want to shift things from my examples and modeling to the teachers driving the integration with my systemic support, staff development, and refinement and assessment of the effectiveness of the integrated technology.
Will this work who knows – I’ll let you know.
If there was one other genesis of this, I would have to point the finger at ourselves. The fundamental way that we are educating students from scripted and tightly bundled curricula, is it any wonder teachers and students are having difficulty problem-solving, engaging in complex thinking, and authentically applying learned material (actually if they are applying it, the chances that they have learnt it multiply).
I hope that discussions like these provide the embryonic muster to influence change that we so importantly need – Regards – Todd.
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