What would you teach the teachers?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anne Pemberton on February 23, 2008 at 12:06pm

James,

To the extent that blog can foster communications between students and experts in various fields, they are probably useful. I am not, at this point less impressed with blogs than with old fashioned creation of really good web pages that include text, pictures, and links to more information. I'd like to see teachers using (and creating if they have to), multi-media on the web to teach basic concepts to students. Communication among students from various parts of the globe is both an excellent way to develop reading and writing skills, but it can also help to develop basic skills in understanding cultural differences and the significance of respecing differences.

I would also hope that you would encourage your teachers to use computers to indlvilualize instruction, and to let chldren who excell in a subject jump as far ahead of classmate as their interest takes them. For children who are slow learners, the ability to review, and to expand to more understandable or interesting ways of presenting the information to be learned, is essential.

I would also hope that you would encourage teachers to become creators of instructional content for the Internet. No one knows as well as the teachers, what needs to be available. I will offer as an example a website I have been developing since before my retirement, and for which I have yet to run out of ideas that are quic kly accepted by the thousands of users each month: http://www.educationalsynthesis.org I will also offer to be available to your teachers as they discern what resources they would like to have on the web - things that they use, even for a day or two per years, that can be created and stored more efficiently on the web than in boxes in the classroom. I would hope that you would suggest that SOME teachers in each building, make it a point to learn to use web-creation tools, such as Dreamweaver to make web pages, and Flash to make animated lessons. Other software may now exist for the same purpose, but these are the ones I know best from my own use.

If your schools are small, such that there may be just one 2nd grade teacher to a building, you would want to encourage the teachers to collaborate with other teachers of the same subjects/levels, and, use the collaboration to share ideas on presenting concepts to children and to create the web resources that will make it possible.

And, you can reach me either from the bottom of most of my web pages, or directly at apembet@ erols.com for any help in teaching your teachers how to make use of the Internet and computers. My web site has a lot of the things I used as a teacher, and, with correspondence from those with the true needs, I can be of help in developing even more. The website I use can handle lots more additions. If you check out my webpage listed above, be sure to note the resources "My Own Books" and "Famous Americans", which can be used "as is". In addition, under Math, there are downloadable excel files that create endless unique math worksheets. It is good to prepare worksheets, and especially tests, that are unique to each student, not only to minimize cheating, but also to provide students with the type of materials that will be the next small step in their learning rather than a repitition of what they already know, or a step that is taller than their knees to climb. One can individualize a class with such materials.

Also under "ZMan" and "Science" you will see ways to use spreadsheets to help students learn the basics of columns and rows as well as developing their own science projects. I will be happy to share some ideas I have on expanding the use of these ideas beyond what I've been able to put on the website so far.

Please do contact me.

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Permalink Reply by Arlene Anderson on February 23, 2008 at 1:01pm

James,
When you are thinking about integration, remember that it's not just having the students use the computer for activities. Many teachers think that having their students type reports and projects on the computer are integration. Until they actually use technology to create subject matter, information and present lessons, the teachers are not integrating technology into their classroom or curriculum. So why not start with something like a classroom newsletter. If you want easy access to some templates Microsoft has them online even by month.
As the teachers are more comfortable with the content, they can have students write articles to submit for the newsletter, and eventually students can take over with input from the teacher. Templates are great for this.
Another session on how to effectively do research is something they can pass on to their students. In this same line, Alan November has a great site, NovemberLearning.com, that has lessons on Information Literacy. This is good for both teachers and students.
Start off small, find a common interest (even if it's how to do more with their email) and build on that. A group wiki where all can share and post might work too.
I hope these ideas help.
Arlene

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Permalink Reply by James Dykstra on February 23, 2008 at 2:16pm

I appreciate the feedback,and you're both correct about everything but you're not quite answering the question I tried to ask. I have a bunch of teachers who are scared of using computers, and the way integration is being presented to them I suspect they're just getting even more scared. I'm trying to break that barrier not by giving them more technical approaches, but by having them successfully complete a couple of easy tasks in order to boost their confidence. If we can get them thinking they can do it, they will be able to.

So, what's easy to learn yet has an obvious practical application?

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Permalink Reply by Anne Pemberton on February 23, 2008 at 2:43pm

James,

When I have been involved on teams that did the same thing for teachers in VA, we started with a few basics:

We usually started by having them set up an email account, and then write back and forth to each other in the lab. They were encourage to write questions to be answered by a colleague in another part of the room.

Sometimes, we started on the web. We showed them what a search engine could do. Asked them to type in something they were teaching or interested in, and explore the links that were presented.

Sometimes, for a really basic group, I started by putting up the opening page of my website which was much smaller back then, and asked them to look around and find something they could use in their classrooms. This worked better for elementary teachers, while the second recommendation worked better with secondary teachers.

Another way to "catch" the teachers was to have an expert on something address them. Often about learning styles of something relevent to all levels. Then, they each wrote an email to this expert asking questions about the information presented.

One thing you can do with elementary teachers is ask them to find an image online rather than a text explanation. Using google, they can click on "images", then type in the subject. Teach them how to download the picture to their computers, to size it, and to print it out for use in class. A good subject for such a search is someone famous in history. My site has many Famous Americans, and that is how I find pictures for the site. In Canada, you undoubtedly have different heroes to look up pictures of.

And, another interesting beginning project, would be to have them use mapquest to get directions between two locations, their home and some other place. Let them look over the directions that result and determine if they would be useful. Elementary teachers often have children draw simple maps to show how to get from their house to the school, and using mapquest, they could then check student work. Of course google map also does the same things, and you may prefer using google instad of mapquest, since mapquest seems to get stuck in ruts on how to get from one place to another. Google also is easier to use to move the map in and out, and in various directions.

If these ideas are still not simple enough, let me know and I'll think up some more.

Anne

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Permalink Reply by Susan Brooks on February 23, 2008 at 6:39pm

I have found that the concept comes before the technology. If you pull in a certain grade of teachers for each session and show them how to use technology to teach a particular concept, they will be able to see the process along with the skills needed, and get a visual on how technology fits into that lesson. This way they can copy the steps in their classroom. When they are successful, that helps build their self esteem in working with technology. As each little lesson is completed, they will grow more and more comfortable with using technology and will feel *safe* enough to explore uses themselves.
We have resources on our site, http://www.Internet4classrooms.com , for individual tech lessons under the On-Line Practice Modules section. This section has been presented in ISTE Books as Just In Time learning. If you need ideas as to various concepts to work with, feel free to email me.
Susan

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on February 23, 2008 at 7:38pm

James, When I started researching uses for the Internet in the classroom about 15 years ago I was amazed at the cool stuff I saw (it continues to get cooler) but the one thing that impressed me more than anything was the availability of primary sources. Take a look around American Memory at the Library of Congress or A Very Old Place, one of my blogsites. This is the stuff that makes the internet a must-use. Maybe use of primary sources would be a trigger for some teachers.

I agree with Anne, I hope teachers/students don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. I think blogs/wikis are just a part of a bigger picture. Even though website development is more of a challenge I like good studet/teacher developed websites. Here's our current project---this is the skeleton, students will fill in the content over the next few months. Let me know if you need more information.

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Permalink Reply by James Dykstra on February 24, 2008 at 7:08pm

I have a similar fascination with primary sources though my sites tend to be Canadian. I'll think about your suggestion and what can be done with the elementary teachers who may be involved.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on February 24, 2008 at 7:46pm

I actually remember the very first time I saw a primary source used as a focus activity. I was at a conference 10+ years ago (maybe Classroom Connect in Anaheim?) and went to a workshop presented by Jamie McKenzie. I remember nothing else about the workshop but I remember he put this image on the screen and said "Which one of these boys is the leader?" I was hooked.

I went on to present dozens of times on using primary sources in the classroom. (five years at NECC, local and state conferences, etc).

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Permalink Reply by Lee Allan Sanders on February 24, 2008 at 2:23pm

Hi James,

Please complete a thorough needs analysis first, by sitting down with your target group of teachers and doing a one on one interview to determine capability, interest level, fear level, time available, previous good experiences, previous bad experiences, parent interest level, school administrator interest level, and your own other areas of interest to find out about. I recommend going slow, and has been mentioned above there will probably be "tracks" or "pace levels" that will differ as you discover early adopters and late bloomers.

You may wish to show them what is available for free that will help their students, by going to such sites as http://www.ucopenacess.org and the other sites mentioned above.

I believe a sincere needs analysis by the project champion (you) will build the trust you will need to get over possible rough spots later.

Best regards,

Lee Allan

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on February 24, 2008 at 6:53pm

Another opinion based on 15 years of encouraging tech integration--put money and time in the people who want to get onboard. In my opinion the blanket approach doesn't work--some teachers will always be non-bloomers and non-adopters.

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Permalink Reply by James Dykstra on February 24, 2008 at 7:04pm

I'm not aiming at a blanket approach. I'm trying to find a few things to get a few teachers excited. Hopefully they can bring along the others, but if not, well, there's not much we can do about that.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on February 24, 2008 at 7:07pm

I guess that sounded a little grumpy---present to everyone, assess interest and go with the interested group.

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