Where Are We Running Now?

I wrote recently to a couple of the higher-ups in my district to ask about next year's 21st Century Learning plans and directions because I had heard nothing since the first and only mention of it (within my hearing) last April. You already know about that Summit if you've been reading my blog.

The back-story is that I have not been able to get anyone from the district to provide me with any kind of mission or goal statement about educational technology for at least two years because of a major shift in energy, time, resources, and personnel to all things testing and data-related. I am just another computer specials teacher at one school in a large well-respected, district so I'm certainly far from any position of influence and I do understand my rung in the food chain. (I sometimes think elective teachers may rate even lower than content or homeroom teachers. LOL) Woman happy laptop's workingBut I have high hopes about being an agent of positive change if possible, at least in my own classroom if not my own district, so I keep pushing, asking, and learning.

Here is the substantive portion of my email. I was aiming for respectful and professional. You'll have to be the judge of whether I achieved that goal:

As I attend conferences and engage in some additional self-styled professional development this summer, I am beginning to consider next year's plans. I'm wondering what the vision or plan is with regard to 21st Century skill-building for the next year or two, especially at the middle level. If there were any directives, suggestions, or ideas issued after the Summit last April on how we will move forward, I missed them.

Would you be so kind as to fill me in on how the District wants to move forward? I want to be well-prepared, design my curriculum, and have intelligent discussions with my administrators around vision and professional development in this area. I believe I have some elements already in place but need to be sure I'm building in the right direction and staying on the same page as you and the Board.

One of them replied with this. The only changes I have made are to spell out words abbreviated in the original response and to remove the name of a neighboring district:

Professional Development - We will be working with the Professional Development Department and Instruction Department to put together training on use of 21st century tools and skills. The main idea is to create opportunities for staff to think differently about the way they are instructing our children (not textbook based) but 21st century based: inquiry/project based learning, student creations, critical thinking, use of technology to engage them in learning, etc.

Another way is also a type of professional development (21st Century Educator program) - this is an idea that we borrowed from xxxxxx County to embed professional development. The idea is to provide tools to teachers to create best-practice 21st Century lessons that start with the standard and engage students in learning.

I will keep you in mind as we move forward. If you have ideas, please share.

I was gratified to get this response and will be mulling it over in the next few days. A few thoughts have already sprung to mind but I doubt they are ready for airing quite yet. Soon. But what are your reactions?

Photo credit: http://www.techdoctorcompany.com/images/photos/happy_woman.gif