Recently, Magda Galloway blogged about students feeling like they can make a difference. She explained about how we completed our Educational Technology and Design undergrad class with a lecture on "Being a Change Agent in Your School."This was an interesting way to bring closure to the class. We posted some polls in the CoverItLive backchannel that we ran during the lecture. It was interesting to see that 75% of our students thought that they would be change agents in their schools. 25% of them said that they weren't ready to be change agents. None of the students in the backchannel said that they wouldn't be change agents.
Read Magda's post to learn more of the specifics: Being a Change Agent AKA the Status Quo Sucks!
Change agents, eh? I just hope you also reiterate that those who have been teaching for 20 or 30 years deserve respect for their experience, and that just because we are old doesn't mean we are backwards. :)
ReplyDeleteCathyO,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, CathyO. Teachers who have been in the field for 20 - 30 years deserve the greatest amount of respect. I have been at it for 34 years. Age isn't the issue. Perspective and vision are the issue. It doen't matter how old you are if you are preparing your students for their futures instead of "our pasts."
Our students today think significantly differently and will live in a world that is significantly different from the worlds we have experienced. We need to pay attention to that. We need to develop critical thinking skills and problem solving finesse using the the many opportunities and tools that we can use in Today's World.
Have you encountered a feeling that if you are old, you "can't get it."?
Z
And I agree with you, Dr. Z. That is why I am enrolled in the Ed Tech program. I want my students empowered with knowledge and skills when they leave my classroom. However, I have noted a certain arrogance in the past few years with many young teachers. They almost mock older educators. That didn't use to be so. I always looked to older teachers as mentors from whom I could learn much. It now seems that young teachers feel if a person is not computer literate, they therefore have nothing to offer, and that is completely wrong minded. We definitely want to arm new teachers with a tech savvy approach to education, but we do not wish to arm them with arrogance. I think it wouldn't hurt to remind them of that some times.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Maggda's observations about teachers prepared to teach infusing technology into the classrooms and existing teachers being practically inert! That is why I am so determined to master all of this; I have to meet my students where they are so that I can make them want to learn and be excited to learn.
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