Let's Escape...It's Worth The Discomfort
How can we effectively, practically and authentically embed technology within our curricular areas?
First things first - I think we need to do WAY more than incorporate tech. We need to revolutionize schools.
Before you read any further - you should read this article:
Different Definitions of Personalized Learning Conflict, Cause Confusion
It's like everything we've all been discussing in smaller groups but condensed and gets us all up to speed on what's ACTUALLY happening in the world.
What resonated with me?
1. "Pane is the lead author of one of the few empirical studies to date of this idea, published late last year. It found that schools using some form of personalized learning were, on average, performing better ( there were some wrinkles we’ll talk about later on)."
-We are NOT the first ones to feel and think this way as educators. We are not alone. We need to remember to look outside of our little town for guidance.
- It's different, new, but NOT perfect, but MAYBE better. So shouldn't we give it our all?
2. "So what is personalized learning, exactly? The term has buzz, for sure. But it’s also a bit — or more than a bit — baggy...“Personalized learning” has become a Janus-faced word, with at least two meanings in tension: 1. The use of software to allow each student to proceed through a pre-determined body of knowledge, most often math, at his or her own pace. 2. A whole new way of doing school, not necessarily focused on technology, where students set their own goals. They work both independently and together on projects that match their interests, while adults facilitate and invest in getting to know each student one-on-one, both their strengths and their challenges."
-We HAVE to avoid putting a name on it. We are simply doing what we think is best for kids. We are TRYING to be better and are willing to learn what works and what doesn't. Also, why do we HAVE to do one or the other. I think a healthy mix of BOTH of the above are the soundest options for future trials.
-At your own pace methods are great at ensuring that ALL students get the attention they need to meet basic knowledge requirements (Granted, we need to know what that means). This is no different than two people who want to learn how to braid hair. One person only needs to watch one Youtube video to master it. Someone else watches 5 videos, takes notes, asks their personal stylist for a demonstration before they even try themselves. But they still get the skill.
-This does NOT have to be limited to tech based education and does NOT have to be for all subjects. If some students would do better this way, it should be an option. If others prefer to be in a more traditional classroom, it should be an option. Example: Foreign language - some people can learn Russian on their phones these days. I could not. I would need to be immersed in at least a classroom environment, if not travel there and be completely immersed in a Russian speaking community.
3. "When you leave behind the narrow path of personalization simply as a matter of pacing, you enter a world that is broader. To some people that’s more exciting, but it’s also more difficult to sum up. At the schools he’s studied, students meet regularly, one on one, with teachers...set individual learning goals, follow up and discuss progress... It’s kind of like a schoolwide version of special education, with an IEP...for every student...This is “expensive,” says Halverson. Think 28 meetings of 15 minutes each — that’s a full day of a teacher’s time, somewhere between once a week and once a month. In fact, the entire school day, week, year may need to be reconfigured to allow for it."
-Okay. So let's do that. Why not? Because it's hard? Isn't that exactly what we hate hearing from our students? Don't we push our students to work harder when problems are difficult to solve? If we are so tired of our students not having "grit", why do we not call ourselves on quitting when finding real solutions to the problem of education gets "expensive".
-But it has to be done well. This will take time, experimentation, patience, and perseverance.
4. "They found that, while many teachers were wildly enthusiastic, they were often left on their own. They had little guidance to set meaningful learning outcomes for students outside the state frameworks of standardized tests. And, they had little support at the school- or district-level to change key elements of school, like age-based grouping or all-at-once scheduling. So personalization efforts often didn’t spread beyond pilot classrooms."
-We have administration on our side. Let's take advantage of our energy and successes and their support to move this beyond pilot projects and pilot classrooms.
I would argue that many who complain are those who are afraid. I am SO tired of not doing something because someone else might not like it. I would rather confront those questions head on. What don't they like? Why? How can we tweak it and make it better?
Stop complaining and contribute. Don't get caught up in the what ifs and the unpredictability and the counter arguments - I am guilty of this too. Listen. Hear what they say. But don't let it stop you from taking the risk.
How do you know what works and what doesn't if you won't even try and can't get back up when it gets hard?
But I'm also not afraid to be wrong. I'm willing to change.
Not everyone will be happy. But change is uncomfortable. And if it's right for our children, isn't it worth the discomfort?
First things first - I think we need to do WAY more than incorporate tech. We need to revolutionize schools.
Before you read any further - you should read this article:
Different Definitions of Personalized Learning Conflict, Cause Confusion
It's like everything we've all been discussing in smaller groups but condensed and gets us all up to speed on what's ACTUALLY happening in the world.
What resonated with me?
1. "Pane is the lead author of one of the few empirical studies to date of this idea, published late last year. It found that schools using some form of personalized learning were, on average, performing better ( there were some wrinkles we’ll talk about later on)."
-We are NOT the first ones to feel and think this way as educators. We are not alone. We need to remember to look outside of our little town for guidance.
- It's different, new, but NOT perfect, but MAYBE better. So shouldn't we give it our all?
2. "So what is personalized learning, exactly? The term has buzz, for sure. But it’s also a bit — or more than a bit — baggy...“Personalized learning” has become a Janus-faced word, with at least two meanings in tension: 1. The use of software to allow each student to proceed through a pre-determined body of knowledge, most often math, at his or her own pace. 2. A whole new way of doing school, not necessarily focused on technology, where students set their own goals. They work both independently and together on projects that match their interests, while adults facilitate and invest in getting to know each student one-on-one, both their strengths and their challenges."
-We HAVE to avoid putting a name on it. We are simply doing what we think is best for kids. We are TRYING to be better and are willing to learn what works and what doesn't. Also, why do we HAVE to do one or the other. I think a healthy mix of BOTH of the above are the soundest options for future trials.
-At your own pace methods are great at ensuring that ALL students get the attention they need to meet basic knowledge requirements (Granted, we need to know what that means). This is no different than two people who want to learn how to braid hair. One person only needs to watch one Youtube video to master it. Someone else watches 5 videos, takes notes, asks their personal stylist for a demonstration before they even try themselves. But they still get the skill.
-This does NOT have to be limited to tech based education and does NOT have to be for all subjects. If some students would do better this way, it should be an option. If others prefer to be in a more traditional classroom, it should be an option. Example: Foreign language - some people can learn Russian on their phones these days. I could not. I would need to be immersed in at least a classroom environment, if not travel there and be completely immersed in a Russian speaking community.
3. "When you leave behind the narrow path of personalization simply as a matter of pacing, you enter a world that is broader. To some people that’s more exciting, but it’s also more difficult to sum up. At the schools he’s studied, students meet regularly, one on one, with teachers...set individual learning goals, follow up and discuss progress... It’s kind of like a schoolwide version of special education, with an IEP...for every student...This is “expensive,” says Halverson. Think 28 meetings of 15 minutes each — that’s a full day of a teacher’s time, somewhere between once a week and once a month. In fact, the entire school day, week, year may need to be reconfigured to allow for it."
-Okay. So let's do that. Why not? Because it's hard? Isn't that exactly what we hate hearing from our students? Don't we push our students to work harder when problems are difficult to solve? If we are so tired of our students not having "grit", why do we not call ourselves on quitting when finding real solutions to the problem of education gets "expensive".
-But it has to be done well. This will take time, experimentation, patience, and perseverance.
4. "They found that, while many teachers were wildly enthusiastic, they were often left on their own. They had little guidance to set meaningful learning outcomes for students outside the state frameworks of standardized tests. And, they had little support at the school- or district-level to change key elements of school, like age-based grouping or all-at-once scheduling. So personalization efforts often didn’t spread beyond pilot classrooms."
-We have administration on our side. Let's take advantage of our energy and successes and their support to move this beyond pilot projects and pilot classrooms.
I would argue that many who complain are those who are afraid. I am SO tired of not doing something because someone else might not like it. I would rather confront those questions head on. What don't they like? Why? How can we tweak it and make it better?
Stop complaining and contribute. Don't get caught up in the what ifs and the unpredictability and the counter arguments - I am guilty of this too. Listen. Hear what they say. But don't let it stop you from taking the risk.
How do you know what works and what doesn't if you won't even try and can't get back up when it gets hard?
But I'm also not afraid to be wrong. I'm willing to change.
Not everyone will be happy. But change is uncomfortable. And if it's right for our children, isn't it worth the discomfort?
Couldn't agree more. How do we get to a place that we have more options not less? It's not this way or that way or this tech or not tech, or this approach or that approach. It's all of it! That's what makes it so hard. Is that everyone gets to choose the option that best works for them.
ReplyDeleteAt the last school I was at we had a neuroscientist come and talk to us about the brain and how schools try and make this "well rounded brain" in a child. But the problem is our brains are not round. All of us have different strengths and weaknesses and often times schools try to "force" the brain to be round rather than saying "Yeah...this is the way you learn best...let's help your brain learn that way the best it can!"
That's what I want...I want us to stop trying to make kids brains "round" and start to see and use their individual talents in the classroom for learning. Maybe this makes sense to me because I'm dyslexic. My brain is not round, I learn best by listening, by having conversations, by talking out-load, by creating podcasts and videos. That's the way my brain has stretched. That's what is best for my brain. Make me read a book and watch me shut down, make my write a paper that I have absolutely no interest in and watch me struggle.
It's really uncomfortable and it's really hard because it is not what we're use to doing. But we have to continue to understand we picked a profession that is not about us....it's about them. We need to get uncomfortable and try the hard things for them. Try something new...what's the worst that happens? You FAIL (First Attempt In Learning)! YEAH!!!!
I love your optimism and enthusiasm. I wonder if your hopes are overly optimistic. I think we do have some support to try new things, but the state tests are still coming. The school day isn't changing and grades are still due. What we need is a culture shift, but creating the momentum for such a shift is daunting.
ReplyDeleteAnother element to this that we don't talk about enough is how do you change teacher culture? We teach independently for the most part, and honestly, I think we are wide apart philosophically on some of these issues. I agree with you, but I know both of us have members of our departments that are not nearly as ready to tear things down and start fresh. As we have this conversation, the science department is in the midst of building their curriculum to meet the new state standards. My understanding is much of that is pretty traditional. Are teacher willing to abandon that work?
I don't know. Maybe we need your unbridled enthusiasm to get there. Maybe my perceptions are off, and maybe I'm just stuck in the mud.
I think your perceptions are right on. I think there are teachers out there who aren't ready OR willing. But I guess I also don't believe that's enough reason to not try. I also don't think there is ONE right answer. I DO think there should be options. I thrived in traditional schooling. But I see those kids that don't and want to make it better for them.
DeleteI'm with Gunner. Just because it's hard, is no longer a good enough excuse. I'm not willing to give up. And I'm happy to be an endless fountain of enthusiasm for all who need it!