It's been less than a month since the announcement that I'm going back to the classroom. Call me nuts, but I'm pumped. I know those of you that haven't had an 11 year hiatus are saying, "Wait 'til he gets back in the trenches, then let's see how excited he is." A lot has changed in the past 11 years. In my own positive view point, so much of it's for the best. Here is a list:
1. Technology -- OK most of what's new is connected to this. So, it has to be number one. GKB is 1-1. It is so amazing that all the teachers have a school supplied laptop, an IPAD supplied by the school, and many HS teachers (soon to be all) have SMARTBoards in their classrooms (This isn't new. More than 11 years ago I was the first GKB teacher to have and use a SMARTBoard in the classroom). But, to take that one step further, we now give our students their own laptop. What an amazing 11 years for education.
2. Resources -- Just in the past 2 months, I've been able to connect with some of the most amazing teachers across this country. With all the information now being packed into my brain, I feel like it's going to explode. Eleven years ago, I remember getting my new textbooks with it's "supplemental" material and being excited about all the possibilities. Now with the world at my fingertips, I realize how narrow my view was of good teaching. I have to apologize to my former students. Now, I have an amazing PLN, Personal Learning Network. Now I am just as much a learner as my students. Eleven years ago my only Professional Development was my mandatory 6 credit hours every 5 years. With the help of twitter and many blogs, I am growing professionally at an exponential rate every single day. (I just had to throw that in there, Math is great!)
3. Textbooks -- This is closely tied to the first two. Textbooks are going the way of the dinosaur. Textbook publishers have always given us the impression we couldn't live without them. They were in complete control of education. Now I can be in control of my classroom. I have so much freedom to concentrate on what my students want and need. I'm not tied to a chapter. I'm not tied to a boring, repetitive grind. I can even create my own textbook. I can completely design my own classroom or I can look to others who are the REAL PROFESSIONALS, the teachers who have come up with great lessons that have been successful in their classroom. I'm not tied to worksheets. I'm not tied to the odd answers in the back of the book. Yippee!
4. Cell Phones -- Ok, this is just like number one. BUT, the cell phone and the mobility of information and connectedness is great for education. Our students have more powerful computers in their pockets, hidden because they can't have them out at school, than the computer I had 11 years ago. They can use this technology and run circles around me. I am excited about having them teach me a thing or two!
5. Vision -- I know most teachers fight change. Really, just about everybody fights change. We want to teach the way we were taught. That's natural, but the voice of change in education is picking up speed and I think it's fantastic. I'm seeing a vision from great leaders across this country to change our outdated, broken model and replace it with a new updated Ferrari. For years we've heard, we're here for the kids. In fact, our students have changed and we have not. We've fought testing, we've fought technology, we've fought testing, and we've fought accountability. We've complained about everything from school vouchers, to lack of parent support, to wages and benefits. This is true of our entire profession, administrators, teachers, and staff members. But, I sense even more change! I'm now seeing and connecting with people who see the glass as half full. Many educational professionals are finding great things happening in education. We are getting to hear first hand about changes that work. We get to hear them straight from the students. We can actually witness it via Skype and other great web tools. Many education professionals are looking OUTSIDE the box to help improve and get past the negative view of schools in America. A great vision is growing.
6. Competition -- I've been an Athletic Director for 11 years. I love competition. I believe competition forces us to grow, even when we don't want to. Even as AD, I have complained about Private Schools and their unfair advantage. But, all my teams have worked extra hard to compete with them. I hate to admit it, but the Private schools have forced us to get better athletically. Now the same is true academically. Vouchers, charter schools, home schools and standardized testing have forced us in to a very competitive time for education. Like I said, I love competition. I love a challenge. I love the idea that I'm going to be judged and paid on the quality teacher I am. Call me arrogant or cocky, but I welcome the competition. Just like athletics, the playing field is not always level. I guess I'll just have to outwork the other guy. I hate losing and I'm not about to let GKB lose to a bunch of private or charter schools. Competition is good for education. It's driving the changes. It's getting us to look deeper at what we're doing. How can that be bad? What do we have to be afraid of? Bring it on. GKB is a better school corporation than most. We have some of the best professionals anywhere? I'm confident we can stack up with any school, anywhere, anytime. Bring it on!
A lot has changed in 11 years. Our profession is growing and changing. Our students will benefit from that change. Perspective is everything. I chose to look at all the great things going on in a positive and exciting way. The glass IS half full and my Brain is going to explode imagining the possibilities!
1. Technology -- OK most of what's new is connected to this. So, it has to be number one. GKB is 1-1. It is so amazing that all the teachers have a school supplied laptop, an IPAD supplied by the school, and many HS teachers (soon to be all) have SMARTBoards in their classrooms (This isn't new. More than 11 years ago I was the first GKB teacher to have and use a SMARTBoard in the classroom). But, to take that one step further, we now give our students their own laptop. What an amazing 11 years for education.
2. Resources -- Just in the past 2 months, I've been able to connect with some of the most amazing teachers across this country. With all the information now being packed into my brain, I feel like it's going to explode. Eleven years ago, I remember getting my new textbooks with it's "supplemental" material and being excited about all the possibilities. Now with the world at my fingertips, I realize how narrow my view was of good teaching. I have to apologize to my former students. Now, I have an amazing PLN, Personal Learning Network. Now I am just as much a learner as my students. Eleven years ago my only Professional Development was my mandatory 6 credit hours every 5 years. With the help of twitter and many blogs, I am growing professionally at an exponential rate every single day. (I just had to throw that in there, Math is great!)
3. Textbooks -- This is closely tied to the first two. Textbooks are going the way of the dinosaur. Textbook publishers have always given us the impression we couldn't live without them. They were in complete control of education. Now I can be in control of my classroom. I have so much freedom to concentrate on what my students want and need. I'm not tied to a chapter. I'm not tied to a boring, repetitive grind. I can even create my own textbook. I can completely design my own classroom or I can look to others who are the REAL PROFESSIONALS, the teachers who have come up with great lessons that have been successful in their classroom. I'm not tied to worksheets. I'm not tied to the odd answers in the back of the book. Yippee!
4. Cell Phones -- Ok, this is just like number one. BUT, the cell phone and the mobility of information and connectedness is great for education. Our students have more powerful computers in their pockets, hidden because they can't have them out at school, than the computer I had 11 years ago. They can use this technology and run circles around me. I am excited about having them teach me a thing or two!
5. Vision -- I know most teachers fight change. Really, just about everybody fights change. We want to teach the way we were taught. That's natural, but the voice of change in education is picking up speed and I think it's fantastic. I'm seeing a vision from great leaders across this country to change our outdated, broken model and replace it with a new updated Ferrari. For years we've heard, we're here for the kids. In fact, our students have changed and we have not. We've fought testing, we've fought technology, we've fought testing, and we've fought accountability. We've complained about everything from school vouchers, to lack of parent support, to wages and benefits. This is true of our entire profession, administrators, teachers, and staff members. But, I sense even more change! I'm now seeing and connecting with people who see the glass as half full. Many educational professionals are finding great things happening in education. We are getting to hear first hand about changes that work. We get to hear them straight from the students. We can actually witness it via Skype and other great web tools. Many education professionals are looking OUTSIDE the box to help improve and get past the negative view of schools in America. A great vision is growing.
6. Competition -- I've been an Athletic Director for 11 years. I love competition. I believe competition forces us to grow, even when we don't want to. Even as AD, I have complained about Private Schools and their unfair advantage. But, all my teams have worked extra hard to compete with them. I hate to admit it, but the Private schools have forced us to get better athletically. Now the same is true academically. Vouchers, charter schools, home schools and standardized testing have forced us in to a very competitive time for education. Like I said, I love competition. I love a challenge. I love the idea that I'm going to be judged and paid on the quality teacher I am. Call me arrogant or cocky, but I welcome the competition. Just like athletics, the playing field is not always level. I guess I'll just have to outwork the other guy. I hate losing and I'm not about to let GKB lose to a bunch of private or charter schools. Competition is good for education. It's driving the changes. It's getting us to look deeper at what we're doing. How can that be bad? What do we have to be afraid of? Bring it on. GKB is a better school corporation than most. We have some of the best professionals anywhere? I'm confident we can stack up with any school, anywhere, anytime. Bring it on!
A lot has changed in 11 years. Our profession is growing and changing. Our students will benefit from that change. Perspective is everything. I chose to look at all the great things going on in a positive and exciting way. The glass IS half full and my Brain is going to explode imagining the possibilities!
Steven W. Anderson (