This blog has been up-and-running for almost a year, now. Garth and I have tried very hard to talk about everything from what's going on in our classroom to how we feel about different issues within education. We have hosted professional development opportunities, break-out sessions at conferences and we will soon add keynote speakers to our credentials. We have strived to create a positive digital footprint for the sake of our students, no every student, that crosses through the doors of a school. We want education to change. We want teachers, administrators, government and parents to recognize that their children/students are not them; and the world is not the same world in which they grew up and went to school. Everyone needs to contribute to creating a learning experience that encourages 21st Century Skills, encourages innovation and validates students whom strive to be creative problem-solvers.
Today I sat down in my monthly staff meeting expecting the normal conversation. I expect the staff to only half-listen; teachers tend to make the worst audience. Instead, I was confronted by my principal showing an unusual amount of energy and spirit! He started to explain that he had gone to a conference over the weekend for administration across Northeast Ohio. He talked about the speaker; someone who was internationally known, called one of the most influential people in education and very charismatic about changing education.
My principal told us that this speaker talked with great passion about creating learning experiences, engaging students, and infusing 21st Century Skills within the curriculum. My principal said that the speaker began to realize that the crowd of administrators was very quiet. No questions being asked, no cell phones or laptops being used, just people sitting and listening. Then the presenter told the audience that he wanted to show them the "best example of technology being used in a classroom that he has seen in America (as quoted by my principal)".
The speaker was Alan November and he showed the audience the classroom blog that Garth and I use to teach our classes. He talked about how wonderful it was to see two teachers come together in truly implement technology in the right way. Needless to say, I felt humbled that Alan would speak so highly of our work.
I'm proud that Alan November shared the work of Garth and myself, but why must an international figure, speaking at a conference in front of administrators from around Ohio be the voice of reason in my methodology. Why can't happy, engaged and enlightened students speak for my work? Why can't my teaching philosophy and the work Garth and I do speak for itself. We need more Alan Novembers in the world, I suppose, to convince the people that make decisions that the work of great teachers is actually great.
Please leave some comments about how you think we can help change the world of education.
-Mike
Today I sat down in my monthly staff meeting expecting the normal conversation. I expect the staff to only half-listen; teachers tend to make the worst audience. Instead, I was confronted by my principal showing an unusual amount of energy and spirit! He started to explain that he had gone to a conference over the weekend for administration across Northeast Ohio. He talked about the speaker; someone who was internationally known, called one of the most influential people in education and very charismatic about changing education.
My principal told us that this speaker talked with great passion about creating learning experiences, engaging students, and infusing 21st Century Skills within the curriculum. My principal said that the speaker began to realize that the crowd of administrators was very quiet. No questions being asked, no cell phones or laptops being used, just people sitting and listening. Then the presenter told the audience that he wanted to show them the "best example of technology being used in a classroom that he has seen in America (as quoted by my principal)".
The speaker was Alan November and he showed the audience the classroom blog that Garth and I use to teach our classes. He talked about how wonderful it was to see two teachers come together in truly implement technology in the right way. Needless to say, I felt humbled that Alan would speak so highly of our work.
I'm proud that Alan November shared the work of Garth and myself, but why must an international figure, speaking at a conference in front of administrators from around Ohio be the voice of reason in my methodology. Why can't happy, engaged and enlightened students speak for my work? Why can't my teaching philosophy and the work Garth and I do speak for itself. We need more Alan Novembers in the world, I suppose, to convince the people that make decisions that the work of great teachers is actually great.
Please leave some comments about how you think we can help change the world of education.
-Mike
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