Okay here I go again mixing personal and professional. This blog is dedicated to all of the teachers who are getting their summer "off". I was watching the news and am pleased to report that the governor has signed a bill to increase school safety in the state. There will be mental health training, crisis intervention training, and a revamp of emergency drills. All of these wonderful things will magically be put in place on July 1st. Hold on let me get my magic wand.
There that's better. Here's my question, how are we supposed to do this? We aren't really magic. When in the next three weeks are we going to learn all these new things? But rest assured we will be responsible.
My district is also getting a new curriculum for both math and reading. We are supposed to get training at some point before we begin teaching in August. Have we gotten our new books yet? Nope? A scope and sequence that lets us know how they want it taught? Nope. What do I have....
Yeah that should work.
Finally what does this have to do with technology or this class? Well the powers that be love the idea of technology and social media in the classroom. They love how it looks to parents and seeing the students engaged. But, where is the training? It is unfair for educators to be held responsible for the forward movement of society based on their career choice. As a teacher I expected to influence students, but I didn't expect to be held responsible for the woes of society. Despite what some people believe, teachers are not magic. We do not just know what to do and how to do it. We need more help than a magic wand. I think mine is broken.
We all know these empty platitudes won't really go anywhere. The governor has made it abundantly clear he doesn't care about citizens and merely panders to the lowest common denominator to garner votes and money for his pocket.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Tired, have you taken Change Management with Dr. Philips??? Your post would be an excellent change entry. Initially, preplanning for this semester, I wanted to make my blog based on his weekly journal assignments. I love this topic in the news of education in America. I might put it in my bookmarks and respond to you with a change management entry. Tired teacher, inspiring as usual...
ReplyDeleteps. i love the new design and formatting with the wands!!!!
Tired Teacher, I am right there with ya! All of the expectations for us to do these things, yet no help when we actually need it! Crazy to think that in Spring 2020, we were all heroes for jumping into action to teach kids virtually and now we are labeled as lazy and that we complain too much when we ask for better things. I very much agree that we need more than a magic wand and that the governor isn't the one who is going to give it to us.
ReplyDelete