Rules For Posting To This Blog and Weekly Blog Question

1. Only use your first name (no last names, addresses, IM screen names, etc.)
2. Show respect and consideration of others when posting and commenting. This includes individuals, students, organizations, political parties, colleagues, etc.
3. Check all posts for spelling and grammar errors before posting.
4. Protect the privacy of others. Gain permission from other people before you write about them. Avoid sharing someone else's last name. Use job titles or pseudonyms when writing about experiences with your co-workers or students.
5. Watch your language. Use politically correct and non-offensive language.
6. Make sure you write about things that are factual.
7. Keep your postings education-oriented. Avoid discussing plans for the weekend, etc.

FINAL BLOG POST - OUR "DAILY TRIPLE" (DUE 12/1).
This week I would like you to use your imagination. You have just won the lottery and will leave your teaching post immediately to travel around the world. As you leave your keys you meet your replacement. You are asked to give this new teacher just ONE piece of advice. What would that be, and why? Enjoy your world expedition!

Blog Post - Week 7
This past week in my own teaching I felt a little disconnected which prompts my question to you, "What was the moment (or moments) when I felt most disconnected or disengaged as a teacher - the moment(s) I said to myself, I'm just going through the motions here?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 6
For the past couple of weeks you have experienced asynchronous online learning (doing modules by yourself). Previously this semester you have experienced synchronous online learning (all together in the Collaborate room). Which do you think is more effective and why do you think that? Which do you like better, and why?

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 5
This week we have what we call "open mic." You can write a post about anything related to your teaching that you would like responses from your classmates.

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 4
Here is this week's question: "What was the event that most took me surprise this week - and event that shook me up, caught me off guard, gave me a jolt, or made me unexpectedly happy?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 3
Please write a post about the following question, "In thinking about my past week teaching what is one thing I would do differently, and why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 2
Please write a post about the following question, " In thinking about my teaching activities this past week, of what do I feel most proud? Why?"

Fall Semester 2016 Blog Post - Week 1
Describe something you used in your program in the first weeks of school that you learned in the summer NTI program. How did it work? Did it get you off to a stronger start than last year?

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Just Wondering?

I have always been taught the old adage, “you can work harder, or you can work smarter”. With that in mind, I must first say, I truly believe that we as teachers must be; highly knowledgeable in our areas of instruction, dedicated to our professions, prepared to teach whenever we enter the classroom and devoted to stimulating students to succeed. Also, I like almost everything that I am learning about Working on the Work, creating engaging lessons and lesson plans and giving clear and appropriate evaluations, etc. But as almost everyone has expressed, all of this places an enormous burden on every teacher that spills over into their home life to the point that many are being encouraged by their family to find another career.

Instead of teachers working harder, why aren’t we being allowed to work smarter? Let me explain. When I took over teaching drafting, I acquired a closet full of old drafting junk that I was asked to go through and clean out. Among the rubble I found a complete set of the Drafting curriculum that was created by the University of Georgia and was provided by the State of Georgia to be used to teach the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Drafting Classes. The teacher’s books were provided with all lesson plans, tests and teaching objectives. The student workbooks contained study blocks which listed all of the requirements that the students needed to complete in order to meet each objective. Reading materials, worksheets and scripts for a slide show were also provided for each study block. It was designed to accompany a text book. All of the material was reproducible. This curriculum allowed for the teacher to instruct the class as a group or for the student to work ahead at his own pace. Students were required to show competency in each book before they could move to the next study block. Either way, it insured that every student received the training that the state required before moving on to the next level. You see, teachers were then provided with all of the tools they needed to achieve almost all of the requirements that teachers are now being expected to create for themselves today. As one of the students who took those classes, back in the day, I know that we were better prepared to enter the workplace than our students are today. I believe that that anyone can do any thing as long as they have the proper training, proper tools and material and enough time, which leaves me with one question. Why does each of us need to create our own wheel?

1 comment:

Dr. M said...

Hi, Wyndell - well said, and right on the money. Sharing with each other avoids re-creating everything. I know I used many ideas, plans, projects, etc., from fellow CTEA teachers from across the state when I taught, and from industry training organizations as well. Find it, use it, share it.