CTE New Teacher Institute Forum: What Would I Change?

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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

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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?

Monday, October 21, 2013

What Would I Change?

I suppose if I were to change something it would be to resort back to my old curriculum. What I was hired to teach. The new standards that have been recently pushed down for my program are a bit to advanced for some of my students and to be quite honest there is very little of it that relates to my fields of expertise. I teach Manufacturing, which put simply is taking a resource or material and transforming it into a usable product. Well in the older curriculum I taught material science, Computer Aided Design, CNC (automated machine tool), Material handling, measurements, hand tools, power tools, equipment, basic electricity, pneumatics, and hydraulics. All of which I could easily focus students towards projects and hands on learning. Now my curriculum is consumed with electronics, electrical theory, and logic control systems. Nothing pertaining to the basics of how to measure, how to design, how to build. I am struggling teaching this new class due to my lack of knowledge in the field of electronics. I am literally learning what I am teaching a day or two prior to presenting it, which leads to a number of problems as you could imagine. I am not even sure if this curriculum would aid them in job placement for our area. Many people have told me to teach them what they need to be successful in the workforce, just be sure to hit the standards. But, hitting 15 standards and teaching them the other components is nearly impossible. It will be some time before I can find that happy medium.

3 comments:

Jama said...: Hey Trenton. That is a challenge. Do you have an end-of-pathway exam the students are required to take? I'm by no way saying you should "teach to the test" but it may be a good guide for which components you really need to hit the hardest. Also, enlist guest speakers!!! Folks are usually really happy to talk about their areas of expertise.; October 21, 2013 at 3:47:00 PM EDT
Terry said...: I have run into similar issues. The standards are valuable, but are they applicable in the “real world”? Maybe you could try to combine the standards provided by the state with the “Trenton standards”. Any combination of the two that might be able to be grouped and taught together would allow you to hit both of the important aspects of the class, the standards and the applicables.; October 21, 2013 at 7:27:00 PM EDT
Dr. J said...: I think that Jama and Terry both have some excellent suggestions for you Trenton. As you have more experience I think you will become comfortable in "customizing" your program. I have some standards that I maybe say two sentences about during NTI and others that I hit stronger. Then I also have the things I teach because I believe they are important. You'll get there in time . . .Dr. J.; October 22, 2013 at 2:25:00 PM EDT