After just two weeks of observation in an actual secondary classroom, I've already seen several examples of teachers struggling with the technological devices they've become accustomed to using on a daily basis. Many systems that used to be done by hand have now become solely electronic and so teachers must learn to adapt their old practices to the more up-to-date ones.
Specifically, there are telephones in every room. Instead of paging teachers from the main office, teachers are called personally in their rooms if someone needs to contact them. Yesterday, during my fourth hour class, my mentor teacher was interrupted mid lesson by two telephone calls actually intended to find out the schedule of a student in the room. Sure, there is a positive aspect of this. It was convenient for the scheduling office to be able to determine this particular student's schedule without pulling her out of class. However, the phone call certainly disrupted the flow of the class, and -- as fourteen year olds already struggle with attention span -- I don't expect that this interruption was welcomed by my mentor.
Additionally, the entire attendance system is now conducted via online software. When it works, this system trumps the old one of number 2 pencil lead and scantron sheets, as the teacher can with the click of a mouse, mark her absences and submit the data electronically to the scheduling office. However, on the second day of my observations, the attendance system had already encountered glitches, therefore adding extra confusion to the daily routine. Several announcements were made on the PA system at the beginning of school clarifying to teachers how they should handle attendance in lieu of the technology sna-foo. I curiously observed my mentor teacher as she attempted to welcome her students, begin class in an orderly fashion, and straighten out the attendance situation. Later on in the day, I asked her if she had been stressed out that morning. She applauded my intuition and confirmed, that indeed, technology is great -- when it works; but, when it fails, utter chaos ensues.
I'm glad that technology is serving its purpose at Saline High School. But, I am still a believer in the old way of doing things at times. The kids in my classes still have to read and write -- that is true. And videos have been shown in American classrooms for a long time. But, like my colleague Mark told me just yesterday -- in China, 50 kids sit in a small room, in which the teacher stands in front and lectures -- maybe using power point. At the end of the day, it isn't how much technology these schools have, but rather, if the use of it is actually benefiting the learning needs of the students. And when I hear my student whisper to me across the room when he thinks that my mentor teacher is not listening, "Can I check the baseball stats, just real quick?!", and then after I proceed to tell him decisively NO, see him walk out of the room checking the stats on his fully loaded cell phone - I don't see how technology within the classroom is more of a benefit than a distraction. I plan to ask my mentor teacher her thoughts on all of this on Tuesday -- so, look for MORE to come.
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5 comments:
Emily,
I agree with what you have said about technology in your placement. I have noticed some examples of this in my placement, too. When all goes right much time is saved. But, when something goes wrong it seems to take three times the effort and time as it would have using the 'old' technology. For, example, my teacher tried to show me some things that make her life easier on the computer, but over the summer someone had moved the airport device that provide the wireless signal to her room. While this is a small thing, in terms of problems, it is not something that I encountered often in the business world.
Hi Emily
You bring up a common issue in schools today with technology. I think we are definitely in a transition with some schools (and teachers) struggling with integrating these new technology-based management systems, while others are avoiding them, and some are embracing them. You will probably notice that within your district some teachers really embrace the technology (and may even go a bit too far), while others do everything in their power to avoid using technology. Then the rest of the teachers fall somewhere in between. That was my experience as both a classroom teacher and technology coordinator.
I was thinking about your comment on the telephones...I wonder if cell phones would be a better option for teachers (so they could put them on vibrate when they are teaching, and get text messages, so the whole class is not disrupted)?
Emily,
Just today my teacher was interrupted not once, not twice, but THREE times by telephone calls from the attendance and Vice Principal's office requesting the presence of various students. The attendance system at Romulus is also done online, another source of frustration for my mentor. I am finding the few forms of technology available at Romulus to be a hindrance to the actual teaching practice of even newbie teachers such as my mentor, let alone to old-school educators who are well into their 30+ years in the system. While I understand the learning curve involved in the use of technology, I am unsure that it is wise to implement it into the education system until it is functioning at a highly-successful level. As it stands at Romulus, I have found technology to waste class time and exert a stress upon the learning environment of those in my mentor teacher's classroom.
Emily,
I know what you mean. I have actually seen kids leap up during class to answer the teacher's phone. The phone usually rings once or twice during class and it does break the flow of the class. I wonder about a school wide IM system. Most of the calls have been from attendance or the guidance office. These things could have been handled when the teacher had time to sit at her desk.
Tammy
Emily,
As I have stated previously, you are very intuitive. After only two weeks in the classroom, I feel that you are already seeing that it all has to do with balance. Too much technology can be overstimulating, while not enough can be very boring. You can say that about any method that you teach; too much pen to paper can be boring, while too many hands-on experiences will miss kids as well. It is about finding as many methods to teaching as possible because all kids learn in different ways.
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