Over the weekend I heard Apple sold over 2 million phones world wide! The funny part is I didn't think that many people needed a new phone; but then again it is the latest and greatest tool out there right! Now fast forward to back to school night that I was attending for my oldest son. Every teacher had EVERYTHING posted on their website. I want to see homework for the day; website, projects; website, grades; website. All the teachers I visited thought this was awesome that the students could get their materials at any time, even if they were absent. However, every class I sat in had me fill out a paper survey about my son! This must still be the latest and greatest thing in schools.Well every class but one.
There was one teacher that spent two years pleading with the district to get iPads for the kids and he finally won. In that class, I filled out a Google doc on an iPad in a class that will be using Dropbox for submitting assignments. This all my sound great, but did I tell you my son is on a team in which the 7th grade Falcons use the same teachers. So why am I filling out a survey for each teacher when Mr. Tech lover could have just shared the info on Google Drive.
The whole point of this story is one thing: change! Schools need to listen to a teacher that is willing to spend two years of meetings, presentations, budgeting, and data collecting for 30 iPads as they are the practitioners. The teachers are the mover and shakers, but will not be able to move and shake if administration is not willing to change. Administration will not change unless the state regulations change, and then the federal governments roll in education.
As I see this year, it will be changing for my son as new tools are coming his way! Especially the mom factor: accessing homework and projects everyday is awesome. But to me this is old hat as PA Virtual continues to have this information available and has for a few years. Again change needs to happen and we need to get back to the basics: educating child in any avenue possible!
There was one teacher that spent two years pleading with the district to get iPads for the kids and he finally won. In that class, I filled out a Google doc on an iPad in a class that will be using Dropbox for submitting assignments. This all my sound great, but did I tell you my son is on a team in which the 7th grade Falcons use the same teachers. So why am I filling out a survey for each teacher when Mr. Tech lover could have just shared the info on Google Drive.
The whole point of this story is one thing: change! Schools need to listen to a teacher that is willing to spend two years of meetings, presentations, budgeting, and data collecting for 30 iPads as they are the practitioners. The teachers are the mover and shakers, but will not be able to move and shake if administration is not willing to change. Administration will not change unless the state regulations change, and then the federal governments roll in education.
As I see this year, it will be changing for my son as new tools are coming his way! Especially the mom factor: accessing homework and projects everyday is awesome. But to me this is old hat as PA Virtual continues to have this information available and has for a few years. Again change needs to happen and we need to get back to the basics: educating child in any avenue possible!
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