The Library Renaissance

The library of our parent's generation has become extinct. As technology has been introduced to the research process, librarians have had to stay up to date on an endless variety of budding resources, most of them having nothing to do with physical books. Don't get me wrong, in libraries across the country the Dewey Decimal system is still alive and well, but the most advanced libraries are spending less on book purchases and more on technology resources. It is easy to conclude that the job of a librarian has become much more demanding and requires flexibility in order to stay on top of new and exciting possibilities.

For educators we all realize that little research is being done with a book and notebook. In today's world, primary source documents can be as close as a click away; which is incredibly exciting and terrifying for our libraries. Modern students rarely consult books for researching and teachers hardly ever reserve a library for the use of the paper bound on shelves upon shelves. So what is to become of the library as we know it!? The answer is simple, change.

Librarians have done a wonderful job making adjustments to the existing library structure. Through education, librarians now offer the knowledge to show students how to research in the most efficient way possible. As simple as educating scholars on how to do a proper Google search or determining what resources are reliable, slowly librarians are leading the charge in making our youth safer and smarter on the internet.

Even in Three Years, Technology has changed how I teach

While I realize I haven't taught long, I have seen many changes in the possibilities I can do within my classroom; because of advancements in technology. When I was in school I never would have believed that the future of schools would include each student having their own device provided to them through the school. Additionally I never thought I'd see a day where student would be allowed to use cell phones as a resource for a research paper. Technology has allowed me to differentiate in a way I never thought possible.

One of the best ways technology has advanced my teaching capabilities is by allowing me to give instant feedback. We play a "game" in class for review called Kahoot that the students absolutely love! Using Kahoot, students can compete with each other while being provided with feedback instantly as well as explanations if necessary. Kahoot and other resources like it, such as Socrative or Nearpod, assist students but they also let teachers know if the students "just aren't getting." Using technology, the way the world thinks of tests and quizzes is being forever changed.

I love that technology gives me the versatility to show my students things I couldn't by using textbook or film. Technology allows my students  to be in control of their own learning as well as their own research. Technology ultimately allows students to take charge of their own learning and create things; the exact skills necessary for life beyond high school.  I believe technology is going to forever be changing education, so long as we take every opportunity possible to keep up with the changes.

Textbooks- Backpacks are getting lighter

For years, many wonderful teachers have used textbooks as the primary resource within the classroom. For a number of reasons, those classrooms are becoming harder and harder to find. Ipads and other tablets are replacing textbooks because of the versatility of tablets versus the textbook. Tablets provide more resources; they give student’s instant feedback, and provide a variety of other opportunities to the young users. 

I asked a fellow teacher this past week on what her thoughts are on substituting tablets for textbooks. I was disappointed that she believed it would be too much of a headache to manage within our school. While I don't believe fiscally it is possible to for our school right now, I would like to see this as something we would start to transition towards as a district. One to one computer/student pairing would open so many doors for what I could do within my classroom. Even though it may not be possible right now, I know in my heart that in the next ten years, each student will be provided a tablet in replacement for a textbook. 

Teaching 21st Century Learners

Teaching using 21^st Century tools can be intimidating. For teachers it is often difficult to teach in a different way than how we learned. To be an effective teacher in the 21st century, teachers are going to have to do just that. Daily, new tools are becoming available to aid in classroom learning. Whether it be mastering the interactive whiteboard rather than a projector; to utilize manipulatives for our young learners. Or conducting an online discussion about a primary source document, teachers who know how to use technology are becoming a cut above those who do not. 

The reason to use the newly created 21^st century tools is simple. We are teaching life-long learners. Access to information has now become limitless; so too has our student’s limits on how much they are "expected to know." With that being said, we teachers need to realize that our limits for teaching our students have now also become limitless. No longer should our students be put in a routine of assignments. Instead our students should enter the classroom asking "What are we going to do today?" Teaching using 21^st century is scary, but it is important for teachers to keep an open mind and utilize professional development as a means to stay on top of new and exciting tools. 

Teachers are Contradictions

Similar to latest Starburst commercials, Teachers are contradictions. Teachers are a shoulder to cry on and distributor of tough love. Teachers always provide fair treatment in the classroom, but pick out those who need a little extra, and provide it faithfully. Teachers work tirelessly and rarely think of anything but how to reach their students, however many in communities across the country believe teachers are lazy and are payed appropriately for only nine months of work. Teachers want all of our students to pass, but realize that not all of them will. Teachers have to be fun and engaging, but also tough and in control.

To be a teacher in todays public school setting has taught me a lot about the profession. My mom was a teacher, but I didn't realize how much work went into the profession on a daily basis. I've had a variety of jobs, but I can honestly say being a teacher has been the toughest and also the most rewarding. The only thing I would change about the profession is how the public views it.

Last week my own Grandpa told me "well you know, if you think about it, teachers get paid pretty well for only working 6-7 months of the year." I didn't really know what to say. I told him I work 9 months at over 60 hours a week. He didn't believe me when I told him. Later my aunt made a comment that my cousin was failing because the teacher didn't like her. Again I was left speechless. How could people actually believe that teachers don't work as many hours yearly as any full time employee? How could they believe that a teacher wants to make a child's life miserable?

To be a teacher is to do the impossible daily, and receive little reward. Our reward is knowing in our hearts that we change lives, even if others don't realize it.

Skitch Practice Ed521

Why reinvent the wheel when you can Retweet it? The Value of Twitter for todays teachers.

I never understood the purpose of Twitter before a couple weeks ago. My husband has always been a huge advocate of Twitter, but I found it difficult to navigate and rarely logged into my account. When we started working with Twitter in the spring of 2015, I began to realize its educational potential. As a social studies teacher in a small school, I am always hungry for resources. Twitter provides avenues for teachers to communicate and exchange ideas. 

Navigating Twitter has become easier, now that I know hash tags that produce the best results. For me #edchat, or @edutopia have provided the best results for overall education tips. If I specifically want to research social studies topics, #sschat has also given me some very helpful resources that I can use when teaching my students. 

One benefit of twitter that I haven't utilized is using Twitter to set up a mystery Skype. I think my students would really enjoy the challenge of trying to determine our Skype partners location using google maps, and it could be something that would really enhance their geography skills.  In the past couple weeks I have learned that twitter has a variety of uses, far beyond social networking.