The Texas Long Range Goal looks at four key areas: Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support, and Infrastructure for Technology. For the past three years beginning in 2006-2007 Educator Preparation and Development scores lower than in other areas. For the 2008-2009 school it scored the lowest in three years with a 10.
As administrators this is an area that truly shows a need for improvement. When looking at state and national trends this area seems to be lower for everyone. What I find interesting is that educators score lowest on this even when they are beginning teachers. For my campus they scores “Access to Professional Development” as a 1. As the person who coordinates several professional developments for the teachers on my campus and who attends many trainings on our campus I find this hard to believe. However, what we must remember as administrators is that it is not what we think, but what the faculty perceives. What this tells me is that as an administrator I need to strive to incorporate more professional development and then have more follow up with the faculty to ensure that learning is happening. We are a PLC campus and we could utilize the PLC as a way to ensure that all faculty members are being helped to the capacity that they need it and to use the safety of a PLC for them to ask their colleagues for help and guidance as well.
Another area of concern was Professional Development for Online Learning. We strive to teach our students to be life long learners so I feel that we should do all we can to help our teachers be that as well. I will bring this issue to my cluster director and investigate ways that can help all of our teachers with this type of professional development to encourage them.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Ok there were issues with my powerpoint downloading onto my blog so I thought I could do this just in case.
">">STAR CHART PRESENTATION
Caprock High School STaR Chart
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Pre-K TEKS for Technology Applications
Pre-K?? Who would have thought that at the age of 4 we as a state had created technology TEKS? I remember Kindergarten and we just learned to get along, line up quietly, and color within the lines. Now we have TEKS to ensure that 4 year olds are able to implement technology as they go from grade to grade.
Students are able use technology as a scaffolding curriculum ;by continually using specific programs, i.e. PowerPoint, word and excel to name a few. The students are able to begin using these programs for simple assignments such as letter books in elementary all the way to detailed projects and research papers that will utilize all these three programs have to offer. I see this as we get more students in the middle schools who already know how to utilize several aspects of each program.
Also, as we begin to change high school graduation requirements we are seeing more and more of the technology classes moving to the 8th grade. For instance, keyboarding is now being taught more and more in 7th and 8th grades and also is no longer a requirement for graduation with the changes in the technology requirements of the 81st legislature.
Students are able use technology as a scaffolding curriculum ;by continually using specific programs, i.e. PowerPoint, word and excel to name a few. The students are able to begin using these programs for simple assignments such as letter books in elementary all the way to detailed projects and research papers that will utilize all these three programs have to offer. I see this as we get more students in the middle schools who already know how to utilize several aspects of each program.
Also, as we begin to change high school graduation requirements we are seeing more and more of the technology classes moving to the 8th grade. For instance, keyboarding is now being taught more and more in 7th and 8th grades and also is no longer a requirement for graduation with the changes in the technology requirements of the 81st legislature.
Vision 2020...who knows
Ok...I'm not usually a pessimist or a no way kind of person. However, after reading the Vision 2020 plan I have to admit I'm not sure it's attainable. The other problem I see is that not only is their plan for technology within schools but the 81st legislature just did away with a technology requirement for graduation. I think that is a little hypocritical to say the least. The plan says that "schools and districts need to ensure that there is a shared vision" however, the state then took away the technology requirement. While some districts are keeping this requirement most districts believe that students already have a basic understanding of technology and are not requiring it.
The plan wants to ensure that students are capable of maintaining employability however, the lofty plan focuses more on teacher and staff professional development without regard to helping students learn these skills. Also, the plan focuses more on teaching teachers how to implement technology for our students use, however, there is no plan to follow up and gather the data to ensure that the technology is being taught to all students.
With it almost being 2010 it seems that as a whole we are still far behind the curve and not close to what the plan had shown to be completed by this time. There also seems to be limited communication with districts and the state or at the least within the district and its campuses. I can see that my district is trying to implement some aspect of the plan specifically the staff development. But I again say that with only professional development we are not finding ways to ensure that what is being "learned" is then being "taught" to all of our students.
I'm also seeing that various amounts of monies are being spent on technology, however, no on particular person is being seen as an expert. It appears that we are just continually moving from one new idea to the next without any type of consistency.
The plan wants to ensure that students are capable of maintaining employability however, the lofty plan focuses more on teacher and staff professional development without regard to helping students learn these skills. Also, the plan focuses more on teaching teachers how to implement technology for our students use, however, there is no plan to follow up and gather the data to ensure that the technology is being taught to all students.
With it almost being 2010 it seems that as a whole we are still far behind the curve and not close to what the plan had shown to be completed by this time. There also seems to be limited communication with districts and the state or at the least within the district and its campuses. I can see that my district is trying to implement some aspect of the plan specifically the staff development. But I again say that with only professional development we are not finding ways to ensure that what is being "learned" is then being "taught" to all of our students.
I'm also seeing that various amounts of monies are being spent on technology, however, no on particular person is being seen as an expert. It appears that we are just continually moving from one new idea to the next without any type of consistency.
I truly felt that I was technology savvy. I feel that I know how to utilize technology and ensure that students are capable of using technology to their fullest to guarantee learning. However, after taking the assessments I realize that there are several areas of weakness that need to be addressed. I especially felt that with my current role as the Lead Counselor I would have shown proficient or expert in the area of communication, however, there are several areas in that domain that show that I am lacking. I really want to make sure that I am communicating with my staff. Also, I realized that I need to learn the various areas of web files, etc. I have no idea how many of them work or why.
I feel that as a school we have some of the best technology and the best software. However, only to some extent is data being gathered to ensure that student learning and engagement is happening. Also, during CWT (Classroom Walk Throughs) it is evident that students are not the ones utilizing the technology. With the exception of technology labeled classes the teachers are the ones using the technology and doing the work. I think that as a campus we need to find ways to help teachers allow students to use the technology we have and to integrate that into their lessons. However, with limited staff development it is hard to help teachers with specific problems that they are encountering. Also, our technology instructor/administrator is only on campus in a limited capacity. We share her with another campus and that again limits the ways in which we can have staff development.
I feel that as a school we have some of the best technology and the best software. However, only to some extent is data being gathered to ensure that student learning and engagement is happening. Also, during CWT (Classroom Walk Throughs) it is evident that students are not the ones utilizing the technology. With the exception of technology labeled classes the teachers are the ones using the technology and doing the work. I think that as a campus we need to find ways to help teachers allow students to use the technology we have and to integrate that into their lessons. However, with limited staff development it is hard to help teachers with specific problems that they are encountering. Also, our technology instructor/administrator is only on campus in a limited capacity. We share her with another campus and that again limits the ways in which we can have staff development.
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