Transforming lives by instilling and inspiring lifelong learning in every student...sounds pretty good, right? This is the mission statement of my school district and our assignment this week is to analyze it. Is it all-encompassing? What are the 21st century learning goals? First, I'd like to say how I love the aspiration to inspire LIFELONG learning in EVERY student. A true acknowledgement of this means we lay aside the compulsion to constantly teach knowledge and instead teach skills and habits for continued learning. Within the past year, the district has certainly stepped up its technology game due to the need for virtual learning. This has provided students now and in the future, if we continue with a 1:1 device to student ratio, with access to tools to develop these skills. However, just because we have technology, doesn't mean we are completely hitting the target. In this community, we have students who come from a huge range of home support. The top needs of many of our students are counseling, assistive technology, one-on-one instructional aides, and more small group targeted learning opportunities. These are areas, from my observations, that are constantly pushed to the side as less important. SST meetings are in actuality parent teacher conferences where new solutions, intervention ideas, support personnel, and resources are supposed to magically appear. At a minimum, 3 months must pass without intervention from another expert in order to request that other experts take a look at the student's needs. Often, the year runs out and the next teacher starts out all over again. The district has employed dedicated resource specialists and counselors but they are overburdened and I don't think that we are really inspiring life-long learning in these many students whose needs aren't being met. In order to be inspired by adults in their life, students need to be seen and known. Merging schools, especially middle schools, creates less meaningful adult connection and a larger sea of students who get lost in the waves anonymity. I love the array of programs offered in our many schools but I hope as a district we steer ourselves even more towards becoming an inspiration of lifelong learning for every single student that we are given the opportunity to affect.
3 Comments
Erica Reeves
3/6/2021 02:41:31 pm
Great analogy! You point out the importance of prioritizing students as individuals and their needs first. The one-to-one devices are great, but just like a book, not every child can readily access it just because you put it in their hands. And with distance learning, we have seen that the families also need guidance, tech support, and learning opportunities so they can help their children with the ever-changing landscape of technology.
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Laurie J. Gaynor
3/6/2021 05:06:26 pm
I agree Minna. To be strategic, interventions must be timely. Teachable moments are lost. I like how positive you are in the face of such challenges.
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Sheri
3/7/2021 11:45:01 am
I love your writing! What resonated with me is that having technology isn't the same as integrating technology.
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Minna NummelinLife-long learner and dual language 2nd grade teacher. Archives
April 2021
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