21apples comments on Teachers Need Objectives

"Teachers Need Objectives": comment by Richard Kassissieh

Thu, 7 Dec 2006 14:56:43 EST

My favorite teacher meetings are about a teaching objective without a predetermined tool in mind. They typically lead to the most powerful outcomes for students. I am happy to also support teachers who already know exactly what tool they want to use, but those activities have a more spotty record of outcomes. However, I also have a problem of being able to attract teachers to our training sessions. The “tool not yet determined” model works better for casual conversation and start-of-year planning than it does for regular training sessions. However, if I offer a “learn to use Moodle” session partway through the year, I get better attendance.

"Teachers Need Objectives": comment by Vinnie Vrotny

Wed, 6 Dec 2006 10:37:48 EST

Having just listened to last week’s 21st Century podcast (11/27) and to Geek!ed #48, it makes me realize that the approach that I am implementing may be one that works.

Starting last spring, I began meeting with the individual teachers to talk about their learning goals, especially as it concerns technology. We developed a list of 3 – 4 goals for the year. It was done with the understanding that I was going to share this with their division head. This was an important component, because then the division head could make this part of the teacher’s evaluation if they choose to. I am merely a support person.

What I have found coming out of this experience, now that I have done this twice (last spring and this fall) is a new energy coming from teachers to learn new aspects. It has been successful, since I was a catalyst for our 11th grade US history teacher, who also teaches AP US History, to relook at his curriculum. This year, it is centered around telling a story and the culminating project will be a documentary film project in this spring. Without those personal connections, I would not have been involved in the project. More in my blog next week about the next stage of the project.

It also allows for the grouping of teachers with similar personal learning goals. We can then target very specific individual support to the group. They also can then rely on each other.

So far, it seems to be working and we are gaining momentum.

"Teachers Need Objectives": comment by Bill Knauer

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:03:22 EST

I very much agree with you about the importance of clear objectives, Arvind, but the one point I have trouble reconciling sometimes is how this fits with the “ah ha” effect, those moments that stick because students work their way to an unexpected outcome. All about balance I suppose.

"Teachers Need Objectives" by arvind

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:14:14 EST

Want to be a great teacher? Then know what learning objectives are.

I recently listened to the wonderful Geek netcast #48 where they discussed the confusion of teachers wanting to learn technology tools rather than how to use them with their students. They discussed the existence of a class called “Microsoft Word”—their response, Microsoft Word is not a class, it is a tool! Of course I agree.

Randy (a friend from Teachers College“) writes on Results Now, Mike Schmoker’s new book. Randy quotes, “In most cases, neither teachers nor students can articulate what they are supposed to be learning that day.” This sums it all up. Students are dying to know what is expected, what is coming. We should tell them, and let explore it in the most powerful ways possible – give the access to the Internet, to the library, to local experts to graduated cylinders to dictionaries…to whatever they need.

I am tired of the discussions on what tools we need to train teachers on. Our training models are too slow for that technique. By the time we’ve trained, that is out, and students are on to new things. We need to be training our teachers on how to plan lessons properly, how to communicate the objectives to students, and how to facilitate an exploration of the concepts at hand. They need to be prepared to have students bring in tools that work for them. Yes, using Facebook might just be the best way to plan your next community service project. Deal with it. Heck, embrace it. Why not? Your students are going to with or without you.

Sorry for the rant. Lay out the objectives and see how much closer your students will be to achieving them. Don’t try to trick them into getting there, it will surely land you short of your goals.

My next post should be on how tech integrators fit into this picture (since you are my main readers). I am working on it.