World Teachers' Day

October 5 is celebrated as World Teachers' Day and is observed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Although many countries have a specific day set aside for the celebration of it's nations teachers, today we recognize this global celebration and give credit to the many teachers around the world. Teachers inspire a generation and set the foundation for unearthing hidden potential in students. Teaching is a lifetime of service and dedication to helping students become effective global citizens who desire to give the best of themselves.

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."

Albert Einstein

Professional Development

The Teacher and Professional Development

Professional Development is one key to the classroom teacher's quest to remain relevant, current and quite frankly, useful in today's classroom. It necessitates the use of different strategies and methods to develop the skills and techniques the teacher can use to motivate learners. No longer can the teacher feel accomplished after a successful completion of a degree in any given field. The fact is, learning is a life long process. It does not stop after the graduation ceremony. The teacher is charged with the responsibility of inspiring learners and helping them to become critical thinkers and problem solvers in the 21st Century and beyond. The teacher can never be content with what he or she has learnt within the confines of a teaching environment. Inspiring learners involves a community of thinkers and innovators willing to share and learn from each other's experiences.

Build a Professional Learning Network with Twitter

Twitter is a fantastic Social Media tool to get started on the journey to connect with teachers and educators all over the world to build a Professional Learning Network (PLN). There might be teachers who strongly detest anything to do with Social Media and those who are constantly listening to, or even feeding into the negative chatter. I can assure you they will soon become irrelevant in the classroom. As educators we have the power to change, even more than we care to acknowledge or accept. It is amazing how educators have turned all the negative talk around Twitter into a positive learning environment where best practices and proven resources are harnessed, shared and used to enrich our teaching and learning environments. You will never know until you delve in and start your journey.


Here's a quick intro to get you started on using Twitter:

 


Follow me @TechTeacherJSam

The Importance of Family and Community Engagement in Schools

The value of positive teamwork within any organization cannot be overemphasized. In the context of the school, engagement among all stakeholders is absolutely critical to the success of the students and the overall success of the institution.

Photo credit: Taken from Great Valley School District 

For the next six weeks I will be part of a community of educators and parents reflecting on the importance of partnerships within the schools. Majority of the participants are educators with varying roles. Although I am an educator myself, this week my reflection on the topic of engagement will be from a parent perspective.

What are the questions I need answers to:

• What kind of environment is the teacher preparing to facilitate my child's learning?
• Are communication lines open for me to be heard on critical issues?
• How can I get involved in my child's learning within the school?
• Can I get feedback on my concerns in a timely manner?

The list could go on and on... what really matters is atmosphere that is created by the school for my concerns and that of my child or other families to be addressed. In going through the book Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships, I find that the arguments purported for family and school engagement quite hit the target. As a parent I can identify with the statistics that partnership and student academic achievement are closely linked. This has definitely been evidenced in the success of my child's journey to this point. So how do I get involved?

• I get to know my child's teachers 
• I find out what the school needs to make the learning environment better (if I can't provide it, I help to find sponsors or other volunteers)
• I volunteer my time to assist in any way possible -  there is always a place where a parent volunteer can be facilitated
• If meetings or events are planned and parents need to be there, I'm there...It makes a difference (remember a large gathering starts with one)
• I recognize the efforts of the staff and try not to criticize or throw blame 

Open Door School Policy

On the Family Engagement Rubric four options of family school partnerships are presented. The school definitely has an open door policy.  Parents are free to go in and discuss any issue of concern. Living in a multicultural neighborhood the school administrators recognize the need for communication in several languages. The principal and office staff are careful to ensure that important documents are translated in a language that parents can follow. School administrators recognize the need for partnership and so they do whatever they can to facilitate the process.  Sadly though, with all the stress on the benefits of involvement and partnerships, many parents simply don't find the time to get involved.

I am happy to be a part of this six weeks journey with #ptcamp. The shared resources and experiences from educators and parents makes the conversation rich and engaging. Looking forward to week 2.

Why Do Teachers Connect?

We Have Shared Identifiable Experiences 

As teachers we share a common association which inspires us to identify with each other and formulate worthwhile connections.  We have similar struggles, conflicts, student issues, success stories, administrative and other types of bureaucracy, among other things. Mind you, there are always some exceptions to the rule.  Quite easily though, one teacher can paint a picture of a struggle or conflict being encountered and we very often can offer valuable suggestions because:

            1. We have been there done that so … “Here’s what I did that might help you.”

            2. We know a colleague who had a similar issue so… “Here’s their proven strategy.”

            3. We are presently dealing with the same issue so… “Let’s solve this one together.”

Even if the situation is unfamiliar to us. We can occasionally offer an encouraging word that makes it that much easier for the individual to cope.

To Build a Professional Learning Network

There is great value in building a Professional Learning Network with teachers worldwide.  Through forming connections teachers are able to expand their thinking and problem solving options by making use of a repository of resources available to them. Social media has provided the vehicle to drive this effort once it is strategically navigated. Many teachers will tell you they get more from a single engaging Twitter chat with their PLN than they get from an entire day or even weekend of a traditional Professional Development workshop. Imagine that!!! Teachers have their own goals and strategies that they employ to build and use their PLN. This has somehow transformed the approach to teaching as virtual connections are maintained and used effectively.

A Need to Share

The inclination to share is one of the trademarks of great teachers in general. Teachers connect to share inspiring stories, experiences, and ultimately best practices and resources. The average teacher will jump at a moment’s notice to assist a colleague in need. Again, there is always an exception to the rule. I feel however, that our desire to share is intuitive. This sometimes plays out in our daily encounters with students. Importantly, standard protocols must be observed when offering assistance to students outside of normal duties or expectations. Unfortunately many teachers have suffered severe repercussions in this regard.   Just click here to read one Tennessee Teacher’s story.

Universal Goal

All teachers ultimately desire to see students maximize their potential and be the best they can be. We employ effective, relevant and proven strategies to empower students and facilitate their learning. Even if strategies are not proven, we are willing to try and often learn from mistakes. After all, “Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” – James Joyce. 

Even though very few students will return to express their gratitude this does not thwart our efforts or cause us to hold back on future cohorts.  Words or phrases such as “Thank you for believing in me.”,  “I never thought I could do it”, “You’re the best!” simply warms our hearts and fuel our efforts. However, even if the sentiments are not expressed by students, we remain committed to their learning.

Ultimately we connect because it simply makes sense. In today’s digital world our connections are not mere trivial one off encounters. As digital citizens we exist within each other’s world through our networks and universal experiences. After all, very few teachers will argue that the teaching profession is simply one of the most fulfilling and rewarding.

  

Let’s continue to connect our students to the world as we connect to each other.

Jacqueline Samuels

@TechTeacherJSam