On Friday, yes the day before kids come, I received a piece of technology that is bigger than my first car. It's an interactive presentation cart with a 60 inch television mounted on it and I am told once I figure it out it will be amazing, though despite the fact I went to a two hour training and took four pages of notes I had to get a para from another classroom turn it on for me.
http://www.collaborationsolutions.com/dcps/
Included with the cart is a license to All-in learning, that looked amazing at the training and once I figure out I will be able to use with the license to Unique Learning systems that I was also given, again once I figure that out, to teach my kids. I will then be able to enter all my data, lesson plans and grades on the districts new computer program Focus, which replaces oncource which I feel was just a couple years old, but anyhoo, and once again I mean once I figure that out too.
Then I can supplement all that with brain pop, a program I have figured out and think is great, thanks DCPS for the license and super teacher another service that I went in with another teacher, my portion of was five bucks, which I will make her take because thus far she has refused to. I will be able to write all my IEPs on the new SEAS program too.
Finally I get all the emails for above and more on the new outlook e-mail system, which I detest but hey I am sure once I figure it out I will love.
It makes me wonder how did all those teachers get by for all that time without all these bells and whistles.
I also now know why we can no longer afford books.
Speaking of books that is how I used to teach, I had a topic, a book and I would develop a lesson, now I live in fear of the internet being down. For some reason I don't think the district trusts me to come up with lessons on my own. I also don't feel like all this technology has made me better, though who knows once I figure it all out I may change my tune.
I also get its 2015, and technology is where we are at but sometimes I feel like we may have gone to far to fast at the expense of things we need more.
http://www.collaborationsolutions.com/dcps/
Included with the cart is a license to All-in learning, that looked amazing at the training and once I figure out I will be able to use with the license to Unique Learning systems that I was also given, again once I figure that out, to teach my kids. I will then be able to enter all my data, lesson plans and grades on the districts new computer program Focus, which replaces oncource which I feel was just a couple years old, but anyhoo, and once again I mean once I figure that out too.
Then I can supplement all that with brain pop, a program I have figured out and think is great, thanks DCPS for the license and super teacher another service that I went in with another teacher, my portion of was five bucks, which I will make her take because thus far she has refused to. I will be able to write all my IEPs on the new SEAS program too.
Finally I get all the emails for above and more on the new outlook e-mail system, which I detest but hey I am sure once I figure it out I will love.
It makes me wonder how did all those teachers get by for all that time without all these bells and whistles.
I also now know why we can no longer afford books.
Speaking of books that is how I used to teach, I had a topic, a book and I would develop a lesson, now I live in fear of the internet being down. For some reason I don't think the district trusts me to come up with lessons on my own. I also don't feel like all this technology has made me better, though who knows once I figure it all out I may change my tune.
I also get its 2015, and technology is where we are at but sometimes I feel like we may have gone to far to fast at the expense of things we need more.
Our teachers endured the same torturous 2 hours. While I see the benefit to some subjects for this new tech cart/tv thing, there were MANY including myself who don't have one and will never have the cart (electives, PE, etc.), yet we were still expected to sit through the entire presentation. Even in the remote chance that we would ever use it, do you think we'd actually remember anything from the training years from now??
ReplyDeleteHow about "yeah, electives and PE, since we know you don't have this and won't be using it, please take the time to work in your rooms since we realize you are about to be bombarded by 60-80 kids in your classes. We know your time can better be spent elsewhere." No, that would make too much sense....
Please see my comment regarding overcrowded classes in response to the post on 8/22
I remember teaching that way.
ReplyDeleteNow, I have to list the resources I used to create a lesson. Huh? I thought I was the resource. I would think I should be fired if I couldn't create a lesson plan where I had to go get outside help. Isn't that what I was hired to do? Isn't that why I majored in my subject area?
I got "needs improving" on my evaluation when I said I was the resource. Then I had to have 2 formal observations the next year.
Now I make up stuff.