Week 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

This week's study focused on the issues that various educational settings struggle to fix.  Every educational setting seems to have a few problems that must be fixed.  The questions are what are these problems and how do we fix them?

P-12
I am currently in the P-12 setting.  My years as an educator have always been spent working in this setting.  One issue I have seen in the P-12 setting is the "need ...for policy makers on state and national levels to realize the need for and nature of ecological systemic transformation of school districts" (218).  Policy makers must realize that districts need change, an overhaul if you will.  Teachers need more training, higher pay, more support and fewer demands.  Teachers are being pulled in hundreds of directions all at once and it is difficult to keep up with the pace and demands of teaching these days. However, an overhaul will not work if it is not sustained.  Districts must find the funds to sustain improvements.   We cannot make changes for one year, then drop them because we are not sure if they work or think we find another quick fix.   Frequently, public school teachers are subjected to changes in the district.  We go along for the ride, waiting to see how these changes will help.  Then, without fail, we hear there is a new change, a new way of thinking or doing things that is a complete game changer.  Once again, we learn a new way and just wait around for the next change.  Districts would benefit from implementing change they believe in and sticking with it for a few years to see what will come of it.  This requires funding, belief that your system will work and improve conditions, and a commitment to the future.


Military
I found one issue that the military has very relevant to education.  The issue of how to best utilize money for training was incredibly relevant to me.  How often do educators attend a training and walk out saying, "I knew that."; "I can't use that."; or "Give me something I can use."  I don't claim to be Miss Master Educator, but I have often attended trainings where it seems like the trainer doesn't know what they are talking about, didn't prepare for the training and has nothing to offer those who took the time to attend.  More often than not, I leave trainings unfulfilled and frustrated, and I know I am not the only person who leaves feeling that way.  The military has the same problem.  Training costs money.  No one attempts to intentionally waste money on a bad training, but how does a planner really know what they are spending the money on?  How can a person planning a training really be sure that the training will be relevant and valuable.  There are many valuable trainings out there that would benefit educators greatly.  How can planners be sure the wonderful training will be implemented in a way that the staff will respond well and buy into it?  Lectures don't work with teachers.  Educators can often be horrible students during trainings. Money doesn't grow on trees, so we need to find a way to make the best use of it during trainings.  If teachers felt that they were learning something they could use, something of value then the money would be well spent. 


Health Care
One issue in the world of health care that I found particularly interesting was how to build trust and address the needs of patients.  Health care is unique because the health professional must quickly build rapport with a patient.  Patients have to trust and feel comfortable with the health professionals they go to for help.  We do not frequent doctors and nurses that we don't like or feel comfortable around.  Instead, we leave there thinking "I'm not doing that again."  Isn't the world of education the same?  Teachers must quickly build rapport with students and parents.  People entrust their precious kiddos to us daily.  We spend more hours in the day with others' children than with our own!  It is vital that students and parents feel comfortable with educators.  Education does not work if children and parents fight us throughout the process.  If teachers can build trust with students and parents, then kids will know they are in a comfortable, safe environment and feel free to learn and grow.  I have had many students in my classroom that did not trust their teachers.  They had too many bad experiences, too many uncomfortable learning environments that taught them one lesson: you are not good enough.  Many of these kids have passed through my classroom, and it is so difficult to repair the damage done by the past.  However, if educators take time to build trust, they can then more easily address the needs of the students.  It takes time to get to know our students and create meaningful relationships with them, but it is invaluable and can mean the difference between a kid who flourishes in their education or wilts because of their educational experiences.  


Higher Education
 One issue of particular importance in higher education was that of lecturing. Jacquie McDonald stated, "the majority of faculty members in higher education have not had opportunities to participate in formal training in teaching methods.  They teach the way they were taught: lecture.  This is not the most exciting way to keep students' attention (yawn)" (227).  McDonald is addressing a higher education setting.  If lecture is boring in higher education and adults have trouble learning in this setting, how must our public school kids feel?

Lectures are boring.  Educators need to realize that we are teaching a new generation of kids.  This group of children live in a time that is different than all other generations.  They have never known a time without computers, the internet, cell phones, gaming systems and instant information.  They don't remember rotary phones or typewriters. How do we expect them to learn in the same way we did? 
As I've mentioned in previous posts, I worked in a school that was all about technology and active learning environments.  Our school was at the top of innovation and technology.  Our test scores were great.  I have recently moved to a new campus.  Though I love my new campus, technology and active learning are fairly new concepts.  I am unfortunately a part of the leadership team, which means I go on walk-throughs every now and then.  I don't feel that I should judge any other educator.  I don't feel I am better than anyone on my campus, but I do see classrooms that still rely primarily on lecture.   This generation of kids learns best when they can be active and when teachers use a language they are native to.  They are technology natives; they need different styles than we are used to.  It is time to try new things, learn new ways of teaching and not be afraid when walk-throughs happen.  It is time for educators to create environments that kids can explore in and build their knowledge as we lead the way. 

World
Kids are not the only students who need active learning environments and hands-on scenarios.  Our world chapter discusses improving teacher performance with hands-on learning.  Kids benefit from hands-on learning, and adults do too.  Most teachers seek degrees in education and complete hours in student teaching.  Student teaching hours can often be spent observing a seasoned educator teaching kids.  It is a modern day apprenticeship in which a teacher takes the student under their wing and allows them to watch and learn.  Toward the end of the training, student teachers may take over a lesson or two to show what they have learned.  Novice and seasoned teachers would also benefit from seeing themselves in action, analyzing their own teaching skills, creating new ways they are comfortable teaching and putting these new skills into practice.  Our text suggests that this can be accomplished in a controlled setting with video feedback.  So it is not only students that need hands-on, active learning environments to learn effectively, but teachers will also benefit from such educational experiences.  I have to agree.  I knew someone who obtained a teaching degree and did their time in student teaching.  Yet, when they finally entered the classroom they proved a somewhat ineffective teacher.  Teaching was difficult for them, and the students were visibly bored.  Though this person went through the process of getting that degree, they were ill-prepared for the classroom and struggled with teaching style. How valuable would the process of viewing their own teaching style, creating and implementing a new teaching plan have been for this person?  I will say, this teacher is passionate about teaching and loves the students.  They realized that something was not quite right and sought help from other professionals in order to improve.  However, how many teachers take the time to recognize an error or problem and seek a solution on their own?  With the process of video feedback and correction in place, educators would be able to correct problems before they got out of hand.