My campus held registration this week, and it gave me the opportunity to visit with some of my colleagues for the first time since they attended SMART Board training over the summer. I sensed both excitement and trepidation, which is to be expected. What I didn’t expect was the level of confidence on the part of some of my faculty members that this technology would come “ready-to-use”, meaning the district curriculum would be fully updated to include SMART Board lessons for every objective. Since I know emphatically that this is not the case, I’m concerned about the moment of hard realization that those colleagues will face in a very short time. There is a very real chance that this will have a souring effect on some of the enthusiasm for the technology and for my PLC initiative. I realize, even more so than before, the need for effective communication and building of a shared vision. If I can show convincing evidence that the PLC’s are, in fact, a practical way to develop this technology, it will go a long way toward building up trust and confidence in the process. My background research and justifications will be critical.
As I facilitate this learning community, I must also remain sensitive to the realities of time: the teachers on my campus, myself included, have many irons in the fire. Most tutor after school two to three days a week, many attend goal team meetings or professional development of some kind at least once a week, and all have the ongoing demands of parent communication, planning and grading, classroom management, and personal lives. In order for the PLC to be a successful tool for the faculty, it must be seen as a benefit and not a hindrance. That will require organization, preparedness, and responsiveness on my part to keep the online mechanisms and the meetings running efficiently.
I believe the need for this initiative is real, and I believe that the PLC will prove supportive to teaching and learning with this new technology. My challenge: to get, and keep, Wilshire on the bandwagon!
I connect very closely with your concerns. So many teachers are excited about technology until they find that they must create the lesson plans to implement.
ReplyDeleteI am also like you in that I am not sure how I will work with my fellow teachers on their follow-up professional development or PLCs without infringing on the little free time they have.
I wish you the best as you reflect on the needs of your faculty so that your action research plan will truly benefit both the students and teachers at Wilshire!