Open the Door

Traditional vs. 21st Century Classroom

Too often as educators we close the door. Our day begins with a class full of students and we begin broadening their minds. Our conversations, lectures and collaboration starts with a closed door. It remains closed during the class period or the entire day. Throughout our instruction we encourage our students to take chances, ask questions, find new resolutions yet we close the door and remain in our rooms. When is the last time you opened the door?

Preparing for units takes quite a bit of time. You have most likely created displays, study guides, activities and assignments to meet the needs of the state mandated curriculum. Each year its seems common practice to pull out that same box of materials because they worked before. With your door closed, that same information is delivered the same way because…well…it worked last year. Unfortunately our time seems to be moving faster than any before and we need to stay abreast of all the new ways to deliver information.

New adventures await once you open the door.

An educator with an innovative mindset will find balance between drawing on experience while maintaining a willingness to try something new. ~ George Curos

How do we marry the experience of your amazing 20th century lessons with the technology driven expectations of today?

Open the door! Open the door to your room and the idea of learning from colleagues who are more schooled in our technology driven society. Take the risk and become vulnerable is a bit unnerving, so how do you get started?

  • Talk to your in-house technology trainer about what you want to do (using a product, sites or tool)
  • Select one idea, lesson or skill and change one piece of that lesson to add technology
  • Observe a technology infused lesson in your school
  • Invite a technology leader into your room to assist with the lesson
  • Follow tech leaders on twitter and ask them questions-they want to help
  • Read blogs written by teachers, school tech trainers and tech leaders in the field

 

 

 

2 thoughts on “Open the Door

  1. Teaching can be an isolating experience. Often it is just you and your students. Thank you for inviting teachers to open their doors and staying open to ideas. Often one new tool, can open the door to many enriching opportunities.

  2. This read has made me reflect on past and present at my school. In the past there have been many closed doors. However this year, through the coaching mindset, more doors are starting to open. There are more courageous conversations and new ideas are spurring in to technology infused activities.

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