Helping teachers get into blogging has been an enlightening experience so far. Yes, I know we have only had one session so far, but I have spent the greater part of the last seven years trying to find ways to “shift” teacher attitudes about the use of technology.
This post will not be some long polemic about my thoughts, and that is okay as I am trying to make a point. Blogging, while called publishing, need not always be so polished and perfected. One may have a thought or an idea that needs a bit more flushing out, an idea that may need more space than Twitter can provide, and so one can simply crank it out, get it on he web, and see who responds.
Blogging can be a great tool to simply work through your thoughts. First by sitting down and articulating exactly what you are trying to say and secondly through the instant feedback from your readers. So here is what I have been thinking about since Wednesday:
I have been very careful to meet teachers at their starting points. I am very aware that I could, by moving too quickly, push teachers out of their comfort zones and lose their interest. I am noticing that adults treat their learning with care and caution. They question it. They are timid at times and move quiet slowly. As a teacher working with them, I am very aware of their trepidation and try to acquiesce to their fears. This is good practice. This is starting from the learner and moving forward.
My question is how often do we do this with our students? How often do we sit back and think about the comfort levels of the diverse students in our classes. Are we worried that if we move too fast we could lose them, or are we trying to get through curriculum? Are we worried that some students maybe fearful and nervous of what they are being asked to do, or do we simply assume that all are eager learners?
Differentiated instruction has become a buzz word, and like all jargon has lost much of its meaning, but I think it is important to show the same level of care and attention to students that we pay when working with teachers. Furthermore, why is it that some teachers are so cautious when it comes to learning new things? Is this hesitation a characteristic of life long learning? What do you think?
By the way this post took me nine minutes to write.
One of the things that I am trying to do more actively is to push teachers beyond their comfort zones, to purposefully make them uncomfortable in an effort to get them to re-evaluate their beliefs and decisions. The trick is to do it in a supportive and non-judgmental way. The Zone of Proximal Development applies to all learners and not just young ones!
Another thing that probably comes into play is the power dynamic of the classroom. Many teachers see themselves as sitting at the head of a classroom full of students and they can therefore dictate the content, the pace and everything else. When working with a room full of peers (who have the ability to walk out and leave if they so choose), the power dynamic changes considerably. This is, in part, why I believe a) a room full of teachers makes, in general, the worst possible audience; b) many teachers are afraid to present to their peers or parents; and c) teachers sometimes struggle when placed in the role of the learner.
(This comment took longer than 9 minutes to write!)