Hand Truck
I think I have the answer to school reform. And it is something that every school district has; you might even have one at home. It is relatively cheap and potentially very effective. Read on if you want to know more…
It’s the hand truck.
That’s right, the lowly hand truck. You’ve seen delivery guys using these at the grocery store. Now before you say: “he’s crazy, and by the way, didn’t you see his post on School 2.0?", hear me out.
The school hand truck would be used to remove the main roadblock to school and instructional reform.
The file cabinet.
That’s right-the file cabinet is a primary obstacle to school reform and change. School mentor programs run a close second, but that’s for another day.
Why? Because it’s filled with good stuff that work for teachers.
Unfortunately, in 2007, it’s also filled with a lot that doesn’t work for kids-tired worksheets, multiple choice tests, yellowing overheads, and yes, maybe even a ditto or two.
So get rid of them. Take all of them, hide them if you must, and say to teachers: Now you have to rethink what you are doing, now you have to do something different, you have to do something better, and you have to stop teaching with 1985 materials, and while were at it, with outdated instructional methodologies. Sorry, you don’t have the safety blanket of the industrial age file cabinet anymore.
And then, hold on now, mandatory professional learning. Yes, I said mandatory. Everyone, including the administrators, has to attend. Well designed instructional design courses, which would include assessment and technology, as well as information and network literacy courses, and then time to do something with the learning. It’s not an option-yes, it’s come to that in many schools. And I didn’t say professional development-I said professional learning. Because that’s what we have to do-get teachers interested in learning again.
We have a lot of teachers that are interested in teaching, but maybe not so many interested in learning.
Their learning.
And what kind of role model for life-long learning is that? They’re content, satisfied. Why should I? I know enough-it’s always worked before!
Consider your school. How would you respond to this statement--which choice would you select? Here it is: most teachers in your school, given a professional “development” day, you know, the yearly in-service, would rather spend the time in their classrooms preparing and grading papers, instead of attending workshops. Here’s your two choices for reasons why they would prefer this: 1) maybe the in-service or workshops aren’t very good, or 2) maybe they feel they know enough already to do their job. Maybe they feel they have it down.
I’ll select door number 2, Bob.
I would argue that a high percentage of teachers believe they know enough already to teach their kids. I think that’s a big reason why schools have low turnouts for professional development opportunities. It’s a big reason why we have so little use of technology in classrooms. I’ve got my stuff already-all I have to do is walk over and pull out March 10th. I’ve done that for twenty years.
I’ll just dip into my file cabinet bag of tricks, and I’m good for another year. Why should I learn anything new?
How’s that working out for us?
Images
File cabinet and hand truck from istockphoto.com
File cabinet black and white:
California Employment Development Department. “Employment Tax - Sacramento, 1969. 22 Jan 2007. http://www.edd.ca.gov/edd350602.jpg.
Comments
You make some good points. One comment about the professional workshops...I find that some of the presentors need the hand truck as well.
Posted by: Kathy Ford | February 27, 2007 3:05 PM
Dave,
I wholeheartedly agree ! The file cabinet is the first step in moving towards a new way of learning/teacing. I moved from an older school to a brand new one a number of years ago. With that change, I also moved from three filing cabinets ( yes 3!!) to 15 iMac computers, 2 scanners, 2 video cameras, project based learning and more. The change was enlightening. I threw out old thing that I reliled on and worked ( for me ). I haven't looked back and life for my students is definitely more exciting and innovative.
Posted by: Ted | February 27, 2007 3:28 PM
I agree that teachers need to change with the times. Are there teachers using some of the same lessons they've used for years? Of course. Do some need to get with the 21st century, absolutely!
However, I feel the reason they choose to work in their rooms instead of professional development has more to do with the lack of time they have to do their job than the feeling that they already know enough. I feel that's a slap in the face to educators. Districts and NCLB are piling on more and more documentation and teachers don't have the time to do it. Teachers are constantly going back to school, taking additional classes, and attending workshops to improve their teaching and student learning. Forcing them isn't the answer.
Posted by: Chad Lehman | February 28, 2007 4:12 AM
Perhaps the file cabinets should be closely followed by the copy machines!
Posted by: Herman | February 28, 2007 8:42 PM
It's been a long day, so maybe my sense of humor is impaired, but your glib response to the stalling of full tech integration is insulting to dedicated teaching professionals with a history of harnessing tech in the service of teaching and learning. Look around. Those leading the charge, in my experience, are not the Millennials.
Posted by: Kathleen Malone Clesson | March 5, 2007 2:45 AM