Yesterday we visited with our daughter and her family at her house. While we were getting ready to leave and saying our goodbyes she pulled me over and said she had something for me. She handed me the cutest bag full of school supplies. She is the best and she remembers all the times I purchased extra school supplies for students. Even at 27, she is a teacher's kid.
I love how community rallies around schools and students. Parents and community members are always pitching in to help out with school supplies, or special treat days or cleaning up after reading night. People will stay after to help stack up chairs after graduation. It's amazing!
And, I see this in all our area schools. My cousin and her husband just donated two pallets of wipes to be distributed in her local school district to teachers to have in their classrooms. We take care of each other and we make sure kids have what they need. I could name lots of programs, like the backpack program that every school has. Coats, clothes, toiletries... it's all there when needed.
I have even noticed that college campuses are filling student's needs. I see posts about clothes and food availability all the time. It really warms the heart to hear about all the ways that everyone helps out. And, having said that I know there are needs that go not met. I know it's not perfect. I wish it were.
I hope we are doing our best. I think we are.
Recently I was interviewed with three other veteran teachers about how technology use has changed over the course of my career. I pointed out that I could see three different timespans, for lack of a better word.
When I first began to teach there were typewriters and computers in the business lab. However, as a classroom teacher, I did not have access to lab time. Students wrote papers by hand and maybe typed a final draft if they had extra time in business class or if they owned a typewriter or personal computer at home. Readable handwriting was very important.
After about 10 years or so, there were more computer labs in schools, but I didn't use them a lot because I was still teaching students how to use the library for inquiry. Magazines and the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature was still the most convenient way to get recent information each month when the news or sports magazines were published. Students were, however, able to type things more readily.
Fast forward to the past five years and the increase in the use of technology has become exponential. So much, so fast is the best way I can characterize it. I view technology as a tool for teachers to use. Some say that it will replace teachers. I don't believe that. I was a librarian for six years and lots of people talked about how ebooks would replace libraries someday. That hasn't happened, and I don't see that happening anytime soon, or at all. Students need to hold books. Students need to talk to teachers.
I am headed out to a technology conference on Thursday and there are so many sessions on the schedule to pick from. I really had to think about how I am going to use technology in my classroom and if the programs or apps being advertised would truly fit my vision for this year. I ended up choosing a session about the Digital Public Library of America, notebooking and using technology to engage all students. Those three seemed most like what I can absorb and really put into use.
My vision for my students is that we will read books together and independently, write frequently about the books we read, ideas we research and people we meet. And, we will communicate face to face. Legible handwriting will be important, again. Technology will also fit in nicely, as a tool to aide us in our quest for knowledge. My goal is for a well-rounded student who doesn't completely rely on technology to get through the day.
The summer is winding down. August 13th will be here soon!
