Sunday 31 August 2008

Hanging head in shame...

It has been too long - I've been overwhelmed at work and suffering from serious winter blues and so blogging has been the last thing on my mind. When I write, I really enjoy it. I feel the real me is freed and I can say and do what I want. Yet I don't do it enough.

Taking on two new classes half way through the school year has been more work than expected, especially since the history class has meant I've had to make up all my own resources. I'm enjoying it, but this is the point where all the students and teachers are sick, tired and really flat. As the kids say, CBF... (if you don't know the meaning, have a guess!) We're hoping that the staff student footy match next week will boost the enthusiasm of everyone in the school community (especially as the staff have no chance against a team of 17 year old, athletic boys!). Footy here is AFL - Australia's own variety of kicking and running with a ball. It's a religious experience for many people here, not me, though the players do look good as they run and jump around the field...

We have excitedly had data projectors and smartboards installed in some of our senior classrooms, so that we can use this technology regularly for learning. However, it has come to my attention that "technology" for most teachers equates using PowerPoint slide shows to teach. Both classes that I have taken over relied on this method of delivering information more than any other. The students have come to expect to learn in this way. The teachers have simply read the textbook, drawn out the key points and delivered it to the students in a more visual, more digestible way. It seems to be just an updated version of what we call "chalk and talk" - or teacher centred learning. I understand the need to do this at certain points in teaching, but does doing this regularly actually help their learning?

My concern is this: is this method just adding to the increasing literacy troubles of students? By taking notes from a slide-show, the students can get by without having to read more complex texts, it seems as if this way of teaching is aiding their laziness. In history, I have added required reading to the curriculum and the students find even a page of writing too overwhelming. These are 17 year old students who are soon to be sent out into the real world.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Interesting questions about SmartBoards! I teach with an ActivBoard in my room. I teach 8 year olds.

I try really hard to make the lessons interactive, with lots of student activity and manipulation. But I do see the temptation to make the lessons into basic powerpoint. I can see how students would get used to the bullet point style of text used in a power point.

One big advantage I see is using the board to increase student engagement. I like to use the interactive aspects of the board along with regular curriculum materials. That way every student is using the textbook or paper in front of them. They work extra hard for the chance to manipulate the ActivBoard, so the board actually enhances their learning.