21st-century education is always changing, especially in the classroom. Teachers are teaching and preparing students to succeed in life and get them ready for the 21st-century skills needed to move forward in this world. Teachers have to get away from being the teacher and to becoming the facilitator who guides students and teachers, by allowing them to take ownership of their learning and teaching. Our role as teachers is to equip students with the tools needed to work together and individually to solve real world problems.
The shifts in education today has changed dramatically. In the past, teachers created their lesson plans and mostly taught in isolation with little contact with other teachers. Today teachers are engaging in “job-embedded
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The planning in PLC’s contributes to providing a structured framework that includes reflections and evaluations. Furthermore, the PLC meetings builds a culture that supports collaboration and helps to develop shared beliefs. For instance, teachers at my school have one day a month to go into another teacher’s room to observe or demonstrate a new activity that they had plan together. In addition, teachers use questioning or exit slips to see if the lesson or activity as produce the desired learning (Collaborative Planning, 2016). Teachers can be the students by role playing. During the PLC’s, the teachers can model behaviors, how to anticipate how the content writing based instruction with students because teachers are acting like the students in the PLC. Doing this helps teachers to see why students are not motivated to write and then figure out together as a team to incorporate cooperative interaction between faculty and students. The teachers work together as if they are the students. Next, the teachers take the new information or lesson and model and use it with students in the classroom and allowing others teachers to come in and observe. Afterwards, we will debrief with each other and see what worked and what did not. The meetings are important just as an actual observation. Also, after the debriefings, a writing coach work with teachers in a day-long. Today good teachers are in classrooms, but to be a great educator, one needs to be able to study, be reflective, practice and lots of hard work. Professional learning communities are only one method for teachers to gain knowledge. It is necessarily important that teachers have high-quality PLC’s because it not only for teachers but students as well. By engaging faculty and students in active learning, allows everyone to have a stake in the education. Sometimes it is not just working
166-173). Linda Darling-Hammond (2000) discusses how teacher education has changed and how it has affected our education system (p. 166). The author also notes how even the most intelligent people found it hard to prosper in the field without the right skills and preparation (Darling-Hammond, 2000, p. 166-173). In the article, she presents how post baccalaureate programs are carefully structured, versus alternative routes which can be no more than backup employment options. Darling-Hammond (2000) also addresses how it becomes difficult for aspiring teachers to learn both subject matter and pedagogy (p.
I would have to contend that the 21st Century learning skills are a model example of effective instruction. In an ever-changing society it goes without saying that our classroom practices will also be revolutionized. In order to successfully prepare a student to enter in to the world outside of high school we must prepare them for the realities that they will encounter. Rotherham & Willingham (2009) state, “… the skills students need in the 21st century are not new” (p.352). Critical thinking, problem solving, the “mastery of different kinds of knowledge”, and multifaceted analysis are all skills that originated with the traditional school setting (p. 352). “What is actually new is the extent to which changes in our economy and world mean that collective and individual success depends on having such skills” (p. 352). With that being said- as our economy and world continue to transform, as educators, we must also renovate our thinking and teaching in order to put our best foot forward; however, some believe that we will never find perfection in the classroom or in preparing our students and that we must not capitulate to every movement we encounter. Senechal (2010) argues that a movement, such as the 21st Century skills movement, is nothing more than a distractor. She acknowledges that our schools “are in need of repair- but we will not improve them by scorning tradition or succumbing to the “claims of the present”” (p. 370). She states that in order to repair the problems that we are to “seek out excellence, nurture it, defend it, and live up to it. We must be willing to lift the levels of the subjects we teach…” (p.370). Perhaps I am reading too much, or too little, into this statement but I would...
Traditionally, teacher development typically occurs through trial and error in the isolated confinements of each teacher’s classroom with some periodic whole-group professional development (Goddard & Goddard, 2007). Within the past few decades, many schools and districts, including ours, have considered and experimented with Professional Learning Communities (PLC) as an alternative framework in guiding a more efficient development program for their teachers. PLCs are focused on enhancing student learning through developing teacher practices. The concept of PLC relies on using structured collaborative sessions amongst teachers within the school to build internal capacity. Through PLCs, teachers critically reflect on current practices, brainstorm solutions, and obtain help and advice from others in a supportive growth-oriented environment over an extended period of time (Vescio, Ross, & Adams, 2008; Nelson, 2009; Scher & O'Reilly, 2009; Bolam, McMahon, Stoll, Thomas, & Wallace, 2005). The theory of change guiding PLCs holds that by providing teachers with targeted support from within the school community, as oppose to hiring additional outside experts, professional developments can become for efficient. Implementation of effective PLCs requires intentional effort, school-wide and possibly district-wide restructuring of teacher schedules, and additional resources. For schools considering implementing PLCs, it is important to understand the logic of action and the benefits of PLCs as it relates to teacher improvement and increased student achievement.
A commonplace for a strong environment is during classroom walkthroughs and having an open door. Teachers should discuss current school issues and how can they address such problems. To make use of down or free time administrators and educators should visit colleagues’ classrooms to learning new techniques and for the formation of discussion points for future PLC meetings. In PLC’s the focus should not be solely on techniques and teaching strategies, but on student learning needs.
He stressed, “The rise or fall of the professional learning community concept depends not on the merits of the concept itself; but on the most important element in the improvement of any school-the commitment and persistence of the educators within it.” (DuFour, 2004) Linda Darling-Hammond shed light on what it is needed in order to support the success of professional learning communities within schools. She feels very strongly that time is a major issue that inhibits the effective implementation of PLC’s. Darling-Hammond suggests, “In order for such teaching communities to exist, schools need to allocate time to teachers during the work week to collaborate, whether in grade-level or department-level teams or a combination of both.”
Intensive professional development is crucial for increased student achievement. I have learned that PLC meeting must focus is on improving instructional practices, not parent involvement or dismissal procedures. These topics are important but not appropriate during PLC meetings. DuFour states, “The rise or fall of the professional learning community concept depends not on the merits of the concept itself, but on the most important element in the improvement of any school-the commitment and persistence of the educators within it (DuFour, 2004, p. 11). Professional Learning Communities work together, analyze data and change their instructional practices in order to improve student
On March 22nd, 2017, I attended a second grade Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Mispillion Elementary in the Milford School District. There were six participants: Diana Brode (second grade teacher), Anne Ochs (second grade teacher), Brittney Campbell (second grade teacher), Emily Shrock (second grade teacher), Toni Zeveney (second grade teacher and teacher leader), and Mrs. Molitor (special education coordinator). Toni Zeveney is the teacher leader, instructional coach, team lead, type’s notes, and reports to administration. The other members were there to support ideas. The length of the PLC was forty give mins long, and discussed several issues.
Going to school and getting a great education is important for a successful future in today’s world. Years ago, many children did not go to school and many young adults opted to work instead of attending college. In today’s society, gaining a high level of education is almost always mandatory for many jobs. There are many changes being done to the education system along with new items and ways of teaching in the classroom. There is a growing amount of changes in the classroom such as technology, teaching time, teaching styles, and freedom of space.
One very important factor in every life is the education received as we mature. Education in all subjects is necessary to become a well-rounded individual. Even so, I feel that my subject area has more significance in one’s future because every person uses mathematics every day. Students need to understand why mathematics is important and why they will need it in the future. The way to do that is integrated into the views of the role of the teacher. Teachers need to be encouraging role models that provide students with safety, nurturing, and support in the classroom, along with providing excellent instruction by allowing students to explore and expand their minds in the content of mathematics. Teachers should set high expectations for all students and persuade the students to live up to those expectations. Along the same lines, teaching and learning are complementary concepts. Students need for the teacher to provide them with the knowledge that will be used not only in that class but also in their future endeavors. ...
The 21st century is changing society’s very foundations, and as a result, education has had to change, both in the way it is taught and the way it is learnt, in order to meet the constantly changing, ever increasing demand that society has placed upon its citizens (Friedman, 2005).
Along these two weeks we have been prompt to make a recall to our own way of learning and why we became a teacher: Was it because coincidence, due to life circumstances, maybe because family tradition, was it a conscious decision or because someone influenced us? Whatever the answer is, we have to face reality and be conscious that being a teacher does not only means to teach a lesson and asses students learning. It requires playing the different roles a teacher must perform whenever is needed and required by our learners, identify our pupils needs and preferences, respecting their integrity and individuality but influencing and motivating them to improve themselves and become independent.
I absolutely love being an educator. With twenty-one years of teaching experience, I can think of no profession that is more rewarding. Upholding high expectations for all students strengthens my ability to teach in a fair and consistent manner. Loving, safe for taking risks, and encouraging best describe my classroom learning environment. Both creating a love of school and a love of learning within my students are my primary goals as an educator because I believe they are the foundations that lead to becoming a successful student and a well-rounded citizen. As I process and reflect on the new CCSS and 21st century learning skills, I find that my own pedagogy aligns well with these standards. Beneficial not only for K-12 students but
The definition of 21st Century teaching is “not a fixed prescription or known formula [but]... an emerging cluster of new ideas, beliefs, knowledge, theories and practices” (Bolstad et al., 2012, p. 1). It is about promoting various approaches and pedagogies that enable a “knowledge-centred” (Bolstad et al., 2012, p. 1) environment. Children nowadays are constantly being stimulated by the world around them. Except when they’re at school. They’re told to sit down, keep quiet, and listen in order to learn (Robinson, 2011).
The budding and thriving minds of our future generation, the students of today, are delicate and impressionable. Soaking up everything encounter, our future generation are individuals who waiting for a sculptor to shape their minds in order to better prepare them to take on the challenges of world of tomorrow. These young individuals can be simply seen as eager individuals who are for individuals to take on the responsibility presented above. A grand responsibility such as this is under every educator’s job description along with many other extensive responsibilities. Essentially, educators take on many different roles and possess a multitude of skills that are needed to both push and support our students into becoming intelligent, apt,
...them to succeed in the classroom. Although the look of the classroom has changed over the years, one thing still remains: teachers are the number one factor in a student’s educational experience.