Identify 2 or 3 significant themes or differences you have noticed across these contexts and describe them. Is there a particular area or way that you believe your current professional working environment could learn from the other contexts described in these chapters?
A major theme I noticed is cooperation—working together for the common good or end-goal (adequate performance from learning/training) unlike the primarily individualized work that is done in K—12 education. It seems that in these areas, the team approach of each person adding their expertise to the pot is recognized, welcomed, and enforced. In K—12 education, at least as far as I’ve experienced and know of, professionals work mostly individually for the most part and come together for other areas than on focused lesson development and implementation. Meetings and collaborative efforts are mostly about ideas maybe related to the students’ education, funds, processes, but not so much specifically on lesson development, evaluation, and the day to day things that teachers go about in their classrooms to strive towards their learning goals. This focused collaborative effort throughout the lesson designing process, to me, seems to be something that we have not quite fully grasped yet.
Along with working together, I also noticed that these other areas not only work together, but they bring about a specialized knowledge to the group. For instance, there are subject matter experts and instructional designers. In K—12 education, teachers are trained to design lessons and units and are well versed in their specialized subject areas. However, it would be helpful to have additional support with lesson designing once employed from those who are specifically trained in instructional design to help with applying design techniques previously learned. This may be especially helpful with incoming or newer teachers. Instructional designers could also be available to novice teachers who request their help with implementing ideas or who just want to bounce ideas off of them. Plus, teachers coming from different preparatory universities all learn similar but different methods of lesson designing/planning, so a building or district-wide instructional designer(s) may be beneficial to bring order and coherence. It would also be nice for teachers to have help with implementing technology and for our technology staff to be free to help us with these types of things on a more regular basis without being in a rush.
It seems that the lesson design/training process is a bit more structured in Higher Education and in Business than in it is in K—12 education. I hear many teachers say something like, “When it comes down to it, I close my door and teach my kids,” stating that there are so many expectations and not enough support that they have to pick and choose what to focus on and so they do just that behind closed doors. I hear less about working together and helping each other as teaching staff, unless that cooperation is voluntary. It is not, however, regularly mandated or expected. Does the K—12 system recognize the importance of working together as a team to develop what is to be taught so that it can be effective? Do they recognize the need for specialized, trained individuals coming together to share their expertise and insight to reach the common goal of educating? Perhaps they could learn from the Business, Industry and Higher Education sectors. The chart on page 226 (figure 22.2) does a nice job of depicting a well thought out team approach to unit designing in Higher Education
Overall, it seems that the Business and Industry sectors are very organized and results oriented. In the K—12 education sector, all signs point towards a definite revision or change within the system that is needed and instructional design and teaching are more individualized. Higher Education seems to be more structured and although the teaching is individualized, there seems to at least be more opportunities for collaboration/group input and support.
I think teachers need to work together as often as possible also. I hear teachers say the same thing about shutting the door and teaching. In my district we have grade level meetings once a month to encourage us working together. I also think that teachers being paid by performance can set back teachers helping each other. If you need your students to do better on tests in order to get paid more this is relative. You need the other teacher to not do as well so you may be less likely to give them ideas. I don't think this will help teaching overall because of how important working together and learning from one another is.
ReplyDeleteI think you are on the right track here. Business and Industry and Higher Education also see the need for collaboration and we need to incorporate it into the lower grades. I think we need to promote each teacher's speciality and share ideas--I know it's like that in business and industry and higher education. I don't teach, but it seems like what everyone is saying is that they don't work together at the lower grades as they are all trying to work on test scores, not the circulum.
ReplyDeleteMargie
I will agree with you that there tends to be a lack of cooperation between those in the educational field. Their often is cohesion and cooperation amongst teachers and peers within a building but that cooperation begins to disintegrate as you go throughout a district. Individual schools do not work together or the staff within the schools often don't work together. If change is to take place in educations, it needs to be a cooperative effort by all those involved in the field.
ReplyDeleteYou are the second person that I have read that used cooperation and teamwork as the main theme and I agree completely. Everything seems easier to tackle in a team environment. However, there are always those that may not have the ability to work well in a team and they can make it very difficult for everyone else. I think depending on the school K-12 can do a lot of cooperation, it just depends on your leadership and if they think it is important.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree that some schools and districts do a fine job with collaborating, but it would be nice if it weren't just in schools that have leadership that supports and enforces it, but if it were across the system.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that being paid for performance would discourage teachers from helping each other and from sharing ideas with each other. This is unfortunate because collaboration and interdependence can help to make everyone stronger.