My field placement at Ann Arbor's Skyline High School has been every bit of eye opening to the possibilities of public schooling I forgot existed since graduating from Birmingham's Seaholm High School six years ago. In many ways, the two schools are very similar. However, technology has changed quite a bit in just over half a decade. Having spent the past year in Detroit, at one of the lowest performing schools in the state, Skyline has indeed been quite the contrast and, occasionally, surprise. Not the least of which has been the computer inventory available to all students. I'm told they have some kind of deal with Apple.
When I was in high school, we had to reserve a computer lab weeks in advance or go to the library and share computers with other classmates. I think we may have had a laptop cart, but it obviously was not memorable. Skyline has no fewer than half a dozen carts of 30+ Macbook computers that teachers can sign up for on a Google doc online as late as the day of (if any are still available). My mentor teacher reserves a cart at least once a week for various projects and classroom activities. Today, she has the world history students finishing a PowerPoint presentation about Hinduism and Buddhism, and the US history students are analyzing primary sources and arguing for one side or another in a debate about workers rights in the progressive era.
But wait, there's more!
Skyline also uses Power School to input and display grades and attendance records online. Students and parents frequently check this resource from home, which has already led to several discussions with students pinpointing what they need to improve on and how they can. My mentor teacher also employs a texting service through which she reminds students and parents about upcoming assignments or special notes. All teachers are equipped with overhead projectors and laptops of their own, as well as a high-tech audio system that plays over the overhead speakers. They can reserve an "ELMO" wand that uses a camera to display paper on the LCD projector (my MT uses this often). Students also have access to computer labs and a comprehensive digital library in the media center. The possibilities are seemingly endless to a teaching novice like myself!
The results of my technology investigation were not altogether shocking given the obvious affluence and prestige of the Ann Arbor Public Schools. However, the discussion we had in class on October 2nd was a bit enlightening to just how fortunate Skyline is. I have not too quickly forgotten my own past experiences, but seeing technology used in the classroom is now just commonplace at this point in my placement. Yet the responses of many of my classmates suggest that I am the exception to the rule. Many observed that using technology at their schools, even when available, is simply not practical. This is very unfortunate to hear because many of the tools they described are not cheap. Schools should invest in technology, but with advancements coming every few months (weeks? minutes?) it is often not a practical use of the budget for struggling districts. Maybe Apple would help them out in exchange for some free advertising...
Posted from my Macbook Pro.
Hey Jimmy,
ReplyDeleteYou make some great points in this post. Its obvious that Skyline has a wealth of resources and your mentor teacher seems to take full advantage of the possibilities. I'm curious though, do other teachers also utilize all of this technology to its fullest potential? My school does not have nearly as much access to technology, but the teachers seem to take advantage of what is available to them. I also love the question you raise at the end about whether or not it is worth it to invest when technology will be outdated in a few months.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Samantha
Jimmy,
ReplyDeleteI resonate greatly with your reflection upon the drastic changes in the prevalence and use of technology in schools over the past decade. Technology seems to beget more technology (and at a faster pace). Trend makes me wonder what the next decade will produce, and I am curious—and slightly hesitant—about how that will impact our roles as teachers and students as learners.
I am curious about one thing though. What do your students think of all the technology in your placement school? Do they even recognize its existence and impact on their learning or has technology become simply a default expectation for them? It seems as if we are a generation privileged (or burdened) to be witness to the integration of modern technologies in our schools. How will the following generations be different than us? Will this impact our ability to teach them?
Thanks for the post. Stirred up lots of thoughts.
Best,
Jesse
Jimmy
ReplyDeleteThe technology use in your building sure is amazing. A total contrast to my school placement where we don't even have wifi, which is funny since apparently all of the teachers are given iPads at the beginning of the year. Whats awesome to hear however is that the school is using it in a way that truly is creative and enhances student instruction. I also like how it has been embedded into parent teacher relations in that parents can see how well their students are doing online. The question I am really interested in however is how much do teachers actually use them? While many of these resources are available and present in usage there will often times be teachers who just don't use them. Furthermore does the school incorporate the fact that all of their students may not be wealthy?
Just a thought
Thanks for sharing
Jimmy,
ReplyDeleteYour post makes me feel extremely old because of the difference between your high school experience with technology and my own! When I was in high school (almost 14 years ago now), there were two computer labs and the library, at that was at a private school that was considered cutting edge for that time period. The only classes that were truly allowed to book the computer labs were English classes, and if anyone wanted to use a computer, they had to sign-up in the library.
Moving on though, it seems as if your mentor teacher is fairly forward thinking with regards to the utilization of technology in the classroom; is she the exception to the norm or is she the norm for Skyline? Also, what is student response like to this utilization of technology? What about parents? And what seems to be the most popular and effective way to use technology at Skyline? I would love to be able to have a happy medium of utilizing technology and no technology in my classroom, and I am also interested in hearing how current students receive these tools at school. Thanks!