Are teachers willing to struggle and make sacrifices necessary to put critical content into instruction?
I think that teachers everywhere are already struggling to make the sacrifices that are necessary to put content into instruction.
Less money is available to spend in the classroom, so there is more coming out of our own pocket to buy some extra books or do a lab. There are countless meeting from the typical parent-teacher conference to IEPs. We are being trained on new technology while doing all the work on the old. Our classes are getting bigger and so is our paper work. Students and parents complain because there is too much homework. "We just have too much going on right now, our child is involved in >insert EXTRA curricular activity<." Some parents don't seem to care, so their children don't care.
I think that the struggles and sacrifices to incorporate the needed content into instruction is done with everything teachers do from spending $130 to get the class a set of novels that would be perfect for the lesson to offering to staying after school and offering more small group help to the some of the students in the big class who need it.
As a teacher there are all types of decisions to be made from something as simple to room arrangement to something on a bigger scale of making sure that their students score well on the WESTEST. What everyone assumes is an easy job, is really one of the hardest jobs that I have ever had.
Reference:
Semali, L. M. (2001, November). Defining new literacies in curricular practice. Reading Online, 5(4), Retrieved from http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/semali1/index.html
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I connected what I read in the reading to this web site because it gives you an overview and quiz on media literacy as well as resources and ways that you can integrate digital tools. I think that sometimes we may know what something is, but not all the different ways that we can use it.
I agree that there are teachers out there who would and do anything to help the students, but I also believe that there are just as many who do not want to put in the time necessary in the classroom let alone outside the classroom. I have been to every parent teacher conference and can't count the times the teacher was not. There are definitely problems in the school system, but there are just as many in the teachers. Every job has its stresses and struggles and I do respect those who do their jobs, but like all jobs, not all give their best.
ReplyDeleteGood point Jessica! Just because a teacher knows what media literacy is doesn't mean they can implement a media literacy in the classroom. Soon we will have an opportunity to find media literacy projects! maybe you will be able to try it with your students this semester!
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