As a parent, is it out of line to ask my District about their technology plans? - Classroom 2.02024-03-29T14:17:26Zhttps://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/as-a-parent-is-it-out-of-line?commentId=649749%3AComment%3A579858&feed=yes&xn_auth=noWow. I cannot thank you enoug…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-07:649749:Comment:5799002011-01-07T04:02:26.213ZSylviahttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/SylviaLima
<p>Wow. I cannot thank you enough for your advice and information to resources! This issue has been nagging me for over a year now and was becoming more and more discouraged until I found this site and the teachers on Twitter. </p>
<p>I do feel like it's my right to ask them what they are doing specifically but do not want to be disrespectful. I stepped "out of line" over a year ago when I discovered (by accident) that the district's "network" was easily accessible just by sitting on a bench…</p>
<p>Wow. I cannot thank you enough for your advice and information to resources! This issue has been nagging me for over a year now and was becoming more and more discouraged until I found this site and the teachers on Twitter. </p>
<p>I do feel like it's my right to ask them what they are doing specifically but do not want to be disrespectful. I stepped "out of line" over a year ago when I discovered (by accident) that the district's "network" was easily accessible just by sitting on a bench across the street from a school. At that point I didn't even have the network password and didn't get it until I became a technology aide. That's when I discovered that the password had not been changed in years so former employees still had access to the school's files. I also surprised the principal when I told him he didn't need to give me a file on a thumb drive and walk it over to me because I could just grab it from his file on the network. He thought his files were secure and no one could access them except the two tech guys that maintain the entire district. Needless to say, things changed really fast and the tech guys went into full CYA mode. While I did not intentionally become the bearer of bad news, I was almost immediately targeted and going to work to help kids learn what I love was no longer very fun. That's when I learned of the long-armed reach of the then superintendent. All of a sudden I wasn't allowed in my son's Early Childhood/Kindergarten school unless I had clearance and specific reason to be there and my family began to have strange experiences with other people in the neighborhood. Let's just say that the parent's in this neighborhood have a tendency to over involve themselves but it isn't always at the benefit of children inasmuch as a "social status". I am not kidding you. Mind you that for two years prior to that point I practically lived in that building and loved to volunteer whenever or wherever I could.</p>
<p>Since that time I have completely stopped volunteering in our local district but serve as the computer board member on the parent board at my daughter's HS and even that's a little dicey. The school is great about pushing technology and encourages parent organizations to explore ways to increase visibility or promote a school function. It's the parent's from the old school district that have been indoctrinated into the old way of thinking. Katy hit the nail directly on the head when she said "(Most ed tech specialists push for more open use of technology with fewer restrictions and increased training of students; meanwhile, tech savvy computer specialists in this role are more strict, more concerned with keeping networks closed.)" Their are two tech savvy computer specialists and they've lorded over this network for years. They know all the ins/outs and secrets as they should. And their relatively recent boss was an Assistant Principal turned Technology Director. Really nice man with more than basic computer skills and at the time was going for a Master's in something education and pretty clueless as to the havoc his direct reports could reap if they wanted to. </p>
<p>In any case, I went and am still relatively under the radar but as I said, this is an issue that just keeps nagging at me. Thank you again for the support and info and if anything else comes to mind, I would greatly appreciate you forwarding it to me. Let me clearly state that my intention is not to work against the school or its administrators but I would love to work with them. They are after all with my kids more than I am.</p>
<p> </p> One more additional resource,…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-07:649749:Comment:5798602011-01-07T00:16:19.880ZKaty Scotthttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/KatyScott
<p>One more additional resource, if you want to take specific suggestions to your district. This article contains 6 important lessons the state of Maine learned after going 1:1 with laptops in all their middle schools. Although it's focused on a 1:1 program, the 6 lessons primarily translate to good lessons for tech integration in all schools:…</p>
<p>One more additional resource, if you want to take specific suggestions to your district. This article contains 6 important lessons the state of Maine learned after going 1:1 with laptops in all their middle schools. Although it's focused on a 1:1 program, the 6 lessons primarily translate to good lessons for tech integration in all schools: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20110104/tc_mashable/school_tech_6_important_lessons_from_maines_student_laptop_program" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20110104/tc_mashable/school_tech_6...</a></p> It would be interesting to kn…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-06:649749:Comment:5798582011-01-06T23:39:29.719ZEvaggeloshttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/evaggelos
<p>It would be interesting to know how do they measure what the students have learned. Do all students "<span style="color: #333399;"><em>Demonstrate keyboarding mastery</em></span>" in fifth grade?</p>
<p>I giggle when I read that they teach Word or FrontPage. How would you react if someone told you that they "will Ford you to the mall" instead of "they will drive you to the mall?"</p>
<p>The two years when I taught high school technology I changed the curriculum so I was not teaching a…</p>
<p>It would be interesting to know how do they measure what the students have learned. Do all students "<span style="color: #333399;"><em>Demonstrate keyboarding mastery</em></span>" in fifth grade?</p>
<p>I giggle when I read that they teach Word or FrontPage. How would you react if someone told you that they "will Ford you to the mall" instead of "they will drive you to the mall?"</p>
<p>The two years when I taught high school technology I changed the curriculum so I was not teaching a specific computer language but Introduction to Computer Programming. The course name would not dictate to the next teacher what had to be taught. If I felt comfortable teaching using C++ it wouldn't be difficult for the next teacher to use Visual Basic or Java. The curriculum was a reference to the concepts that needed to be taught.</p>
<p>The point I am trying to make is that they should say that students learn word processing skills instead of Microsoft Word.</p>
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<p>Just my thoughts.</p>
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<p>Evaggelos</p>
<p><a href="http://www.onlineschoolrecords.com" target="_blank">Online School Records</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.onlineschoolrecords.com/wordpress/" target="_blank">Blog</a></p> I definitely think it is your…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-06:649749:Comment:5798552011-01-06T23:29:39.557ZKaty Scotthttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/KatyScott
<p>I definitely think it is your right (and responsibility) to question your kids' teachers and administrators regarding tech integration. Unfortunately, many teachers and districts are unwilling to change their procedures -- due to money, training, politics, lawsuit fear, and other issues. But when parents demand change, districts will often listen. Especially if you bring your concerns to a school board meeting.</p>
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<p>It sounds like your district has invested in technology, meaning…</p>
<p>I definitely think it is your right (and responsibility) to question your kids' teachers and administrators regarding tech integration. Unfortunately, many teachers and districts are unwilling to change their procedures -- due to money, training, politics, lawsuit fear, and other issues. But when parents demand change, districts will often listen. Especially if you bring your concerns to a school board meeting.</p>
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<p>It sounds like your district has invested in technology, meaning someone sees a need for it. The problem sounds like they haven't invested in training and teacher buy-in, which makes all the money they spent on hardware pretty pointless.</p>
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<p>Because technology is so ever-changing, it's hard to find an up-to-date list of things kids should learn. (For example, it's arguable that elementary students should learn to use social networking sites, but that's a new phenomenon that may not be reflected in educational materials for a while.) However, there are good places to start, one of which being the <a href="http://www.iste.org" target="_blank">International Society for Technology Integration</a>, which offers <a href="http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx" target="_blank">student standards</a>, as well as <a href="http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx" target="_blank">teacher standards</a> and <a href="http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-administrators.aspx" target="_blank">admin standards</a>.</p>
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<p>If your district has all this technology, I'm assuming there's a district technology specialist. Find this person, and speak to them. If your district doesn't have one, push for one. Some districts hire ed tech specialists who are very tech savvy but who lack any classroom or education experience. It's really important to have an ed tech specialist with an education background, someone who is informed and capable of hosting/organizing classroom integration trainings. (Most ed tech specialists push for more open use of technology with fewer restrictions and increased training of students; meanwhile, tech savvy computer specialists in this role are more strict, more concerned with keeping networks closed.) Best would be to have a district ed tech specialist, as well as one teacher who plays the role at each school site. (There's definitely grant money out there that could pay for this extra duty.)</p>
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<p>Katy Scott</p>
<p><a href="http://digitaldollar.edublogs.org" target="_blank">http://digitaldollar.edublogs.org</a></p> Great point Paul. And you're…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-06:649749:Comment:5798522011-01-06T23:12:49.726ZSylviahttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/SylviaLima
<p>Great point Paul. And you're right, I do have access to some of those items here at home and can use them here. Actually, now that I think about it my kids know how to Skype because we do it often with family in another state. </p>
<p>Oddly enough, my thoughts come from regularly participating in Twitter chat sessions with teachers. I've learned so much in the last couple of months just from "lurking" tags like #edchat or #lrnchat.</p>
<p>Thanks again,</p>
<p>Sylvia =)</p>
<p>Great point Paul. And you're right, I do have access to some of those items here at home and can use them here. Actually, now that I think about it my kids know how to Skype because we do it often with family in another state. </p>
<p>Oddly enough, my thoughts come from regularly participating in Twitter chat sessions with teachers. I've learned so much in the last couple of months just from "lurking" tags like #edchat or #lrnchat.</p>
<p>Thanks again,</p>
<p>Sylvia =)</p> At this point in time I would…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-06:649749:Comment:5798452011-01-06T22:09:51.626ZPaul R. Bastahttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/PaulRBasta
<p>At this point in time I wouldn't leave it up to the schools. I would definitely like to use more tech tools in class, but the time it takes to set up and teach using all the new tools available makes it a very slow process (getting one kid to work through some tech can be difficult, that teachers have to have nearly 100 kids understand to do anything useful with it can be a daunting task). Add to that that some kids can't access several things from home still and it makes the process even…</p>
<p>At this point in time I wouldn't leave it up to the schools. I would definitely like to use more tech tools in class, but the time it takes to set up and teach using all the new tools available makes it a very slow process (getting one kid to work through some tech can be difficult, that teachers have to have nearly 100 kids understand to do anything useful with it can be a daunting task). Add to that that some kids can't access several things from home still and it makes the process even slower. Even though my kids are still young, I plan that they too will not be able to access all the available tools in a classroom setting that can be beneficial . Of course, it depends on the learning style of the kid as well, you need to figure that out first.</p>
<p>So I would get to know these things yourself and use them at home. Even if an assignment that comes home doesn't call for tech, I would be excited to see it come back to school with some extra thought towards connecting it with useful tech. Or have your child ask the teacher first if they could present something in a way of their choosing. That is always exciting for a teacher and it shows the student really is thinking about their responses to an assignment.</p>
<p>I also would ask the teacher themselves instead of the district. Like was said, some are more knowledgeable then others and you would get a more accurate response. Just because the district has tech standards doesn't mean they are being enforced in any way. We just see checklists come around that say "what technology standards have you been teaching", but we never get any response afterwards.</p>
<p>As our district has begun to, schools should begin with the organization of Google Apps for Education and see how it goes from there. Other than that right now it is up to the individual teacher in my district. </p> Thank you Alan and Kev for yo…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-06:649749:Comment:5798332011-01-06T20:59:54.964ZSylviahttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/SylviaLima
<p>Thank you Alan and Kev for your advice. It is greatly appreciated. </p>
<p>Yes, I agree and am well aware of the sensitive avenues =). I'm also very familiar with the slow moving districts. However, mine isn't so much slow moving as it is strict. This district feels the need to control practically everything and information technology is on the top of that list.</p>
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<p>Do you know or can you recommend a source that offers a list of skills that kids should know by age/grade? I…</p>
<p>Thank you Alan and Kev for your advice. It is greatly appreciated. </p>
<p>Yes, I agree and am well aware of the sensitive avenues =). I'm also very familiar with the slow moving districts. However, mine isn't so much slow moving as it is strict. This district feels the need to control practically everything and information technology is on the top of that list.</p>
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<p>Do you know or can you recommend a source that offers a list of skills that kids should know by age/grade? I would love to help. I don't want to go to the school with this question and then not help be part of a solution. I feel like they feel the need to defend themselves against any questions and that's not my intention.</p>
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<p>Thanks!</p> As a parent nothing is out of…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-06:649749:Comment:5798252011-01-06T20:32:00.975ZKevhttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/Kev
As a parent nothing is out of line for you to ask your district.<br />
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That said, I wouldn't expect to get very far. Teachers, in general, are quite slow moving and districts even more so. It seems that in many cases we do technology just to make it seem like we do technology. Maybe if we had more parents like you getting involved that might start to change.
As a parent nothing is out of line for you to ask your district.<br />
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That said, I wouldn't expect to get very far. Teachers, in general, are quite slow moving and districts even more so. It seems that in many cases we do technology just to make it seem like we do technology. Maybe if we had more parents like you getting involved that might start to change. Yes I think it is appropriate…tag:www.classroom20.com,2011-01-06:649749:Comment:5798092011-01-06T20:12:27.827ZAlan Stangehttps://www.classroom20.com/profile/AlanStange
Yes I think it is appropriate for you to question the current implementation and also appropriate to offer suggestions for new directions. Naturally you need to be sensitive to the avenues you use. Also be sensitive to the roles people have in this decision-making. I am sympathetic to your goals.
Yes I think it is appropriate for you to question the current implementation and also appropriate to offer suggestions for new directions. Naturally you need to be sensitive to the avenues you use. Also be sensitive to the roles people have in this decision-making. I am sympathetic to your goals.