To be educated, and an educator, one must be efficient at relearning, which inevitably involves unlearning. Personally, unlearning and relearning is extremely significant since I am studying Math and Chemistry. There are constantly new developments in the math and science world that disprove previously accepted truths. Also in teaching math and science concepts, teachers typically will teach a particular concept that might be wrong but will later get corrected by a more complex concept.
I think the hardest part of the learning cycle is not relearning something but unlearning that something in the first place. It is very hard to let go of a concept and replace it with a new one.
Within the education field, there is a lot that I still need to unlearn and relearn. The methods that were used to teach me and peers in my classes through the years are no longer completely accepted. There are also a plethora of guidelines and standards that must be met today that were not in place when I was going through grade school and high school. Technology is also used more than ever before in classrooms today. Teachers not only have new standards to address but also are expected to use new methods to teach these standards such as IWBs and computers. Although I do think it is a challenge to unlearn and relearn, it is very important to be a successful educator.
In my opinion, Interactive White Boards are highly overrated. While no one can argue that they are helpful in organizing a lesson, I think that this is the only real advantage to them and that schools can use their money in other more useful ways. Students nowadays are so accustomed to new means of technologies (iPads, iPods, laptops, etc.) that the technological advancement of IWBs is no longer entertaining or a significant contribution to the learning experience. I also think that an IWB is just another tool to help a teacher. A good teacher that enjoys his job does not need a fancy white board to help students learn a given concept. The article "Interactive whiteboards: boon or bandwagon?" relays both the pros and cons associated with the booming IWB industry.
My high school had several interactive whiteboards, however, they were only in select rooms and most teachers either didn't know how to use them, simply didn't use them, or didn't allow the students to. I think this is a very common trend within schools across the nation. Administrators purchase these tools and assume the teachers and students will utilize them in the classroom which is not always the case. I think if they are to be utilized, their should be training involved so that the teachers know how to effectively use them to contribute positively to the learning environment.
However strong my opinion is against IWBs, I do think they could be beneficial in differentiating a classroom. Activities could be developed to cater to the different needs of students depending on their readiness and learning style. Their are many interactive elements associated (obviously) with IWBs. This could prove to be very beneficial for visual and hands on learners.
Differentiation, as I understand it, includes immense teacher involvement and a passion for teaching. It occurs when a teacher accepts that each student learns in a different way and at a different pace. The teacher then creates lesson plans that cater to each of the students' individual needs.
I just recently experienced differentiation during a classroom observation over spring break. In order to allow the students to work at their own pace, the teacher assigned an individual project to each student on a given topic. The student could then choose what type of presentation he/she would like to do (poster, powerpoint, graphic organizer, short activity with explanation, etc.). He made it so that each individual topic related to two other student's topic. After the individual presentations were turned in, the students then had to work together in those groups to put a presentation together for the class. This had to include at least one interactive activity with the class such as a fill in the blank worksheet or a crossword puzzle. Throughout the assignment their were certain checkpoints that the teacher had to approve before moving on to the next step. It was very interesting to see that the students actually enjoyed learning during these lessons and how effective differentiation really is.
Technology is very helpful in assisting teachers to differentiate in the
classroom. Best put by this Missouri school district, "Technology supports instructional strategies by creating new routes to learning and addressing multiple learning needs." In the example previously described, the school's laptops were utilized throughout the entire activity. This allowed for the students to have their data on the computers and could easily communicate with the rest of their group members throughout the process.
