Week 2 Opinion Piece

I believe there are a number of factors influencing the direction that schools are taking in the post-industrial world. I live and work as an elementary teacher in Nederland, TX. Nederland is a community of about 20,000 in the Southeast corner of the state. By far, the dominant industry in our region is the oil and gas sector. The majority of these jobs are of the low-skill and high-wage variety held by men, such as welding and pipe-fitting. In the future, old forms of energy, like oil and gas, will give way to the technological advancements of newer, cleaner forms of energy that demand greater technological expertise. Locally, all our students will need the technological training to do these jobs. The Texas STaR Chart can be an innovative way to transform our economy into the clean energy sector of our post-industrial world.

I recommend that the local school district leaders, with the help of state leaders, develop a long range plan for technology that clearly assesses the skills needed for the clean energy transformation of our society. At this time, the Campus STaR Chart data shows that no progress has been made in 3 years toward helping students use technology tools. As well, statewide data illustrates that around 70% of campuses are in the Developing stage. My campus is among the majority in this area. Our state really needs to make a concerted effort to get teachers and students technologically savvy.

As one who works in the trenches of our elementary schools, I see an over-emphasis on the teacher-led model of instruction. The trend towards standardized testing has created a curriculum model where teachers spend too much time teaching to the test and where technology use is restricted to the computer lab where kids answer math and reading questions on a computer screen. Moreover, students are given mountains of worksheets in the classroom in which teachers give lessons on how to solve the test questions that will appear on the TAKS. Any long range plan for technology must state the need for technology rich student-centered models of instruction and assessment. We need to abolish the standardized testing approach towards a more technology integrated and learner centered model of curriculum.

I believe that a rigorous implementation of the Teaching and Learning area Texas STaR Chart will better prepare our students to be information and technology literate individuals who are able to think critically about complex issues, analyze and adapt to new situations, solve problems of various kinds, and communicate their thinking effectively.