When I saw a commercial the other day, I nearly couldn't believe it. ABC is remaking the "V" series that brings reptile like alien creatures to Earth in an effort to conquer and extinguish the human race. I remember that show as a kid, and I really enjoyed it. Take a look around Hollywood for the past few years... What do you see? Transformers... GI Joe... Iron Man... Spiderman... Fantastic Four... Star Wars... and I just heard there will be a remake of The A-Team next year! Look at the return of the American Muscle. Looking at the latest Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers will throw you back to the late 60s and early 70s with a new millenium flair.
Education is not supposed to go 'retro' but we do look back to the practices of yesterday. For the most part, our instructional model is based off the same methods of 200 years ago, but the delivery methods are different and the approaches have 'matured' and 'evolved'. We strive for individualized learning approaches and opportunities within the confines of tight quarters.
New methods and models are created, introduced, implemented, and find their way into classrooms all over the world. Will the world of education ever return to the ways of yesterday? Will we one day have "teacher in the front and rows of students" in classrooms with technology all over the place? That is extreme, but you never know.
I'll tell you one that thing that must never change; communication. An open dialogue between teachers and teachers, teachers and administrators, teachers and parents, and teachers and students. Remember that communication must be both ways, not just listen to the teacher or the teacher listening to others.
Yesterday I received an email from a student (keep in mind that they are 9) saying that she did not have the reading homework assignment. I explained what might have happened to it, and I pasted the text from the assignment to her. She then emailed back that she understood and thanked me. Wow! How awesome is this? Now, before you think that email communication should be required, keep in mind that I am nuts about checking my email(s). This email was sent hours after school had ended. If we are require teachers to check their email after hours, we might as well give out home and cell phone numbers.
I don't know what the answer is, and I certainly don't know what the future holds, but I am glad that I will be a part of it.
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