What Are We Doing?

We're teachers. What does that mean? It used to mean we were the disseminators of knowledge. We were like medieval priests. We knew things known to a select few and our job was to pass that information along to chosen others.

In the 21st century, everybody has access to all the information and knowledge of all the ages. No longer is the teacher the primary information source. Our job has changed. Now, we need to teach kids how to access, interpret, communicate, and produce information and knowledge.

The time a teacher spends lecturing and presenting information to large groups of students in traditional classroom settings is diminishing. The teacher is becoming a facilitator of learning and problem-solving, Working side-by-side with kids to help them acquire knowledge and develop skills on as-needed basis.

We need to have contact with our students, sit down beside them, talk with them, not at them.
Watch and listen. Guide and encourage.

If you aren't changing and evolving, you're falling behind.