My friends and I have been talking about the future of education. There seems to be so much in front of our fingertips to learn, whether its technology, communication, or resources. I try to imagine what a Carousel of Education would look like, similar to the attraction the Disney Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland. If we think about the round stage that rotates around to the next generation showing each progress in education, I imagine that the first set would have the little, one-room schoolhouse out in a rural part of America. At the front of the classroom would be a female teacher standing in front of the room using her slate while her students sat in rows according to age. There are lots of things that would be noticeable given the time period that don’t show the inclusiveness that I hope we see a lot more of in today’s schools.
Fast forward to now, and we can see students learning in makerspaces, using project-based learning, virtual school, and small to whole group work with the teacher in the role of facilitator.
Imagine going back in time and telling your child self about the things that are available in the future. Think about it, our cell phones have more speed and power than computers did when we were kids. If you grew up in the 90’s that was when we saw the birth of the World Wide Web. Now, we can access the web, our emails, and applications with the device in our pocket or hand bag.
I recently had an opportunity to talk with the amazing people at Garner Holt Education Through Imagination on the Teacher’s Pep Rally Podcast. Check this out, they are working with teachers and students to build innovative makerspaces that provide lesson plans for students to build robotics and animatronics. I would have loved that as a kid!
Think of all the tools we have to use:
- 3D Printers
- Remote Platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Skype
- Computers and Tablets
- Virtual Field Trips
- Augmented Reality Tools
- Digital Libraries with Shelves of Books
- Holograms
Sometimes we get caught up in what is not working or how things never change in education. I have been changing my mindset, as I think more positively about how far we have come and how far we can go. We just need to use the tools available to us.
See You Real Soon,
Erin
HOW DO I KNOW IF THE HAPPY TEACHER CONFERENCE IS FOR ME?
- I love working with students and sharing a passion for learning
- I’ve lost a little bit of love for teaching
- I am looking to reboot or re-energize my career
- I could use a reminder about finding balance with my personal and professional life
- I want to network with other educators to find a community of support