Secondary Education

For this particular post, I will be answering specific questions related to understanding differences in our students and how we, as professional educators, can effectively navigate the issues that stem from those differences. 1.  What types of training would be of use to assist teachers with this very complex issue.  How could education about diversity related to topic - homophobia, gender, race, etc. be used to inform this training and education? All adults who work with children should be required to complete training on multicultural issues and how they impact students in school and at home. I can only speak from my own experiences and from dealing with the population where I currently live and teach. I am in an incredibly conservative area and a large number of my students absolutely carry that attitude that is expressed within their homes that "different" is bad. Adolescents are naturally group-seekers and when attitudes at home help further categorize people, no...

Much like my previous post on technology in the classroom, this post will deal heavily with technology, but not entirely. Before we can discuss best practices for 21st Century Learners, we first have to establish what that term - 21st Century Learners - means. In educational circles, the term 21st century learners refers to students who have heavy access to and use of technology and also to students who are not just consumers, but also producers of media and information. Of course, the term gets much more nuanced than that, but this is the overall gist. In other words, if you are currently a teacher, 21st century learners are in your classroom. That term may easier to define than the term "best practices." While this is certainly a well-worn term in education, this is also a common phrase in the business world, used to encourage the automation of a practice that produces the "best" results, across wide-ranging variances. (Vesley, p. 101) Educators are very used to r...

Technology is, and has been for years, a major buzzword in the education field. Teachers are strongly encouraged to incorporate technology wherever possible in order to better reach and engage our 21st Century Learners. Given the well-known fact that adolescents spend a staggering amount of their time using technology to communicate and entertain themselves, this seems like a no-brainer. If teachers want to reach students where they are in an authentic way, then what could be better than using technology?     The key with adolescents is that they are observant. They can always spot inauthenticity in others, particularly in adults who are superficially trying to connect or "be cool" in an attempt to engage them. Say the words "on fleek" in front of your class and you will see exactly what I mean. This keen sense of authenticity goes beyond adults just trying to be cool. It also reaches to discover activities in the classroom that don't serve a true purpose. ...