Retraining and Retooling the Texas Teacher Workforce

1
Retraining and Retooling the Texas Teacher
Workforce
for 21st Century Classrooms
2
The Challenge
Students must graduate with the skills needed to
function in a global, digital, information-driven
society
Teachers must provide students with opportunities
to learn the necessary skills while still
teaching the state mandated curriculum.
Teachers need to learn those skills in order to
provide students with appropriate opportunities
to master the skills.
3
The Challenge
Students must graduate with the skills needed to
function in a global, digital, information-driven
society

• Capable information technology users
• Information seekers, analyzers, and evaluators
• Problem solvers and decision-makers
• Creative and effective users of productivity
  tools
• Communicators, collaborators, publishers, and
  producers
• Informed, responsible and contributing citizens

4
The Challenge
Teachers must provide students with opportunities
to learn the necessary skills while still
teaching the state mandated curriculum.
TEKS
TAAS
TAKS
5
The Challenge

• Teachers need to learn the new skills in order
  to provide students with appropriate
  opportunities to master the skills required for
  success/survival in the 21st century.

6
The Solution

• A systemic approach to teacher technology
  professional development
• Assurance that the use of technology is always
  curriculum driven - Effective use of technology
  requires a change in methodology, not curriculum
• A network of full time teachers who serve as
  technology mentors in place on every campus

7
Technology Integration Mentors

• Full time classroom teachers
• Paid a stipend to work extra-duty hours to 1)
  learn about technology 2) use technology to
  improve teaching and learning in their specific
  curriculum areas3) share skills and model
  teaching strategies for other teachers on the
  campus

8
Technology Integration Mentors

• Collaborate as a community of learners with each
  other and with the districts instructional
  technology department
• Work with the campus administrators to develop an
  annual plan for scheduled, campus-based,
  technology professional development for all
  teachers assigned to the campus

9
Role of the TIM

• Life-long learner
• Teacher of students
• Teacher of teachers
• Advocate
• Curriculum team leader

10
Role of the Administrator
Role of the Campus Administrator

• Establish the expectation that all teachers will
  become technologically proficientALL teachers
  will master the SBEC Technology Applications
  Standards for Beginning Teachers

11
http//www.sbec.state.tx.us/stand_framewrk/stand_f
ramewrk.htm
12
TEA Recommendation for All Educators All current
educators should strive to meet the SBEC
standards for all beginning educators. These
standards tie directly to the Technology
Applications student standards for Grades 6-8. To
help meet these educator standards, professional
development should support the SBEC standards.
http//www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/ta/ed_standa
rds.html
13
Role of the Campus Administrator

• Establish the expectation that all students will
  master the state mandated technology
  proficiencies - taught as an integrated component
  of the core curriculum.ALL students will master
  the Technology Applications TEKS

14
http//www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/ta/curr.html
15
Technology ApplicationsA TEA Required Curriculum

• Districts must ensure that sufficient time is
  provided for teachers to teach and for students
  to learn the essential knowledge and skills in
  technology applications. Specific curriculum
  requirements for this area are specified in 19
  TAC Chapter 74. For Grades K-8 Technology
  Applications is addressed as part of the
  classroom teaching and learning and these
  knowledge and skills should continue throughout
  high school.

16
Technology ApplicationsA TEA Required Curriculum
For documentation and accountability purposes,
there are Public Education Information Management
System (PEIMS) numbers available for the
Technology Applications curriculum for each grade
level at Grades PreK-8 and each high school
course. It is recommended that these PEIMS
numbers be used by districts.
17
Role of the District
Compensation stipend, hardware, software,
opportunities for learning Assistance adequate
technology support, just-in-time learning
Recognition community relations, media,
teacher to teacher workshops, annual
technology fair Education priority access to all
district technology professional development
classes, special funding for online classes,
conferences and workshops
18
Klein ISDs TIM ProgramThe Details

• Selection of Teachers to Serve as TIMs
• Specified Duties of a TIM
• Specified Duties of the Campus Administrator

19
Selection of Teachers to Serve as TIMs

1. Campus administrators invite teachers to apply
2. Teachers complete an application form
3. Campus administrators make final selections

• Elementary Schools 1 from K-1 1 from 2-3 1
  from 4-5
• Intermediate High Schools 1 from Language
  Arts 1 from Math 1 from Science 1 from Social
  Studies

20
Specified Duties of a TIM

• 6-hour summer training
• 2-hour district study group meeting, each
  semester
• TEACH 3 hours of campus-based technology
  professional development each semester (optional,
  for additional pay)
• Complete 6 hours of technology professional
  development each year

• Meet 1 hour each six weeks with grade level,
  departmental teams to plan and practice TATEKS
  lessons
• Campus study group sessions, 1 hour every six
  weeks
• One-to-one training with another teacher, 12-15
  hours each semester (as determined by
  administrator, additional pay)

21
Specified Duties of a Campus Administrator

• Establish expectations for teachers and students
• Select teachers who will serve as TIMs
• Administer Klein ISD Technology Competencies
  Self-Assessment to entire faculty at least once
  each year

• Collaborate with campus TIM team to design a
  year-round plan for technology professional
  development
• Participate in one-hour campus study group
  sessions each six weeks

22
Specified Duties of a Campus Administrator,
contd.

• Monitor teacher participation in technology
  professional development sessions
• Establish an accountability system to assure that
  all students are taught the TATEKS on a regular
  basis

• Select teachers to be taught by TIM in the
  one-to-one training each semester
• Verify completion of TIMs duties on stipend
  verification sheet

23
Impact of TIMs on a Campus

• Teachers come to see technology as a necessary
  tool for improved learning, not an area of
  expertise from which they are exempt
• Professional development becomes a natural part
  of any day, not an event scheduled for 2-3 days a
  year
• Teachers model life-long learning
• Teachers work in collaborative teams

24
TIMs, One Part of the Whole
District Instructional Technology Department
District Technology Classes
Online Resources Tutorials
T-Time for Administrators