Teachers today have to meet a diverse set of student needs. Teaching Assistants are being used in some, but not all classrooms to help teachers support student learning.

Nicole K. said on January 12, 2012:

“I also think that it is important for each class to have the option of an EA for support. Many early education classrooms (preschool, head start program) have multiple adults in the class. This allows for added support, as well as team teaching, and flexibility.”

and

Kelsey said on January 7, 2012:

“If a teacher is lucky there may be one EA there throughout the day or for an hour or so. This is my experience in the classroom… teachers will do what they can with the time and resources available but it is challenging… I believe that most teachers in BC want to teach to individual needs but just cannot manage with the help at the moment.”

How could teaching assistants and other supports be used so teachers can spend more time focused on teaching?

Across the world education experts are asking: “What do teachers need to keep current in today’s context?” Research also shows that systemic, ongoing teacher professional development is more effective than traditional one-time workshops.

Angie told us on November 22, 2011:

“I think that one of the best ways to support the unique abilities of our students is to support the unique abilities [of] our teachers…allow them to continue to enhance their professional growth and have the respect for their professionalism that they know what their professional growth should look like.”

and

Cori Robertson told us on January 10, 2012:

“I feel the idea behind B.C.’s new Education Plan, student-centred learning, while benefitting students, will need to provide extensive training and resources to practicing teachers.”

How can professional development days be linked to the unique needs of teachers?

In the past few weeks you’ve made over 1300 comments on flexibility and choice in the K-12 education system. Here’s a synthesis of what you’ve said so far. Click on the links below each theme to read supporting examples.

Questions 7-9 are now closed but you can comment here if you have more to add to this conversation.

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Question 7 Snapshot: What do you think are the benefits and challenges to offering students more flexible learning opportunities?

Benefits

1. A greater role for parents (1, 2, 3)
2. Increased student motivation and ownership over their learning (4,  5,  6, 7, 8)
3. Accommodation of different learning styles (9,  10)
4. Practical skill development and a greater connection with the community (11, 12, 13)
5. More flexibility around schedules (the “when” of learning) (14, 15, 16, 17)

Challenges

1. Students may not have the maturity or foresight to make good choices about what to learn (18, 19, 20)
2. If given too much choice, kids may pick the easiest route (21, 22, 23 , 24, 25)
3. Concerns about inadequate curriculum coverage and de-emphasis of basic skills (26, 27, 28)
4. Concerns about assessment (29, 30, 31, 32)
5. Overreliance on technology (33, 34, 35, 36)
6. More work for already burdened educators (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
7. Worsening of existing inequalities (42, 43, 44, 45)
8. Overcoming teacher resistance and/or lack of understanding (46, 47)

 

Question 8 Snapshot: Flexibility and choice are evident in many B.C. schools and communities. Do you have some good examples to share?

Here are a few of the examples you’ve shared with us. What do you think of them? Do you have others to share with us? What can we learn from them? (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)

 

Question 9 Snapshot: How do you think our schools and school districts need to change to support more flexibility and choice?

1.  Ability to select school of choice (58, 59, 60, 61)
2. More emphasis on practical life skills, real world connections (62, 63, 64, 65)
3. More calendar flexibility (66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
4. Reduce school district bureaucracy, duplication of services (71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
5. Fewer learning outcomes per course (76, 77)
6. More support for at risk and special needs students (78, 79, 80, 81)
7. Government needs to make changes too (82, 83)
8. Smaller class sizes (84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
9. Lower student-teacher ratios (89, 90)
10. More funding (91, 92, 93, 94)
11. Eliminate/reduce/maintain/increase funding to independent schools (95, 96)
12. Concerns with standardized testing (97, 98)
13. More support and respect for teachers, greater awareness of their working conditions (99, 100)

What do you think are the benefits and challenges to offering students more flexible learning opportunities?

This question is now closed to new comments. If you have further ideas to share please submit your comment to the Questions 7-9 Snapshot.