The ever changing role of The ever changing role of teachers: teachers: Is teaching still Is teaching still

relevant?relevant?

Access Employment conferenceAccess Employment conference

Sharon RajabiSharon Rajabi sharon.rajabi@tcdsb.orgsharon.rajabi@tcdsb.org

Demands on teachers...Demands on teachers...

Increased achievements for all studentsIncreased achievements for all students Increased levels of accountability by Increased levels of accountability by

fundersfundersNew or renewed curriculumNew or renewed curriculumBudgetary pressuresBudgetary pressures Increased levels of diversity in the Increased levels of diversity in the

classroomclassroomMassive amount of informationMassive amount of information

Are we preparing our Are we preparing our learners for the google learners for the google age?age?

Educators should Educators should become more the become more the curators than curators than creators...creators...

Rules of EngagementRules of EngagementO’Rurke :2002O’Rurke :2002

TechnicalTechnicalPracticalPracticalCulturalCulturalCriticalCritical

Higher-order goals demand what Higher-order goals demand what some analysts have called some analysts have called “meaningful learning” (Good & “meaningful learning” (Good & Brophy, 1986) that is, learning that Brophy, 1986) that is, learning that enables critical thinking, flexible enables critical thinking, flexible problem solving, and transfer of skills problem solving, and transfer of skills and use of knowledge in new and use of knowledge in new situations. (p. 2)situations. (p. 2)

CEOCEO CFOCFO

COOCOO CIOCIO

CAOCAO CLOCLO

CUOCUO

To see the world not as you see it but as To see the world not as you see it but as others doothers do

Not so much what we know but what we Not so much what we know but what we don’t knowdon’t know

As humans, we’re pattern seeking animals As humans, we’re pattern seeking animals even when patterns don’t exist.even when patterns don’t exist.

How?How?

Project-based learningProject-based learningProjects include many individual tasks; Projects include many individual tasks;

the umbrella of the project allows the umbrella of the project allows opportunities to critique and transform opportunities to critique and transform practice in ways that individual tasks do practice in ways that individual tasks do notnot

Long-distance exchange projectsLong-distance exchange projectsLearners debate and discuss issues Learners debate and discuss issues

related to culture, identity, education, related to culture, identity, education, etc.etc.

A teacher is one who makes himself A teacher is one who makes himself progressively unnecessary. progressively unnecessary.

~Thomas Carruthers~Thomas Carruthers

A good teacher is like a candle - it A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others.  consumes itself to light the way for others. 

~Mustafa Kemal Atatürk~Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

translated from Turkishtranslated from Turkish

The mediocre teacher tells.  The good The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires.  demonstrates.  The great teacher inspires. 

~William Arthur Ward~William Arthur Ward