A Dinosaur

Assessments are done, reports written, and you may be on vacation, depending on your school system.

Wow! You made it. Almost through, or completely through, another year. Again, that’s dependent on your particular system. Australian schools head off for the summer holidays. The new year sees students promoted one year level.

More learning, more challenges, and new students for you. But that’s for next year. For now, be happy with your achievements this year. One of the best feelings as a teacher is seeing the growth in students.

Nowhere is that more evident than in the early year levels. Nurturing that unsteady hand on the pencil and encouraging those first steps in reading are the stuff of legends.

Technology plays a crucial role in recording student growth and learning. Having access to video-making capabilities on a phone is priceless. Recording learning to contrast with later learning is a powerful tool.

Contrast that with my beginning years of teaching. Check out these dinosaurs:

• The blackboard was the go-to pictorial/written display technology.

• The overhead projector was finding its way into schools.

• Videotape players weren’t available or were way too expensive.

• Cassette tapes were available to playback music and record voices.

• The Sony Walkman had just hit the market.

Hmm, it kind of also marks me as a bit of a dinosaur!