Why Tech PD?

Teachers are under pressure to have their students perform well on high stakes tests and the test preparation takes up most of their teaching time, especially a month before the test. I hear this comment from teachers all the time. Many principals mandate that teachers not leave the classroom weeks before the test. My question is why aren't teachers encouraged to use practice questions all year long so that students are well prepared for the test in April? Why do we wait and create pressure situations for teachers and students a month before the test? Why don't principals, as instructional leaders, know that when teachers use researched-based instructional strategies supported by the appropriate technologies that students will be engaged in learning. They will be developing higher order thinking skills all year long.

My thought is that helping teachers learn to use technology in their discipline to engage 21st century students will increase student achievement. There are studies and data to validate my hypothesis. Why is it so hard to get administrators and teachers to learn technology skills? After all we live in a technology environment and we are in the field of education. I look forward to your comments.

Ruth Litman_block