The "Centered" Teacher
Joyner Elementary School
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The "Centered" Teacher
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Article Contents |
Centered, focused, with his "aim for the glove," that's an apt way to describe Tom Treichler, a fourth grade teacher at Joyner Elementary in Raleigh. One of his favorite stories about technology tells a lot about him. It seems that Erin's wise father, worried that he would not be able to get a phone message to Tom in time, sent an email to make certain that Tom would know of Erin's personal tragedy that her dog had been hit and killed by a car the night before. Tom was able to meet Erin at the classroom door with a hug and a lollipop. He believes in the power of technology and creatively explores its application in his classroom. More though, Tom believes in the power of children as he works to help them grow, think, write and articulate their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. And he has found that learning centers and technology go hand-in-glove. |
MIDTech(MT):
Do you have a story to tell about learning to use technology?
Tom: Oh, plenty of them. I just think back to doing my undergraduate work in college and the tedious mess of typewriters and writing by hand and starting over and revising. I'd visit my sister who had an 8086 with a CGA monitor and a 5 _" disk drive and I thought it was the greatest writing tool in the world. The computer made writing and editing so much easier, almost fun. My sister's computer helped me so much with my papers. I knew I had to get my own. My parents gave me a 286 with a 40 mg hard drive and a mg of RAM for a graduation gift which helped me with resumes and such. So that's where my experience with technology started. I've just sort of taught myself how to use the technology over the years as I've upgraded my machines and bought newer ones. It's really something the way technology has changed.
MT: Tom, you're almost in the Net Generation then if you've had a computer since college. How did you begin to use the computer in your classroom?
Tom: I knew we could use it for games but I wasn't sure how to use it in my classroom as a tool for learning. We started with one computer in the classroom, and I thought how are you able to use one computer in the classroom? And as I have become more literate with computers and the Internet and so forth I see other ways that the kids can use them in the classroom. Primarily we use the computers for writing and there are some math programs that they use to learn math skills and concepts but primarily we use it for writing at this point.
MT: Your kids talked very knowledgeably about the writing process.
Tom: Yes, the writing process is something I really stress in my classroom. I did a lot of upgrades with my original 286. I held on to it as long as I could, adding cards and such. That led from one thing to another. Soon I started getting other old machines. People started giving me machines. They would say, "Here take this. It doesn't work," or "If you can get any use out of this old thing" And I would work on it. Take it apart. And I learned how to put computers together. I learned to solve problems and did a lot of troubleshooting, so I was able to acquire a lot of older machines that were just sitting around in warehouses or in basements. People had no use for them, so I said rather than have the kids fight over one computer I can have two computers that they can fight over. So I just added from there. We now have 8 computers in our classroom. They make the task of writing much easier for my students as they go through the writing process.
MT: So you gladly collected all of these cast off computers that no one else wanted?
Tom: Yea, my own computer adoption service.
MT: That's great.
When I asked the kids about projects that they had enjoyed most on the computer,
they were heavy into writing. How do you find that the computer helps you teach
your kids the writing process?
Tom: No matter how much I stress that you need to revise again and again before you get that final copy, it's the thing that I enjoy the least myself and the kids pick up on that as well. So yes, I know it's tedious. I know your hand is going to hurt with all that rewriting and rewriting. On the computer you don't need to do that. You have a document to start with and then you can cut and paste, click and drag, use the spell checker, and you don't have to worry about your handwriting.
MT: I started to ask if you've seen an improvement with kids being more willing to revise with computers?
Tom: Some children are more comfortable to just get a few thoughts down on paper I think I'm that way, too. Some children use their journals just to write it down on paper first and then they can revise their piece once they get to the computer. Then for a lot of children it's more trouble to write it on paper. I see kids who are maybe special needs children who may have a disability. Rather than worrying about "b" and which way it's going to go to the right or to the left they don't have to think as much about the letters they just press the keys. And some kids are really overly conscientious about their handwriting, too.
MT: So many kids mentioned fonts. They are so into selecting just the right font to express themselves. It impresses me that you're very sensitive to different learning styles and, I guess, different computer styles. I hadn't thought of that before how kids choose to use a computer at what stage in the writing process they might use it.
Tom: Right.
They have choices throughout all stages of the writing process. I feel that
writing is so important that I've decided if the kids are resisting it then
it's not enjoyable for them, and it's not an expression of who they are. If
they are just writing things down because I am telling them that they need to
do it this way or that way then I have taken away their ownership. It's not
theirs. So I give them choices. Some choose to begin writing first in longhand
and then they take it to the computer. And others choose to write first on the
computer. What's most important to me is that the kids are writing.
MT: I think you should write an article about computer styles. I have interviewed a lot of writers and that's something they always like to talk about how they write it in longhand first and then use the computer and some of them still use the typewriter just different ways to write the "how to." But I haven't heard anybody talk about how it's best in the classroom to help kids learn to use computers. It sounds like you have a really open environment and they find their own way. And you say you came to that because you had some hesitancy about typing first into the computer?
Tom: Yes, for me it was easier in longhand. And I had children for whom writing first at the computer for them that was difficult. I realized that being a student myself. It was something I was writing for a class and I found it was always hard to start on the computer so I tried just jotting something down on paper longhand first. That would just jumpstart my thought process.
MT: I do think that's interesting. There's something Beth said about somehow she felt there was more movement somehow there was more "her" when she was writing it down in longhand.
Tom: Right. And I think today she was trying to start off on the computer, and she realized it was better for her to go back and start on paper.
MT: I have to confess that I have, I'm sure, this bias that only the Baby Boomer types who had not learned to compose at the computer would still be into writing first in longhand. But you've helped me consider that it could be just personal preference for kids as to who prefers that type of kinesthetic kind of writing. How would you say technology as played a role in your development as a teacher?
Tom: Last year
we had the computers and we used them for publishing. This year the kids are
on the computers all day long. I mean there are a few times when we do things
whole class. Having the technology has really made a difference. I've moved
away from teaching whole class primarily. And I really enjoyed teaching whole
class because I liked having the audience and I did a good job teaching in that
way. But with technology the way it is, we don't have computers for everyone
and we can't all be doing the same thing at the same time. My first qualm or
the first thing I had to overcome was thinking about calling it "centers."
I mean, I think of centers, and I think of kindergarten; I think of fingerpaint.
Kids running around. I know that's not always the case. But once I was open
I started with an hour and I could rotate three groups of 8 kids through
the centers in 20 minutes periods and then everybody would be on the computers
for that hour. After that worked, I started just making the rotations longer.
Now I have the kids doing centers almost the whole day. We have a whole class
or a common math period and they enjoy that but primarily it's different stations;
kids are doing different things at different times. We have some kids who can
be the helpers. That means I can work with a smaller group of kids who need
me more. So that's a smaller group that I can work with while 2/3 of the children
are working independently.
MT: Talk a little about your computer experts. JaLisa said proudly that she was one.
Tom: Right. I choose two children in each group of eight as computer experts. So I'll show them how to save a file to disk or save it to a different type of file and how to retrieve that file or how to use the scanner. Then a child needs help or is ready to learn something new he or she will go to one of the experts and awhile they all have pretty much learned from each other. It's the learning pyramid and learning by teaching others.
MT: So there's
really a lot more learning going on than just about technology. How do you see
technology affecting your classroom community? How you work with kids and how
they work with each other?
Tom: Let's take computer experts, for instance. When I work with them [the experts] I try to involve them in other words, first, I will sit them down at the computer next to me, show them how to do it, and then have them do it. I tell them that's what they need to do when they are showing someone to guide them through and not just to go on and do all of the work for them. So that way the children are learning from each other rather than having a couple of experts do all the work. And it gets the kids to the point where they rely on each other. I think the fact that when they finished the writing and they have the published work it's something they all can feel proud of. And again they all have papers that look sharp. They've seen my handwriting, too, and they realize why I send my newsletters home computer-generated.
MT: That's an important concept. Because I know when I talk to fourth graders the writing's appearance is so very important to them so that's a real source of pride that's why even the font is so important to them. So computers can help inspire kids to write because it's almost "the equalizer." You have a system set up where you teach the experts and they help the other kids? With this system do you find that your role as a teacher is changing?
Tom: In the sense that I am able to get to more kids during the day. Even as wonderful as my class is, I have a couple of students who just aren't able to keep up or to follow along and with the rotation -- smaller groups I am able to teach more individualized than I have in the past. And also with having computer experts that are teaching each other, the tedious stuff like putting the disk in and saving it to disk or introducing a new feature to 24 students -- I only have to show it one time to a group of six so that frees me up a lot it seems to free me up so I can focus on the kids who need a little bit more help.
MT: You mentioned
teams of eight. Do they do a lot of group work?
Tom: Basically, they are in groups most of the day. We rotate the three groups of eight there's the Panthers, and the Tar Heels, and the Wolfpack. Those were the names they chose for their groups. For cooperative learning groups and writing groups I just split the groups in half and go with six groups of four.
MT: So you have writing circles?
Tom: Yes, they will write using their journals and then they will share. I modeled for them early in the year how to be active listeners in a group. We've talked about how to give positive feedback and suggestions. We may read a story and in our groups and write summaries. We've also talked about the different levels of comprehension and I often have the kids write the comprehension questions.
MT: That's really good. Have you always taught fourth grade?
Tom: Oh, this is my first year?
MT: Really?
Tom: I've taught third grade the last five years.
MT: I was going to guess that you had taught fifth or sixth because I was thinking that you're expecting a lot out of these fourth graders. That's great. You would expect a lot of teamwork in later grades in the middle school.
Tom: Yes, one of the things that I experienced this year with the kids being a lot more mature is that working in groups is a lot more successful. I've had wonderful third grade classes but with these kids being a little bit older there's a higher level of independence and trust. It's really nice.
MT: You've got some great kids. I was just so impressed that they were so articulate so willing to talk about what they thought about technology? Do you think that technology has helped you become a better teacher?
Tom: I think in the sense of the rotation and being able to work with smaller groups it's really forced me to do this. You know it's something that I thought that I would try. And once I saw that it would work well, I decided to stick with it. I think in that sense it has helped me to be a better teacher. And also with the key pals and the Internet, some of the things that we've done . . .
MT: Talk more
about those other things.
Tom: Last year was the first time that we paired up with a class in Edmonton Alberta, Canada. We formed key pals and the kids would write back and forth to each other. I had one phone line that we would hook up to our modem and used the Internet email program called Juno. The kids all had their own email addresses and were able to send and receive email. I thought at the beginning, "Well, it's really good that they are writing but it's basically just letter writing." It turned out to be so much more. With them in Canada, we saw ways that they spelled words and word origins like "favorite" and "color" and at first my students thought the Canadians didn't know how to spell favorite and color. Then we learned about word origins we talked about the French and the French Canadians. And we learned about each other's cultures as well. They got 14 cm of snow one day last winter and the kids all pulled out there rulers and math books to see how many inches of snow that was. So we did some conversions. In Edmonton, there's a huge mall with a water park and an amusement park built in side. And they have a website that we visited. We looked to see how much it would cost to go to the water park. When they saw how much it was in Canadian money they thought, "Wow, that's pretty expensive." We learned about Canadian money and the exchange rate of 30% rate and when we did the conversion, they realized the prices weren't so bad.
MT: What great social studies lessons!
Tom: And it ended up being lots of math and writing. This year we have plans to share stories and poems and different kinds of writing. And now with digitized pictures we can send those as attachments, and we can actually see who we are writing to. We can take pictures of our kids on the playground and different places. It gives them an opportunity to learn about each other's cultures.
MT: You have an LCD panel, a digital camera and a scanner, right? What would be the minimum technology that you would recommend for each classroom?
Tom: The Internet is the big thing and something to project it. It's nice to have definitely if you're going to use computers on a daily basis and you want the kids to use them. I think you need to have at least five or six with Internet access if you want to be able to give all of the students a chance. There's a lot of classrooms with just one computer. For those classrooms I would definitely recommend a projection device.
MT: How did you make the original connection?
Tom: Through an educational site where we just signed up. There was another class that had key pals in Mexico and the Spanish teacher helped out.
MT: Did you make a personal connection with that teacher and is it the same teacher this year?
Tom: Unfortunately, that teacher is teaching fifth grade this year and the teacher teaching fourth grade is not as familiar with us. Also instead of being on every day, they are on for only 45 minutes a week. And with other projects and such, it's a problem. I think we may be on the backburner We're just not a priority and we only get to connect a couple of times a month.
MT: That's too bad.
Tom: Once we get the Internet in, it should be easier. We should have three computers in my trailer hooked up by the end of the month and possibly four. That will make it so much easier. We may try to hook up with another class as well. If the kids have two key pals, that's fine. Because they are really pretty excited about it. It's been hard since the kids don't have access in our classroom this year. I have been saving their messages to disk and sending them from home.
MT: I'm curious
about any downsides or any challenges about using technology?
Tom: Well, there's always the frustration there's always frustration with technology. There's always a server down there's always a diskette that won't read anymore and you have a week's worth of work on it. There's always the frustration and that's the downside that a lot of people see. That's why there's a lot of resistance from those who maybe use technology at home but don't choose to use it in schools. As for the Internet, I am sure there are some sites out there that you certainly wouldn't want kids to go to and you certainly want to supervise kids, I think that's going to be important when we do have the Internet access there's has to be some supervision. But I think kids know I mean it won't take them long to figure out that these things are out there. I think that we need to talk with them about making right decisions, about what's appropriate. That's really important.
MT: That sort of reminds me of the "open family" that Don Tapscott talks about in Growing Up Digital. You're talking about the "open classroom" where kids know the expectations for them and their responsibilities. I know you like that book. Can you tell me why it really resonated with you?
Tom: I realize that society is changing with technology and just how much it changes over months now rather than years. What we can now do with technology and what we will be able to do is just awesome. His thoughts just reaffirmed a lot of what I was already thinking for example, the part where he addresses the inequities and the "haves" and the "have nots." He wrote of some solutions. I really liked the idea of placing computers with Internet access in public libraries and even laundromats so kids would have something constructive there to do. It also gives people who don't have computers at home an opportunity to familiarize themselves with them and use them.
MT: I understand
that you are a model technology teacher for Wake County. Can you talk a little
about that?
Tom: What we're doing right now is just getting trained. I think it's kind of catching people up to pace right now. It's been focused on the basics saving, creating folders, Windows 95, things that I had learned myself. We learn about different software and how we can integrate and come up with different units using that software. I have had the opportunity to visit three different model technology classrooms this year that have them up and running. That's where I got the idea for the centers for the rotation of kids in a third grade class that I had seen at Effie Green.
MT: So it really helped to see it in action?
Tom: Yea, it sure did.
MT: That's good. I convinced that's true. It's one thing to read about it but another to actually see it.
Tom: One thing
I didn't mention when we talked about computers and their value. I have lived
down here for about six years. When I moved down here I would talk to my sister,
at best, maybe a couple of times at Christmas and a couple of times in the summer,
and maybe I'd see her two or three times a year. When she got online with email,
we talked more in the first three days than we had all year. Email is such a
powerful way to communicate with others. You know there are people that I haven't
seen in a long time or I wouldn't write a letter to or call on the phone that
I occasionally still keep in contact with via email. I remember getting an email
message from a dad a couple of years ago whose little girl's dog had been hit
by a car. He told me how upset everyone was at the house was and there was no
way he'd be able to get on the phone and tell me about it, so he sent me email.
That way I would know about it before I got to school. So I was prepared for
her when she got to school. She didn't have to say anything about it or explain
why she was sad.
A tip from Tom: We use 5 X 8 cards and draw on those rather than drawing on large paper. Then we scan them with the photo scanner. And we can adjust the size using Microsoft Word or ClarisWorks. The children can then add their text and make multiple color copies of their stories.