Ely's Eight Conditions

1. Dissatisfaction with the Status Quo

This is my 5th year teaching and I have remained at the same school throughout these years. Within these five years, there has been a lot of change within my school and BCPS. We as teachers have adapted to being flexible with the 1:1 devices even though there is still much frustration. There has been a large focus on integrating technology in the classroom on a daily basis. There was a limited amount of Professional Development given on our new LMS, Schoology, which lead to further dissatisfaction from the teachers. This meant teachers continue to learn as we teach which leads to various successes and failures. The level of dissatisfaction is different for every teacher depending on their comfort level with the devices. As a whole, teachers in my building often solely substitute paper with a device. This is leading to a county-wide shift in device use. People are dissatisfied with devices not being used in a meaningful way to support the curriculum. 

2. Knowledge and Skills Exist

We rely on our STAT teacher to train all teachers on meaningful ways to integrate technology into our classrooms. This takes away from reaching full potential of their jobs. This is a weakness in our school because many teachers do not seek out additional Professional Development outside our STAT teacher. There is limited time for teachers to learn and become comfortable with new technologies unveiled every school year. It is hard to become knowledgeable of these new innovations when they change so frequently. This includes changes in hardware, software, LMS, digital tools, curriculum, etc. 

3. Resources are Available

I see availability of resources to be both a strength and a weakness. Every classroom has access to devices, wi-fi, and a projector. It took time for BCPS to create resources supporting the curriculum and these new innovations. Now teachers has access to workshops, online curriculum, digital tools, etc. It is great to have so many resources but it can also be overwhelming to teachers. Teachers need to decide on a few new innovations to learn and implement into lessons. This will allow teachers to be more successful. 

4. Time is Available

Many teachers all say if they could have more of something it would be time. Teachers find themselves learning about new technology, uses, and tools on their own time instead of in school. This is also why many teachers do not want to use new technology or innovations in the classroom. It is important to give teachers time to explore, navigate, and practice the use of digital tools, our LMS. and the hardware. This will lead to teachers using it more frequently in their classrooms on a daily basis. 

5. Rewards or Incentives Exist for Participants

We are require to participate in school-wide Professional Development through Bluebird University. Every year we must earn 8 points throughout the year or 15 points to earn an MSDE credit. This is an incentive for teachers to not only attend various PD sessions but also seek out other learning opportunities. This may be done through book studies, classroom visitations, conferences, and presentations. These opportunities often relate to technology, teacher development plans, or our school progress plan. Many teachers do not like this reward system however we have a lot of choice in how we want to learn about new innovations. 

6. Participation is Expected and Encouraged

As previously stated, teachers in my school are given a lot of freedom in pursuing various PDs. This allows us to try new ideas and practices within our classrooms freely. A lot of decision-making is done at the county level and trickled down into the schools. As a result, we are required to create a School Progress Plan. This allows various teachers in the school to identify climate, math, and reading goals for the following year The next step is to determine how we will meet these goals through instruction and PD over the course of the year. Data is collected to track the progress of these goals. These goals affect all stakeholders of the school yet not all teachers get to provide feedback. 

7. Commitment by Those Who are Involved

Many innovations are introduced at the county level. This message is then relayed to administrators and teachers. It is up to us to work together and find support in and out of our school. The STAT teacher plays a significant role in supporting teachers with new technology and tools. When we teachers feel supported they will be more inclined to try new innovations. Teachers also find support from teachers on their grade level. 

8. Leadership is Evident

Our administrators and STAT teacher work closely together as leaders of our school. Our STAT teacher makes herself available when she is in the building. She will help teachers plan, find resources, or anything else she can support us with. By building these relationships, our STAT teacher has improved the climate in our building. Our administrators are more likely to help with student concerns than with new innovations.