Story from Gator- Role of the Teacher

Bridge to Learning- the role of the teacher?
Story from gator
Does the teacher affect the learning climate? Yes, I feel that the teacher drives the learning climate of the classroom. I picked an article from OLDaily, (Personal Learning Environments, Vygotsky), to learn more about the impact of the teacher on the learning environment. The Zone of Proximal Development and other theories by Vygotsky are believed to be more important than ever. “Vygotsky believed that learning shouldn’t follow development, but rather should lead it." I am firm believer that students learn by doing; and for a learner to continually grow they must work beyond their capabilities. The teacher should be challenging the student to really think and encourage students to lead their learning.
Personal Learning Environments or PLEs is the idea that the student creates their own virtual space to facilitate their learning. So how do we allow students to reach the top of their ZPD effectively? The article suggests that standardized testing is a hindrance for students. I do agree with this in one sense. Standardized testing can be a stressful experience for students. I think students need to feel pressure and have different challenges of learning content. But putting students in the position, where they either perform well or poor, on a state test, is hindering them from reaching the highest level within their ZPD. Not all students perform well on standardized tests and may even shut down emotionally. The article suggests an ongoing assessment of students progress is necessary. I think a variety of assessment types should be administered throughout the class to differentiate learning for students.
According to the article, technology is underrepresented in schools today. I do agree and strive to incorporate different types of learning through technology. The Smart Board and document camera have had a huge impact upon the way material is presented to students. The learning climate has changed and using technology more, differentiates the way content is taught.