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KINGSFORD -- Teachers say technology is revolutionizing education--traditional lectures becoming a thing of the past. Breitung Township Schools and Norway Vulcan Schools collaborated on the purchase of two trainings to help faculty adopt new methods of teaching curriculum in a more effective way.

“Stepping away from traditional mode of lecture to kids interacting, being excited about learning, using technology,” explains first grade teacher, Bryan Johnson.

The training consisted of two parts. The teachers first learned a website called Curriculum Crafter. Education consultant Danna Ferris believes the website can be a valuable tool for teachers, providing them with options on implementing core curriculum and effectively reach students. In addition, it will help teachers align instruction with appropriate state expectations and standards, thus enhancing performance on MEAP and Michigan Merit exams.

“In our units we have lessons, resources, activities, 21^st-century skills, project-based activities,” says Ferris, “all embedded in this for teachers to use for the common core standards.” 

The second part discussed differentiating instructions, showing faculty how to simultaneously target different levels of learning abilities.  

Most content is mandated by the state, and these trainings will assist different levels of learners and help them achieve the same type of success. The concept is to enable teachers to meet the academic needs of all students within a classroom setting.  Teachers will learn techniques to teach to all ability levels, allowing all students to progress at an appropriate pace.  

Math and Science teacher Bob Madigan says the trainings will be a hard adjustment but that teachers, too, need to revolutionize if they want to effectively reach students distracted by smart technology.

“Everyone likes to do what they've done, and change is hard,” expresses Madigan. “But once you change, you find out it’s for the better.”