Today, that teacher might be warned to stick to what will be on the test. f. How will these changes impact you personally?

These two factors -- the ever-increasing presence of technology and the increased dominance of standardized testing on curriculum -- will affect my teaching in important ways. I expect to feel I will be pulled in two directions. As a teacher I can't imagine just ignoring the fact of an eclipse if it would be appropriate developmentally for my students -- and flashlight experiments could be done with kindergartners. But at the same time, whether we like it or not, standardize testing has been given increased emphasis.

In some school districts they have begun holding Saturday "cram sessions" to help students score higher on achievement tests (Ducharme & Ducharme, 1999). These districts are paying teachers to conduct these sessions, and parents are sending their children to them. That is a clear message of just how important achievement tests are becoming. It also makes me suspect that some of my parents will be upset if I deviate...

The temptation to incorporate more and more technology into my classroom will be there, but I fear that there will be significant pressure to use it at the lowest level: calculators so we can present advanced math concepts at earlier and earlier grades, and word processors used to repeat what has learned, but little time allowed to use it as a new way to explore the world. Personally I feel exploration is an important part of a real education, but it may be some time before curriculum has room for time-consuming experiential learning.
Bibliography

Ducharme, Edward R., and Ducharme, Mary K. 1999. "Reflections on some Current Situations." Journal of Teacher Education, Vol. 50.

Lindquist, Joni. 2004. "The Future of Anytime, Anywhere Education." THE Journal, Vol. 32.

Moses, Lisa. 2001. "Rethinking Standardized High-Stakes Testing." Childhood Education, Vol. 78.

Posner, Dave. 2002. "Education for the 21st Century. Phi Delta Cappan, Vol. 84.