Week 2 January 26 2020
Having read and studied both the 2008 ISTE Standards For Teachers and the 2017 ISTE Standards For Educators, I have come to the conclusion that both provide a solid framework that supports good teaching and learning. The 2008 ISTE Standards focus on teaching students with technology. The 2017 ISTE Standards focus on students using technology to learn. I also noticed that the 2017 ISTE Standards contained many of the same Standards found in the 2008 but added a focus towards student driven learning. For example 4. Collaborator (b.) “Collaborate and co-learn with students to discover and use new digital resources and diagnose and troubleshoot technology issues”. I also like how the 2017 ISTE Standards For Educators recognizes and accommodates learner variability. For example 5. Designer (a.) “Use technology to create, adapt, and personalize learning experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate learner differences and needs”. If it is one thing that I learned four years ago when I started teaching Welding, “No Two Students Learn The Same”. I personally like the layout of the 2017 ISTE Standards For Educators and to be quite honest when it comes to certain computer activities I have learned in past years to collaborate and co-learn with my students so together we are all learning about the digital age we live in today.
Published by kvalaitis
My name is Kenneth Valaitis and I am a graduate of Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center, Wilkes-Barre PA class of 1992 {Welding} and Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport PA class of 1994 {A.A.S in Welding Technology}. I am the welding instructor at the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center, Wilkes-Barre PA. I teach 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students that come from different social and economic backgrounds. I have been around welding and cutting construction operations most of my life. I am a third generation welder in my family. Both my father and grandfather were welders and have made a comfortable life long career working in the trades. I owe a lot of today's success to both of them. My father was my inspiration to apply for the welding instructor’s position that opened up at Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center back in 2015.
My interest in learning about welding and cutting started when I was around 12-years old. My father worked a full-time job welding during the week and also owned a small welding fabrication repair shop at his home were he would build or repair broken metal items. I was my father’s helper at his repair shop and from this experience my interest in welding took off. Entering first into WBACTC welding class I quickly became the student other students would ask for help. I was in VICA {Vocational Industrial Clubs of America}, today known as Skills USA and placed second in 11th grade and first in 12 grade in the state welding competitions. A injury to my right hand caused stitches two days before my next competition which was to be held out of Pennsylvania. With this hand injury I couldn't wear welding gloves which ultimately disqualified me from the competition.
Before graduating high school, I enrolled at Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport for a degree in Welding Technology. While attending college at the start of my last semester I was asked by one of my instructors if I would be interested in being a class welding tutor who would provide hands-on training assistance to new students entering the welding technology program. This short role at college working as a class welding tutor brought new meaning and purpose into my life by allowing me first-hand to experience other students failures and successes in welding. I believe all students with and without disabilities deserve a high-quality education of their choice and we as teachers need to make every attempt to reach out to every student and give them that one on one instruction to help them move forward in a career of their choice toward future employment or college after graduation.
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