In a constantly evolving world, teachers must be agile. It was the message of Dr Bill DaggettA world leader in education reform. Daggett spoke with teachers and staff in March as part of his work with the schools of the County of Alexander on the transformation of the school. Daggett told the public that work places wanted students who can go beyond the content of the program.
“Business and industry want to know if you can apply something and work in a team,” said Daggett.
The superintendent, Dr. Bill Griffin, invited Daggett to speak after the district received a subsidy from Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Griffin told staff that he wanted them to start thinking about how they could adapt their practices.
“Be open to listening and be ready for the challenge of doing everything we do to adapt to all our students,” advised Griffin.
Daggett said that artificial intelligence (AI) complicates our world and our education. But he challenged the staff to use it as a tool. West Alexander Middle School Mathematics professor Heidi Hefner says that she is ready to try.
“Knowing that there is something that I can really help develop and not devote a lot of time to it, the Internet will do it for me, using AI to help develop this, which excites me,” explains Hefner.
Daggett explained to the group that his work is trying to build bridges between education and the workplace.
“Our work is to try to find best practices across the country and to share some of the best practices to see if you want to try them,” said Daggett.
During its 90 -minute presentation, Daggett said that the students’ brain was different now. Young people grew up with technology, but are not connected to each other. He said that less than half (43%) of secondary school seniors had part -time employment in 2024 – compared to 78% of students in 2000.
“I loved what he said about preparing them for their future life to come, not only how they behave daily at school and their daily transcription,” Kristine Ford, teacher in Wittenberg said. “But really preparing them for their future life with regard to interaction, communication, personnel personally with other people, relationships.”
Teachers agreed that Daggett’s speech has highlighted them to do their own research.
“One of our constant conversations is how to develop more rigor for our AIG students, because I am not trained,” said Hefner. “I do not know many teachers who are trained there, so hear him speak of chatgpt, connect the standards and their interests, then make them create something excites me for our children AIG.”
Alexander Central High School The English teacher Matt Rogers is part of a district team that works with Daggett on teaching and planning.
“I think that if people understand a little better, it is not as scary as they probably think or what it could be,” said Rogers. “I think it’s like any tool, we have to respect the tool and understand the tool.”
Daggett has spoken of all jobs that disappear or disappear over the next 20 years due to technology.
“Workers will not be replaced by AI,” said Daggett. “They will be replaced by people who have skills that AI does not have.”
He says that teachers will have to grow and adapt their practices in a manner to the other. This is part of the work that a group of teachers and district administrators of the County of Alexander is to create a three -year plan for policies, directives and educational strategies. The plan should be ready to deploy this fall.
Dr. Daggett also works with the schools of the county of Ashe and the schools of the city of Hickory.
Publisher’s note: EDNC receives financial support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
