From Chalk to Tech: A Teacher's View on Education Reform
Author: Kathleen M. Cleaver
Published: 2025/05/14 - Updated: 2026/01/21
Publication Type: Submitted Article
Category Topic: Blogs - Stories - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This article draws from three decades of classroom experience to examine how education reform should integrate rather than replace proven methods. The author, a teacher with extensive background in special education and inclusive learning environments, makes the case that oscillating between old and new teaching approaches - whether in reading instruction, mathematics, or technology integration - misses the practical reality that students benefit most from a mixed approach. Her perspective is particularly valuable for educators working with diverse learners who may respond differently to phonics-based instruction versus sight-word methods, or who need foundational skills before transitioning to computer-based learning. Rather than chasing trends in pedagogy, the article advocates for intentional choices grounded in what actually works in classrooms serving students with and without disabilities - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Balancing Traditional and Modern Teaching Methods
My encounter with formal education began in 1956 when I entered first grade. I continued through college which led to my 30+ years as a teacher. Add to that, my experience as a parent of three children and two grandchildren. I observed and taught in regular education programs, special education programs, gifted programs, exclusive and inclusive programs. As a teacher and as a parent, I sat on both sides of the table during IEP meetings.
Main Content
American education has always been in a constant state of reform, sometimes adapting new ideas and sometimes rebranding old ideas with new titles.
When I compiled a list of changes from the time I was a student until the time my daughters graduated from high school the most noticeable reforms were the end of segregation, the decrease in ability groupings except for honors students, the increase in college preparatory tracks and the decrease in business and industrial arts offerings. Technology in school was new and was taught as a subject but not used as a classroom tool. If students failed to complete grade level material it was recommended that they repeat the grade.
Students used books for reading and research.
Pencil, pen and paper, a typewriter or word processor were used for completing assignments.
Standardized testing was used to measure student progress, but it didn't carry the weight or the use of time that it does today.
The most sweeping reform was the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 later amended and renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or better known as IDEA. This opened the doors for children with disabilities to receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). Children with disabilities were moved from private schools and institutions into special education classrooms in the public school system.
Today, my head spins when I look at our education system. Some may say it is because I am old and resistant to change. That was my thinking when I was a young teacher. Why were older and experienced teachers SOMETIMES resistant to new ideas and methods for teaching? As I became a seasoned teacher I realized that some of the new methods of teaching were old ideas with new names with a few minor changes. They were ideas that failed, sometimes because they were ineffective. Sometimes they failed because of inefficient training and staff to implement the changes.
Reading and math instruction at the elementary level is constantly changing. Educational researchers and publishers push their methods of teaching reading as the best way for students to become accomplished readers. They advertise systematic phonics, guided reading, sight words, or whole language methods. In reality, teaching reading should incorporate all of these methods.
Allow the students to choose which method(s) work best for them and for their teachers.
Teaching mathematics has switched from the memorization of facts to understanding the process.
Both are equally important when advancing to higher levels in mathematics. Elementary schools are focusing on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) while spelling, grammar and history are of less importance.
Technology is replacing the main tools in our classrooms. Blackboards and boxes of chalk are being replaced with expensive smartboards. Students are being plugged into computer programs that personalize their learning experience. Teachers have access to programs to help plan and compile data about a student's progress. Students use artificial intelligence for research and complete writing assignments. This is helpful, but should it replace old methods of teaching? Shouldn't we keep what has worked well in the past with the new ideas of today?
Education should be a mix of successful teaching methods and ideas with new and innovative ideas.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The real debate in education reform isn't whether to use chalk or smartboards - it's whether we have the wisdom to recognize that effective teaching requires both. Kathleen Cleaver's insights challenge the recurring cycle of educational fashion that replaces one methodology wholesale with another, often leaving behind tools and techniques that remain genuinely useful. For schools serving students with disabilities, this measured approach is particularly crucial: not every innovation serves every learner equally, and structured, familiar methods can provide essential scaffolding for those who need it. The path forward requires educators and administrators willing to resist the pressure to appear cutting-edge and instead ask the harder question: What does this specific group of students actually need to succeed? - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Kathleen M. Cleaver holds a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and the education of children whose primary disability is a visual impairment (TVI). During her thirty-year career as a teacher, Kathleen received the Penn-Del AER Elinor Long Award and the AER Membership Award for her service and contributions to the education of children with visual impairments. She also received the Elizabeth Nolan O’Donnell Achievement Award for years of dedicated service to St. Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairments. Explore Kathleen's complete biography for comprehensive insights into her background, expertise, and accomplishments.