Obviously it's been awhile. :)
A lot has changed for me in a year... (almost done with my Master's of Instructional Technology degree, teaching technology PD for my district and others, in my first year of teaching in a 1:1 iPad classroom, etc...)
All of these changes have now brought me back to this blog, with an idea for a change in direction.
Let me start by telling you all this: at the beginning of this year, I had a class set of iPads. I was already 1 year into my graduate degree and 1 year into my position as Innovation Coach in my district (a technology teacher-leader). And yet, even with all these amazing devices at my fingertips, I found myself barely using them, and even when I did use them, it wasn't for the type of transformational change that I had always thought and taught about. I came home feeling guilty, that guilt magnified every time someone referred to me as a "technology guru"or something along those lines. What right did I have to call myself an expert in instructional technology when all I was doing with these iPads was playing games?
All that changed right before winter break this year. I attended an awesome conference, and while I was there, I made a list - I took everything that I had learned about quality technology integration and iPad usage in the classroom, applied it to MY classroom, and then made a list of all the things I wanted to do, in order.
Since then, I have been implementing these projects one by one. Some of the projects are just logistical things to make my and my students' lives easier, but others really are stepping in the direction of that transformational change I've always been so excited about.
I have to tell you: it has made a BIG difference. First of all, I have come home from school every day happy and excited instead of frustrated. Wow! That's huge. Also, and I know this sounds like a cliche that can't possibly true... but since I decided to go whole-hog into this technology integration idea and changing the way I do business in my classroom, I have not had a single serious behavior problem, and the work that my students are creating blows me away. Not to mention that when we do things in class that aren't technology related, even then they are more focused and engaged in the activity.
As I'm ending my master's degree, one of my final projects is going to be to keep my colleagues updated on the things I'm doing in my classroom. I have a unique position in that I am not a full-time trainer, I am still a teacher, as well as being a technology coach. I think it would be really beneficial for my fellow teachers to see what I'm doing, to make it easier for them to envision it working in their own classrooms.
So, I've decided to renew this blog, with a new focus on my technology-related projects in the classroom. Of course if some brilliant idea strikes me that's not technology-related I may still blog about it - technology isn't the answer to everything, after all! But I truly believe that I have found my calling in life, and I'm excited to use this blog as a vehicle for sharing my ideas.
Obviously it's been awhile. :)
A lot has changed for me in a year... (almost done with my Master's of Instructional Technology degree, teaching technology PD for my district and others, in my first year of teaching in a 1:1 iPad classroom, etc...)
All of these changes have now brought me back to this blog, with an idea for a change in direction.
Let me start by telling you all this: at the beginning of this year, I had a class set of iPads. I was already 1 year into my graduate degree and 1 year into my position as Innovation Coach in my district (a technology teacher-leader). And yet, even with all these amazing devices at my fingertips, I found myself barely using them, and even when I did use them, it wasn't for the type of transformational change that I had always thought and taught about. I came home feeling guilty, that guilt magnified every time someone referred to me as a "technology guru"or something along those lines. What right did I have to call myself an expert in instructional technology when all I was doing with these iPads was playing games?
All that changed right before winter break this year. I attended an awesome conference, and while I was there, I made a list - I took everything that I had learned about quality technology integration and iPad usage in the classroom, applied it to MY classroom, and then made a list of all the things I wanted to do, in order.
Since then, I have been implementing these projects one by one. Some of the projects are just logistical things to make my and my students' lives easier, but others really are stepping in the direction of that transformational change I've always been so excited about.
I have to tell you: it has made a BIG difference. First of all, I have come home from school every day happy and excited instead of frustrated. Wow! That's huge. Also, and I know this sounds like a cliche that can't possibly true... but since I decided to go whole-hog into this technology integration idea and changing the way I do business in my classroom, I have not had a single serious behavior problem, and the work that my students are creating blows me away. Not to mention that when we do things in class that aren't technology related, even then they are more focused and engaged in the activity.
As I'm ending my master's degree, one of my final projects is going to be to keep my colleagues updated on the things I'm doing in my classroom. I have a unique position in that I am not a full-time trainer, I am still a teacher, as well as being a technology coach. I think it would be really beneficial for my fellow teachers to see what I'm doing, to make it easier for them to envision it working in their own classrooms.
So, I've decided to renew this blog, with a new focus on my technology-related projects in the classroom. Of course if some brilliant idea strikes me that's not technology-related I may still blog about it - technology isn't the answer to everything, after all! But I truly believe that I have found my calling in life, and I'm excited to use this blog as a vehicle for sharing my ideas.
No comments:
Post a Comment