Excitement abounds

It has been a really long week. I began super excited about sharing things I learned in class with any and everyone that entered the library. This was met with the expected deer in the headlights look like what is going on and what language are you talking in.

During the first few days I realized my exuberance and excitement could not be met or equaled by everyone else because they were not speaking my language they had not read the articles and been a part of the discussion I took part in.

After these blank stares and quizzical looks I realized we as holders and bearers of information need to learn how to share this information in small palatable doses. Its also ok for teachers to say they do not want to use a a tech tool you know will help them and their students. Maybe they will use it next time or maybe they need to trust you a little more. No matter what even if there are teachers who never use the tech tools I have learned its no excuse not to have them handy when there comes a time and teacher who is willing and able. Hopefully that time will come sooner than later.  

The T word

Technology has been a bad word for many teachers. It is the one thing they have to use but also one thing they have not been taught how to use properly. Most of our classrooms have smartboards and computers that go unused. While they have this technology at their disposal the smartboards are used as screens for their powerpoint presentations and the computers are used to type and print papers. 

The goal of working with these teachers is to get them to see technology as a partner in the learning process and not a hindrance. One way this is possible is by introducing and utilizing TPACK. The format and overall presentation of TPACK activities is user friendly and approachable for technology beginners.

It is surprising that with all of the PD we have to attend TPACK was never introduced it seems like the one thing that could have helped so many teachers was never exposed to us. Now though with this knowledge it seems like it might be that much easier to wrangle teachers into using technology in the classroom slowly but surely.