When I started this blog, this summer, I was full of ambitious thoughts of how I could make a difference, and how our iPad 1:1 could make a difference in the lives our our students. I’m sure everyone on our staff had these thoughts about all the amazing things we could do with a 1:1 environment at our school. What I didn’t envision was life.
Yep, life happened…all the other “little” stuff that gets in the way of our big ambitions despite our best intentions. It was summer when I made my first blog post, so I was not thinking about grading, planning, and family activities. My days were full of time and energy and sun–which makes everything seem rosier in MN. Then fall hit and reality set in…integrating technology is a BIG job. It’s like a whole extra subject that has been given to us, but without any extra time. As winter set in, so did the frustration…curriculum piling up, students in crisis to deal with, family emergencies that take our time and attention to other places. I’m sure it will get easier–procedures will be established, students will have increased skills as time goes on, our own knowledge will allow us to spend less time learning and more time doing.
Until then I am promising myself during this new year that I will tackle little pieces at a time–always moving forward, but always remembering that change takes time. There will be days/weeks where I move 3 steps forward and 2 steps back, but as long as the effort is there I will give myself permission to be ok with the fact that things are not moving as quickly as I once dreamt. I will use this blog to highlight those things that are working with technology…and remember that all of these little things are steps toward bigger things. They take our students steps closer to being digital citizens with skills that will carry then through life, and they take us as teachers on step closer to being educators of today.
TE(A)CHing in a NEW AGE 