One of the greatest tools I have learned to use more and
more since I became a teacher is my ability to ask a question. While so many people fail to act, to
innovate, to inspire; most, if not all of them fail to do so because they did
not ask a question. This is the most basic of all principles of life, and one
that our most basic instincts never “forget” to do. If you are hungry then ask
for food. If you are cold then ask for warmth. You get the picture.
With this being said, I have found that most of my fellow
teachers are a venerable treasure trove of information. Some of their answers
are not what I am looking for, and that is okay. I say that is okay because for
every answer deemed unimportant I have found a dozen more golden opportunities
to help me develop as a teacher.
A few years back when I was just a mere Technology
Specialist, I ventured into the unknown with a teacher Who Shall Not Be Named.
This teacher wanted to incorporate technology into every facet of his
classroom. I worked hard with him, showing the countless Web 2.0 sites that
could change the very landscape of his classroom. It was his success and
ultimately his “question” that led me to where I am now in my journey as a
teacher. Using HIS inquiry I have been able to build upon a firm bedrock of
understanding how teenagers use the Internet nowadays.
I can safely say that on my last TKES walkthrough I was
given a proficient in the Instructional area of the assessment. The
administrator left a comment that had me scratching my head in confusion. He
wrote, ‘Demonstrates an extensive overuse of technology in the classroom that
keeps students focused at every moment of the assessment.” That word overuse
worried me a little, but after asking my fellow teachers what they felt the
statement meant made me see it in a whole new light. They want technology
totally integrated into the classroom and anyone who is considered using it too
much is where they want everyone apparently. So in me asking a simple question to a problem that was worrying me to pieces, I learned that nothing is ever truly as it seems.
In closing, a lesson I learned years ago still lies true
today. Ask and ye shall receive…
Mr. H.
I applaud your evaluation! The fact that you have infused the use of technology in all areas of your class makes me, well jealous, quite frankly. It is a very important aspect of holding the attention of these young minded, computer age natives. I would love to hear some of your methods and styles of teaching. My methods are a hybrid between the old and new school. There are a number of things that I still have not determined how to convey using technology.
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