Sunday, December 25, 2011

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

2012 Where Are We Going?

We are in the final week of school before our winter break. Students are taking finals, finishing class projects, and counting down the days until break. It seems like a great time to reflect on the school year but also to look ahead. The past 3 or 4 weeks have been crazy busy, as seen by my lack of blog posts. I don't really blog for readership. Blogging is all about being able to reflect on the work I do and share the successes of our public school teachers. Yes, those same teachers who are vilified in the press and the associated discussion boards.

Our teachers do great work and face extreme pressures to bring a high quality education to their students. As I walk the halls of my buildings and have conversations with staff members, I can feel the strain, see the strain. This is where my dilemma begins as I ask myself this question: "Am I part of the strain?"

In my position, I provide instructional technology support to teachers in 5 elementary schools. As someone who lives on the web, I come across many resources that fit into the curriculum. I am a believer in the power of the Internet and see the connections to student learning. But sometimes, I feel that I am just maintaining the technology integration skills for my teachers instead of expanding them. I want my teachers to grow in their comfort with technology and see more ways to integrate it into their teaching. But at the same time, I see what my teachers have to do on an ordinary day, and I do not want to push something upon them, becoming part of the strain.

How can I help my teachers grow professionally while respecting their time and the responsibilities placed upon them? That is a question I need to answer in 2012.