I feel that I am proficient with my technology skills especially the intelligent classroom equipment. Where I feel that I could do the most improving would be in my communication with my audience, especially the veteran teachers who are not technology savvy.
I think my self evaluation is vital and every "young" technology professional development facilitator should heed the advice and commentary I am writing.
In a professional development session this past month something I said stuck out to me. I was demonstrating a task for the teachers in my session. I think it was creating a link on the interwrite page or another task that a digital native would classify as simple. When I finished talking the teacher through the task I said in my usually bubbly tone, "And it's that easy" After the words left my mouth and saw the look on the teacher's face I felt like a heel. For her it was not easy, and I imagine I made her feel pretty low in that moment or she was thinking you arrogant little technology snob.
This teacher is a veteran teacher who probably has more years of experience in the classroom that I have of existence on this planet. Though technology has a vital place in the classroom it is not the only form of effective instruction. I then realized, though I may have more experience with technology I haven't been around the block as long as this teacher and needed to respect her knowledge and years experience while at the same time showing her a new form of instruction.
I then stopped and asked the teacher non technology teaching strategy she did with her students. Some how we began to discuss students working on sentence structure. She mentioned that a way she addresses this learning need is to write a sentence with a different work on several note cards and have her students stand at the front of the class holding the note cards out of order. She then has the class put the words into order to work on sentence structure. I then showed her a way that she could preform this exact same task with her interactive white board and the software. Where the students could use the pens to rearrange the words on the board to address the same learning need but also incorporate technology.
Sometimes a teacher who has taught for years and years who may not be great with technology but is still a great teacher can get frustrated with technology integration. It seems to me that they feel like they are being told to fix something they don't feel is broken. It can be scary for them to implement change. This is why as a teacher of teachers it is important to keep in mind how you say things. I never want to come across like a young arrogant know it all. It is important as an instructor to be humble and kind.
So I guess what I am working on is
- Respect your veteran teachers.
- Don't be arrogant
- Watch your tone when instructing
No comments:
Post a Comment