Technology and the 21st century teacher

There is so much information out there and so many ways to reach our students.  If you aren't comfortable with 21st century tools, then the chalkboard is still viable.  The only problem is that the kids ARE comfortable with anything that has a touch screen, links, and changing screen savers.

For the past several years, my students and I have been using our smart phones, iPads and pods, and cameras in the classroom.  I have had a "phones on the table" policy.  This meant that I wanted their digital devices out of the table and their job was to learn to be able to complete their tasks and learn- even with their beloved toys were within reach.  I consider this a life lesson.  In the professional world, I have to be able to have my phone and know that a text, email, tweet and phone call will be coming through, and that the info contained may be very important.  Maturity and professionalism meant that I could still complete my task and then check my phone.  This policy served me well and I think the students came to appreciate the life lessons involved.

I found several great links online and thought I would share to get the brains thinking.  12 videos every teacher educator should view.

Smartboards, smart phones, and challenging tech people make for a happy day in the classroom.  Simply getting everything to work is a challenge, but isn't that part of whay we do what we do?  To teach how to deal with challenges?  Trying is half the battle...

A video that spurred a three week video project in all my classes a few years ago is The 21st Century Student.    I polled all of my classes and asked them what they thought their teachers should about them in order to teach them.  It was breathtaking and heart breaking.  Students in general wanted their teachers to listen more and to teach them in the style which they needed.  This allowed for a lot of discussions with me guiding students to the understanding of the plight of teachers.  Just the openness of discourse allowed for all of us to understand one another.  All classes stated that they should have technology involved in each class.  Interesting.  Scary knowledge for the teachers who are not comfortable with the ever changing electronics and ability.  Challenging to incorporate and not leave any teachers OR students behind. 

Just wanted to open the can of worms and state that if we keep teaching students the way we have always taught students, then we are not preparing these very different kiddos for the world they are going to take over.    Taking a deep breath and jumping across the technological divide- join me!!