This question is one that I have had asked to me more times than I like to count. to me more times than I like to count. New teachers, community members, and sometimes family all inquire about the ever elusive Technology Integrationist role. I try and answer things simply and clearly. I update teachers!  By update, I do not mean I fill them in on what happened with the Kardashians this weekend or what I ate for breakfast, I mean the update as if you were installing a new operating system. I guide teachers to make deep, long lasting practices that leverage technology to enhance their students'performance. A teacher I had worked with for over 2 years recently asked me this question, which was surprising because I have been in her room many times, which was surprising because I have been in her room many times. After I explained what I did, she had a look of surprise on her face. She said that she thought my job was to find the newest and coolest things and help teachers to integrate them. I do learn about the newest and coolest tools, but I do only integrate them if they are what is best for kids. I truly have a repertoire of 30 different apps or websites that I use to teach with. These tools have served me from my time teaching Kindergarten, to the times when I work with secondary students. The 30 items never change. As I closed up my conversation with this teacher, she said "that is why we are using Pic Collage again today, I thought you ran out of good ideas". It is not by mistake that I repeat tools and enhance their ceiling vs using a large number of tools with very little depth. The BEST idea it to use tools that your students know and like and let them showcase their knowledge. |
|
|
