Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times #EdChat

I asked Eric for a copy of his book so I could review it for my site.

I'm really excited to share some thoughts on Eric Sheninger's book Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. I'm actually not one to read many books on education. I always feel like someone claims to have the next new answer to solve education and everyone gets very excited. A few months later, a new book comes out that tells everyone they have solved education's woes and everybody should read it. Well, this is not the case with Eric's book.

First, After I looked up the word Paradigm, I dove into the book and found it to be a very quick and pleasant read. Also, look at that cover.

When you've got a smile like that, you put it on the cover of your book. Sadly, my smile is nowhere as awesome, so I might just as Eric to be on the cover of my book. :-)

In 12 Chapters, Eric covers some very important topics, but I want to talk about two that really stood out to me. 

Chapter 7: Branding is an excellent chapter and something every school administrator and educator should read. There are two views of what Eric calls "Brand-ed Thinking". The first is about a person's professional brand. It is important for educators to take charge of who they are in the digital world. If a person fails to claim their digital identity, someone else could do that for them. Using social media, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc., to let the world know who you are and what you do is a good thing. 

I was always hesitant about branding myself and what I do. "The Nerdy Teacher" was not created to be a brand and I never thought of myself as selling me or my brand, but that changed over time as I started to be asked to write for different groups and speak at conferences. All of a sudden, I was more than just Nicholas Provenzano,  I was "The Nerdy Teacher" and people wanted what that brand could bring to the table for them in different ways. What I've been able to do is use my brand to engage with other schools, districts and companies to provide opportunities for my students. That is the big part of branding that I see that can be valuable to all educators. By creating my brand, I'm able to offer more to my students and that is why I got started doing all of this in the first place. 

The second part of the "Brand-ed Thinking" is the school's brand. Eric points out that private schools have "flourished under institutional branding" (Sheninger 112). Having attended private school growing up, I know that Eric is very correct. Private schools are all about developing their brand and selling that to community members. Social media now offers the chance for all schools to develop their brand. Use these tools to share the great things teachers and students are doing on a daily basis. Leverage the awesome things that are going on in your school and your district. I've hear Eric say something like "Create the news you want for your district or others will write the story they want." He is right. There are things I have wanted to brag about, but the news was not going to come to me, so I went to them. I engaged local newspapers in social media to get their attention and feature the cool things my students accomplish. The more positive news that goes out to the public, the more people it can attract and retain that will be invested in the school and the district. 

 Chapter 8: Professional Growth and Development 

I love this chapter because it supports something that many of us have been advocating for many years; Social Media is a positive force in Professional Development and Personal Growth. 

Eric shares the stories of +Lyn Hilt and +George Couros and how becoming connected educators impacted their growth as educators. The top down approach to PD is no longer the only way for teachers to learn and grow as professionals. There are so many great resources for educators today and social media is just one of the many tools that schools and districts need to look at when thinking about providing the best PD out there. 

The new view of PD in the social media world is the Personal Learning Network (PLN). What makes this different from the old form of PD is that PLNs are all about two-way communication. People in a PLN are there to learn AND share. This is a great environment that encourages growth and learning because the educator can look at all of the information and engage experts in real time. 

Eric says that being connected needs to become the standard for educators and I completely agree with him. I find it so hard to explain to my friends why I have invested the time I have on Twitter, my blog, podcasts, etc. I feel like PLNs are one of those things that need to be experienced first hand to truly understand them. I didn't know I was building a PLN when I joined Twitter. I just wanted to learn from others and share what I thought. I see know that it has helped shape me into a better teacher in a way that district provided PD never could. 

I asked Eric if this book was for teachers or just for admin and he said all educators could take something away from his book. This book is for those educators out there that are not connected and fear change in the technology driven world. This book is what needs to be given to Superintendents and Principals and School Boards that fear social media and what they think it could do to their school districts. Eric writes a wonderful book giving readers every reason in the world to embrace the positive changes that technology can bring to schools. 

I recommend this book to anyone in education that needs convincing that technology is here to stay and important to education. 

You can buy Eric's book on Amazon here!

Paralyzed By Technology #edchat

As I have worked with teachers over the years, I have come across one common problem that many teachers deal with when looking at technology. It's this idea that all new tech tools must be integrated immediately or they have failed as a teacher. As they look over the long list of available tools, they become paralyzed because they are overwhelmed.

I always make sure to tell all educators that technology is about baby steps. As "techy" teacher, it appears that I have used every tool to the full extent from the very first day I started using the Internet. What teachers do not see are the many many tools I have used incorrectly or the tools that just didn't fit my instructional style. There is a vast wasteland littered with remains of programs that I was excited about, tried, and then realized were not for me or my students. I learned to focus on what was working and use it well.

After some time with a tool and feeling like I have mastered it, I would explore a new tool. I took baby steps with all of the tools I have ever used. At the end of the year, I evaluate the tools and decide if it will stick around. Either way, I look to add a new one for the start of the next school year.

As a connected educator, I see tons of great new tools shared on a regular basis and I have to fight the urge to try and use them immediately. If I want to do it right, I need to take my time, learn how to use a tool and think out who it fits into my classroom.

Friar Laurence said it best in Romeo and Juliet "Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast"

I encourage teachers out there to find one new tool to explore, have fun trying it out in class and then reflect on its use at the end of the year. When you are done, look for another one for the next school year. Over time, teachers will no longer be paralyzed by technology and will become the "techy" teacher in their building.  

.@Evernote For The Busy Administrator #EdChat

One of the big issues administrators need to deal with are regular teacher evaluations. Having talked with many admins, this is a very time consuming part of their job and many use different systems to evaluate teachers. I think Evernote is a perfect tool for admins to use while making their evaluation rounds.

Evernote allows the user to create specific notebooks that store the notes users create. A notebook could be created for a specific teacher and notes on that teacher can be entered into that notebook. On the day of the evaluation, the admin can arrive a few minutes early and take some pictures of the class setup  and save them directly into Evernote. The observation notes can be stored in Evernote and then later shared with the teacher before the follow-up meeting. A new note could be created and the follow-up meeting's notes could be stored and then later shared with the teacher as well. All of the information regarding the observation would be saved on Evernote and would be accessible from any device with the app or an internet connection.

This teacher's notebook would fill with different notes over the course of the their career. If the admin retires or leaves, the notebook can be shared with the next admin who takes over the observation duties. Evernote is also perfect to add those informal observation notes. If the admin sees something awesome the teacher did in class or the hallway, a quick note can be added to their notebook on that teacher that can be shared with them later that day. On the other side, if the admin notices something that needs to be addressed, it can also be added to the notebook and talk to the teacher about the specifics of the incident.

I also see Evernote as a great way for admins to store all of their meeting information. One of the main reasons it is so hard to get time to talk to an admin is because they are always in meetings. These meetings span from budget issues to discipline issues. Evernote is great for keeping many different notebooks for different topics. No longer are multiple notepads needed for different topics. The camera can be used to take pictures of handouts received at meetings or the Doxie Scanner can scan them into Evernote after the meeting. All of these different notebooks would be available at all time on a personal device or an internet enabled desktop.

The days of running around with different binders filled with tons of paper are over for the busy admin when they sign up and use Evernote. Any leader that is looking for a better way to organize their professional life needs to take a long hard look at integrating Evernote into their daily routine.

The Nerdy Teacher: Technology Curriculum Specialist

Isn't that a fancy title?

As of yesterday, I am the new part time Technology Curriculum Specialist for Grosse Pointe Public Schools. I'm very excited to get the job and I can't wait to get to work. My main focus will be working with teachers across the district on integrating technology into their curriculum. I will spend days with individual teachers as I learn their teaching styles, suggest great tools that match their style and help them build lessons using those tools. I feel like I get to be a student and a teacher at the same time as I learn new things from different curriculums and help teachers learn about great tools that my PLN shares on a regular basis.

My blog will switch in focus a bit as I will write a bit more on working with staff in my district on tech integration. I will still be reviewing cool apps, tools and other great things I stumble upon, but now I will get a chance to view tech integration from a different side and I look forward to sharing what I learn along the way with all of you.

Since the tech job is part time, that means I will still be in the classroom part time. I couldn't be happier with this set up. I feel like I need to be in the classroom so I can actually use the tools with students to better help the staff in the district and my PLN as a whole.

I will be teaching 3 classes American Literature this year. I'm excited because I love American Lit and have taught it for years. I'm sad because I will not be teaching Freshmen. That means I will not be able to follow up The Epic Romeo and Juliet Project with another movie. I can honestly say I watched the movie the kids did twice this summer and am still blown away by what they were able to accomplish. I loved working with Shawn Heyer and Shannon Miller from Van Meter and I look forward to working with them again. Without them, none of the last year would have been possible.

I have some fun ideas I intend to bring back with some fun tech twists when I dive into the American Lit curriculum. One involves putting Mark Twain on trail for writing vulgar and racist material. Stay tuned for that project. I have a feeling the trial might be U-Streamed. :-) That's all I'll give away about that project and others currently in the cooker.

I want to thank all of you for the support you have given me over the past couple of years that has given me the confidence to think I can do this job. I am sure I will be bugging you often for advice and stress reduction.

Thanks again and I look forward to sharing my new adventure with all of you.

- @TheNerdyTeacher

Time for an upgrade

One of the many things I was looking forward to this year was the possibility of becoming a part-time tech facilitator. I was told a job was going to be posted and I just needed to apply. I had spent countless hours planning all of the different things I was going to do to help the students and staff of my district. I talked with so many great people in my PLN, I was sure I was going to help my district accomplish its goal of being a leader in educational technology. My district was in desperate need of an upgrade and I was excited to be part of the solution.

Well, the budget was hammered out and that position, among others, was lost. I do not want to use this space to rail against the decision to cut the tech positions while the district claims to want to be a leader is educational technology. I've covered that topic before and I do not need to preach to the choir. So, I've decided to build a better position and pitch it to the powers that be. I would appreciate any comments on the make-up of the job I'm proposing.

Details:

- This position could be part-time or full time. If it was part time, the person who fills the position would teach two classes in the morning and would fill the tech facilitator responsibilities the second half of the day.
- The tech facilitator would be available to all buildings in the district.

Tech Facilitator Duties:

- Working with all building administrators, including the superintendent, to get them signed up to Twitter. If they are willing to sign up and lead, the teachers will be more willing to do so.

- Setting up blogs for each school for admins to share information with parents, students and staff.

- Creation of building Facebook pages

-Individualized PD

- The TF could be checked out by teachers like a book from a library to help construct lessons that incorporate technology. Teachers could get workshop hours for these 1:1 sessions.

Large PD

- Building Admins could check out the TF to run building wide PD or have them create smaller in-building workshops.

Tech All-Stars

- The TF would work with willing teachers from each building to create a group of Tech All-Stars that would help teachers within their building with tech integration and grade specific help.

- The Tech All-Stars would meet regularly to discuss tools and integration strategies to best help all the buildings in the district.

Tech Blog

- The TF would run a district wide Tech blog that would provide examples of new tools available in the district.

- Screencasts would be created and uploaded based on the needs of the students, staff and parents of the district.

Attending and Presenting at Conferences

- The TF would attend and present at conferences to be up to date on the current trends in technology and pedagogy.

Business

-The TF would work with local businesses to try and bring new tech to the district. Building a relationship with local families and business could help offset major budget cuts.

After School/Weekend Seminars

- The TF would run after school and weekend seminars for parents, students and staff on various tech related items.

Policy

- The TF would work with the administration, parents and school board to shape new policy as technology grows and changes.

All of these job duties, and possibly others, would be performed by one person who would also be teaching 1-2 classes as well.

The ultimate goal of this proposal is to create a position that would best use the money available by drastically changing the way PD is offered in my district. In the long run, money will be saved on PD because the TF will be working with more teachers effectively.

Please feel free to comment on anything I have or might have left off. This is going to be my last ditch effort to create some change in my district before I start considering other options. A person can only roll the boulder up the hill so many times right?

Thanks again for all of your support and wish me luck!

-@TheNerdyTeacher

@LivescribeK12 Echo Smartpen is awesome

Livescribe Echo Smartpen

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Livescribe Echo Smartpen and I'm super excited by what I will be able to do with this amazing tool. 

My first response after I started playing with the Echo was, "I'm pretty sure this pen runs on magic!"

I still believe that. Here are some of the "magical" qualities of the Echo Smartpen:

- Paper Replay

Paper Replay records what you hear and write and allows the user to replay the audio by using the pen to tap the written words. These saved notes can be uploaded to your computer where key words or sentences can be searched. The notes and recordings can be shared via Facebook, Blogs or Livescribe.com. I absolutely love the social aspect of the Echo. I want to encourage students to share notes and this is one great way for kids to do it.

- Livescribe Connect

Livescribe Connect is awesome because it allows the user to send stuff right from the paper or the Livescribe Desktop. The Google Docs and Evernote integration is genius. It makes sense to do this because this pen screams collaboration. 

- Built in speaker

The speaker is loud and clear. I was surprised at how great everything sounded from the speaker as I listened to myself. Since the pen allows the user to go back and listen to parts over and over again, it will be easy for kids to make sure they heard everything. 

- Calculator 

By using the calculator provided in the notebook that comes with the pen, I was able to do math problems and the pen would display the final total. Little things like that are awesome. I like that it allows the user to keep the pen in hand and take notes without having to stop and use the calculator on the desk. It is a very smart and simple addition.

- Audio Jack

Another simple part of the pen that is wonderfully helpful. I can see students listening to recorded sessions while in study hall or on the way to or from sporting events.

- Piano

Livescribe has some Applications you can purchase for the pen if you choose. The Echo came pre-loaded with a Piano. I was able to select Piano from the menu, draw a piano and play it! I was also able to add a rhythm to play in the background by drawing the letter "R" and tapping it. I could also change the instruments by drawing an "I" and tapping it. I was playing the flute for a bit. I'm not sure of the functional purpose of having a piano on my pen, but the technology behind was very cool. I think it could be the start of some interesting apps down the line. 

- The Notebook

The Echo Smartpen comes with the dotted notebook paper, but you can always print more of your own once you run out. I love that feature because you might run out and not have the time to order online to get a new notebook. Having a stack of extra paper will be very helpful. 

- Uses

I cannot wait to get this pen to my school and see all of the different uses I can find for it. One of the first places I'm going to integrate the pen is the special ed department. I often have various aides in my classroom that take notes for students in class. This pen could be a life saver for the aide. The aide could take the notes and record the lecture. By uploading the notes to the computer or sharing them through email, a student can have access to the complete lecture and the notes. This will help support the student after he leaves the classroom. 

I can see this used by students in my class to support the class blogging I do. As some students blog, another student could use the Livescribe Echo Smartpen. They could take it home and upload it to the class blog for the students to see and hear. It would provide another element to support the students in my classroom who might need a little extra help. 

Personally, I like to write out most of my lessons in notebooks before I transfer them over to a planner. With the Livescribe Echo Smartpen, I could buy a couple of notebooks and take notes and comment on what I'm thinking while I write the lessons. I can upload all of the lessons I create to a Google Doc and have a complete record of my lessons and what I was thinking while I wrote them. Too many times I look back at my notes and say, "Why am I doing this here and not here?" The Echo Smartpen could make lesson planning much much easier. 

These are just my initial thoughts after having the pen for about a week. I plan to write much more extensively about the pen once I get it into the classroom and let other teachers and students use them. I can't wait to share student feedback with all of you once they use the pen.

- @TheNerdyTeacher

Change Brings Frustration

I have been working on a committee this past school year that has been tasked with improving the way that technology is used in the district. I’m lucky to work with many passionate teachers, parents and administrators as we look at different ways to take the influx of tech in our buildings (Smart Products) and get the most out of them. It’s a tall order, but something I think can be accomplished.

The frustration comes from the fact that we all want the same thing, but do not have a clear path on how to get there. We want to great a district that is a leader in educational technology. We want our students to be 21st Century learners. We don't have the money. So, we need to find ways to accomlishour goals with little or no money.
One of the things I was tasked with doing was using my PLN to gather information on how other people support the integration of technology in their district. I talked to many awesome people and pulled together what I think would be the best solution to our problem. Here is the presentation I put together.

Ti presentation

View more presentations from Nicholas Provenzano

I truly feel that adding 3 people to focus on teacher training is the best way to move forward. By providing the support for the teachers, we can then move the conversation to reviewing the curriculum to see how we can change what we do there with our new skills. As a district, we cannot move forward if our staff is not trained and our current system is not sufficient. If we are not moving forward, we are getting left behind.

I was not given the chance to give my presentation, but was told the money isn’t there to hire 3 more people. I understand that completely. These are tough times and adding staff is not something districts can do. However, the conversation was still about training teachers and having them prepared to use the technology that is being deployed. How can you expect to train teachers with trainers? When teachers in my district are asked what they want, they say training. When the one teacher trainer was asked what is effective, he said training in small groups. So we want everyone trained, but have no money to train. What do we do next?

Ideas were thrown out about a Tech Czar that would create a vision of technology for the district, create surveys, compile success stories and spearhead the charge for a new tech bond in the district. The idea has merit, but I’m not sure adding an administrator is what we need. That doesn’t solve the training problem and will end up telling us what we already know; teachers are ready to learn and use technology, they just need someone to work with them.

On the way to work, I had an idea that is a compromise to the ideas that were shared at this two-hour meeting. Since we cannot hire three people to act as full time Technology Integrationists, maybe we can take the positions we currently have and adjust what they do. I propose two part-time TIs and one fulltime Tech Czar.
I see two 0.5 positions of Tech Integrationists. They would be responsible for the following,

1:1 staff support – The TIs would go to schools and teach staff how to use the tools AND how to integrate them into their curriculum, departments, etc.

Larger group PD – The TI’s would be responsible for running larger PD sessions for buildings. These times would be checked out by administrators in advance.

Maintaining a blog – Each TI would be responsible for grade levels (K-6 and 7-12) and their blogs would focus on tools that are helpful to those areas.

Online Support – TI’s would create screencasts and videos on how to use specific tools so that teachers can learn on their time how to use everyday tools.

These are the big ideas to start. As the school year moves forward, there will be other ideas that will come up that could be added to their responsibilities, but since they are .5, we do not want to overload them with work because they still have class responsibilities as well. Also, it might be a good idea to have one .5 be set for AM and another set for PM. It would allow for a TI to be available all day.

The Tech Czar

One of the ideas that came out of the discussion was that we need someone to create the vision and take the steps that are needed to see it thought. I feel this person needs to be a teacher in the district. The TC will have 2 responsibilities. One of the responsibilities will be an extra TI. For .5 of the time, they will work in the buildings across grade level like the TIs do. The other .5 will be responsible for the following,

Work with 389 to establish a clear vision of tech today and for the years to come.

Work with the GPFE to provide them with information they need for fundraising.

Working with TIs to organize schedules.

Maintain a site that will be the “Home Base” for training videos and examples of what teachers are doing across the district.

Visiting other districts to see how they set up district wide support networks for staff.

Attending conferences to get the latest on training, staff development, hardware, software, best practices, etc.

Identifying current teachers in the district that are tech leaders and utilizing them to support teachers in their building.

Surveying staff across the district to get a specific idea of the training that is needed.

Focus on creating a network in the district that supports tech learning by using the experts in our district.

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The current model does not meet the needs of our district. Trying to solve a problem with a broken solution will not accomplish our goal. It is time to look at how we do things and try something different. Our committee said one of our goals is to become a leader in educational technology. I think that is an admirable goal, but to accomplish that, we have to be willing to do things we haven’t done before. Leaders lead by making tough decisions. Decisions need to be made if we truly want to move forward.

There are many teachers in the district that are doing great things and want to support others teachers, but need the support from the district.  However, if a system of support is not set up soon, these teachers are going to lose hope or move to other places that support innovation. If homegrown talent is not cultivated,  it could be lost to other districts. That would hurt the district more than anything else. Now is the time for action.

These views are strictly mine and not the views of my school, department or district. I’m just a teacher that is passionate about helping a school system realize its dream of being a leader in the educational community.

Have a warm and fuzzy day!

- @TheNerdyTeacher

Have a second?

Tech Training for Teachers

I’m currently on a tech committee in my district looking to update our tech plan. One of the things I have been passionate about is the way training takes place. I firmly believe that if we want teachers to be comfortable using new forms of technology in their classes, we need full time technology integrationists. The powers that be like the idea, but want to know a little more.

I propose that 5.0 Technology Integrationists (TI) be added to the district. There would be 2.0 for the High Schools and 2.0 for K-8. The remaining 1.0 Technology Integrationis  would be in charge of coordinating the programs for the district and supporting the other 4.0 in the various buildings in the district.

I see this as a two-year plan to help support the teachers in the district. This is where I need your help. What ways have TIs been used in your district? What specific tools should our TIs focus on when working with staff? I would like to have certain areas to focus on during this two year commitment. What worked and what didn't work for your district. I really want this to be a great experience for the students and staff in the district. Any help you can provide would be awesome.  Please leave a comment below and pass this along to others who might have great ideas to share. Thanks for helping this nerdy teacher out.

- Nick

Tech Integration is like Cooking...(Reboot)

This past #edchat, we talked about passion and it reminded me of this post. I gave it a reread and it made me smile. Cooking is something that I am passionate about. This was my first Tech Integration post and I had no idea what I was doing. Well, I still don't have a clue, but maybe more of a clue now than I did in January. Very early in my blogging life, I was not sure what to write about and did not think anyone would care. I stumbled upon so many great teachers since this post, I truly feel I have grown up since then. Here is a look back at some of my first thought son Technology Integration.   ..............................................................................................................................................................
Before I start this post, I want to give a shout out to the Teacher Twitter Nation that responded to some of my tweets that led to this post being written. @ktenkely, @cpoole27, @mattpearson, @fejoknom, @BArcher001, @ShellTerrell, @Russsauntry, @SeanBanville, @Marissa_C, @msmithpds and anyone else that re-tweeted my comments. With educators like these, the world of education is heading in the right direction. :)

I love to cook. It's  right up there with gardening. People think I'm weird when I tell them I love to do those two things. I've always been a bit of a jock and videogamer, but I have a creative side I get to show in the classroom when I teach, but also when I garden and cook. I was thinking about cooking, mostly because I was hungry, but I realized that there is a link to how I learned to cook and how I have integrated technology as a teacher. I hope these comparisons help you or teachers you know start to bring new forms of technology to your students.

Start Boiling Eggs Before You Make A Turkey

 I needed to start off simple so I wouldn't overwhelm myself on the first time out. Once I mastered the easy stuff for myself and then my friends and family, I could move on to more complicated dishes. You need to build confidence as a cook. You are not going to run your own kitchen on the first time out, but you can develop some very important skills while learning the ropes on easy dishes that will prepare you for more difficult ones later on.

Finding new technology for your classroom is the same. You need to find things that you feel will be easy to take on when starting out. It can be a blog, a discussion board or a class website. Whatever you feel you can tackle first, start there. It's important that you use something you feel comfortable with before you start to share it with students. If you are not comfortable, they will not be. Imagine a cook that does not look confident biting into their own burger, Yikes!

Don't Reinvent the Cookbook

When I started cooking, I relied on The Food Network, The Naked Chef Cookbook and various websites. These sources of information were helpful as I tried new and different things. Although one person might be an award winning chef, someone else might have an even better take on the same dish. I looked for sources of information that could help me become a better cook. You might be surprised to know that your friends have recipes that you would love. At this stage, I did not need to create a new recipe every time I cooked, I just needed to see what recipes worked for me.

With Technology, we are blessed with so many people out there that know more about tech that you or me. These teachers are dying to share their information with the world. The only thing you need to do is look around. If there is a teacher in your building using "Clickers" in their class, ask them how they use it and if you can watch. There are many blogs by teachers and for teachers that deal with technology. Your reading one right now.  Once you find something you like, try repeating what they did. Once you master that, try changing it to better fit your needs.

One Spice Does Not Fit All

In my early cooking stages, I would find a spice I loved and I would use it on everything. I did not care if the spice was for pork only or chicken only, I used it on everything. There were a few meals that were not great because of it. I had to learn that certain spices work for certain foods for a reason. Find the right spice for the right food and you will have a better meal in the long run.

It is very easy to assume that this new technology you have fallen in love with will apply to all areas of your curriculum. That is not always the case. Trial and error is the best way to explore, but be prepared for a bad lesson or two if you use it on everything. Use your tech sparingly on the outset. Look for ways that lessons can be connected using the tech and integrate them that way. Not all lesson might need a spice of technology.

All Of The Spices At Once Is Not A Good Idea

Spices are good things. They can enhance the flavor of any dish. They should be used to accent a flavor already found in the pasta, meat or veggie. Adding too much or too many spices will take away from the food itself and can even make the meal taste terrible.

Don't just use all of the technology at once because technology is good. Use only some of it here and there to add some flavor to your lesson plan. They should not take over the actual lesson, but just give it a little kick to appeal to a wider audience.


You Need A Few Bad Meals Before You Create A Masterpiece

I cannot even count the number of failed recipes I tried to put together when I started to explore my personal creative side of cooking. I would mix and match spices that seemed great separately, but were a total disaster. Learning cooking times for certain veggies and meats so that everything can be done at the same time is not an easy thing to learn on your own, but it was important that I do not get discouraged as I cooked. I was ok with making bad meals as long as I went back and noted what went wrong and tried to fix it or scrap it and start over.

We have all created lessons that have not worked out in the classroom. We go in with the best intentions and sometimes it is just a dud. At the end of the day, we sit back and try to figure out what went wrong. Sometimes it's something very simple and the lesson is a hit next year. Other times, the whole thing needs to be scrapped. Integrating technology needs to be treated the same way. You might plug it into a lesson and it works great or it fails. It's important not to give up and try to find what went wrong. If ti can be fixed, fix it. If it can't try to find another way to make it work with a different lesson. You can't give up after a few bad lessons. Most of us would be gone after the first year if that was the case.

When You Finally Get the Right Recipe, Write It Down!

There have been too many times where I finally found the right mix of spices, cooking length and other variables and then I realize I did not write any of it down. I got so into the process and the great thing that I was creating that I didn't take a second to jot some notes down. It's ok if you get used to cooking something that you no longer need a recipe, but it is always good to have in case you need it or your friend asks for that awesome Eggplant Parm you make.

Bookmark or save pages that are helpful to you. Write down and save lesson plans that you create. These are great sources of information when something works or doesn't work. You can go back and hopefully pinpoint the best or worst part. Also, when something works well, you should share it with the world. The only way you can share that awesome lesson on The Declaration of Independence is if you have it written down somewhere.

Know Who You Are Cooking For

I love Tomatoes. My Wife does not like Tomatoes. It's amazing we got married despite this terrible division. When I cook , I need to remember that she is not a fan of tomatoes and I need to make adjustments to my recipes. Some tomato use is unavoidable and she grins and bares it, but I try to make the accommodation because I do not want to eat alone.

Just because you love the Document Camera does not mean everybody is going to love the Document Camera. They should try it, but they don't have to love it. Your students might not like the different types of tech you bring to the class. That might change from year to year. Kids are picky. You need to be ready top adjust your lessons so everybody can enjoy the learning process. Like my wife though, some students will have to have some technology whether they like it or not because it's just part of the recipe, I mean lesson.


You Are Now Ready For Thanksgiving Dinner

After spending time working on the various recipes, I felt confident to invite the family over for Thanksgiving Dinner. I decided to use a combination of personal recipes and ones borrowed or tweaked from other people. I had others who helped me along the way, but I was in charge of the show. There were a few stumbles along the way, but the meal went very well. Drinking Wine along the way did not hurt. :)

After some time, you will feel comfortable to show everyone what you have learned. You can do this at a department meeting or in front of the entire staff. Know that you do not have to do this alone. Ask others to help you along the way and do some of the little things so you can focus on the big picture. It would be a shame if you learned all of these new tech tips and did not share them with the teachers in your building. Sharing is what teachers do. Teaching teachers is not an easy thing to do, but if you can teach one teacher, you are teaching hundreds of students.

Post a comment with your thoughts.

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That was my first tech integration post. It is weird to look back at your writing and try to think about what you were thinking att he time. I remember everything that led up to wanting to write the post, but the actual time spent and thought process behind it escape me. I've never been a "jot your ideas down then write" type of guy. I like to let the idea flow freely and then edit where it is needed. That was not a great format early in my HS writing career, but I got better at it. It works really well for blogging. I love just jumping on and posting something I found or a thought about a topic that has been on my mind. I hope my posts have been interesting, helpful and most of all, entertaining. As educators, we need to find the humor in what we do or we would not make it very long. Have a great day everyone!

Everything I Needed to Know About Technology Integration I Learned From Watching...

I've gotten some funny feedback regarding my Star Wars Tech post and thought it would be funny to keep it up once a month. I'm a huge movie guy and have seen some of the best movies ever made. How Monster Squad did not win an Oscar is beyond me. Anyway, I placed a poll on the right so people can pick their favorite movie option. There are some good options there, so be careful with your choice. I look forward to writing about tech integration in a way that makes it a little more accessible to teachers everywhere. Pass it along.

-@TheNerdyTeacher

Everything I Needed to Know About Technology Integration I Learned From Watching Star Wars

Yes, I'm going there. I wouldn't be The Nerdy Teacher if I didn't. People seemed to really like my Cooking and tech integration piece, so I thought I would reach out to the non-cooking crowd and offer them something they can relate to. For those of you who have not watched Star Wars, please seek help. Whether you are a "nerd" or not, Star Wars is a part of mainstream pop culture and it's important to at least be aware of the allusions that are made day to day. If you refuse to watch Star Wars, then you are nothing but a no good Nerf Herder.

Final note, these quote are drawn from the Original Three Star Wars Episodes (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi). The next three installments do not exist as far as I'm concerned. Maybe the last hour of Episode Three, but there will be no Jar-Jar references found below.

A long time ago, in a blog far far away...

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." - Princess Lea, Episode IV

I think the most important step in tech integration is knowing when to ask for help. A teacher cannot be expected to be an expert on everything in the classroom. If you are interested in adding some new tech to the classroom, don't be afraid to reach out and ask for support. Look within the district and see if they offer any classes that you might be able to attend, or look for other teachers in the building that might be willing to lend you a hand in implementing new forms of tech in the classroom. It's not going to be easy, but it's better than sitting around and watching the world go by or getting caputred by the Imperial Army with plans to the Death Star.

"Do or do not, there is no try." - Master Yoda, Episode V

Master Yoda was wise beyond his 900 years. This bit of advice applies to all walks of life. Tech integration is not something you can "sort of" do. I'm not saying that you have to go all in and have every piece of tech you can lay your hands on. I'm saying that you can't try it once and give it up. It needs to be an ongoing process of trial and error. I view trying as doing something and giving up. Doing is a continual effort to make something work or happen. Keep fighting to find the right tech for you and your classroom. Not everything is going to work, but keep doing and you will find the right fit.

"When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the Master." - Darth Vader, Episode IV

When I started teaching, I was given a mentor to help guide me through the first few years of school. As time went by though, I found myself offering tips to my mentor regarding lessons I'm using or this new piece of tech that I discovered. Before long, I realized that I was helping many other teachers with different aspects of technology. It was such a interesting experience. I was sharing what I learned with great teachers (I'm not just saying that because they might read this later). It was a way for me to offer them something that was different than what they had offered me in the past. The problem with Darth Vader was that he was intent on replacing Obi-Wan. The goal should not be replacement, but mentoring. Mentoring can be a two way street if done correctly. Everybody has something to offer, it's important to listen.


"I find you lack of faith disturbing." - Darth Vader, Episode IV

and

Luke - "I can't believe it."
Yoda - "That is why you fail" - Episode V

Be confident! As a teacher, you need to be confident in front of your students. If they sense any sort of weakness, they will eat you alive. Take your time and understand the tech you want to use. Play with it at home or during your prep hour to make sure that know all of the ins and outs of the tech. Also, be prepared to say, "I'm not sure, but I'll check on that for you." You need to have faith that you are going to do a good job and that you will be able to help students learn to use the tech to improve their learning.

You also need to be confident when explaining new tech to your fellow teachers and admins. Show them how to use it and how it worked in your classroom. faith in yourself is an important thing to have and that can be passed to others as they try to learn new things. If you do not have faith in yourself, you might choke like an Imperial officer who has displeased Lord Vader.

"We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life." - C3PO, Episode IV

Poor C3PO. He seems to be the brunt of jokes and finds himself in the most precarious of situations. He means very well and wants nothing more than to help the people around him. As a teacher, it feels like we are C3PO. We work hard on lessons. Making sure they are current and relevant. Fixing the parts that didn't work even though they worked wonders last year. The thought of adding something entirely new to the classroom feels like torture. It was stressful for me to even think about doing something new and untested in my class. Technology needs to be treated like a fun new adventure that is going to make life easier in the classroom. Finding new ways to engage students in learning should never be viewed as a burden. That should be the goal of every teacher. If you want teachers to love the new tools you have discovered, you need to present it in a fun and exciting way. Look beyond sending links to teachers. That is going to feel like work and is most often deleted.Think of ways that you can introduce new tech to teachers in a fun ans engaging way. Now teachers will not feel like they are suffering when new tools are introduced to them.

"Fear is the path to the dark side." Obi-Wan Kenobi, Episode IV

You cannot fear tech integration. Technology is changing education and it's important to embrace it. Many teachers were bothered by the introduction of the computer and email in the school system. They thought it was not important and that they could live without it. Now, they could not imagine doing any of their work or communicating with others without computers and email. The point is, shying away from new technology is not going to solve anything. Embrace the bits and pieces that you think can make a difference in your classroom and share that with others. With this strategy, you will stay far away from the dark side.

"Traveling through hyperspace ain't like dusting crops, boy." - Han Solo, Episode IV

Tech integration is not going to be a walk in the park. For some of us, we can take a new site or tool and use it like we created it. For others, it will take many hours of tinkering to understand the basic functions of the tool. We know, as teachers, that students learn thing at different rates. Teacher are no different. With patience and hand holding, any teacher can understand and use all of the different types of tech out there. As long as teachers understand that the process will not be as simple as using a chalkboard, they will not be as easily frustrated when learning new tech.

"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force." - Darth Vader, Episode IV

The last, and best quote, comes from Lord Vader. I think this speak volumes about technology integration. Some might read this quote and think that it suggests that tech is bad and unneeded in the classroom. I look at the quote and think that it speaks about something different. The Force is our ability to teach. The best teachers have it and use it everyday. If you do not have the Force, no amount of new tech is going to inspire your students. A IWB or cool new website is worthless without the Force. My slate and websites are great, but they are helpful because I use what I've learned as a teacher to make the effective and relevant in my classroom. As a teacher, it's important to not just use the tools, but to teach with the tools. As we all know, the tech can fail at any moment and all that is left is our wits to guide us. Teaching will always trump and new form of tech on its own. Remember this when you are introduced to a new piece of tech. How will you use the Force and the tool together to make you classroom a great learning environment for all.

These are just a few thoughts on Technology Integration. Take and leave what you want and share with others. Thanks for stopping by.

- @TheNerdyTeacher