I have learned a lot this semester, but I also leave overwhelmed and frustrated. Technology is paving a new path for me as an innovative thinker and designer. I constantly have new ideas that I want to try out in my room, but well over half the time I hit a road block. I get so far in my planning and then it hits, money. Every time that I find something good it is just that. It’s too good to be true. All my hard work comes to a screeching halt because something doesn’t work as planned. I am forced to abandon lessons and start all over unless I pay a monthly fee to continue. The frustrating part is that each activity takes me over an hour to create and then when it doesn’t work with my students I am frustrated and have to change my plans last minute. I can’t even tell you how many times this has happened to me over the past few months. I have spent hours upon hours just trying to figure out how to use a specific technology tool or countless hours on lessons that I can’t use. What I can take away from this experience is that I am modeling failure for my students. They need to know that failure is okay; you learn from your mistakes and never give up. I will continue my quest as an innovative thinker and designer, but man I sure hope that I start to have more successes than failures pretty soon.
6 Comments
Christina Schreiber
5/4/2018 07:00:24 am
I agree that experimenting with new technology can be incredibly time consuming and frustrating. I also get frutrated with things that are going to end up costing me money. I always look at a tool and ask myself, how easy will it be for my student to log in (single sign in with google is always the best so that kids do no have to remember another username and password) and I also ask myself if I can afford to use the tool. So often with middle school, I cannot even try a tool because I have over 150 students. So I often would use up all of a free trial on one attempt and I know that it is not worth my time. Our school does have some licenses that we can all use for products like brainpop. I know there are other schools and districts that purchase site wide licenses for tools like flipgrid. I hope that at the end of this program you have a list of tools that you have been successful with in your classroom. There will always be more tools to try, but I think it is more important to build your tool kit of the solid, great tools that you can use all year round.
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Jane Adams Gallagher
5/4/2018 08:43:29 pm
The fact that you keep trying says a lot about you as a teacher and that you have perseverance. I am with you on how many hours spent on researching and attempting to use tech tools. A few days ago Screencastify changed its recoring format and about pushed me overthe edge when my students were finally ready to record. I am hoping to purchase one or two class memberships in the coming school year in order to get some of the perks. Maybe we could get a VPEF grant to buy them. VPEF usually sends out requests shortly after school begins.
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Alicia Martin
5/5/2018 11:39:12 am
Stephanie, I admire how you are taking your frustrations and turning it around to something positive for your students. Teaching with technology isn't easy. I hate when I find something I want to use and then it asks for your credit card. All I want is something for my students that help them learn and is easy to use. Especially when I teach 2nd grade. If you every need any suggestions let me know. I have been trying out a lot of new digital tools and I try to keep with the free things (unless my school will pay for it). Good Luck!
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Mady
5/6/2018 01:15:32 pm
Stephanie I cannot agree more with your post! My problem is I get overly attached to my ideas and instead of trying to change them I just buy the dang program and spend way too much money! Then I have to remember to go back and cancel the subscription and end up only using an amazing new tool only once because I can't afford to keep it. This frustrates my students and me. But I also agree that modeling failure for our students is important and definitely not always comfortable! I think we could combine our efforts and try to pressure the district to invest in some of the best web tools we have found!
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Teresa Barron
5/6/2018 03:05:56 pm
Stephanie, I also agree with you; teaching with technology and using it in a meaningful way can be time-consuming, frustrating at times and costly when we are trying to cover the costs ourselves. It would be nice if teachers could have a budget to pull from for being innovative teachers, could you imagine that?! I admire that you take those frustrating situations and use them as a teaching point for your students. We (students included) must learn that failing at something is okay, what matters is what you do after you fail or with that failure. Failure is an important part of learning!
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helen
5/6/2018 04:51:55 pm
I have had the same frustrations, but you have changed. You use to tell me that you were a tech novice. That is no longer the case. I see you take risks, invest in time and effort in software and new devices. Such as the new Ipad. I am very impressed!! I think we need to start a google form of tech skills/ programs Markham teachers have experienced and a rubric to go along with it to help each other not duplicate the same wheel.
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