Fearless
By: Stacy DeWeerd
When I begin to think about my future as a learner, the first thing that crosses my mind is “What will the future look like?” Ten, fifteen, or even twenty years from now, will anything look the same? If I think back ten years from now, we didn’t have smartphones, laptops were the only mobile technology (and were very expensive I might add), flat screen TVs were still very thick, satellite radio didn’t exist in cars, and wireless internet was virtually non-existant. In just ten short years, we now live in a society that is connected around the clock with technologies we hadn’t even thought of ten years ago. This makes me think about my current role as an educator and how teaching and learning will continue to change through the years. When I think of the changes that are sure to come, I know that I will need to continue to learn, or be left in the dust.
From what I have seen as a public school teacher, there are three different kinds of teachers when it comes to technology. The first kind of teacher is the teacher in technology denial. Those teachers like “what already works”, and don’t make any effort to learn to change that. In fact, I often see teachers avoiding opportunities to learn new technology and can hear their moans and groans a mile away on professional development days. This kind of teacher is in denial of a huge paradigm shift in education that is becoming heavily reliant not only on technology in the classroom, but technology outside of the classroom as well.
The second kind of teacher is the technology on a “need to know” basis teacher. This teacher has effectively moved from using transparencies to a document camera, can maintain a basic, required website, and can navigate an email system effectively. This teacher can use the technologies he or she is expected to use, but does not have the desire or skills to take technology in their classroom to the next level. Keeping their “head above water” when it comes to technology is this teacher’s main goal.
The third kind of teacher is not necessarily the teacher that knows everything about technology, but is the teacher who desires and puts forth continual effort to integrate technology in their classroom fearlessly. I use the word fearless because it does take a certain amount of bravery to experiment with the unknown in the classroom. I don’t know of a teacher out there who doesn’t cringe when they aren’t sure if a new lesson plan or activity will go well. The fearless teacher often tries new technologies in their classroom, without certainty that it will actually work or achieve their goal. This teacher not only is in constant connection and communication with other “connected” educators (by connected I mean reading blogs, magazines, using Twitter, Facebook, and other Web 2.0 tools to discover new best practices in the classroom), but even more novel, is in connected with their students as well. Students, because they are often connected just as often as educators, and have new innovative ways to use them, can be a great resource for the fearless technology teacher. Trying something new on a whim, observing other fearless technology teachers, and experimenting on a consistent basis make this teacher’s classroom an ever changing environment, just as technology is ever changing.
When I began the MAET program at MSU, I was what I referred to as a “need to know basis” technology teacher. I was effectively using the tools I was required to use, but I was not doing anything innovative with technology in the classroom. Since taking classes has forced me to experiment more in the classroom, I am definitely closer to being the fearless teacher than I ever thought I could be. I quickly learned many new tools that other teachers were effectively learning in the classroom, and found an extraordinary support system in my classmates and instructors when I was trying something new. Although I still struggle with not knowing how a lesson will turn out, frustration when my plans go awry when the wireless is down for the day, and time to experiment with all the state requirements, I have found myself experimenting with technology very often.
The biggest change in my teaching recently, that I accredit my Masters degree with, is that I volunteered to participate in a mobile 1:1 learning pilot. All of my students now have mobile devices with wireless and 3G capability. I strongly feel that I would not have had the confidence or skills to participate in this pilot program effectively had I not gone through the MAET program at MSU. Because of my participation in this program, I have become immersed in technology in my classroom on a daily basis. I find myself searching Twitter at night for posts about great new apps and lessons to do with my students. I find myself asking my students for help when I don’t know something. I also have been trying more new things, and have been seeing success both in student achievement and motivation.
Thinking about where I began, and where I am now upon graduation, I am inspired to continue to strive to be not only the fearless teacher, but the fearless learner. I do know that the skills I have now will likely become irrelevant as time goes on. I will need to continue to use the Personal Learning Network I have built through this program as a support system and branch to the newest and most effective best practices 21st century teachers will have. The MAET program has been a stepping stone to what I feel like will be a great future as an educator, because in ten, fifteen, or twenty years, no one can know what the possibilities may be.
From what I have seen as a public school teacher, there are three different kinds of teachers when it comes to technology. The first kind of teacher is the teacher in technology denial. Those teachers like “what already works”, and don’t make any effort to learn to change that. In fact, I often see teachers avoiding opportunities to learn new technology and can hear their moans and groans a mile away on professional development days. This kind of teacher is in denial of a huge paradigm shift in education that is becoming heavily reliant not only on technology in the classroom, but technology outside of the classroom as well.
The second kind of teacher is the technology on a “need to know” basis teacher. This teacher has effectively moved from using transparencies to a document camera, can maintain a basic, required website, and can navigate an email system effectively. This teacher can use the technologies he or she is expected to use, but does not have the desire or skills to take technology in their classroom to the next level. Keeping their “head above water” when it comes to technology is this teacher’s main goal.
The third kind of teacher is not necessarily the teacher that knows everything about technology, but is the teacher who desires and puts forth continual effort to integrate technology in their classroom fearlessly. I use the word fearless because it does take a certain amount of bravery to experiment with the unknown in the classroom. I don’t know of a teacher out there who doesn’t cringe when they aren’t sure if a new lesson plan or activity will go well. The fearless teacher often tries new technologies in their classroom, without certainty that it will actually work or achieve their goal. This teacher not only is in constant connection and communication with other “connected” educators (by connected I mean reading blogs, magazines, using Twitter, Facebook, and other Web 2.0 tools to discover new best practices in the classroom), but even more novel, is in connected with their students as well. Students, because they are often connected just as often as educators, and have new innovative ways to use them, can be a great resource for the fearless technology teacher. Trying something new on a whim, observing other fearless technology teachers, and experimenting on a consistent basis make this teacher’s classroom an ever changing environment, just as technology is ever changing.
When I began the MAET program at MSU, I was what I referred to as a “need to know basis” technology teacher. I was effectively using the tools I was required to use, but I was not doing anything innovative with technology in the classroom. Since taking classes has forced me to experiment more in the classroom, I am definitely closer to being the fearless teacher than I ever thought I could be. I quickly learned many new tools that other teachers were effectively learning in the classroom, and found an extraordinary support system in my classmates and instructors when I was trying something new. Although I still struggle with not knowing how a lesson will turn out, frustration when my plans go awry when the wireless is down for the day, and time to experiment with all the state requirements, I have found myself experimenting with technology very often.
The biggest change in my teaching recently, that I accredit my Masters degree with, is that I volunteered to participate in a mobile 1:1 learning pilot. All of my students now have mobile devices with wireless and 3G capability. I strongly feel that I would not have had the confidence or skills to participate in this pilot program effectively had I not gone through the MAET program at MSU. Because of my participation in this program, I have become immersed in technology in my classroom on a daily basis. I find myself searching Twitter at night for posts about great new apps and lessons to do with my students. I find myself asking my students for help when I don’t know something. I also have been trying more new things, and have been seeing success both in student achievement and motivation.
Thinking about where I began, and where I am now upon graduation, I am inspired to continue to strive to be not only the fearless teacher, but the fearless learner. I do know that the skills I have now will likely become irrelevant as time goes on. I will need to continue to use the Personal Learning Network I have built through this program as a support system and branch to the newest and most effective best practices 21st century teachers will have. The MAET program has been a stepping stone to what I feel like will be a great future as an educator, because in ten, fifteen, or twenty years, no one can know what the possibilities may be.