Fix the Problem, Not The Blame

     My dad taught me how to drive on an old Jeep. I am quite certain that I killed the clutch (and I know I destroyed an exit sign on the Merritt Parkway) but my dad continued to teach me in spite of my comments that I would never, ever master this four (sob) wheel (sob) thing. He would reply, with patience and fortitude, that driving (especially an old jeep) is a magical blend of art and science. Dad assured me that I would indeed master the the right blend of gas, clutch, and brake, and hopefully, I would not kill any living thing in the pursuit of this goal. Dad always believed you should fix the problem, not the blame.
     Learning anything new is scary and thrilling all at the same time. It's a roller coaster, isn't it? Some folks don't enjoy the roller coaster. Too much fear about the downs, too much anxiety on the way up. There has been quite a bit of blame (and downright crankiness) spreading across blogs and twitter today. Humph! It's 4th of July folks! Let's declare independence from any more name calling and blaming. I admit I have been stewing today over recent posts that blame teachers for not being more technologically savvy, for not integrating technology into their classrooms, for being lazy and unprofessional, for the lack of world peace . . . oh wait, I guess teachers have escaped blame about the lack of world peace, but teachers be warned, that will be next. Really? Having been in the classroom trenches for over a decade, I do not believe that laziness and unprofessionalism are to blame as to why many teachers do not integrate technology into their classroom lessons. I believe the situation is far more complex. It is my experience that most teachers do want to incorporate technology into the classroom. It is not usually about choice for them. Most teachers do not choose to make technology a low priority, however, there are a zillion more things that do become priorities. Teachers carry the weight of all the multitude of decisions made every minute, everyday with them constantly. Teaching is one of the ten most stressful jobs you can have. Do we have teachers who coast? Sure. Are there teachers who are lazy? Sure. Most teachers I know do want to learn (after all, it is one of the primal forces that inspired you to become a teacher) and sometimes all they need is a a helping hand. A real helping hand.
     How many schools do you know that give teachers adequate time just to learn how to integrate technology into their classroom lessons? Almost all U.S. public schools I know devote weekly time to data driven teams intent on increasing test scores in particular areas. I cannot think of one public school that on a weekly basis provides the necessary intense indoctrination into learning technology that it will take to turn the situation around. Ah, but wait, the Internet exists where teachers can learn about technology! Yes, it's true and many teachers, bless them, do devote a good amount of time to this endeavor. Well then, why isn't there a greater integration of technology into these classrooms? Perhaps it is fear, maybe the lack of equipment, or gosh, maybe because most teachers are not evaluated on their use of technology during classroom visits. Ah! So it must be the administrators' fault that teachers do not have the time, training, motivation, and equipment to make true technology integration a reality. Hmm, again, I think it is more complex than that. [Sigh of relief from administrators.]
     So, shoot, what's a tech integrator to do? Instead of being frustrated and blaming different folks, let's just fix the problem. You have to find your own way to this solution. For me, it comes down to one simple statement that Ghandi made. You remember, Ghandi, right? He's a fellow who really understood that change is messy and sometimes it requires a lot of patience. He said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." Boy, is that simple. Do I get frustrated? Absolutely. However, instead of beating my head against the wall, I read every book I could about change. Slowly, I adjusted who I target in my drive toward technology integration. I became more savvy about who the game changers were around me. It's not easy but I rely on Ghandi's advice and my dad's advice every day. Fix the problem, not the blame. Be the change you want to see in the world.
     And for goodness sake, if that doesn't work for you, try my mom's advice, "You get more with honey than you do with vinegar." :)

Tigger or Eeyore?

#notatiste2011

    Humph! So, I was not at ISTE 2011! Did it matter? Well, surely I missed out on all the networking, catching up with folks, learning new things, and the gosh darn fun of being there. I mean it was in the City of Brotherly Love, so criminy, what could be better? However, through Twitter and other fun tools, I (almost) felt like I was there [shout outs to The Nerdy Teacher, SarahDSparks, Lisa Nielsen and others for their constant tweets). What did I do before this connectivity? Hmm, I guess I wasn't . . . connected.
     Currently I am am running an 8 week course online, 21 Steps to Being a 21st Century Teacher. I am so proud of the teachers who not only signed up but keep coming back for more. It's been a delight to read their blog posts and to truly drill down to understand where the fear and hesitation about "21st Century Teaching" lurk among faculty, no matter what their age or experience.
     So many education gurus claim that teachers' fear of technology stems from lack of training (blame the school or district). Teachers will advocate for more time to train or more up-to-date tools (blame the school or district). Some technology directors suggest that technology use should be a requirement (really? Are we advocating eat your peas and carrots as a solution?). Actually, I don't think it is either. Really, when you get down to it, there are two issues: what is your mindset and what are your priorities? If your mindset is "Grrrrr, what is going to happen if I push this button?" then you approach technology itself with fear. Tiptoeing never works. What if your mindset is "Gosh, I can't wait to see what happens when I touch this button!". Always better to be a Tigger than an Eeyore.

     If you set your mind that learning how to use technology is a good thing (thanks Martha) to both advance your professional growth, and to provide better engagement for your students, maybe even fun, then you will approach the learning with the right positive mindset. However, that is not enough. I hear so many faculty begrudge the fact that students spend so much time immersed in the world of technology, whether they are texting, on Facebook, YouTube, etc. Hey, how do you think students became so technically adept? Their priority is communicating with their friends and the world around them and to accomplish that goal, they use multiple technological tools and develop expertise along the way. (How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice!) What if ALL faculty approached their communication and collaboration that way? I've heard too many tragic tales from tech directors at truly wonderful schools who set up discussion boards, wikis, and other collaborative spaces only to have them sit relatively empty. Helloooooooooooo, is anyone in there? Remember, email use to be a mystery too. It's about time that we imbue the daily life of school with these tools.
     One step in the right direction to adopting these new tools into every day teaching life is when administrators step up and model best uses of these tools. Great examples are folks like Jonathan Martin (@JonathanEMartin), Eric Sheninger (@NMHS_Principal), Justin Tarte (@justintarte), and the whole Connected Principles Group (@conprin). Leading by example inspires others to step up. Teaching can be such an isolating experience yet using tools like Twitter can open up your teaching world and show you that you don't have to do it alone. Are you a 4th Grade Teacher in need of help with a classroom project? Just tweet your question to #4thchat and I guarantee that you will receive at least a dozen helpful responses. As I have advised faculty in my online class as they embark into the land of Twitter, Google Reader and other fun tools, keep it simple and focused. Don't get infowhelmed, get infofocused. When something goes wrong, (and it will), use common sense to fix it and laugh. It's okay. Nothing is broken. Just a bump in the road. Keep your sense of wonder and adventure.
     Ooops, I left out the Elephant in the Room, the final excuse as to why some faculty fear integrating technology into their classrooms. "It doesn't work." Well, why doesn't it work? Do you have the same problem over and over? Learn how to fix it. Didn't you at one time have trouble tying your shoes? It's a learning curve. Have you been burned by technology failing you as you tried to make a presentation? It happens to the best of us. At these times I always think of Steven Spielberg and that enormous fake shark. The gosh darn thing kept failing. It wasn't scary, in fact it was just plain goofy. The studio was screaming at him. The actors and crew must have had their doubts about signing up for such a low quality flick. However, persistence pays off. The shark finally worked and Jaws became a blockbuster. Be the little engine that could. Be a Tigger.