Use It or Lose It

It's so easy to choose not to use all of the amazing technology that is at our disposal in the classroom.  It's easy to say that students learn best the same way that we did; drill and kill, memorization, dry old basals, and on and on.   

Another obstacle is having our technology work for us.  I love to use technology when it works with no clitches. I will sometimes opt to not use my projector or tablet because of the time it takes to pull up the materials on my computer. 

But the fact of the matter is, is that we are teaching the new generation and we owe it to them to choose the best method of instruction.  So I am making the use of technology in my lessons intentional.  I try to think about what my own children would find interesting and go from there.  I am fortunate because I have a Kindergartener and a Second grader.  I teach the first grade so I am bound to find something someone is interested in. 

My BIGGEST concern is time.  We are required to meet standards, collect data, manage behavior, and foster relationships.  With all of the lesson planning, I hate to incorporate technology that I am not always confident will work.  I need to change my attitude because the reality of teaching is that it is all uncertain.  How many times have I prepared an amazing lesson that was differenciated for all students and then 3 children were absent?  Or a great lesson was planned and then we ran out of time because of a convocation or just ran out of time.  Soooooo, I just need to get over my issue and realize that teachers always need to have backup plan regardless of technology or not.

I am proud to say that in my classroom, I am making a conscience effort everyday to use the technology provided to me from our district and I also am allowing the children to use the tablet and the responders.  Funny thing, the children are quick learners and I can't let it intimate me, instead I need to praise them and be open to learning from them.