Waiver Day # 1: a warm Wednesday morning, teachers all in their places with bright, shining faces, computers and minds open to what the 1:1 program might bring. And there I am, the newbie, excited to talk about integrating technology. Couldn’t be more perfect. Aaaaaand then our internet access point couldn't handle all the excitement and took a dive and our internet provider got cyber attacked, leaving us with only sporadic internet. Same old story: technology’s great when it works, but when it doesn’t….
I had two lifesavers that morning: one was Jeff Wills, not only a Master Teacher but an encouraging colleague. He quietly approached me right after the internet let us down and whispered a reminder in my ear about something I mentioned in my interview for this position, about how when teachers’ technology plans go bust we’re like soldiers after battle, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder: we’re frozen for a bit, our dreams turn into nightmares, and we don’t want to go back into battle again. Ever.
As teachers, though, we’ve all had beyond-our-control setbacks and still returned the next day to give ‘er another go, yes?
So I reached for my second lifesaver that morning: my external hard drive (think flash/thumb drive on steroids) on which I had made a last-minute decision to store all my files for the day and toss into my book bag. Always have a backup plan, right?
The morning went on, a supportive, patient staff continued to be patient and even tried some new things. Later, with the help of some wonderful colleagues from the high school, we got some 1:1 scoop and had a fun live Q & A via Google Hangout.
Speaking of the Google Hangout:
... Special thanks to four let's-just-see-what-happens colleagues and one pioneering principal from over the way. When the idea came to try this format, Wes Weaver said very confidently that he could find some willing participants. Within a couple of days I had my test pilots: Christopher Clark, Brian Ledford, Andy Zidron, and Josh Caton.
Although 1 or 2 of them had tested the Google Hangout waters, no one (including me) had gone full on with an audience like we planned to do. We decided just to go for it. The only life savers I had for them were some some tips I thought might help, and help in getting them set up to use the Google Hangout Toolbox app that allowed us, through a feature called Lower Third, to whip up name banners so we could all be identified easily as we recorded. There were a few glitches, as there might be with anything new, but we did what educators always do... we made it work. I think teachers may find many uses for Hangout: here are a few good ones.
So now that the school year has officially begun, and we’re two weeks closer to next year’s 1:1 push out, I’m still thinking about lifesavers: When it comes to integrating technology, will we depend on each other as colleagues, will we be the calming force for our students who'll be just as new to 1:1 as we will be -- or might the students, who never fail to surprise us, be our lifesavers?
photo credits:
LVMS Waiver Day pics: by Bonnie McQueen (thanks, Bonnie!)
Brian Ledford & Chris Clark: Mindy Hanson
