As far as advice goes, I would try to get involved in the planning of lessons with other teachers to try and team-teach a lesson with their content and your technology-based ideas. As a newer teacher, I wouldn’t be threatened by your presence, I would welcome the help in my classroom and also enjoy the learning experience. I would think teaching along side of veteran teachers would show them that there is nothing to fear even though the use of computers or other technology may feel foreign or alien to them.

Thanks for your post and ideas, once again this is new to me so I hope this can help,

Thanks again and good luck!

I totally agree – those quality relationships with several teachers that can allow you some flexibility and creativity in how you develop projects together is the key to dealing with the “non-teaching” part of the job. I would consider myself very lucky to be working with a number of teachers that are very flexible and allow me to try new things. Though, I must admit, I am always much more conscious of their time than I would be if I was on my own. Knowing I’m “using” another persons teaching time – even if we’re working toward the same goals – is always a consideration.

@Keri-Lee

Oh those grand plans! Even if you don’t get to them as fast as you like, it’s definitely important to have them. Your job is your learning too, you want to have a goal to strive toward for yourself as well. Sometimes it takes longer to get there, but it’s always worth it! Email anytime!

@Doug

You’re so right. Considering I’ve taken so long to respond to these comments, some of these thoughts have come up in my recent post “Difficult Conversations” about coaching. Not exactly what you’re talking about, but definitely a step in that direction.

I agree that we need to define and communicate common expectations for all teachers (and admin). This is part of our focus for our ISB21 team this year. First, we need to adopt some standards (yikes) for the students, then we’ll begin working on something for the teachers. Thanks for the link – that will certainly help us get started!

I guess I’ll have to put Lake Okoboji on the list for next summer…

@Matt

I totally agree about working with students outside the structure of the school day. Most schools I’ve worked at require teachers to do something similar already.

However, I do think there’s a big difference in being able to tell teachers that something worked perfectly in an after-school activity (with no assessments, school-based scheduling issues, resource challenges, etc), than being able to tell them that it was a great choice for a specific curricular area to meet student learning outcomes. I guess that’s my struggle – to “sell” something with validity, it’s best to be tried and tested at least once in the classroom, but I don’t always have that possibility.

@Mary

So glad the post was helpful for you! Good luck in your new position!

@Suzanne

I’m intrigued by your Attraction Not Promotion group! On one hand, I can certainly see how powerful that would be – just let everyone interested come to us. But, then I am wary that not all teachers would eventually come around. How do you deal with that? Or maybe it’s not your that group’s responsibility to get all teachers to do things in a certain way so it’s not a concern. Either way, a very interesting idea! I like things that sell themselves!

@cchater

Nicely put!

@JenW

Great point Jen!

@Edi

So true!

@Melissa

Good luck with your new job! I’m sure you’ll love it!

@Kelly

So true about being more realistic when you are the only one responsible for making it happen. It’s dangerous to get so far out of the classroom that you don’t remember what day-to-day teaching is like.

@David

Thank you! I love your Blog Companion idea!

@Jeff

Agreed – a student tech team, or something along those lines (probably not the official GenYes) is definitely one of the things on my agenda for this year. Students love having these kinds of responsibilities and their help is often invaluable for teachers. Thanks for adding that to the list!

@Diane

Glad my blog is helpful for you! Lucky you, 1:1 Mac! Enjoy your year!

@Gary

Great point about embracing low/no tech – it’s all part of building those relationships and focusing on student learning. Thanks for adding that to the list!

@David

So true! Always focusing on student learning, and promoting and sharing the power of project-based learning, UbD and differentiation is so important. Using technology in a classroom with poor teaching practice doesn’t make the learning experience any better. I see technology as an amplifier – it can make a great learning experience better, but can equally amplify to the negative. Thanks for adding that to the list!

@Lisa

For sure!

@Katie

Agreed on both points! Thanks!

great post! In addition to these good thoughts, To be a good teacher i think need constant working at ourselves,find new and interesting materials for our lessons.to get students involved in the subject .am using flashcards to make the learning process more interesting. Learning should be made a fun activity and interactive to get the students like and learn the subject.

Excellent ideas that are very practical- thanks. As a friend in graduate school said to me “You will use your counseling skills more than your technology and instructional skills when you start working as an instructional technologist.” So I could not agree more that our skill set must include relationship building, attentive listening and knowledge of how we are coming across to others.

I invite your readers to read your previous posts about your collaborative efforts in developing curriculum with your elementary grade level teaching teams. Technology and information literacy integration during curriculum development time can really help one’s learning community make the shift to Learning 2.0.

I would add that part of the ongoing celebration of teachers should also be about teachers who might not be using any technology but who are using discovery learning, supporting the UbD process, truly differentiating, etc. As we always say, it is about the learning and not the technology. As you so often point out, we are then seen as co-teachers and folks then become more interested in our ideas to use technology to enhance learning.

A last note for the new technology facilitators is to take care of yourselves. Being a change agent often working on your own is very difficult work. Work to form your support base in your school with your early adopters and in your virtual PLN.

And terrific comments from your readers- very helpful.