January 26, 2017

#FETC-Day 1 Reflection

How it began:
Early - 7a.
Meeting to set up for VR session.
Set up and co-conducted about VR in the classroom.
Many people were there who had never used a VR headset before today.

Thought - I run with the 5% of educators who know and use more cutting edge technology than the other 95%. Even though that is the case, I still feel as though I am behind.

After walking through the Expo Hall and talking with many other educators, that thought was confirmed.

HOWEVER...

I continue to see certain gaps in conferences.
Where are the discussions about implementation plans, instructional strategies, pedagogy, and creating buy-in as well as curriculum alignment to use these tools?

I talked to Mandy Froehlich for over an hour. (The fastest hour I've had in awhile!)
She made these points:
The difference between instructional coaches in other content areas and technology is that we don't need to teach teachers to read to teach instructional strategies in reading, however, we do need to both change mindset and teach technology skills before effective integration can happen with students. 

I love that she has the vision of all the aspects of teacher education. It is refreshing to see an administrator who has such a vision.
And of course, there was swapping of experiences within our own environments.

This scenario repeats itself over and over again.
At national conferences, there is time to sit and talk about what we do. Soon we figure out we are in very similar boats but in different parts of the ocean.
Leaky boats which desperately need to be patched. Yet, there is not enough personnel and/or materials to do that or there a lack of vision to see it.
What should we do to keep the boat from going down?
Well, I have figured out that I should share my plans of what I do to try to turn my situation around based on what I have control over. No sense in trying to bail water when it is not in my area or I can't reach it.

So, Day 1... simply wonderful and refreshing but a catalyst to push my thinking and work.

#move

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