Rethinking "Technology Class"

As the 21st Century Learning Coordinator, I have the great privilege of teaching the classes in our school that are entitled "Technology".  Part of my role (and one of my favorite parts) involves working with teachers and students to integrate technology into the classroom.  Now if you think about this role, it really is a conundrum.  I call it a conundrum because by the very nature of having a "Technology Class" we isolate the subject of "technology".  At the same time, we are working toward a culture of technology integration.  In fact, we are already there in so many ways.  Yet, I found myself working against my own goal.  Until recently.

It came to me in a flash.  Well, that's not exactly true.  I attended the ISTE conference and then it hit me.  I can't even tell you exactly what it was.  Perhaps I started to think about what I find interesting about the subject of technology.  I realized that what makes technology so interesting to me is not necessarily the devices and all of the cool things that they can do but rather the people behind the great inventions.  I mean who isn't fascinated by the anti-social behavior of some of the greatest tech start-up innovators?  Or, what about the fact that Steve Jobs saw beyond the functionality of a tool and placed just as much emphasis on the design of the tool?   Who isn't curious about the angel investors behind these prize inventors that risk so much money to support an idea?  It was during this aha moment that I decided to shake things up a bit.

I now knew that I was committed to completely reinventing what it meant to come to "Technology Class". At that moment of insight, a class of entrepreneurs were born.  They just didn't know it yet.  I decided to create a curriculum that revolves around being an entrepreneur and tapping into one's creative side (we all have one, even if it is buried deep within and doesn't see the light of day much).  Although daunting when I think about it, it has also proven to be super exciting.  The idea is this: we study the great innovators and the not so great innovators.  What do they have in common?  What makes one succeed and another flounder?  What makes some of them risk their life savings on something intangible? What is it that makes Silicon Valley so attractive?  Let's not forget about the venture capitalists.  What makes them take a risk on someone (often times a complete stranger) that has an idea?  What is it about that person's idea that speaks to them?  Is it an immediate connection to that person or is it as simple as a whimsical feeling?  We discover what it means to build a business from scratch: the marketing, the budgeting, the sales pitching.  How does it all come together?  How does technology leverage one's business idea?  What technology tools do entrepreneurs use to have the greatest impact and reach the widest audience?  None of the answers to these questions are simple.  In fact, many can't even be answered.  But, that's not the point.  The point is that it all starts with asking questions, which leads me to my next discovery.

There are no limits to what a student can create.  In fact, just today, one of my fifth graders said, "It's going to work. You just have to believe in it. Believe in the creation that you make". I couldn't have said it better myself. So, I didn't. Instead, I took her words and shared them with the world. I shared them via Twitter, via our class website, and now here with you. We have only had nine classes and in those nine 50 minute class periods, I have seen students create an animated animal safari to entertain and delight, a memorial for a deceased loved one to comfort and to console, a Lego candy machine to tempt the taste buds, and a motion sensor radio to make you want to dance (and sing as we discovered). Creativity. Freedom to Explore. Encouragement. Those are beautiful things. In nine short days of "Technology Class", I have felt reinvigorated, ecstatic, and most of all passionate about each and every invention that my students have decided to welcome into this world. So, that conundrum that I mentioned above turned out to be a gift that proved to inspire a new beginning. Here's to a great year of entrepreneurship.

The First Five Days

I love to hear what other educators have planned for the #firstfivedays of school.  Last summer, the Building Learning Communities Conference introduced me to Alan November's First Five Days challenge, which encourages teachers to consider the grand possibilities that can take place the first five days of school.  Recognizing the amazing energy that can be generated from those first five days, I started curating  #firstfivedays resources to inspire my own creativity.  Last year, I modified the Toilet Paper Ice Breaker with my fourth and fifth graders in technology.  In addition to sharing about themselves, they also had to share what they knew about digital citizenship.  This set the stage for a great discussion and helped me know more about their perception of all things related to digital citizenship.  It was tons of fun! 

This year, however, I am going with an #appsmashing challenge.  Students will be rolling the creation app dice to determine what app they will use to create something that tells about themselves.  Next, they will roll the showcase app dice to determine what tool they will use to share their creation.  In addition to being a hands-on, creative project, students will add new tools to their tech tool box.  If you want to get in on the fun checkout the #appshmashing challenge from Craig Badura and #appdice originally created by Ryan Read.  I look forward to sharing my students' original creations!

We're baaack!

As the school year kicks off, there is a mix of nervousness, ruach, and optimism.  When I reflect back on this summer, I feel fortunate to have had the great fortune of participating in exceptional professional development opportunities.  I benefited from joining 18 of my colleagues in a chartered bus as we headed to Memphis, TN to attend The Martin Institute Learning Conference.  The conference was remarkable but I must say that I got just as much out of the bus ride as I did out of the conference itself.  Hearing from my peers about their big plans for the upcoming school year and their incredible ideas was contagious.  I also enjoyed five intense days of learning at ISTE with 8 of my colleagues, which also did not disappoint.  What struck me most about this conference was that it was a networking gold mine.  Suddenly, Twitter personas became real people that you could actually interact with live.  It was surreal.  Besides bringing back fresh ideas for my own classes, some of the highlights included giving the Padlet creator a piggy back ride in the Exhibit Halls, meeting Moby of BrainPop fame for the first time, learning from the EdTech Pirates about how they keep their classrooms exciting, and one of the biggest highlights of the conference was learning how to fight the Zombie Librarian Apocalypse from Jennifer LaGarde, a.k.a Library Girl. 

Besides all of the fabulous PD I was able to participate in this summer, one of my favorite things about summer involves one word: reading.  I was able to read, read, and read some more.  As the saying goes, "there are so many books and so little time".  For me, summer represents the time to make time for reading.  In the interest of nurturing this hobby of mine, I will continue to read voraciously during the school year so that when I need to recharge my batteries, I can turn to a good book.  SO, on the eve of an exciting first week of school, I pick up right where I left off.  Only better connected, well read, and extremely enthusiastic.  Here's to a great year ahead!