Comments on: More Stupid Mistakes

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 10 May 2009 22:46:49 +0000

I’m one of the newbies where technology is concerned and can appreciate your list above. New things in technology seem scary until you just start trying and doing, just like everything else in life. I see how my mom reacted to the computer, the internet, and email when it first came out, and we all made fun of her because it was so “easy!” Now, here I am, trying something new and feeling exactly how she felt. It’s all relative; we need to keep moving forward to best serve ourselves and our students.

By: Toni

Toni — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:20:56 +0000

I am currently working as an 8th grade special education teacher in a new building (this is our 2nd year in the building) that is equipped with a lot of new technology. Many of the teachers do not know how to use all the technology that is available to them. There has been some training on using SMART Boards and creating websites, but there is still so much to learn. Sometimes it’s hard to ask questions when technological experts are hard to find and there is limited free time in school.

I am currently working on a master’s degree in integrating technology in the classroom and I hope to learn many new ways to use the technology that is available to me. There is so much to learn and I know the learning process will be never ending. With all of the technological advances, there is always going to be something new to learn about.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:56:58 +0000

I have been a science middle school teacher for two years. When I took my teacher education courses, we were required to write many lessons plans. Everything was a step by step plan that would go as planned perfectly in a nice neat little package. I found that in the real life of teaching there are many, many things that can go wrong. I have also found that I will have students who will not want to ask questions about what they do not understand in fear of looking “stupid”. I think that when pre-service teachers are in college they need to have classes that will let them know that teaching is not perfect. They need to know before they are to teach they need to be able to roll with the punches.

As for technology in the classroom, I liked your comment about how learning about technology is like learning to read. I am working on my masters in integrating technology in the classroom. I have found that you are right about how I will need to decode and then connect knowledge of what is known to the unknown. I am the type of person who needs to actually physically navigate my way around the computer and the internet to learn how to use it better. I have really enjoyed reading your blog and thank you for helping to see that the baby steps that I am making in technology will take me to a better place in my teaching

By: Doug Johnson

Doug Johnson — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:04:20 +0000

Hi Candace,

Thanks for running with this one! We all have our list, I am sure, and my own actions would probably make the list of others!

Please note that I qualified rather carefully my use of “stupid” in my pre-list narrative. I too was a classroom teacher for many years.

All the best,

Doug