I know nothing of the Olympics except what the television networks feed me. They have taught me that Olympians are specialists in many things I never thought about — or knew existed. Olympic skiers know the details of ski materials, edges, turns, and lines on a course. They know what wax technicians do and all about different characteristics of snow. They adapt their skiing strategy for every nuance, and they also push the envelope in hopes of hitting just the right combination of risk and experience to feel a medal ’round their neck. They measure themselves by their finishes and their cumulative racing success. As they grew from novice skiers, their support teams grew with their success until they reach the Olympic pinnacle. They are specialists, and they know where they stand.

Teachers are specialists but without the support team, medals, or media. (We are thrilled to find free donuts in the lounge!) Since we do not “compete,” it is much harder to measure our success or earn sponsors, but we quietly build as strong a repertoire as an Olympic skier. (And our bodies don’t give out as soon!) We know the edges of different approaches to learning. We see different lines to take on a course, and we seek a balance of risk and experience every day. We speak a specialized language that unfortunately mystifies parents but makes sense among our team of colleagues. So how do we measure our own success and needs for growth?

I was part of a panel this week with James Welsh from FCIT, home of the Technology Integration Matrix. As he shared the matrix, a tool for self-evaluation or administrative evaluation of how a teacher integrates technology,  and I shared about apps in the classroom, I thought about just how specialized we really are and how tough it is for us to see our own accomplishments. The non-teachers in the audience made me realize we are the Olympic skiers talking about edges and lines and wax and snow.  So how do we know how to grow? I have more questions than answers for teacher-specialists right now. Obviously, edtech or instructional coaches can play a role in this, but what role do you want to take yourself?

• How do you measure yourself as a specialist?
• Do others ask you for teaching ideas? (Should they?)
• Do you use a self-evaluation or rating scale like the TIMS? Would you like to? Do you compare yourself to exemplar videos? Would you voluntarily watch a video of another teacher?
• Do you let an administrator label your “level”?
• Have you ever tried to explain your chain of decision-making to someone who is not a teacher?
• Have you ever watched the same event/class/student and shared what you observe vs. what a nonspecialist might see?
• Do you realize how much you know — and how much you have to learn?

Be an Olympian. Take the risk of measuring your accomplishments.

I loved Crackerjack when I was little. The caramel corn was OK, the peanuts were better, and the prizes were the best! I would beg my parents for Cracker Jack when we were out shopping, and I usually won. Years later, I  think of Cracker Jack as a good analogy for edtech today. I think of the wonderful tech snack foods we find in apps and on the web and wonder if, instead of asking teachers and kids to  “think outside the box” (an overused phrase at best), we should be looking for the unexpected prize inside each box — like Cracker Jack.

Here are some STEM or math-related Cracker Jack boxes I have explored recently — and the serendipitous surprises at the bottom of each box:

Primitives Application This one intrigues me. I look at this graphical representations of numbers, and I want to solve its secret code. Actually, I want to show it to a few kids and ask them what is going on. I don’t think I’d even tell them these were numbers initially. I’d ask them to figure out what the site is doing. They’d spot the numbers at the bottom and the changing graphics and eventually figure out that each number has a representative “graphic.” The surprise in the box? Change the settings so it jumps ahead. Predict the next graphic. Even better, create your own system of graphics for numbers. You could scribble them in crayon or get really clever with digital shapes, etc. The candy-coated popcorn is figuring it out. The prize inside the box is creating  your own. 

Brainy box Yes, I love visual toys, and this one is a BOX in itself. I can put whatever I want on the outside: YouTube videos, images, text, etc. The candy coated popcorn is being able to make a box. The prize inside is that what I put on the outside can be a mystery about what is inside. So in chemistry class, I can put hints about the mystery element  hidden inside my Brainy Box. My prize is making YOUR prize a secret that you must solve.

Cym@th This Cracker Jack box looks like a black and white boxed, generic product. Don’t be deceived. There is Cracker Jack in here for sure!  Try entering an algebraic expression and telling it to factor for you! Remember all the hours you spent trying various combinations of  (x+2) (3x-7) until you found the right combination? No more! The candy coated popcorn is a problem-solver for almost any mathematical expression.  (Uh oh! This is an instant homework cheat…) But wait! The prize? Have the kiddos make screencasts where they EXPLAIN what the tool is showing them. If they have to narrate it beyond what it is print, they’ll have to understand it. So the prize is hidden understanding accompanying the “answer” it gives. Remember, if you don’t ask for the prize, you’ll have nothing but popcorn,

Composite Number Tree If you like making popcorn balls or chains, this Cracker Jack number tool provides just the number project. See how composite numbers form a tree. I taste the caramel corn as I watch the tree “grow” to 99. Then it stops. The prize? Draw the tree of 100-999 or 1999- 2099 or any other number series you choose. Make an entire orchard of composite number trees. 

Build With Chrome  This Lego collection has infinite blocks. Enjoy the treat of tutorial building challenges as you crunch your way through the box. The prize is being able to think up a building challenge like “Design an ideal home for a giraffe.” or “Design a new bobsled run for the Olympics,” and then let kids go to it. They can even challenge each other. No messy Lego buckets, no pointy little blocks embedded in your bare feet, no COST, nothing but building fun! By the way, it works in CHROME only.

Hope you found some learning snacks that appeal to you and — especially — some prizes.

Lately, I have posted largely to an edtech coach audience.  At my core, however, I am “just a teacher.” (My license plate reads TCHR2GO.)  I think a lot about the teacher’s view of the relationship with an edtech coach and of professional development done poorly.  I know what it feels like to have someone breathing professional development at you like an unwelcome dragon. I was always the person asking loads of questions in those PD sessions, trying to make it meaningful to me and my teaching world.  So I offer the top ten questions you can (and should) ask to find out what your edtech coach can do for you.

Top Ten questions to ask your edtech coach

10. Is it OK to have fun? Hopefully, you coach will burst forth with a resounding “Yes!” A good coach can actually get you excited about the learning that occurs along with the tech instead of  simply playing with “toys.” You wouldn’t have become a teacher if you didn’t enjoy learning as “fun”!
9. What if it breaks? A good edtech coach can help you get past the crutch of crisis help. If you have found your primary contact with your coach has been sending high priority emails with the subject line “Help,” you should definitely ask about the things you might anticipate in using a certain tech tool with your students. A good edtech coach can help you become proactive instead of reactive. Or you could simply ask your students the same question and see what they already know about the tool.
8. What if it bombs? Some lessons will, whether you are using technology or not. A good edtech coach will point out what you and your students you are doing right, helping you refocus and build upon it.
7. Where do I find that again? (What if I forget how?) After the refrain of “it’s easy” throughout a session with your coach (or your savvy students), you may want to declare yourself “dumb” for not remembering it all.  A wise teacher will always ask where to retrieve this information later. A good edtech coach will have it ready for you to watch the screencast or revisit the video or find the FAQ when you are ready to retrieve it.
6. Where do I PUT all this stuff? It may make sense to a “techie” person how to organize things like Word documents, files, Google presentations, how-to videos, and bookmarks, but you, as a teacher, did not learn how to put these things away in a four drawer file cabinet back when you were student teaching. A good edtech coach will share some possible ways to name files, organize folders, create cloud storage, and clean out old versions.  Even more importantly, he or she can show you how to search for that long lost file. Everybody has a different system, but the key is system. Ask for suggested options.
5. How do I remember all these passwords? Passwords are both the most critical security device and the most annoying reminder of our cognitive overload. A good edtech coach will share some of the clever ways others handle this problem or how they solve it themselves. They are good at hearing and sharing good ideas from one teacher to another — with or without “credit” as the original teacher prefers. (I will listen to good ideas on this one, too. In the meantime, I have resorted to password storage tool. I just have to remember the password to access it!)
4. What is _______ (fill in the blank as many times as you wish: Twitter, a wiki, a Google Doc, a hashtag…)? Your edtech coach should welcome each and every question you ask about something you have heard or are curious about. His/her response should come without any reaction to indicate your ignorance and with at least two of three ideas for how (fill in the blank) could fit into learning in your classroom.
3. Who is going to benefit if I do this? This question can sound pretty negative, so be careful what tone you use. It is like your student who asks, “What am I going to do with algebra, anyway?”  A good edtech coach will take it well. He/she will help you see into the shadows of your class where you did not previously notice the quieter student who comes to life on backchannel chat or the gifted one who did nothing but disrupt things until technology brought more open-ended learning to your lessons. What you are really asking is, “Can you help me assess the impact of these changes I am working so hard to make?”
2. What else can I give up to find time for this? Like #3, this can sound negative, but it is a legitimate question. Every teacher craves time.  Please show me what two things I can combine because I am using technology. Please  show me how doing it once will accomplish it ten times over. Please show me why the effort is worth it. Give me examples of what I can replace instead of just adding more. A good edtech coach will have those examples or will ask other teachers in your school community to share their answers.
1. How does this fit with (enter your latest school/district initiative here)? Any teacher who has been working for more than five years has seen initiatives come and go. Each comes with its own inservice requirements, new teacher evaluation elements, and “changes” to your practice.  When was the last time someone incorporated the ways technology can facilitate and meld with the initiative into those mandatory inservice sessions? A good edtech coach was at the district office advocating to treat technology as part of the initiative toolbox  and offering to work together with inservice staff to make it a seamless union. A good edtech coach will answer, “Let me show you how… I have been working on this because it all fits together.”

Ask questions. You may discover a new and productive relationship with that person with the mysterious title of coach, integration specialist, tech specialist, ITRT, or whatever.

In this week’s #SIGETC Twitter chat, we collected our top tips for edtech coaching success in 2014. The chat hit many themes, but a strong recurring thread was the importance of establishing rapport and providing a “safe” teacher-coach relationship where teachers can build confidence and experience success.

As Lynne so aptly put it:

I absolutely agree that coaching, like teaching, is all about relationships. But I have to wonder whether coaching is also like mattresses: If we try too hard to simply make it comfortable, it may end up being just pain squishy, offering no support at all.

We need to turn up the DIScomfort a bit so teachers will “wake up” refreshed and energized by new ways of teaching. I have been thinking about the kind of extrinsic factors that could create  an appropriate level of DIScomfort to nudge teachers out of old patterns or beyond  satisfaction with past accomplishments: “I can use that PowerPoint (web tool, IWB activity, blog challenge, etc.) every year and check the box for using technology!” [Uh oh, have you said that, my teacher readers?]

Every teacher tolerates or manages DIScomfort differently. Some rebel; some shut down; some reframe it as a personal challenge. Saying, for example,  that every teacher must meet a certain level of technology by a certain date may work with some, especially the competitive ones who want to get to the goal line first. But imposing a one size fits all goal means that the DIScomfort is overwhelming for some but a mild annoyance to others. We all know that differentiation is key. So what constitutes a productive amount of DIScomfort?

Ollie Dreon, a college prof friend of mine who prompts and prods the faculty at Millersville University into using technology,  drew a parallel between the scientific concept of being “antifragile” and embracing the catastrophes (DIScomforts?) inherent in technology. Certainly fear of failure is a DIScomfort that can induce teacher paralysis. In an ideal world, flipping tech failures (both system glitches and lousy lesson plans) into an “antifragile” positive by learning from them converts a sense of catastrophe to mild DIScomfort. But we all know the old saw, “once bitten, twice shy” could be rewritten, “When the tech dog bites, teachers revert to pet rocks.”  Only a long period of perspective-gaining successes will convince most teachers to learn from failures and celebrate the learning hidden within disastrous experiences.

Perhaps my mattress analogy works to find just the right level of DIScomfort for edtech coaches to motivate teacher progress. Think of the Sleep Number® Bed. You find the right number where you feel comfortable, your back does not hurt, and you awaken refreshed. The bed inflates to just that number, and bingo! What if we ask each teacher find the perfect edtech “sleep number,” then we subtracted (0r added) to tweak the number?  Start with a true, personal self-assessment — tell them you are helping them find a place where they are comfortable. Provide whatever “sleep number” scale you want: LOTI,  Arizona’s TIM, SAMR, the FCIT matrix, ISTE-T standards, or your school’s internal self-assessment. The important thing is to give them a measuring stick to find their Sleep Number. Then — perhaps as as surprise next step — ask how they would like to change their number: More collaboration?  A little closer to “the line” or just above it? More constructive or authentic? Give them the control to choose the “number” they want to try. Control over the DIScomfort is their own, but implicit in your question is the fact that they have to try a shift from that comfortable spot. Who knows, they may find they get out of bed in the morning changed by the experience of a little DIScomfort.

I guess I should say “sweet (edtech coach) dreams”?

Last week I shared a list of ideas that came out of a recent collaborative  OK2Ask® session.  The participants, all edtech coaches or teachers who play a less formal “coach” type role with their peers,  chose the top  challenges from a longer list of possibilities and then shared ideas they have used or hope to use to meet those challenges. You can see  a recording of the full session  here (uses Adobe Connect). This post shares part 2 of their explanations and solutions, saving you the time of watching a recording. Like all of us, you probably value the  timesaving “executive summary.” Again, I offer only initials ( and state abbreviation the first time they contribute) to respect our participants’ privacy.

Challenge: Promoting tech for LEARNING, not tech for tech sake

CD (OR): you really have to model this for teachers.

DS (IN): With kids, you introduce technology and they FREELY explore. I help the teachers by having them watch me explore with their kids.

SR (NY): I want to ban the word tech and replace it with tools. We all use tools everyday in our lives, I want to be able to have all the teachers feel comfortable with these new tools.

RP (AZ): Ask them (teachers) “What are you going to do with that?”

NA (FL): I break down tech into teacher tools vs. student use for enhancing learning.

JZ (PA): I try to make sure what I do in computer class is connected to what they [students] are doing in some area of their curriculum, not just a “computer” assignment.

MB (UT): I get the kids hooked on the tools, then ask them how their teacher could use this tool.

JS (SC): Ask [teachers] why the “tool” is being used.

KB (PA): The pedagogy should drive the integration, not the technology. Eliminate the tool first approach.

LD (OR): It makes more sense to use tech within the subjects in the curriculum.

CD: I also think it is important that teachers are confident with the materials that they need to teach.  If they are trying to master their curriculum and use new tools, that can be just too much for them.

KB: Provide choices, selection.

MB: I used [a certain tool] with sixth graders last week, and they had a ton of ways they can use it in the classroom with their teacher. Luckily the teacher was listening

RP: Have follow up sessions where they [teachers] share how they used the new tools.

NA: Try teaching a tech elective [to students] using project based learning to showcase ways they can use technology in every core class they take.

JS: Spend several weeks of instruction on a tool — that gives teachers a better feeling about using the tool.

Challenge: Coaching during other major initiatives, such as implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

SR: This year has been very tough our teachers learning the common core.

Find ways to make technology help with that initiative so teachers can “kill two birds with one stone” as they adjust to the new initiative.

MH (PA): Digital writing is part of CCSS, so that helps.

Stephanie Ryall: Yes I think the common core will ultimately or already has created more use of the smartboards in our school because of the format the lesson are provided in NY. [helps teachers envision how they can be successful with both because the lesson plan shows them]

KB: Provide a pyramid approach for tools. One tool per year and it builds. In the intermediate/secondary grades the students have an arsenal to choose.

LG (MA):  Most teachers are apt to use what they know.

AQ (OR): Sometimes if a teacher can see the tool in action by observing another teacher use it in class or by having it modeled in their own class, they are more willing to give if a try.

CD: I think we also need to ask them what they would want to use if “it was easy”. Then you can backwards map it and teach them the skills they need.

Other CHALLENGES and ideas to motivate teachers

JZ: It is really important to be sure the technology works when teachers try to use it – a problem or 2 can turn teachers off from trying again.

Solutions:

MB: Modeling a lesson in the classroom first, then being there for back up when they are teaching.

Offer incentives and motivators:

CD: Teaching them all the ways to Google.  It blows their mind when they learn that all the information they want is there, if they know how to ask Google for it.

DS: A silly thing that I did was put a big smiley poster outside a teacher’s room that said “She did it”  after someone met one of my challenges.  Then, the kids would ask them why they got the smiley face.  The teacher usually beams as she tells her class.

KB: You could also use ClassDojo, a popular management app, to give  your teachers “tech” feedback. You can customize the behaviors. It sends emails, too.

SR: I have an idea for the teachers.  If they will Facetime with me I will answer their questions!!

Have competitions by hallway, department, or building. Who can have the greatest number of teachers implementing (insert teaching initiative here) using technology? Prizes? Food or release time or ??

MH: Funny how food works – lol

SR: chocolate

KB: You can buy chocolate computers or mouses online as fun tech gifts

What do ETCs WISH for?

We created a Padlet wishlist  from this session, and it is open for further contributions by edtech coaches by ANY title:   http://padlet.com/wall/29gq78x0vw

Join the conversation

Please feel free to comment here with your own edtech coach challenge/solution. I also invite everyone to join the ISTE SIGETC for our “Last Tuesday” Twitter chats. Simpy set up a search for  the #SIGETC hashtag! The next one is coming up January 28 at 1 pm EST. See the full schedule and transcripts here. Everyone is welcome, whether you are an ISTE member or not.

Are you and educational technology coach? Are you the go-to teacher for all things tech in your hallway, department, or building? Have you been assigned a couple of periods a day to bring every other teacher up to speed using tools well as a seamless part of learning? Have you had successes and challenges doing all this? You are definitely NOT alone!

Last night I took part in an online sharing session for educational technology coaches. Their job titles were all different, but the participants were all teachers who work side by side with their colleagues, helping them teach effectively — using  technology to help where appropriate. The discussion was  a firehose of great ideas, and I was lucky to simply chime in once in awhile as the moderator.  You can watch a recording of this free OK2Ask® session here (uses Adobe Connect) or simply enjoy this post, the first installment  sharing what came out of the fire hose.

I have used initials and state abbreviations (the first time they “speak”) to give credit for ideas and included my own thoughts in italics. I did edit, [add words], and rearrange the order a bit for clarity. Thank you to all these collaborative folks for their ideas!

Challenge: Ideas and resources to motivate teachers with varied tech expertise

JS (SC): Have teacher led sessions sharing what they know.

CD (OR): Front load information for the teachers that you know will have trouble.  They usually know it is hard for them and willing to do work ahead of time (and grateful to not feel lost during the training).

JZ (PA) Inservices are a real challenge! We did try splitting into several sessions, but that’s not always possible time – wise.

MB (UT): I do a lot of  one-on-one with my teachers.. Then I can address their exact needs and levels. 15 minutes with one teacher is sometimes more effective than a whole groupl

KB (PA) Leveled activities for participants

PH (AZ): teacher led sessions

NA (FL): Meet with small groups of teachers with similar skills / needs

RP (AZ): Teachers should be required to bring their laptop to the session to hands on not just watching

TJ (NC): Hands on training of tools

MJ (NY): I try to make it fun for all.

SR (NY): I now have a person who helps me from our church.  We are working on this challenge together.

DS (IN): I am trying to learn at the same time.

KB: Provide an environment where failure is OK. Promote problem solving.

CD: You can also go into their classrooms and model how to use the technology with the students.  Once the students get a taste of it, they may push their teacher to learn more.

JS: We ask teachers to differentiate so we must model. The 1 to 1 for a short period is very effective.

Challenge: Defining my role as a coach, not a repair person (or playing BOTH roles if that is your job!)

 MB: I am the go-to repair person, but then I always ask teachers what I can help them with.

NB: Set times for repairs (student or teacher) and then time to meet with teachers on developing tech skills

Use a repair ticket system—many schools have this.

TJ: instead of fixing problems for them I have started walking them through the process of fixing it themselves.

KB: I have “Techsperts,” a student tech team. They provide supports as well. Helps teachers with [classroom] management.  Many issues with integration are management. “Trusted” students help solve minor issues.

JZ: I play both roles, which makes it harder to differentiate.

If you play both roles, bring along TWO HATS and change them to show your role.

KB (PA): Birthday hats…. you can decorate them, too!

 Re ticket systems and “fixes”:

SR: My colleague and I have developed a trouble ticket.  Still those timid teachers have the most trouble filling them out.  Maybe I should make a simpler form.

DS: I try to explain as I fix.  That way they can be the expert at their grade level.

KB: Make “Please meet me face-to-face” an option in the ticket.

CD: Could you walk them through a fake ticket a few times so that when they need to fill it out independently, they won’t feel intimidated.

KB: Ask three before me! [use this same rule that we use with KIDS]

NA: Their problems are always an emergency (to them)

JS: Some say, “It is easier to call you”

MB: teachers will email or text me with problem. then I do the ticket

NA: our ticket asks how have they tried to resolve problem first

MB: I also have teachers do a ticket when i do inservice.

LD (OR): The students are pretty knowledgeable  on the computer,  sometimes with direction, they can solve their own computer problems

KB: Provide a list of tutorials or common fixes. It may be there before they contact you.

CD: You could even scaffold the help.  First time they watch you.  The second (and maybe 3rd) time they do it with your guidance.  Next time they do it with you there, but not helping unless they need it.

Challenge: Helping teachers continue to grow – in both teaching and tech use

KB: Grow & Glow time [teacher sharing time when they talk about something they did in class]. Can be small groups or similar or mixed ability [maybe a grade level or department?

JS: I hold departmental sessions for teachers to share

NA: once a month we have an entire faculty mtg and we have 4-5 teachers share things that they have learned / used with their students. Takes pressure off me.  encourages teachers to try something new

CD: make them the experts!

JS: having [training] sessions recorded is a great plus [so teachers can revisit]

CD: If you are able to get into the classroom and “catch” them using some sort of technology, you can compliment their use and boost confidence.  It is like the “catch them being good’ idea we do with kids. Even if it is just email or creating a simple document.

KB: Provide “Techtastic” tags for [teacher] badge lanyards if they are caught using tech

MB: I brag about my teachers to the other teachers — so they know who to ask when I’m not available.

NA: I also ask teachers to send me pic / videos of great uses of tech with their students so we can show it off

Encourage teachers to tell students the technology infused lesson is under scrutiny. They will make an even greater effort to “make it work” and show that they are learning. 

SR: Yes. Use the kids as motivators.

RP: Surveying teachers to find out what they most want help with is wise

What do ETCs WISH for?

Here is an online wishlist this group created. Feel free to add YOUR wishes: http://padlet.com/wall/29gq78x0vw

If you find yourself itching to respond to the ideas here, I hope you will join the twitter chats of a related group, the ISTE SIGETC (special interest group for educational technology coaches) and future OK2Ask coach sessions. We would LOVE to hear YOUR challenges and ideas. You are definitely not alone.

 (Full disclosure: I am part of the leadrship team of SIGETC.)

We see new tools and tech fashions every day. Their names are as silly as Saturday morning cartoons. As teachers and edtech coaches, we are the consumers, and the edtech startup market launches new offerings in a fashion cycle as rapid as your local department store: early winter, late winter, early spring season, etc., each rolling out racks of choices. All of us prefer the edtech fashions we can get for free, but what would motivate us to consider actually spending money on a membership or app for learning in our classrooms?

When it comes to our edtech wardrobes, what will we pay for? (Drooling developers want to know.)

• Classic continuity. Like a good blazer, the best styles last and are useful year after year. We want to save files and activities we create in a tool and use them year to year, possibly altering the hem or adding trim, but saving us the time of starting over.
• imaginative match. We want a choice that coordinates and adds spunk to almost all our  curriculum “separates.” A worthwhile tool  fits neatly into our required curriculum but also allows us to use it creatively, making every combination a little different. Both the match and the imagination matter, not just one or the other.
• Label. Reputability matters. Is the label/name a familiar? Do other teachers seem to value it? Yes, our tech fashion choices are heavily influenced by the “look” of fellow teachers. (Beware the lure of clever branding when the product itself has the quality of a Chinese knock-off!)
• Flexibility. We want educational Lycra. Tools need to fit like sweat pants, allowing us and our students to do many things many ways. Bend and stretch those minds.
• Closet space. We might pay a bit for a walk-in closet so we can store extra large amounts of “stuff.” But we are very good at cleaning out our closets if the trade-off is an unreasonable cost. And don’t tell me this tool only allows two hangers before the extra costs kick in. I won’t even consider it.
• Longevity. This is one of my biggest concerns before I’ll pay for something new. Will it still be there in a year? Is this company likely to last?  I don’t have the time to redo EVERYTHING, so I look for fashions that are likely to last, especially if I pay for them!  We all have friends who went whole hog into some cool tool that simply disappeared mid-January, just as students were reviewing for midterms. 401 Not Found. (Of course, nothing is guaranteed. See  label.)
• Availability. We want tools and resources that offer ubiquitous access, not just  in specialty stores. Device agnostic tools are best, so our students can use them on iOS, Android, web, or whatever. And it better work well on all of them.
• Makes sense.  We can see how to wear it, fasten it, twist it, button it, and wear it many ways without looking for a user’s manual. Think of your coat with a removable liner. Did you read directions to figure out how to remove and reinstall the liner? Who does that? Any wearer should be able to figure it out without a tutorial created by a busy teacher.
• Off the rack fit. Teaching tools must be suitable for OUR situations. No alterations needed. If it requires a workaround, I leave it on the rack. There are plenty to choose from, and this is my money.
• Best pricing. Nobody pays list.  I want coupons, BOGOs, or even nearly-new versions at drastically reduced cost.

Teachers are some of the best shoppers ever. We know what we will pay for. We are accustomed to fairly limited (actual clothing) wardrobes built around careful choices, and our tech shopping is no different.

A corollary post I am pondering:

Edtech wardrobes: What about uniforms (district wide adoptions)?

Simplify. It’s a common New Year’s Resolution. As teachers, we laugh. How can we simplify with so many requirements, so many masters, so many changes, and so little time?

How can we not?

My strategy for 2014: A handful and a bushel basket

I have a handful of go-to tools I use constantly:

• To do the simplest tasks
• In the shortest time
• To accomplish the greatest amount

Nearby, I have an electronic bushel basket to choose from when:

• There is more time
• I need a solution for a complicated challenge
• I seek to inspire

What’s in my handful? This handful is so much a part of my daily life, I do not see them as “tools” or “technology” anymore. That’s what “simplify” is all about:

Dropbox– because I can share big files and give people a direct link without fearing that Google is watching my every move. Besides, it shows up as “part” of my computer (Finder)

Google Docs/Drive – because so many people already have memberships and I LOVE being able to make color coded folders to organize things, no matter whether they are “owned” by me or not

Doodle – because I hate endless emails chains about possible meeting times

iStuff: iMessage, iTunes, Contacts, iCal and plain old Mail. Yes, my Mac is my right handful.

Evernote – because I carry it with me everywhere: iPhone, iPad, laptop. I keep everything from hotel confirmation info to saved images of what an outfit looks like to information I fear my sieve-brain will lose. And I can keep it organized in searchable notebooks. I love grabbing travel info to read later when planning a trip! I do the same with info and ideas about anything. I even keep things to help when visiting a hospitalized relative.

Hootsuite – because I have a professional Twitter account, a personal FB account, and a TeachersFirst Twitter account, among others.    I can preschedule what I want to “say”!

Grammarly – because I am unapologetically the world’s WORST typist, even though I am a very good speller. This saves a LOT of embarrassment.

Screencast-o-matic – so I can SHOW instead of TELL. (I love using this to show writers what I edit in their work.)

Plain old screenshots – as above, only in freeze-frames.

Could I live with just this handful? Probably. Will I limit myself to these in 2014? Definitely not. If I need more reach beyond the fingertips of this handful, I know where to find my trusty bushel basket. Although I rarely recall the tool names, I know I can find unlimited, good options at the TeachersFirst Edge. As chief editor of the site, every week I see the latest additions and add my own creative ideas to reviews of ones I particularly like (what a cool job!). The exact date we listed them as Featured Sites may be a blur, but I know I can search for them by keyword, Edge category, or tag, such as device agostic tool. I don’t Google it. I TF it. And every tool is already vetted (saves time).

If I were still in the classroom, I would choose a half-dozen-handful together with my class:

• a visual presentation tool
• a screencast tool like this or this
• a word processing tool (with commenting and collaborative editing)
• a multimedia tool– whatever seems appropriate to the age level
• a file sharing and storage tool
• and probably a sticky note/brainstorming tool

And if we were a BYOD school, I’d have them choose the handful from DAT (device agnostic tool) choices so kids could help each other. That’s it. Everything else waits in the bushel basket until a student or I needs more.

Simplify.

Every teacher dreams of Christmas gifts, and it’s not just sugarplums that dance in our heads. As edtech coaches, we often play the role of “gift givers,” especially during major rollouts. Of course, our “gifts” come with expectations and enticements — anything to leverage meaningful learning, emboldened and empowered by the tools of technology. So this Christmas season I thought it appropriate to imagine a tech-willing teacher’s Twelve Days of Edtech Coach Christmas:

On the first day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: an iPad just for me.

On the second day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: two creative colleagues and an iPad just for me.

On the third day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the fourth day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the fifth day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: five student geeks, four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the sixth day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: six kmz files, five student geeks, four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the seventh day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: seven YouTube channels, six kmz files, five student geeks, four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the eighth day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: eight Gigs cloud storage, seven YouTube channels, six kmz files, five student geeks, four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the ninth day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: nine PLN hashtags, eight Gigs cloud storage, seven YouTube channels, six kmz files, five student geeks, four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the tenth day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: ten Gmail subaccounts, nine PLN hashtags, eight Gigs cloud storage, seven YouTube channels, six kmz files, five student geeks, four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: eleven Flipboard feeds, ten Gmail subaccounts, nine PLN hashtags, eight Gigs cloud storage, seven YouTube channels, six kmz files, five student geeks, four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my tech coach gave to me: twelve new twitter followers, eleven Flipboard feeds, ten Gmail subaccounts, nine PLN hashtags, eight Gigs cloud storage, seven YouTube channels, six kmz files, five student geeks, four helpful screencasts, three freebie apps, two creative colleagues, and an iPad just for me.

HoHoHo!

(See you after the holidays)

We all do it, especially in December. We rush around, telling our colleagues and our students how busy we are and how much there is to “get done” before [insert your holiday or academic deadline here]. A recent Wall Street Journal article cautions against the spread of “secondhand stress.”

Uh-oh. Guilty as charged.

In the classroom, we let our own deadlines and work requirements spill onto the kids. If the Common Core changes or the latest iteration of high stakes tests have thrown our planning process out the window, the kids feel it.  If a change of school administration or a new teacher evaluation system has us on edge, we are probably just like the boss confronted in the article, “your volume goes up, your pace of speaking goes up, and you’re not fully in the conversation.” Just as a business environment incubates a contagion of secondhand stress, so can our classrooms (and schools). The kids cannot name it or explain why, but they feel some of the same responses the article describes from secondhand stress:

(#1) Have your elementary students started to take on your mannerisms in the way they talk to other students about “getting their work done”?

(#3)Has a parent ever told you their child was “afraid” to ask questions?

(#4)Has a student ever chased you down the hall on your way to your next class or duty?

(#2 +#5) Do your students throw away their own work? Have you ever found the papers/plan book from your desk in the wastebasket (most likely in middle school)?

Though the business world Sue Shellenbarger discusses in the article is an entirely different culture from school, there are glaring similarities. The faculty room can certainly be a stress-infection zone, teeming with the stress virus. And don’t think we don’t take the virus right down the hall to the kids.

So what do we do about it (and can technology possibly help ease the burden)?

1. Make our classrooms a community of learners instead of a boss-worker environment. Start with a wiki as a class “hub” and give ALL students access to edit it. Then show them how, valuing their additions by commenting on them and encouraging them to “discuss” things you say via constructive criticism. There are LOADS of collaborative tools you can use to build on community. Link to them from that one hub so they are easy to find.

2. Try a writing prompt taken from the WSJ article: “If I were a household appliance, which one would I be?” You may discover signs of secondhand stress — and will least learn something about each student. Be sure to write along with the kids and let everyone share what they have to say. If you have a class blog, that’s perfect.

3. Include prevention of secondhand stress in the class rules your class generates at the start of school.

4. Value and make time for questioning by someone other than you. Make a question page on the class wiki for kids to enter questions as they do homework. Give extra credit to kids who ANSWER them. Handle unanswered questions (and highlight great answers) at the start of class. Who should answer? Hopefully anybody EXCEPT you. Be willing to say, ” I did not realize that was so confusing. I learned from you!” Message: Questions are not “interruptions.” They are a valued part of learning for all of us.

“Yeah, yeah, I know that,” you say?  I am sure you do. Sometimes it just takes the observations of a peer (or student) to remind us that we are virulent spreaders of stress. Maybe there is a New Years resolution in here somewhere.