Technology Desserts

We all know the predicament (or one of the sort):  you just made a truly scrumptious dessert.  I, for one, love cupcakes. They look, smell, and actually taste amazing.  And then the decision comes: do I horde this and eat it all or share this with others who just might fall in love with it too, leaving me with far less to eat?  Usually (and hopefully), we end up sharing because we get to see the look on others’ faces when they take that delightful first bite.

Technology is like this in our school.  We have 3 projectors that are to be signed out the week before use.  My temptation is to take what I’ve learned and horde that technology.  If I don’t help others out, then I can at least guarantee that I will have a projector when I want one, and better yet, have the projector that is on the same floor as my classroom.  If I share, I might not have one when it is most useful to me or I may even have to climb a flight of stairs to pick it up before my class.  This same rule applies to student laptops in our school.

So to say how I am going to serve as a “teacher leader for technology integration in [my] professional setting” may be giving me too much credit.  Maybe I just want to keep it to myself… at least that’s my first thought of self-preservation.  Then my mature side comes in and tells the little devil on my shoulder that I am being totally immature and should probably share with others.  

I find it very difficult to lead other teachers informally.  Teaching is one of those professions in which there are about as many good methods as there are personalities.  Teaching is so incredibly personal, in a way an extension of who we are, that to show others how to improve is a delicate endeavor.  I’ve noticed that I am most influenced as a teacher by the example of others.  We all get glimpses of each others’ teaching lives as we work together.  These glimpses are often enough for me to get ideas of how to grow as a teacher.  I think that example is a profound means of leadership.  If I am using technology well in my classes and the students get excited about it, word will spread.  As my own standard of work rises, others around me may well follow along.