Time Crunch

Well, like many teachers and administrators, the end of May and June are times when things get a bit hectic. It seems that each year, no matter how much I plan, I always seem to be crunched for time. So why am I writing this blog if I don’t have much time? Good question.

Since I began on this web2.0 journey in January, I’ve begun to rely on this blog as a place to discuss important ideas, sound off about things that are bugging me and ask for input on ideas that are bumping around inside my head. I sometimes develop an article based on the entry on another blog but most of the time I use this as a place for my own thoughts. And this is why I’m using my valuable time to blog.

As this year comes to a close and I reflect on what has happened over the year in regards to technological advancements, I wonder what and where I should go from here in relation to staff development. I’ve developed a staff wiki that has a calendar where staff are to post events that pertain to the school. At last look, it seems most staff are now using the calendar to post events so that everyone is in the know. We are still working on developing some grade 1/2 podcasts of reading. In fact, we have most of them recorded - it’s getting them posted that is causing me difficulty! We have access to one SMARTBoard but it is in the lab. I’ve requested that it be hooked up and the projector be ceiling mounted to avoid moving and I’ve asked for a second board to be installed in a classroom. We are fully operational when it comes to email and electronic paper transfer for the staff and we have the system ready for student use.

As I plan my opening day with the teachers, I wonder if it is now time to put forward the ideas that we need to begin using the tools that are available and begin planning with them. Do, we as a staff, take the step towards 21st Century teaching? Should we explore different pd opportunities as a staff, developing our understanding of technology and teaching? As leader, I know that we need to build the communal knowledge regarding technology, helping each other to develop strategies for using technology in the classroom. With the upgrade of our computer system and the availability of more computers in classrooms, we will be able to do much more without relying on the computer lab. So, if you were in my place, where would you start? What would you begin with and where would you go?