The Geek Squad has Struck

I should probably start by saying that I was one of those people who would dread anything to do with computers – I don’t understand, didn’t want to understand and my teaching schedule doesn’t give me time to understand.

I would rather have spent a training meeting trying to make amusing sentences using those three little letters; I C T.  Then continue to try and distract my colleagues with my funniest invention.  I then realized a couple of things, 1) I’m not very creative or funny (Irritating Computing Training was probably my highlight) 2) I’m one of those students that I dislike teaching and 3) Perhaps I should listen.  I was just put off ICT because it all seemed too complicated.

I was then approached by a member of the ICT team to become the lead for my Year Group.  You can imagine my joy!  However, not one to shy away from a challenge – I went along and everything changed!  Anyway, I digress.  I have been tasked with raising the standards of ICT delivery in my Year group as well as trying out loads of new cool stuff – and to be honest, that’s all we are interested in.  My previous planning centered around the children making a PowerPoint based on their chosen ‘biome’….because everybody loves PowerPoint.  Having had an hours discussion and planning session with Mr Clark, I am now teaching the children to be innovators, to explore and connect with the technology.  Instead of PowerPoints creations, the children will be presenting their information using iBook illustrator.  We have already ‘played’ around with adding iMovies (which yes, we made ourselves), pictures, interactive pictures, quizzes and heaps more! 

Suddenly everything started to fall into place, previously I was using technology to substitute other teaching methods, rather than extend and challenge learning.  I had become a bit ‘stale’ in the world of ICT which is pretty shocking to someone who has only been teaching for 2 years. It all started to make sense and I realized that this was something I could do.  I didn’t need to be frightened about it.  Since the ‘moment of motivation’, I have had a go at making Tutorials for my class – whilst they are far from perfect, they are a start and can definitely only get better.  I would like to think that the way in which we have integrated this use of ICT is not just replacing what was already there but improved our teaching method, introduced the children to new tech and actually redefined their learning experience.

I left the room feeling like my feet couldn’t carry me quick enough, I was that excited.– Yes I am still talking about computers! I gathered up my colleagues and forced them to sit and listen to all of my new ideas.   I have also been boring my friends with my new found enthusiasm for ICT – to be which they responded that I should get a life….. I’ll let you make up your own mind about that!

People often travel the world to gain enlightenment – I only had to go to room 313.