So when I decided to make the change from debate coach to yearbook advisor, I had a pretty good idea of what I was doing. I had been coaching a competitive debate team for three years and I loved my students and what I was teaching. Prior to coming to Idaho, I had advised eight years of yearbook with great success. So having been in both worlds I opted to return to the world of photography, layout, design, color, typography, and digital graphic arts combined with the business/publishing world. So far, my expectations have be pretty much met - however, the move also involved a physcial move from middle B hall surrounded by my fellow English teachers down to the dungeon with another tech teacher. It was this move that made me nervous. Not so much because of the change in company, but the idea of teaching below ground. While being a bit more isolated actually has its upside, teaching technology-based classes in a place where reception and internet struggle to enter has caused me a few frustrations.
A number of my ideas I gathered from my twitterverse that I was excited to implement have been put on hold until internet connectivity can be solved. Spotty phone service means that using pollanywhere.com with my students will be tricky even if I do finally get my computer to connect to the internet for projection purposes. Projecting material from my livebinders...same problem. So I wait - and hope - and call, email, text, and personally visit our district tech department.... and wait some more.
Of course of greater concern is the inability of my computers to talk to each other in compiling and completing our yearbook. We have to move huge digital files individually by thumb drive in order to share material and when it comes to uploading our pages to the publisher which are due in two weeks... not sure how that will be accomplished. Yes, I am trying to implement new technologies as well as make use of productive technologies in my classroom. I am still excited about the possibilities - still hopeful that it will all magically start working soon. My students are wonderful and are producing excellent work - I am excited for what the year will bring - even down in the basement.
A number of my ideas I gathered from my twitterverse that I was excited to implement have been put on hold until internet connectivity can be solved. Spotty phone service means that using pollanywhere.com with my students will be tricky even if I do finally get my computer to connect to the internet for projection purposes. Projecting material from my livebinders...same problem. So I wait - and hope - and call, email, text, and personally visit our district tech department.... and wait some more.
Of course of greater concern is the inability of my computers to talk to each other in compiling and completing our yearbook. We have to move huge digital files individually by thumb drive in order to share material and when it comes to uploading our pages to the publisher which are due in two weeks... not sure how that will be accomplished. Yes, I am trying to implement new technologies as well as make use of productive technologies in my classroom. I am still excited about the possibilities - still hopeful that it will all magically start working soon. My students are wonderful and are producing excellent work - I am excited for what the year will bring - even down in the basement.