Thoughts By Jen

I honestly don’t know why “tech” comes easily for me.  But it does….

I am pretty much comfortable sitting down at any program and figuring it out usually rather quickly OR I also am pretty comfy in doing a shout out on twitter or a quick google search and going from there.

It can be both a blessing and a curse….and also allows there to be a bit of an annoyance when others struggle hard with something I find so simple.   I don’t want there to be an edge to my voice, but sometimes I can come off sounding harsher than I mean to when people begin to whine, do not take action, or assume the look of helplessness (which often can be mistaken with the look of “I don’t want to”.)

And as I think on this — and look at so many of my friends who also seem to find much of these new opportunities not hurdles that stop us but hurdles we jump over quite easily — I realize that MANY of us do have the “WHY” chromosome.

• We constantly are asking “WHY” and “how” and not getting defeated by tech but instead are accepting of any new idea with the spirit of “this too I shall conquer.”

• We don’t wonder “WHY” the computer isn’t working because we are almost always working with the expectation that tech will fail and have a plan B, plan C, and plan D already in the works.

• At conferences and in-services, we are working within backchannels and googling all resources because we do not only want to know where the speaker found their information but “WHY” they chose to use that information.

• We walk into classrooms set up in rows and columns and ask “WHY” has this setup become acceptable and the norm.  We notice students who seem lethargic and ho-hum and wonder “WHY” are they like this?

• We read blog posts and wonder “WHY” is no one commenting on this or “WHY” is this on the authors  mind or “WHY” do I have such a strong opinion about this or “WHY” do I wish to share this with others as quick as I can.

In some ways, many of us are 3 year olds who just cannot get enough of all this “wonder” that is going on around us and we want — we need — to know more More MORE!!!

I think if you are an educator – you must ask WHY often — of yourself and of others.

Because, I feel, that if you are not in AWE and AMAZED by what is happening in your classroom — and you do not CLAP with glee at new opportunities…….

then honestly…… you need to ask yourself  “WHY?”

Just my thoughts today

Jen