Technology and Leadership, Challenge Accepted

August 14, 2014 is Leadership Day in Technology and Education.  What better day to celebrate Leadership day then just before many educators embark on a new school year.  Many of you have either just begun school or will be starting in the last few weeks.

I am taking on the challenge to blog about Technology and Leadership in the P-12 school system and want to talk specifically about some of the changes we have faced in our community of Pleasant Hill.

Roughly about 2 1/2 years ago, on a cold snow day, I received an email informing me that my district would be partaking in a Connect ME Grant opportunity, in which several teachers across the district would be given 15 iPads for their classroom.  In addition to the iPad grant, we would partake in professional development related to the iPads, and then transfer our learning not only to our classroom, but to our building teachers as well.  My prayers were answered that following May and I was able to take on the challenge of iPads in education.  As I continued through my journey last year, I definitely got frustrated, excited, nervous, and scared and various points on my journey, but definitely feel that all of those experiences allowed me to become a more innovative teacher and leader within my building.

I owe this opportunity to the leadership in my district.  I am fortunate to be a part of a district that allows teachers a voice and an opportunity to grow professionally.  More specifically, it was our Assistant Superintendent and our Technology Director who made these changes across the district happen.  They have put technology in the hands of their teachers, which in turn put technology into our learners hands.

Unfortunately, I feel that our administration faces challenges on this journey. Those challenges are our teachers.  While I don't mean to call anyone out or put anyone down, I feel that in Pleasant Hill, our administrators are supportive and eager to allow technology into our students hands, but many of our teachers feel nervous, scared, or unable to find ways to incorporate these devices into classroom instruction.

I hope as we continue on this journey with the rest of the country, that I can help my district administrators inspire other teachers throughout our district.  More specifically, in my building, I hope to be a reference and a leader for teachers to use technology within their classroom instruction.

Again, I am lucky to be a part of a wonderful community and supportive administration that allows teachers to do whats best for students.