I know exactly what you’re going through – you’re right that we all experience the same frustrations.

I think part of the real frustration for me is that without a real roll model of how technology can be used to enhance learning and engage students, resistant teachers are never going to want to come on board.

So we’re trapped in a Catch-22:

– can’t get any teachers to try it out in the way that we would do it if we were on our own (but of course, we don’t want to do it for them, because then all we’re doing is enabling them to continue to avoid the issue)

– we don’t want to have our own classes to show them how it’s done because we certainly don’t want to fall back into the old “sending the kids to computer class” model.

As Reuven pointed out, I think some of the modeling must be done by school administrators. Too many times I’ve heard teachers say things like: “If no one tells me I have to do it, why should I?” An easy question to answer, but not if you want to build any sort of relationship with that teacher.

I’m very fortunate that my administration is so forward thinking, but even with that support, I still struggle.

I need to make some New Year’s resolutions and I think one of them will be to focus on taking smaller steps – making sure that just one teachers is really on board, that just one teacher really understands what this is all about.

And while that approach make take more time (and I know we don’t have any time to waste), I think it’s that much more powerful coming from a classroom teacher than it is coming from me (the “tech expert”).

So, you’re not alone. We’re all right there with you!

It was exhausting. Took ten years off my life, I’m sure.

So my new mantra: smaller and simpler are good. Quick in, quick out.

Until the old curriculum withers away, and makes more room for this, big projects probably are most often “doomed to fail.” They’re competing with too much dross from the 20th c.

I know that I am not alone in my frustration, but that does not make it any easier.

I am reading, as a summary, of all your comments and your own experiences, that we need to learn to deal with the stalling, fizzling out, non-interest or initiative from others ANDkeep plugging away anyway.

If we make a difference in one class, with one teacher, or with one project that does get completed…then that might ignite the fire for others….or not…

Chris C. I like your suggestion of taking a class over, but I am hesitant because we are so desperately trying to move AWAY from a separate class and babysitting services for the teacher.

I need classroom teachers help to tie it to their curriculum. I am NOT a writing, math, social studies, etc. teacher. Only they know what the skills and objectives are that they need their students to accomplish. The students need to understand that technology is the tool to learn, create and deliver, not a separate entity.

Lucy,
I have added the Teddy Bear Project to the Global Collaboration wiki and also posted to several ning sites.

Diane,John, Susan, and Chris.
Thank you so much for passing out the info of The Teddy Bear Around the World project. Maybe this will get the ball rolling.

I emailed a copy of your flyer to all of our elementary teachers, handed one personally to our elementary principal, and contacted all of the SLMS in our regional BOCES.

SOMETHING should come of that!

diane