Document Cameras and iPhones and SmartBoards: OH MY!

Having recently tiptoed quietly into the 21st century, I am now the proud (I think) owner of an iPhone. Another of my many claims to fame is that I have a SmartBoard in my classroom! I don't know many teachers who can brag about the amount of technology available to them. I do, however, know at least a couple who have the technology at their disposal but don't know how to use it. Oh, the shame!

I attended a good, great, grand, wonderful SmartBoard training session today. I learned many things. Least forgotten of them all: There's so much I never knew I never knew.

I think I'm being a little harsh. I'm not tech-dumb. I keep up with some of the latest and greatest. My husband and I have two HD DVRs hooked up to enormous HD LED (or is it LCD?) TVs. We both have smart phones. We have iPods and mp3 players, two fully-functioning computers, I blog (how laughable) and have a Facebook. I'm fearful, though, that one day I will turn into the teacher who is behind the times and who can't keep up with the technology her students (and colleagues) use to speed by.

The problem: To me, technology is trendy, and oftentimes unnecessary. As a student, I learn best listening to a lecture, studying my notes, and conducting my own research. With the push to incorporate more and more technology into our classrooms, I find it hard to believe that there aren't at least some students who still learn best in a more traditional way.

The moral: I'll do my best to maintain a fresh perspective and positive attitude toward integrating more technology into my lessons. Truthfully, I think it's amazing what these crazy machines can do. I'm more than willing to jump on board. In fact, after my training session today, I went straight to my classroom to change my lesson plans for...TOMORROW! I adapted what I was doing to incorporate the SmartBoard. Someone super smart once told me: "If you don't use what you learn within 3 days, you'll lose it."

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