We tech coaches, when we get together, often bandy about unobtrusive and easy to handle jargon. A term that has been popular lately, describing our role is, “It’s about relationships.” (Actually that is not true. We get together and challenge jargon, but I thought it was a cute way to start this post) Back to relationships-  in order for us to successfully integrate, implement, incorporate, infuse (whatever ‘i” word you want to use) technology into school systems, then we need to build relationships of trust with the teachers with which we work. This means not pulling out our hair or rolling our eyes when someone can’t click the keys and magically make their machine do the things we can, or when they take three weeks to understand they must cite a picture in a blog post. We have to be patient and understand that it has taken us years to gain the skills and understanding which enable us  to help others understand the often complicated concepts and skills we use everyday.

Learning how to be patient and build these relationships has been both challenging and rewarding for me. I am the kind of teacher who sets high standards and expects effort from all my students. I want everyone to love “it” all, the way I do. I don’t tolerate much apathy and goofing around. Even with my own children, I pursue a sort of zealotry when it comes to maturity, politeness, and quest for understanding. Should I expect anything less from my adult learners?

After six weeks of working with some amazingly dedicated teachers, I have learned a few thing, which I am sure apply to all learners young and old:

• We all learn at our own pace and faster when it is relevant and interesting.
• We learn best when we have time.
• We are so often busy with other things that we cannot focus on what we want. ( I have a group of grade 10 students who seem so tired. They tell me they are interested in what we are doing with Of Mice and Men. They tell me it makes them think and the like our class talks, but they can’t give me more because they are swamped with Science at the moment)
• We have to remember that the things we teach are not always as important to them as they are to us.
• We have to meet learners where they are, not where we want them to be.
• Learning takes time. Don’t expect instant results.

I am sure I could come up with many more, but I think you get the point. Being a Tech Coach and working with teachers is teaching me a lot about learning. I love the time I am spending with our teachers. It is great to see so many great blogs sprouting.  I love to see a small group of people entering the Twitter stream and thinking differently about the role of technology not only in their pedagogy, but also in their lives.

In closing, I received this email last night from a teacher from my course, and it made me realize that all the hard work has paid off at least for one learner. As a teacher, should we expect anything more?

I wanted to share with you the ENORMOUS STEEP learning curve I have just been through in the last 6 weeks through this 101 computer course.

At the beginning of October I along with a huge group of people arrived at Jabiz’s classroom all set to go on this 101 computer course for blogging, feeling excited and raring to go. Didn’t really know what blogging was and certainly didn’t know what 101 was all about. Nervous but excited I got rid of my class on time and walked over to the building to find his room, struggled with that bit!! Arrived at his clasroom, sat next to Lindsay ( a mistake in itself) and waited for the course to begin.

The first TWO instructions resulted in me and Lindsay looking at each other in horror as we didn’t even know what to do with these TWO simple instructions:

Log on to MSHS network and Open up your gmail

Already stumped we took a bit of time to even do that by which time Jabiz had raced on with terminology I had no idea about. We sat there for an hour and a half and although I admit I am not particularly well read, would prefer being in the gym to reading a book, I still went to uni, I still have a degree and a post grad and I have enough intelligence to get me through life. After just 10 minutes in the class you wouldnt have thought I had even finished school!!! He talked about..pages, blogs, Rss, categories, creative commons, tags, wordpress, flickr, hyperlinksNow don’t get me wrong I know what each of those words mean independently but what the !!!!!!! do they mean in relationship to a 101 blogging workshop. No friggin idea!!!!

Have to say I left that one an a half hour workshop, feeling;

• Deflated
• Frustrated
• Humiliated
• Frustrated
• Thick
• Frustrated
• Sick
• Frustrated
• Headahcey
• And other feelings I simply couldn’t write down like ………off!!!!!!

BUT

I went home, had my favourite drink, wrote some emails to the IT people about my concerns, went into school the next day and was listened to and I did go back the following week.

AND NOW…

6 weeks later I stand here as a different person. A happier, more confident blogging woman who still has a huge journey in front of her but much happier.

I now have 4 blogs, I do know what a page, a tag, an RSS, a category is in IT terms and I have started blogging both at home and in school. Admittedly my blogs aren’t like other peoples thought provoking arguments or off the wall statements, but they are very simple and most of them are about AJ and TJ and my latest one is about Santa visiting my boys, hardly intellectual but it is where I am, it is where I am in the blogging journey and it is something I can send to my Mum to show her what life Is like here, so it is working for me.

I have been convinced that I CAN use blogging and I am happy that I didn’t quit after that first session and persevered through the pain to begin my blogging journey.

 

Take it slow. One learner at a time. Teach what you know and love. If you have any teachers who are new to IT or blogging or both, share this letter with them as a sign of hope. Please go to Lou’s blog directly, if you want to leave her a comment.