Pardon The Disruption - Back to Teaching

So you went to a tech conference at Newell-Fonda or Sigourney as part of the #iowa1to1 and picked up some tips on how to integrate technology and teach differently. You got back to your school shared your new enthusiasm with your students and they were inspired. You carried that into day 2, 3 and perhaps into the next week. But now we are 10 days post-conference and some are resorting back to the old way of teaching. In essence, you are sending the message to your students "Pardon The Disruption" - Back to my old teaching styles.

Being a master learner is about continually researching ways to improve teaching, trying new methods, reflecting on your craft, sharing with a peer, and trying again. Clayton Christiansen discusses why schools struggle to teach differently, or fight through the disruption. Teaching in a 1 to 1 provides the opportunities to teach differently. While tech integration provides challenges, tech can help in both changing technology and changing pedagogy.

What can you do to help push through the challenges? Have you touched base with new relationships from the conference? Have you shared a success or failure from something you tried? Have you followed the #iowa1to1 hashtag on twitter? Have you joined a group on the Iowa 1 to 1 Ning? Have you asked for help from a new group on the Iowa 1 to 1 Ning?

Don't procrastinate any longer--connect and expand with your Personal Learning Network(PLN). Procrastination inhibits change leading to improved student engagement. Push yourself into action. There will always be reasons not to but there are plenty of reasons to change---most notable, the students in your classroom. Don't let the disruption stop you from changing.

My "Tin Cup" List

At the recent Technology and Learning conference held at Newell-Fonda and Sigourney, I have heard about a lot of the learning that took place. My opening comment for the day was "this is your learning, you are responsible". During the conference, I tweeted a comment I heard which was "I just want to take 1 thing home and implement it".

So, with so much information and ideas being exchanged, where are you at? I am referring to it as the "Tin Cup List" since a bucket can be overwhelming and inhibit any implementation of the ideas or tools you learned. Now you are back in the classroom; have you taken action?

What have you implemented the new ideas? Have you modeled blogging, posting to a blog, or reaching out to your Personal Learning Network (PLN)? What have you changed in your teaching? Have you shared this with your students? Have you emptied your tin cup or bucket?

There are many other questions to be answered, now is the time to take action....Join the conversation.