One of the responses sort of set me back.
Now, this year I have been working as a support for a school which was piloting a rather in-depth 1:1 initiative. It involved the introduction to the use of a learning management system, integrating new touch-screen Chromebooks, etc. So, there was a LOT of new for this school this year. The administration has been quite flexible and allowed teachers to keep doing what was working for them without trying to embrace too much newness and we just nudged them ever so slightly week-by-week to integrate something new. Then, suddenly, school was dismissed and we are staying at home.My concerns for those teachers at 'my' school were great but I was pretty confident that they were going to be alright and could continue using the tools and materials they had been using. After all, we started with a small core team in training back last May. Then, in July we did a bit of training with all of the faculty. Then, we have provided ongoing training and support daily at the school. We had plan and learn sessions where teachers could work with me in small groups to learn new things, build on what they already knew and were using, and get tips to make things simpler for them and their students. We had a couple of faculty meeting sessions where we worked as a whole group and I followed up with visits to teachers' classrooms as requested. I shared step-by-step tutorials, videos, and did a few co-teaches to support them and their students. I even made little newsletters with QR codes and short URLs that I posted as bathroom graffiti. Plus, I was always there every single day to answer questions, share tips and ideas, and work elbow-to-elbow with teachers and students.
So, when the one response came in, I paused and did some thinking. The response was this: "I would like to request that at least one Zoom session be paced so that I can follow along with my laptop and set it up for Screencastify." There was more in the response but this was the key statement.
At first, I rolled my eyes. Did this teacher not realize that we had 300 people following along in that Zoom session? Did this teacher not realize that we only had an hour to share info about using this tool? Did this teacher not listen when we said we could not do an actual step-by-step modeling session because our computer's system was already using the camera and microphone for the Zoom application and could not also be used for Screencastify?
Next, I laughed. To me this was the perfect example of how each of us will personalize something instead of recognizing that our personal need is not what is most important. The needs of the group as a whole are what is being targeted. I get it. I sometimes do that, too.
Then, I got angry. How dare this teacher make such a request. Where had this teacher been all year long? All. Year. Long. Why hadn't this teacher requested a one-to-one with me back last October when this tool was first introduced to the staff? Why hadn't this teacher sought me out in November when I set up plan and learn sessions? Why hadn't this teacher requested a follow-up after I posted the February newsletter with a big ole blurb about this tool on it?
Finally, it hit me and I just sighed. I think I talked about it HERE. This teacher has finally begun to feel it.
Maybe.
BTW: Screencastify is one of my most favorite tech tools! It is a Chrome Extension that anybody and everybody can use to make short videos. If you cannot have a live face-to-face moment with others, make a quick video and share it. Check it out! Screencastify in the Chrome Web Store
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