After 11 Tools

My toolbox has certainly expanded over the past several weeks. Just as in any toolbox, some tools will be invaluable, some will be neglected, and a couple are just not overly useful. That's OK, and I truly believe that the critical thinking involved in deciding which tools are valuable to each of us personally is one of the largest benefits of this course.

My favorite tools, by far, are PhotoStory, Google Docs, and blogging. For our students, I am so excited about having them present information through digital storytelling. I see geometry and measurement as great opportunities for this. I do have a plan in the works to create a math instruction blog for our campus to facilitate the sharing of information and critical thinking that are so critical to remaining on the cutting edge of good first instruction. I do also plan to share documents with my teachers and administrators with Google Docs instead of constantly printing hard copies or leaving interminable trails of attachments through e-mail.

The real eye-opener for me is how many things I did not know how to do, and I am pretty proficient with technology. Our students are growing and learning in a world where information and digital technology are coming at them at breakneck speed. As educators, we must be responsible for leading them through that maze as best we can and be open to learning ourselves. Never has the tern "lifelong learner" taken on such meaning as it does now in the digital age.