It is an honor when any other educator honestly asks you a question. Think about admitting what you do not know in education; until recently teachers were keepers of the knowledge – all the knowledge. Not anymore. You can imagine, a teacher asking another teacher a question they really did not know the answer to – that can be so intimidating. So (honest) I am not trying to make fun of my peers so much as uncover what those *easy* questions might really be telling us.THat's not how any of this #edtech is supposed to work

Where can I find directions for Google (Classroom, Forms, Drive)?

You could Google that.

Don’t you have directions you could give me?

Maybe, but then they would change, really it’s better if you look it up on Google so you can see the changes as Google updates them.

This is not an individual immersed in The Internet culture. Help this educator with examples of changes and how printed out versions are not updated. Help them understand versioning of static documents is not a current practice and The Internet embodies constant change. But maybe ease them into that…

What are the most popular hashtags on Instagram?

I am sure Instagram has suggestions for the most popular or trending hashtags.

This is a social person who wants to join in the culture of The Internet, but is scared to make a mistake. On behalf of Connected Educators, give them permission to not be perfect at this at the start. Guide them to examples of best social media practices as well as fair warning about their Digital Footprint on The Internet.

How can I be sure my students view/do/get this?

This person is in compliance mode. This person worries about technology revealing a deep fear of his/hers – that he/she are not “doing” something. While control may be an illusion, it turns out a cherished illusion by many teachers. A good coach may want to avoid initially pointing out that many of our traditional techniques did not “make sure” either – but your goal is to get the teacher to acknowledge that eventually.

Does this device have Microsoft Office on it?

This is a person wants to demonstrate proficiency. They want you to know they are capable, which is great news! A good coach can guide them to Cloud products gradually.

How can I get to my bookmarks (in Internet Explorer)?

This demonstrates the value this teacher places on curation. However, they lack an understanding of current tools and a lack of strategy for accomplishing an organized online presence.


Quick answers to “Oh-by-the-way” Questions:

I don’t have time. Can you just do this for me?
I have time right now, let’s do it together.

I have $X00 to spend. What should I buy?
It depends on your educational goals.

What is the best (anything) to buy?
It depends on your educational goals.

Apple or Google or Microsoft?
It depends on your educational goals and if any, some, or all of those support your goals (bring up The Internet as a Cloud idea again).

Can you fix my printer too?
No, I am a teacher like you who can help you integrate technology. Can I show you how to put in a work order for that?

{I know my fellow #EdTech coaches have more to add}