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5 Must-have Skills for New Tech Teachers Plus One Extra

Posted by on May 20, 2013

child and techIf you teach technology, it’s likely you were thrown into it by your Admin. You used to be a first grade teacher or the science expert or maybe even the librarian and suddenly, you walked into school one day and found out you’d become that tech person down the hall you were always in awe of, the one responsible for classroom computers, programs, curriculum, and everything in between. Now that’s you–the go-to person for tech problems, computer quirks, crashes and freezes, and tech tie-ins for classroom inquiry.

You have no idea where to begin.

Here’s a peek into your future: On that first propitious day, everything will change. Your colleagues will assume you received a data upload of the answers to every techie question. It doesn’t matter that yesterday, you were one of them. Now, you will be on a pedestal, colleague’s necks craned upward as they ask , How do I get the Smartscreen to work? or We need microphones for a lesson I’m starting in three minutes. Can you please-please-please fix them? You will nod your head, smile woodenly, and race to your classroom for the digital manuals (if you’re lucky) or Google for online help.

Let me start by saying: Don’t worry. Really. You’ll learn by doing, just as we teach students. Take a deep breath, engage your brain, and let your brilliance shine.

That’s the number one skill–confidence–but there are a five other practical strategies that have worked for those who came before you. Consider:

Be a communicator

Talk to grade-level teachers weekly. Scaffold your lessons with what they teach. Ask them to stay during tech class and offer on-the-spot tie-ins between what you teach and they say in class. Yes, they might want/need the time for planning or meetings, but the benefit to students of this team approach is tremendous. And it benefits the teachers, also. Many of them are not yet sold on integrating tech into their classrooms. They know they must if they’re in one of the 46 Common Core adoptive states, but they don’t like it, don’t know how to do it, and don’t see why it’s so important. When they see you do it, they will be more willing to weave it into their lessons. For example, when they hear how you reinforce good keyboarding skills, they will be more likely to insist on those traits in their classroom.

Be a risk-taker

Flaunt your cheeky geekiness. Start a Twitter feed. Use your iPhone as a timer for a speed test or the iPad to scan in art for a digital portfolio. At any opportunity, share your geek glee with students. Let them see that tech is part of life, not a subject taught in school. It’s a habit, a time-saver, a facilitator, a joy. It won’t take long to convert them. A couple of admiring glances from friends or appreciative thanks from parents and they’ll be sold.

Be an explorer

Go to the grade-level classrooms and demonstrate how technology is part of learning. This can be via iPads, the class pod of computers, the netbooks, or whatever is available. Ask students what they are doing in class and offer tech methods to make it easier. For example, are they submitting homework in a pile on the teacher’s desk? Try a drop box–or email. Could they type reports instead of handwrite them (I know–this gets philosophic, so be prepared for that discussion)? Instead of hand-drawn posters where success leans toward the artistically-talented, could they use Glogster? Encourage students to plug in during class.

Be a negotiator

You need parental buy-in on tech ed, but it is a topic typically outside their comfort zone. I often hear from 2nd grade parents that their children know more than they do (I’m talking MS Office, internet use, and online tools). Understand that this frightens them and part of your job is to mitigate their fears. Here are some ideas:

  • Have your door always open. Be ready and willing to talk with them about how to complete their child’s projects–not so they can do for them, but so they feel it is within their child’s grasp. Take as long as needed and welcome them to return.
  • Answer parent tech questions, even if its about a home computer problem. My experience is these are often simple, but intimidating. If you mitigate fear, you maximize support for tech ed.
  • Offer a parent class that teaches the skills students are learning. Listen to your group. What makes these intelligent adults nervous about tech? Solve it for them. I often start with an agenda and end with a free-for-all, where I answer questions or help parents create fliers for soccer teams or solve home-based tech problems. It’s all good. They leave feeling I’m a partner.10-steps

Don’t take life too seriously

This might be #6, but it may be the most important: Have a sense of humor about everything. You’re going to have computer meltdowns. It’s why robots can’t replace teachers, so embrace chaos. One of the true joys of tech is the puzzling. Why doesn’t the mouse work? Why does a website work on one computer and not another? Where’d the taskbar go? Let students see how much fun it is to engage the brain. Here are a few posters (here and here) to celebrate your status.

That’s it, just these five skills plus one. Any questions? Add a comment if you agree.


updated 5-17-16

4 Responses to 5 Must-have Skills for New Tech Teachers Plus One Extra

  1. April Schoenberg

    You are an inspiration! Thank you so much for your encouraging and informative aricles. I am a tech geek for sure, and your 5+ must have skills reassure me that I am on the right track! I have to laugh because I am a self taught technology rep for my 3rd grade colleagues and now my bulding of 1-3 grade. Sometimes I get a feeling of panic that they will figure out the truth, but either by dumb luck, divine intervention, or my stubborn determination I somehow figure things out for the teachers in my building.

    I have to laugh sometimes, when my students or I stumble upon a short-cut, solution, tip or idea that we implement and love! With only 4 student computers in my classroom and one teacher/student computer…..we give them a lot of love and use them well! It is amazing what 23 people can do with 5 computers and an iPad with some planning and determination!

    Just felt the need to say Thank you and I appreciate you! So happy you are a part of my PLN!

    Have a great Friday
    April Schoenberg
    3rd Grade Teacher
    Harrisonville, MO

    • Jacqui

      What a wonderful comment, April. Thanks for sharing with me! I’d love to hear any epiphanies you and your students have about tech. I learn some of my best tips from my students.

  2. ametech2015

    Dear Jacqui,

    I am new in the field and sure would like to incorporate technology in my first grade classroom. But I don’t know where to start. I am overwhelmed by a plethora of choices and apps and tools out there. I feel like drowning. HELP! I need to start with 1-3 best literacy (phonics/reading), writing, science, history, and math website for this kids. I just happen to stumble upon your website too through my google search. Thank you for being out there. I feel like I want to make you my mentor. I know you are busy, but you have no idea how you are impacting my life right now. Kindly advise please on what websites I can offer for me and my colleagues. We have no tech team at the moment and I wish to stand up and be that person. Thank you and have a great rest of summer 2015. Samantha

    • Jacqui

      Hi Samantha–Sorry I missed your email earlier. I got hacked! and have been dealing with that horror.

      If you hover over the K-8 Websites link, you’ll find several thousand links categorized by grade and topic. There are more if you click the link. This is probably a good starting point. It does include Writing, Science, History, some Literacy, lots of Reading. If you have specific topics, let me know and I can direct you to more resources (I also offer lesson plans–some free, some not–and training–webinars and classes).

      Feel free to treat me as your mentor, Samantha. I’m happy to help.