My Boonbloggle

I just talked to our high school English teacher. She was asking for help linking her students blogs to our school website!! To many of you it probably seems like a joke that I would actually be excited about such a small step, but considering where we were a year and half ago it represents a huge improvement and a snowballing of ideas.

Now, I know I can’t take all the credit for this, but it gives me a sense of great pride to know how far our school has come. When I started here 2 years ago we had 12 ‘working’ PC’s that were used for free time, to rewards students with games, and occasionally a little internet research. Since then we have added 30 laptops, a server, a couple of data projectors, and a document camera, and most of it is being used every day in pedagogically sound ways. We have added a web site (nothing special, but a start) a wiki, and now blogs. The big thrill for me is how things are snowballing, last year I think I was the only teacher to use a computer in class on a regular basis, this year I have to fight for the laptops, or the computer lab or even the data projector. One of my biggest challenges now is scheduling.

Had it been just me I probably would have just locked myself in my classroom and given up on the rest of the school by now, but I have a very supportive principal and two other teachers that started/returned this year who are eager to try and incorporate new ideas. It was that bit of additional weight that allowed us to start the ball rolling. I don’t know what the critical mass is, but I do know that one or two dedicated teachers/administrators per school can be enough (It helps if your willing to give up weekends evening and vacations for a couple of years). Don’t give up. Keep offering to do PD’s, suggesting websites, showing off what your students have done, forwarding interesting articles and blogs, ’share’ your network with them. It doesn’t have to be full on war, just lead by example and let them know you are there for support.