Your Accomplishments
Posted by Andrew Yale on May 19, 2008
Please describe what you would consider to be significant accomplishments you have experienced this year. Please try to include as much data as possible (# of teachers impacted, etc.).
Posted by Andrew Yale on May 19, 2008
Please describe what you would consider to be significant accomplishments you have experienced this year. Please try to include as much data as possible (# of teachers impacted, etc.).
khorrocks said
I think I have, after so many years, really gotten efficient about my TM work. I find I can get a lot done before school, after school, and in the very brief times I have during the day. I can quickly add printers, restore shortcuts, fix small problems. This keeps teachers happy but it doesn’t give me time to show them how to do it themselves. I have been forcing myself to take the time to do that more often (mostly because Anne B. makes me!)I think it is working because I am getting fewer requests for that kind of help. So one accomplishment is moving from doing things for people, to getting them to be able to do it for themselves. Another big accomplishment is finally developing a trust with the staff that when I offer a workshop, it will be something they really could use, and I will keep it to a minimum of time. I think because of that, I have gotten a small but loyal group who come to my workshops.
APiasecki said
I took on the TM role for a two reasons. First of all no one else in the building was willing to do it and second I understand that technology education is crucial for our students of all ages to “keep up with the times” both while the students are in the ICSD and afterwards. I learned alot about computers, software, internet sites, etc. that I probably wouldn’t have learned about if it wasn’t for the other TM and staff developers talking about it. As the fifth TM in the past five years I feel that I accomplished alot when it comes to inventory of the technology in our building and fixing hardware issues. I was able to help staff in the building with printers, mac functions, etc. I was able to get seven staff members setup for a BlackBoard site. I was also able to get a few teachers to register and use Everyday Math Games online, Raz-Kids, and reading A-Z. I successful formed a tech. committee of six staff members to promote technology integration and assist with the RPF. Lastly, I worked hard with the principal, Patrick Jensen, and the IIT to FINALLY get Enfield a computer lab. (Karen Wiggins our libraran gets much credit for helping with this since I am in a classroom all day and can’t speak with people who stop by). By the end of June the computer lab with our old mobile lap computers will be set up for a computer lab use. I was not succesful in getting new computers for it but something is better than nothing at this point!!!
Adam Bauchner said
The thing I most most proud of this year is the Get Online brochure that Jennifer Goodmark & I created. I hope this is getting some distribution and if useful for some ICSD families. I am also glad that BJM has begin the process of updating its website using BlackBoard, putting the responsibility for creating & updating content into the hands of the teachers. Hopefully this will continue to grow – I have good support from my pricipal to make me believe it will. The most gratifying thing, however, is just to see how much more technology is in use at BJM, how many teachers are implementing Raz-Kids and everyday math games and just exposing their kids to more projects and activities with technology. I don’t take credit for this – the paradigm would be shifting with or without me – but a critical mass is beginning to coalesce at BJM. My biggest frustration remains: getting staff to use their email and other communication tools to help them be more efficient professionals.
This really helps: Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
kidscom said
The two accomplishments I am the most proud of regard children using technology.
My fifth graders created audio recordings of books for younger children. This project linked children and used technology as a tool to build a school literacy community.
Also, allowing students to follow along while listening to a recorded version of text using iTunes allows students of varying reading ability to discuss literature together.
TNoyes said
As a first year tech mentor, I have experienced so much and feel that I have accomplished a great deal. Although, being a tech mentor here at the high school is demanding, I still feel there has been some positive accomplishments. I have been able to work with teachers and and staff members helping them becoming confident pc/mac users. This year as a tech mentor I have been able to work with teachers who are not tech savvy. These teachers who were hesitant to use such items as the Smatboard, email, and graphing calculator software are now less fearful of these tools.
Matt Holl said
I feel as though I was an effective Tech Mentor, even though I was at times overwhelmed by the amount of requests I received, many of which were last-minute and panicky. I tried my best to help as many people as possible at times that were mutually convenient. I was frustrated often by the low priority that some teachers give technology, especially technology freely given them by the district. I was not able to attend nearly as many training opportunities as I had hoped to learn from my peers, due to the high demand that was occasionally placed on my time by my dual-role as a TM and the co-chair of the IHS Tech Committee. I would like to return as a TM next year, and I hope to be able to grow as a mentor and expand my own knowledge.
sarah b said
This was a successful first year as Tech mentor. What seemed to be needed for many in my school was one on one help with a myriad of little things. Mostly their questions were how do I …in some program. Or how do I get this to work with that. I would trying to find answers if I couldn’t answer myself. I guess I must have been of some use to a third of our staff at some point over the year. I had hoped to go to more trainings than I could fit in. I would like to continue as Tech mentor, learn more through workshops and through working out questions that I encounter.
Jane Koestler said
This was also my first year as a co-tech mentor. I think my building staff benefited from the presence and availability of two tech mentors. Beth & I were able to focus on our areas of expertise (Mac vs. Dell, intermediate vs. primary)in supporting our colleagues. Almost all of our teachers now have a web presence at South Hill. There were two workshops supporting this, and I worked with several teachers on an individual basis. I have also been able to support the maintenance of our two mobile labs and computer lab.
I continued to be an avid user of technology in my classroom completing two i-Movie projects, a Powerpoint presentation, original compositions using Garage Band, projects using web research tools,interactive student websites,and video streaming. Some of these new resources/ websites have been disseminated to other staff by our school’s librarian, Alice Ball. This has been an effective way to share classroom technology ideas.
Kathryn Cernera said
The perfectionist in me has been thinking of all of the ways I could have been a better TM this year, so thank you for asking the question that forces me to focus on my success. My best experience this year has been helping one of my co-workers in anticipating mobile lab problems before he had them by setting up a 15 minute orientation of how to perform basic functions and solve basic problems. I thank him for having the foresight to make the request.