BLogarithm

I was in a meeting today ( my 4th for the day and probably 10th for the week ) about inclusion and co-teaching.

Many of my co-workers expressed a concern over the lack of common planning periods and planning time to effectively prepare for upcoming lessons and units. I understand their concerns but I’m also a little bothered by their unwillingness to think outside the box as problem solvers ( I know teachers aren’t engineers…but I digress)

I’m a huge proponent of using technology, particularly free technology, to make your my life easier. So, I recommended the creation of departmental wikis as a collaboration tool and the use of Google docs as a way to write lesson plans together without being together. The room was, unusually silent (if you’re ever been in a room full of teachers talking about ANYTHING you know what I mean). I thought I had them on the hook…but no one bit. They simply wrapped up the meeting and went back to thinking that there was no way to work together without being together.

I love free programs like Skype and Google Doc because they allow you to be productive and work with people through virtual networks. I plan on making it mandatory that my department use one or both of these tools so we can be more productive and more solutions oriented rather than reactionary complainers.

I need my fellow educators to come live with me in the 21st century.