Saturday, August 25, 2018

Ed Tech Specialists in Schools

Several weeks ago, I shared a Google Form that I had made to gain insight on what teachers needed/wanted in ed tech specialist support at their schools. I received 15 responses (I was hoping for more, but I am incredibly grateful to the 15 of you). Here are some of the common themes...

What teachers are hoping for...

  • Co-planning & co-teaching
    This allows teachers to step out and do something a little more risky, knowing that someone will be there to help them!
  • Observation/feedback/coaching
    I love that people are willing to grow! An important distinction is that this is non-evaluative feedback.
  • Help in keeping up with tech trends, tools, & ideas; deciding what to purchase/implement
    With so much out there, it is hard for teachers to keep track of it all, but they are interested in recommendations & ideas about what will give the most "bang for their buck"!
  • Sample resources
  • Leading or co-leading PD in the building


What teachers do NOT want...

  • To be told what to do
    They know their curriculum, content, teaching style, & students best. Honor that!
  • To be taught about tech tools with no thought given to classroom integration
    Context is everything - it might be a cool tool, but how does it apply in my classroom?
  • To feel judged
    Not everybody is tech-savvy - and people need to know that it's okay!
  • Lack of communication or availability
  • Doing it for them, rather than teaching them something new


Timing/Scheduling

Forms response chart. Question title: When are you most likely to want to collaborate with an ed tech specialist?. Number of responses: 14 responses.
Not surprisingly, teachers want to collaborate during time already built into their day. We may feel like 1:1 help is not as efficient, but it may be the best way to really meet a teacher's needs and create bigger ripples of change!

Final Thoughts

If nothing else came through clearly, this did...RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS! Building positive relationships is a crucial foundation to any other work being done. But that shouldn't be a surprise, right? It's the same with students.

Thank you so much for your feedback - I am carrying these ideas & perspectives with me as I head into my year. Hopefully they can help other tech coaches out there, too - feel free to share!

4 comments:

  1. Great post, Aubrey. Meet them where they are at. Honor their expertise. Respect their time. #Win

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  2. I love it Aubrey! Don’t do it for them, help them learn!

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  3. Love it! I guarantee that you're using these results when it comes to planning and implementation. I know that I am too :)

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  4. Great post! Relationships definitely make life easier in school and everything else. It is important to be able to learn and be able to lead to be in a great relationship.

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