Thursday, September 1, 2016

Beginning of the Trip


Although I started in this educational space in 2003 and have been incorporating technology in my practice, I can say that this is only my 4th year being charged with making technology the core of my job as a technology integration specialist for Medway Public Schools. The field of educational technology is of great interest to me and I absolutely enjoy my job and the people that I work with. Outside of school I have a fondness for the outdoors, especially fishing. A little while ago I began to think of the similarities between these two passions of mine. All these thoughts gave me inspiration to start writing a blog.


If I am going fishing it is usually for Bass, but there are many different species out there in both freshwater and saltwater. Each of these species is attracted to various types of forage. As a fisherman you have to know what lure or bait is going to give you the best chance at catching your target fish that day. Have you ever been to Bass Pro Shops or Cabelas and looked out across the aisles? More than a few choices, right? 

Teachers come across this kind of situation every day. In a sense, they have it harder than the fisherman. Most of the time, a fisherman will target one type of fish, analyze the weather, water temperature, clarity and time of year to then make the best decision as to what lure to try out that day. There may be a couple of specific strategies that are known to be productive for any given scenario. On the other hand, the students that are in teachers’ classrooms are so varied in their interests, personalities and learning styles. It is impossible for teachers to just target one type of student (fish). Teachers must be prepared to catch all the students, every day. 

Just like the aisles and aisles of lures available to fisherman, teachers have thousands of apps to choose from, various technology teaching strategies to implement, devices to use, and so on. A good understanding of the resources available and their uses in the classroom is essential in effectively integrating technology into lessons and activities and engaging every student.

It is my hope that through this blog I will be able to share with educators some of those stories, tips, tricks, strategies, tools and resources that will help reel in all those unique and wonderful fish in your classroom. So I ask you, What’s On Your Hook?

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