Leading by Learning with Teachers

Throughout my 13 years of educational technology leadership I have typically been out in front of leading change.  I have recently embraced a new role for my myself.  I am now learning alongside my teachers.

What am I talking about?  Let me explain.  For the past twenty years I have been a Windows PC user.  I have deployed, provided training, planned curriculum, purchased software, and installed networks to take advantage of Windows PC's.  Things are in the midst of change for my district...and me.  Two years ago our high school was awarded the Transforming Teaching and Learning Grant which provided professional development for Project-Based Learning and 5 iPad carts.  We chose the iPad because it was more established than android rivals and had the Volume Apps Purchasing Program.  A bonus was the Apple Professional Development Services that could be used to strengthen our teachers.  More on that in a moment.  Once the other teachers in the building started learning how to use the iPad carts in the classroom they demanded more.  The high school and I partnered on a 6th cart of iPads and the demand soared higher.  At this point, we decided the high school staff was ready for a 1:1 implementation.  We decided to give it a calendar year to train the teachers and get them ready for the instructional shift.  We have now completed the year long professional development and are ready to deploy in the fall of 2013.

This brings me to my main point.  The last time I used a Mac computer to any extent was when I was in college.  I graduated from the University of Akron in 1993.  Since then I have been a Windows PC user and I am quite proficient with them.  This change in my district to iPads has thus resulted in a need for Macintosh computers so teachers can produce iBooks.  To help train our teachers on using iPads for instruction and to facilitate the implementation of IBooks author, we have provided 30 Macs and have purchased PD from Apple.  It was during these PD sessions that I discovered I had a deficiency.  I found myself not able to answer every questions teachers would ask during the sessions.  I found myself meandering my way to the answers with them.  I had not felt so lost in a long time (educational technology speaking, on a personal level my wife has to help me find things in the house because I can never find them).  I found that many of the teachers knew a lot more than me and they were showing me tips and tricks.  I contemplated my future and decided to purchase myself a mac book   I have been using, not exclusively though, to accomplish basic everyday tasks.  A lot of times I still migrate back to my Windows PC for comfort.  Using a Mac on an almost daily basis has helped me to learn along with the teachers.  I am no Mac expert at this point, but at least I know how to use one now.

As I reflect upon the process we have undergone in recent months, I realize that one of the most important things we can do in educational technology leadership is to empower our teachers to use technologies in ways outside from our own comfort zones.  These teachers are now using technology to design learning opportunities for students they otherwise would not have access to.  It is important that we allow teachers to stretch our own limits so we can do what is best for the students.