Have you ever tried something new, something that seemed like it could be magical? You plan, you envision, you prepare. The day finally comes when you'll use this something new with your students...and the reality is far from the vision!  This happened recently in a first grade classroom I went into. I wanted to try Autodraw with them so they could record their thinking through pictures. I brought in a pile of new styluses, had the link set up in Classroom and a group of eager 6 year olds ready to learn something new!

We had lots of steps to get through first (logging onto the Chromebook with their login, not generic session, joining Google Classroom, clicking the link to Autodraw...) all before we could actually do the work. The kids were amazing! They were following directions and doing everything just right! Did I mention these 6 year olds were working in collaborative pairs? Not only did they have to follow the directions, but they had to make sure they were working together and sharing the Chromebook. Not an easy feet! But they were doing it and doing it better than I had anticipated!

Then came the actual assignment. After a quick demonstration of how Autodraw works, they were set to show their thinking. They needed to create a picture showing their favorite character or part of the class chapter book they were reading. The students instantly started talking with their partners to figure out what they were going to draw. Great ideas were flying around! AND THEN...they started to draw. This is where REALITY struck. The styluses that were meant to make drawing easier didn't work. Their fingers weren't sliding across the touch screens easy enough to create a fluid line. They were struggling to create a picture. They were getting frustrated---oh wait... perhaps it was me getting frustrated! They kept plugging away at it, trying to find better ways to get their drawing to look the way it should. The lesson didn't go as I had planned, however the students were really engaged and excited about trying something new! They never gave up! They didn't care how "messy" learning something new was. They were determined to draw their thinking.

As educators we can learn a lot about perseverance from a 6 year old! We need to remember to take a deep breath and keep trying! The mess is so worth the potential gains!

Tech is messy! We need to allow ourselves and our students to get messy in order to create an environment where they can create, collaborate and share their thinking

My friend and colleague Shannon, recently posted an article titled Rethinking Ed Techs Purpose in Schools. This article really resonated with me because we often think that technology is going to cure or save education. But it's not. Teachers who teach with the student in mind are what will save education. Teachers who believe that technology can enhance and redefine a learning experience are the key.

AJ Juliani, the author of the article states:  "Instead, let’s realize that great learning experiences have always had similar patterns and pedagogical strategies, and technology can be a part of that experience sometimes. If Socrates provided a learning experience that was human, social, meaning-centered, and language-based…chances are it was engaging. The same goes for us today. The difference is that human and social look a bit different in 2018 then they did hundreds of years ago. How can we use technology in ways that support sound practice and strategies for a 2018 world?"

We must first think of what will be authentic and engaging. Then we look for the best method to deliver this learning to our students. Perhaps technology is the right tool to use, but it is only a tool that must be used with purpose and authenticity.  "It is how the teacher and students use these tools for learning that truly matters. And when technology is used to redefine a learning experience, the revolution is what the students make, create, and build with their tech, not in the many ways they can consume information."  This seems so simple, yet what does this truly mean? What does this look like in all subject areas?

I love how so many of the teachers I work with are seeking the best way to engage students and make their learning authentic. So many of these teachers are stepping outside of their comfort zone in search of new ways to reach students and redefine their own teaching. What does this look like? How will we know if we succeeded in our endeavor? I have no idea, but I am so grateful to be surrounded by colleagues who are grappling with the same questions. Technology isn't going to "save education", but teachers who use technology to create, collaborate, communicate and solve problems are!