Technology Teacher: Technology Directors/Administrators…What?

Once again, I found a wonderful blog post on Scott McLeod’s blog Dangerously Irrelevant.

It was titled Education needs geeks, but we need a special kind of geek who is one of us.

I cheer on this guest blogger, previously a classroom teacher, Don Watkins, who is now turned into a self-taught (mostly)Technology Guru.

“I read a web posting about replacing your technology coordinator/director with a building administrator.”

Don Watkins does not agree with this idea.

I loved his statement…

“My efforts have always been to knock down walls and to build bridges to places of opportunity for our students, our faculty, our administration and our community. I see my role and those of my fellow technology directors and now technology integrators, curriculum directors, curriculum specialists as people who can and do encourage innovation. We owe this to our various constituencies. We do not serve them well when we accept the status quo. When someone tells me that this or that can't be done I make it my business to prove them wrong.

Yes…that is my philosophy too ... When someone tells me that this or that can't be done I make it my business to prove them wrong.

My corollary is that I will not allow the computer to win.

My students and fellow teachers know this about me. I may not end up finding the most direct or the “right” way to get it done, but I WILL get it done. The computer is NOT smarter than a human brain with creativity!

We need more people with this CAN DO attitude. We need to teach our students this CAN DO attitude. Imagine where the world would be if everyone had a CAN DO attitude!

[As always, in my author quotes, the underlines, color changes, and bold type is mine, not the author’s. I do this so often, I should probably put a disclaimer to this effect at the bottom of every blog!]