Day 12: What My Teaching Will Look Like in the Next Five Years

I envision tremendous changes for me as a teacher within the next five years. My district has implemented a student tablet program this school year and even though I am not significantly impacted by this new initiative now I will be in less than two years as the program increases in scope.

I am excited about this endeavor but I am also nervous because there will be many changes for me and for my students. I envision a near-paperless school day and that is nearly incomprehensible to me. There is going to be a significant learning curve and I need to keep reminding myself of the idea that has been reiterated by our district technology leaders: 

The curriculum should drive the use of technology, not vice versa.

If I keep this thought front and center in my mind I will be able to navigate these changes smoothly and gracefully. I was fortunate enough to receive a smartboard a few years ago and I can't imagine teaching without one now. I have tirelessly worked to make it an indispensable classroom tool for me and for my students. They use the smartboard frequently for historical primary source document analysis and I am proud of its use in my room as a learning device. If I apply this same methodology to the tablet implementation I will be able to grow and change with the technology available to me and my students.

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