Teacher Growth: Ask the Students and Use RSS

Scott McLeod's Leadership Day Summary led me down an interesting path today. These are my reflections on some of the things I read...

Sylvia Martinez reminds me that the students are an untapped resource. I'm racking my brains, trying to think of ways I can use 21st century technology to improve learning. I don't have to do this alone! I can and will ask my students for creative ideas on how these web 2.0 tools can be used to enhance and demonstrate learning. Do a quick lesson on the tools available to us, give them the objectives for the current unit, and have them brainstorm ways to use the web in their learning.

I have to agree with Jamie, that the best place to start teachers and administrators down the road of embracing technology is to get them an RSS feed and teach them to use it. It is addictive, for one thing - because deep down, most teachers love learning. It is also easier than rigorous study, because readers get info in little bites (bytes?). I feel like I don't have the time to sit down and read a book about web 2.0, or the knowledge to find my own resources online. RSS feeds allow me to learn and explore one or two small topics at time, and most bloggers link to additional information which broadens my exposure to that topic. Ah, Steve Poling comments on the appeal of blog reading for administrators, as well.

I would also recommend allowing time to pass, after introducing RSS, for teachers to just read and "lurk." I was not ready to join the conversation until I'd read for several months. I felt I'd nothing to say until I had a better grasp of the concepts and their possible applications in my life. I wasn't convinced that web 2.0 could help me.