What am I lacking? The technological support that I need to give my students the digital education that they need. I confess though, in my high school, I am one of the lucky ones. I have 8 five year old laptops that my students usually get first dibs on. Why my students? I am one of the few that haven’t thrown up her arms in utter frustration and given up on our tech resources completely. In addition, I complain loudly when my students’ learning is hampered by lack of resources.
What do I want? I want my students to have wifi access so they can use their own tech equipment to supplement our few dying machines. I want the password that will “unfreeze” my computer so that I can save bookmarks and install software I need. I want the teachers at my school to influence how our tech department spends their limited funds and human resources. I want to be able to call upon the resources available in the tech department as a respected coworker who shares common goals with our tech support staff.
There is little point in discussing why I can only wish for the above support. It will suffice to say that student achievement is not the foremost goal for all involved.
I have decided to buy a wireless router for my classroom. I will connect it to the network port that supplies my computer with internet services. I will allow my students to enter the 21st century in whatever way I can help them to get there. Frankly, I feel a bit afraid of the trouble I will stir up and wonder what reprimands will come my way. I am sure I will not lose my job, but I will irritate people who exist to support my work. I continue to evoke the ire of our tech department because I will not give up fighting for my students-ever
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