March+2011

Monthly Activity Reflection
March 2011 Standards V-C, VII-C This month we have had workshops galore. First there were the regularly scheduled Microsoft software trainings like we had in October and now we are having the new Student Information Software training. We decided to devote the first week to the new software so the teachers will have a smooth transition from the old to the new software. If there is still a teacher with questions after that I will help them with it individually. I feel that one week is enough time to teach this software as it does not have as many features of the previous program. These afternoon workshops are generally not well attended but the principals made attendance at these particular workshops mandatory. After being required to come to the Student Information Software workshops the teachers did not want to come to the productivity workshops. We tried to give the teachers incentives to come and attend the other workshops. Even though attendance was light, I felt we should keep plugging along because those that are attending are learning new things. I have learned that the teachers that work with teachers need more patience than children do. Again as we did last year, we gave the teachers a survey, this time to determine what kind of afternoon workshops they would like to see next school year. I am hoping to have the 2010 version of Microsoft for next school year so that would entail some workshops to teach new features of the software. Having the teachers put in requests and make suggestions should make them want to attend the workshops in the fall. I have learned several things while participating in this activity. One is to have patience and another is that teachers like to learn. Most of them understand that the use of technology with the students needs to be done now but do not know how to go about integrating student use into their lessons. That is where I came in. Helping them become very familiar with their technology gave me the time to see exactly what is to be done next to help the teachers with integration of technology for student use.