Are you a K-12 administrator? Do you expect teachers to utilize technology with their students? First ask yourself, are you taking the same types of risks with your faculty?
Here’s the truth: school administrators cannot expect teachers to take risks if they don’t take risk themselves.
No, I’m not talking about wearing a bold pant suit to a school board meeting; I’m talking about incorporating technology in their faculty meetings.
One way to take productive risks includes utilizing technology with your faculty. While modeling a skill teachers should use with their students by incorporating technology as a tool to positively interact with all members of their school family:
- Remind– I don’t think you should continuously intrude on the personal lives of the teachers in your building but I do think you should continuously try to build a sense of community.
- Socrative– or any form of instant polling. Socrative just happens to be my favorite. Use this at your next faculty meeting to determine what professional development is needed, get feedback instantly, or simply model the tool for teachers to use in their own classroom.
- Today’s Meet– back channeling at a faculty meeting could open your eyes to all stakeholders perspectives, not just the one’s with the loudest voice. It also will give you a transcript of a meeting and allow you to reflect on whether or not the message you were trying to convey and even the morale of your faculty.
- Pinterest– create boards to share with faculty of resources separated by grade, subject, interests, motivational quotes, etc. Want an awesome Ed tech board? Check out my TechnoEducation Geek Board. It’ll make your geeky heart happy…!
- Paper.li– curate relevant Internet finds for your faculty and colleagues. Much of the work is done for you, leading to a generated e-paper of current events and topics related to education.
I highly recommend Steven Anderson’s The Tech Savvy Administrator. It includes great suggestions for administrators to harness the power of technology with their faculty.
Administrators, did I miss anything? How do you incorporate technology in your school day and beyond?