Right now, I'm an activity giver. I teach in a lab setting for half of my day where students rotate to me once every 12 days for 45 minutes. This leaves me with very little wiggle room. I am an activity giver, but I want to be a designer.
My job is supposed to be out of the block, where I can work with teachers to DESIGN lessons that integrate technology. I do have some hope that next year, I'll be out of the block. But that worries me too, because how do I then work my ideas/designs into the classrooms? How do I make myself indispensable? How do I get teachers to buy in? Help them plan? Work in time, when time is so precious? I've been in the trenches. I know that time is scarce and it's hard to sit down to plan with someone that isn't a teammate?
Right now, I get to introduce students to new technologies and ideas on my own time, without anyone butting in...lol...and then the teachers see some of those ideas trickle back to the classroom, which eventually will send them my way. Once I'm out of the block...I won't have that little "in"...
Have you tried the "virus approach" ? I approach one teacher who I feel will be open to something new, and get buy in from him/her to try something different with technology. Once the idea flies (hopefully doesn't sink!), the word of mouth spreads like a virus (especially when you make a 5 min staff mtg presentation...;-) and other teachers may be open to trying it too. Sometimes, they may even approach you!
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