Hi, and welcome to my blog. You and your brilliant mind have just stumbled across the ramblings of a teacher who is still learning their trade. Not only is this blog a requirement of my master’s program, but hopefully will track the amazing experiences and knowledge gained in the next few years.

First, we’ll address the title of the blog. “How to educate when you don’t know what you’re doing.”  Let me explain something, I am a certified teacher, I passed both of my bachelor’s degrees and have a full-time teaching position. To say that I have no idea what I am doing is a bit of an exaggeration. However, everyday in my career I learn something new. Either from colleagues or from the students themselves. Despite my qualifications, I still find myself searching for new ideas and information to support my practice. It is a little overwhelming. Fortunately, I am surrounded by amazing staff members who are willing to share their wisdom and experiences. Still, I have many moments where I think to myself (and sometimes out loud) that I “don’t know what I am doing”.

NEW(ish) TEACHER + STUDENTS WHO CAN “GOOGLE THE ANSWERS” + AN UNIQUE CLASSROOM = ME CONTINUALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I AM DOING.

Now add in new and changing technology to the above equation. As educators, we are tasked with an amazing and critical job. Teach young people how to think, create, and be contributing citizens. This includes preparing them for the future. [PAUSE FOR A SIDE THOUGHT: I don’t know about you, but I do not have the ability to predict the future. So how can I prepare my students for the unknown.]

Whether you like it or not, TECHNOLOGY is the future. The challenging part is the technology our students will be using after high school may not even exist yet. Technology is rapidly changing, and as soon as we as teachers figure out how to efficiently incorporate it into the classroom, that same technology is outdated. So how can educators teach students the skills to be successful, when we don’t know what to prepare them for.

I do not promise that my experiences will be any use to you or your classroom. I may not even get close to helping others in this noble field. However, if you stick with me through this professional development, I am confident you will get something out of it (even if it is only a good laugh or a list of resources).