Growth in Technology

Technology is constantly changing in our society from day to day.  I have never been as tech savvy as many of my colleagues or my husband, who has more knowledge about computers than I could ever hope to come to understand.  With all of the advances in technology, it is difficult to catch up and keep up with the new strategies and resources.   In the past decade, I have seen a rapid growth of children utilizing more technology in the home and on the go. When I was growing up, I did not have a computer or a cell phone and Facebook was nonexistent.  Today, it is almost uncommon for a student to not have access to a computer or the Internet at home, although I am aware that many families cannot afford to have these amenities.  Schools are putting more pressure on teachers to learn more about technology and to utilize these resources in the classroom, but many times we are not given the time necessary to teach ourselves and workshops are few and far between.  For the most part, I have taught myself anything I know about technology through trial and error.  I do understand the value of promoting technology in the classroom and I have seen its effectiveness among my students.  For almost every project my students complete, some type of technology is involved.  I tend to do a lot with PowerPoint presentations for lessons and for student presentations.  It is important for students  to know how to create presentations and how to use Microsoft software.  Over the past few months, I have learned how to use other software which I will incorporate into my classroom.  As a teacher, it is important for me to keep on learning just as I desire for my students to become lifelong learners.  It is a struggle, but I do feel it is worth it to benefit the next generation.  Technology is not going away like many fads, so we need to embrace the possibilities.