After reading an article about an ISTE certified teacher helping other educators feel comfortable with technology in this book, I was able to gain a new perspective on technology usage in the classroom. I also learned some new tools that myself, and others can benefit from. Laurie Guyon, a sixth grade English teacher, was first introduced to the new iPads she would be using in her classroom two weeks before the start of school. Like most of us would have been, Guyon was intimidated to say the least. However, After experimenting with her new device she noticed a huge increase of student engagement. She recognized that her class thrived with this new tool and quickly wanted to teach other educators how to feel comfortable with technology usage in their classrooms. At the start of the pandemic, Guyon hosted virtual office hours to give teachers a place they could ask questions, get ideas and practice their technology skills. Think about it, hardly anyone was learning virtually so this was a drastic change for school communities everywhere. Guyon’s support helped so many teachers get comfortable with these changes , therefore helping students learn more effectively during the pandemic. Now, years later, virtual and online learning is more prevalent than ever. As a student, educator or someone who is just interested in teaching with technology, here are four tips recommended by Laurie Guyon: Learn alongside your students, think in mini lessons, make connections and allow time to explore. First, learning alongside your students is crucial to the success of your students. Becoming a co-learner empowers students to take initiative in their own learning experiences. Second, making mini lessons is much more effective than delivering a long lecture. Students learn more when they get to practice new material on their own. Third, with having a background with technology, students will be able to make deeper connections in other aspects of their academics. Guyon tells her class to think of editing essays like they are coding. Lastly, allow your students to explore and learn new things on their own. Laurie Guyon does not give her students much direction aside from how to login or sign up for something new. After they have looked around and explored the app themselves, then she will create a class lesson from there.

I understand that the idea of teaching yourself and your students how to navigate new technology in the classroom can sound alarming, but with these four helpful tips it can be a breeze! In today’s world, tech is our future and so are the young minds in our schools!

This image shows elementary school students using technology as a tool to learn in their classroom.