Technological Tantrum

"Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one's self-esteem.  That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily."

 ~Thomas Szasz

For the past several weeks, I have been trying out and using different internet tools in order to create and foster my own Professional Learning Network (PLN).  The experience has been ….. challenging.  

Let me explain:  
I recently had some out-of-town guests stay with my family and me.  In an effort to show them and their 5 year old son, “Mac”,  all of the wonderful things San Diego has to offer, we packed our weekend schedule with trips to Sea Port Village, Sea World, the Fashion Valley Mall, different restaurants, beautiful parks, etc., etc., etc.  There’s so much to do in San Diego!  On the first day, little Mac was so excited!  On the second day, he was exhausted.  By the third day, he was overwhelmed, irritated, throwing tantrums, and ready to go home.  

I feel like little Mac.  

I know there is a ton of wonderful things to be learned on the internet.  I know it.  But I feel so overwhelmed and inundated with information and words and graphics and hashtags and links and bookmarks that I feel like I am not processing anything!  It doesn’t help that I feel sooooooo far behind in terms of technological ‘know-how’ compared to my classmates or that I feel sooooo vulnerable when publishing my thoughts and words in a public sea of... well I don’t really know what.  Who will care what I write?  Who will care what I think?  Who will care about the things I think are cool or interesting or funny?  Who knew I cared so much about what other people think of me?

In short, I feel like I’m having my own little tantrum.  Okay, okay, maybe a big tantrum.

I did talk to Mac a few days after he left San Diego and was able to recoup.  He didn’t remember his tantrums, but he did remember seeing Baby Shamu, playing basketball at the park with my kids, and eating at a restaurant where he ordered his food on an iPad.  I was glad that, after some time to reflect, he was able to point out some highlights from his San Diego trip.

I, too, have found and learned how to use some technology tools that don’t utterly confuse me and that have actually helped me find some great ideas, articles, and organizational strategies to use in the classroom.  For those of you who don’t know me, the extent of my ‘internet presence’ prior to February 2013 was, well..... using Google, Youtube, emailing friends and occasionally looking through my husband’s Facebook (no, I do not have my own account).  NOW --- I’ve been spending a lot of time looking through Learnist and Pinterest and creating some boards on both sites.  I’ve been following a number of people on twitter and have successfully tweeted some links that I think would be helpful to my classmates and fellow educators.  I’ve learned to use two different blogging sites and Activinspire.  And I plan to figure out what diigo and scoopit are all about....

This experience has taught me many, many things.  One of the most important things it has taught me is this:  When I come across a student who needs a bit more time than his classmates to 'get it', I will remember how I am feeling right now and give him or her some extra love :).

I’m pretty proud of my progress.... But I know that I still have a loooooong way to go.