Module 3

The ISTE, NBPTS, and WVPTS all promote teacher leadership.  Throughout each set of standards technology leadership is embedded.  However, the ISTE standards focus solely on leadership in technology.  I look at these standards frequently and try to plan lessons that will incorporate as much as possible.  Last year my school required us to follow tech steps, which were technology activities/lessons that were set up to ensure that students received technology access/practice.  This year, I am pleased to say that we are not required to do tech steps anymore.  While some people liked these planned activities I prefer to come up with my own activities based on what we are doing at the time or planning for the future.  I feel that what we do with technology should build on or enhance what we are doing within our lessons and not just be a predetermined activity made up for all students.  
All educators must chose their own path, based on what they feel is best for them.  I have found that many teachers decide to follow one path because they feel it is best for them, but end of switching back or pursuing a different one.  In order to prevent this teachers should be able to observe and substitute in different positions.  They should also have mentors to help guide them into the future.  I had a mentor my first year of teaching, but my second year was on my own.  How many beginning teachers stay in the same class or position that they started in?  Not many!  In order to find what we want we need to be given the chance to explore each.
Chapter 5:
There are several free resources that I try to utilize in my classroom.  One of them is live grades.  We are able to email parents and students to discuss and talk about any concerns of just observations.  I like this tool because it gives the students the opportunity to look at their grades as well as their parents so that I am not getting daily notes or calls with questions about grades or missing work.  I also like students using the site MobyMax.  While I did not set this site up so I can not guarantee that it is free, I do like it.  My students go in and work on different activities tiered to their level.  i can set up different activities for them, and get a report of their progress.  We are not encouraged to participate with our students or their parents on facebook, but the school does have a site in which we can post positive things about the school.  This is to keep parents and the community updated on what we are doing as a school.  While my phone service is not free I encourage all my parents to text me if they have any questions or concerns about what is going on within the classroom.  I also sent home a letter at the beginning of the year encouraging parents to give me their email addresses so that I can send out emails with up dated information.  I feel to be a good leader in technology you must be willing to try new things and out forth the effort to encourage people to follow the example you have set.  For example the principal at my school decided to send out morning memos via email instead of paper copies.  This made several veteran teachers angry because they did not use email often and were use to receiving that paper copy daily.  The principal stuck to her decision but offered support to the teachers and helped them to learn how to receive and respond to the memo.  At the beginning of the year it was crazy at the meetings because these teachers spent the entire time complaining.  However, after she supported them and encouraged them to try they are okay with it.
Chapter 6:
I work at an elementary school teaching third grade.  Since I work with younger students I do not feel that social media is as important.  This is simply because they are at an age where they are learning how to work with and use technology, but not quite old enough to participate in many things.  Only a few have devices that will connect to a form of social media.  However, I do feel that it is important and that in higher education there should be more implementation of it.  Which means that schools would have to stop blocking some of the services and allow students to explore technology freely.  Like it or not technology is our future and to make our students as successful as possible we must embrace it and allow them to learn from it.