Elmos and Wikis and Blogs? Oh, My!

Six and a half years ago, I walked into my classroom for the first time.  I looked around, taking note of my materials, furniture, and surroundings.  First thing I noticed- the chalkboard mounted at the front of the room.  I did a double take...a chalkboard?! Second, the pile of computer parts collecting dust under the wall-mounted television (complete with VCR).  Where was the whiteboard? The document camera? Projector? Apple computers?  I thought to myself, "Jessica, we're not in Kansas (aka the glorious, brand new building I was privileged to student teach in) anymore."

Since then, I have been gifted a projector, laser printer, new-ish student computers, and lots of professional development for new technology.  My classroom website has evolved; the blog is updated (though not regularly enough) with photographs and anecdotes from the classroom.  Conference sign-ups and volunteering opportunities are managed with ease using volunteerspot.com.  Students are well-versed in technology- YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Parents anticipate updates instantaneously via email. Discovery Education provides a video for every topic, standard, framework, unit, lesson under the sun.  Technologically savvy students are more and more commonplace and I've had to keep up.  I tweet, Instagram, and Facebook with the best of them!

I still feel like my classroom is in the dark ages.  The new projector blew a bulb, therefore is unusable.  The wi-fi connection is spotty and temperamental.  The laser printer is black and white- no color ink in the room. No document camera, no Elmo, no iPads in sight.   While I appreciate and value what I've learned at PD days on the Elmo projector and Wikis, I feel I don't have the right "infrastructure" in my classroom to address the shift to the 21st Century.  Baby steps, I suppose...