Welcome!

In September of 2010 I returned to the classroom after nine years out raising my kids.  In addition to lovin' on my kids, I also spent those nine years creating and running a small, one-woman business of decorating rooms and painting furniture.  In that role I discovered the world-shrinking world of blogs.  I learned to use several other technological tools to help get my business attention. 


Now that I have returned to the classroom, I have taken that interest in real-life applications of communication and productivity technology and brought it into my daily mission to improve my craft as a teacher.  My goal is this: NEVER allow technology to be the center of attention, simply the vehicle I use to allow students to show what they know.  My goal is to use technology to teach.  I do not TEACH technology as an end.  


One of the facts of being a teacher that I am reminded of each and every day is the time crunch teachers face.  We are required to balance the time we spend on students themselves and the time we spend improving our craft. The new Standards of Learning in Virginia probably mirror standards in all states in that they are more directly addressing the way teachers use technology.  So, how can we effectively consider student needs, important curricular content, and the time needed to learn how to integrate technology?  Most teachers I know and love are simply tired of sitting in butt-numbing workshops learning one "cool" program at a time.

So, this blog is powered by curiosity and the abiding belief that I can't possibly break anything by trying things out. This blog will help you learn as I did, one itsy bitsy step at a time.  My mission is to collect resources that can help you decide where to start your learning.  My hope is that you'll give yourself permission to follow your own curiosity and listen to that often quieted voice that says, "Give it a try!  So what if you fail this time! You can always try again!"

Join me as I explore how to prepare students for the world they will inhabit WHILE we teach them to honor our literary, scientific, and cultural past.