Tech Drive By

I stumbled upon a quick and easy way to help teachers with technology in their classroom and I want to share with all of you. I'm sort of a busy body and have a hard time staying in my room before school starts. Once I have my class ready for the day, I love to walk around the building and say hello to the people I work with and the students I see. Since I started my role as technology curriculum specialist, I've been stopping in my rooms and helping with tech questions. This has been one of the best ways for more to help teachers in my building. Here are some tips for an effective Tech Drive-By.

1. Give yourself time to help. If you are going to do a TDB, make sure you give yourself about 15 minutes of time before you need to get back to your class. This is important in case one person takes up all of your time; you still have time to get back to your classroom.

2. Branch out away from your room. It's easy to just help the teachers around your room, but it's better to get to the parts of the building far away. Teachers close by can pop in for help, but those at the other end of the building do not have that luxury.

3. Don't be afraid to just say hi. Sometimes I pop in and they do not need any tech help, but I'll stop and chat. While making small talk, I'll mention some of the fun things other teachers are doing and offer to help them try some of the new stuff when it's convenient for them. It's important to let teachers know you are available to help.

4. See the administrators. Administrators need tech support as well. It's nice to stop in and see if they need anything from time to time, and it's good to let them see you making your rounds.

5. Make a point to follow up. Always try to make a note to follow up with the teacher or admin. This can be in person or through email. It lets the people know they are still on the radar and you can help them if they have additional questions.

Doing a TDB takes some time up of my morning and I cannot do it every morning, but I have seen positive growth in teachers using tech since I've been able to pop in and talk to them. Consider adding the Tech Drive By to your morning.