Empowering students with technology: ch. 1,2,3

Growing up without a computer was somewhat stressful for me. We did not get an actual computer in my house until I reached high school. This was not because we could not afford one but it was solely because there was such a push in my elementary school for using your best cursive handwriting to create beautiful pieces of writing. I will always remember the words out of my 5th grade teache's mouth..."you will use cursive from this day on..". I have to say that since 5th grade the only time I have ever used cursive writing is to sign my name on checks or other important documents. Now a days documents re required to be typed up. I will never forget entering middle school and being required to type everything and complete all different research using the computer. I will never forget how discouraged I was. I will also never forget being left out while all of the students I went to school with we're talking about going online and talking on aim to their friends every night. I guess this made me an outcast. As the middle school years went on my parents learned how important it was for us to get caught up with the times and get a computer. Throughout my middle school experience I felt so lost in the beginning of the introduction to technology. I would get so frustrated with everything that had to do with technology. As I moved into high school I decided to take a computer class as an elective and let me tell you....that class led me to become a very fast typer. Without that class I would not be where I am today and as a matter of fact I would still be using my finger pointing to type up a paper. Throughout my college experience I was introduced to so many different ways to use technology in the classroom to help aid my teaching. I learned the importance of making learning fun and exciting for my students however there has always been a little piece of me that has been scared of technology. To this day, I have taken part in many different techno,ogy workshops focusing on different techniques for implementing technology and although I would leave each workshop with great ideas and look forward to implementing new things into my classroom, I always find myself discouraged with finding the time to do so and finding the appropriate resources to do so. I guess, although I do get great ideas from workshops I am still feeling completely overwhelmed with all that goes into the planning and the teaching using them.... On the other hand, the students I am teaching are completely used to all of this technology. It is like breathing to them....the video games, the cell phones, the electronics, etc. It is all completely amazing to me how just over the past 10 years things have gone so technologically advanced. I cannot even imagine when my son goes to school, what he will be expected to do. Don't get me wrong, I strongly believe that technology is a great way to help tridents learn, but I also feel that it is scary at the same time. This coming from someone who is still struggling with keeping up with the newest forms of technology.