Sally Song recently addressed our class at UNBC, regarding technology and the classroom.  The most important piece I gleaned from our time together was the importance of balance.

It can be easy for a young teacher to become excited about implementing a tech-based protocol such as twitter or e-portfolios, without fully understanding the amount of effort demanded by said protocol.  Mrs. Song found herself overly taxed when she employed twitter early in her career.  As a result, she felt that the benefits did not out way the effort and subsequently discontinued twitter use.

A teacher’s time and health are finite and can be overstretched.  As a teacher it is important to understand limits.  When implementing new system, one must analyze and weigh benefits.  Having said this the balance goes both ways.  Merely avoiding time consuming task in the fear that one may be overly taxed is not acceptable.  One must thoroughly audit time and effort with perceived success and value along with personal health.  This is a tricky proposition, however a necessary one.

I will be sure to be innovative while understanding my limits when I am in my practice.