Just to set things straight, I've made a lot of stupid, terrible decisions. That time when I trusted an agency to find me an apartment for only $200 upfront? Stupid. Backing my car up while wearing slippers? Way to go, John. Changing a diaper with a crying baby and no wipes in the holster? GENIUS (not really). Sure, I've made those awful, no good decisions. With any fork in the road, there will always be a part of me that wonders if the alternate route would've been easier. In this case, it was classroom vs. instructional technology coach.
I love math. I love teaching. I love kids and the interaction that they provide. I love the struggle of figuring out how to reach "that kid" or how to make teenagers thirsty enough to request a drink from the fountain of mathematics. It was, and hopefully always will be, a passion. With that, I've moved out of the classroom and into a much bigger one- the district. For a while, I've questioned if it was the right move. Is my impact still valuable since I'm not working with kids? Is my voice still useful?
Today, I was asked by the principal of one of our 8 high schools to sit down with a couple of her students and chat about an app that they have created. I won't pretend to know the first thing about XCode or Java in general, but I know what a good app looks like and how it could function in a practical manner. So sure, I'll sit down, chat, and give some feedback.
Today, I was asked by the principal of one of our 8 high schools to sit down with a couple of her students and chat about an app that they have created. I won't pretend to know the first thing about XCode or Java in general, but I know what a good app looks like and how it could function in a practical manner. So sure, I'll sit down, chat, and give some feedback.
Had the honor of chatting with @Cdavdav & @michaelriad_ about an app they're making. Seeing high school Ss be the creators is incredible
— John Stevens (@Jstevens009) January 29, 2014
These two young men personified what education is all about and reignited a passion for me to help kids find their own path to success. Here they are, a senior and junior in high school, and they are ready with a marketing plan and an app that will help change their campus. For fear of sharing too much, I will limit my explanation of the app to the concept of sharing school news, pictures, and events. Hopefully I'll be able to say more when the app is released.
What really became evident during our meeting was how ambitious and opportunistic these two young men really were. They are creating a product for their peers and looking for feedback and approval when necessary. It's true that apps are a dime a dozen, but seeing something like this start from the foundation, and have the potential that it does, is an exciting time to be in education. As long as we can continue to facilitate opportunities like this, the future of education in America (and beyond) will be just fine.
All in all, the decision to step out of the classroom and provide support for the entire district became validated today. I hope to see that this continues to be the right decision as more students like these two gentlemen begin to show up and show off the work that they are doing.
Happy Fishing
What really became evident during our meeting was how ambitious and opportunistic these two young men really were. They are creating a product for their peers and looking for feedback and approval when necessary. It's true that apps are a dime a dozen, but seeing something like this start from the foundation, and have the potential that it does, is an exciting time to be in education. As long as we can continue to facilitate opportunities like this, the future of education in America (and beyond) will be just fine.
All in all, the decision to step out of the classroom and provide support for the entire district became validated today. I hope to see that this continues to be the right decision as more students like these two gentlemen begin to show up and show off the work that they are doing.
Happy Fishing
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