HomeTeacher by day, Mommy by night
Teacher by day, Mommy by night
Juggling the demands (and insanity) of being a high school teacher, a wife, and a mother to a toddler
Member Since: October 28, 2007 Last Signed In: November 16, 2008 Blog Views: 3243 Send To A Friend Sign Guestbook Add as a Friend
There's Something to Those Old Wives' Tales
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For the Love!
Technology in the workplace is not new. Computers are not new. Especially, in education. I distinctly remember being a TA in 1997 as a senior and entering grades for a teacher into an electronic grade book.
I think that we as teachers can safely say that computers are here to stay. So, someone needs to explain to me why so many teachers are so STINKING close minded when it comes to technology. (Sidenote: this may be true of other professions, but I have never really worked in any other field...sad, I know.) Please do not think I am tooting my own horn. I'm no technological wizard. Just ask my husband. I'm sure he'll say something vaguely insulting about my computer skills. However, I am all about instant gratification, so computers work for me. Especially since the invention of high-speed Internet. Here's why I left work today saying not very nice things about some of my co-workers: 1. A couple ladies I work with have it in their minds that I can solve ALL their tech problems. This is not true. 2. These same ladies always call me with questions. Not a bad thing, necessarily. But it's not so great when it's for something they need to complete RIGHT NOW. 3. When I am trying to help these women, they act like remaining in the dark ages is a good thing "Well, people your age may know computers, but I remember when we used ditto machines." Okay, you're now LAME and old. Yay for you. 4. Occasionally, they attempt to yell at me. I say occasionally because when it happened today I gave my co-worker a stern talking to. Seriously, this woman is 50 and I spoke to her like she's 4. I actually asked her, "Do you really want my help or not?" She shut up then. Still, I'm not answering my phone tomorrow. *"For the Love!" is a common phrase of one my dear friends Stephanie. It's the perfect way to express frustration without swearing or offending anyone's religious sensibilities. :) 4 comments from 4 users
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posted by
AmandaS
on Sep 30, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Just be glad you have no prep period. This structurally inhibits your ability/desire to help these people. Next time they ask for help, print out a copy of a registration form for the next New Horizons class and pass it over to them.
posted by
wifemotherdaughtersister
on Oct 1, 2008 at 06:58 AM
i totally know what you are talking about. my strange sister, the math teacher is trying very hard to resist online classes and online homework. what a luddite. it's useless to resist the internet. and the last job i had was working in an office where they had put in computers literally 5 years ago. combine that with old people who came from the south and you are just begging for a technological battle. like you, since i was young, it was assumed i could fix any and everything. so just because they are old, can we ask them to give us a first hand account of the night lincoln was shot? posted by
creatress
on Oct 1, 2008 at 09:51 AM
Oh man, great blog. I was laughing pretty hard at that one! I used to work at a school office (about 4years ago) and the principal refused to touch her computer. She used it as a post-it-note stand and would demand everyone to answer e-mails for her, or print them out and give them to her. If my grandma can use an ATM machine, than all these other people can get off their Depends and take a computer class. It's not that difficult people! I totally think you handled the situation beautifully. Maybe they can attend some classes for teacher credit? Hahaha. Oh and way to make me feel old! When you were a TA, I was home with a 3yo. posted by
hmoeckli
on Oct 4, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Thanks for the comments! It was one of those blogs that I felt much better once I had a chance to vent. Still, I didn't answer my phone the next day. And I told my vice principal that she should plan a training.
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