NETS for Administrators

I feel the third standard, Excellence in Professional Practice, is of the most importance. As an administrator I feel it is my responsibility to promote professional development among my staff. They will be the ones whom lead our students and receive the greatest benefit as technology, learned properly, will continually make teaching easier to prepare for. Having the Internet is akin to having the public library in your house or classroom. This standard highlights the importance of providing "time, resources, and access to ensure professional growth in technology fluency and integration". Administrators must provide enough training to ensure teachers not only know about new teaching technology but how to integrate this technology into their everyday classroom. By utilizing our own IT personnel we can train our staff when budgets are low. I have worked with wonderful, brilliant IT people since my return to education. We must utilize their experience. I have noticed also many teachers whom do not use, or care to use, current technology. I feel much of this reluctance to change is a fear of failure among some of our most tenured teachers and they may feel the "old way is just fine". This is when we must lead and participate, as the standard states, in learning communities that show just how easy and beneficial technology is today, and how it may reduce the paperwork that many of my staff feel is overwhelming and unnecessary. Effective communication is also referred to in this standard which I feel is an excellent example to use in one's promotion of new technology as email is something all staff at my school utilize on a daily basis, and they see the ease it brings to communication. I would also engage my IT team to discuss current topics at all of the monthly staff meetings, or to be available to answer questions on any technology questions the staff may have. By using current technology, one's staff can better educate our youth because of the many resources we have available on the Internet alone. Video conferencing, electronic discipline software, and many other technological advances should provide our teachers with excess time due to the fact one can prepare lessons and communicate quicker in today's modern world. But this attempt will fail if administrators do not lead the charge and promote and support their teachers as they attempt to learn new technology on a yearly basis. Educated teachers produce educated students, and technology will be the key to improved student learning. For this reason I feel standard three will be my focus, especially if I remain in a rural setting where budget restraints have kept many technological advances at bay.