YuperStar

What are all these colored dots for? And how do I earn chocolate? The different colors are a simple way to track what we are doing with technology in the classroom and what kind of information is being presented on the blog.

	Blue dots represent learning the nuts and bolts of a technology and practicing step-by-step how to do it until it becomes a part of our muscle memory.
	Green dots represent the time it takes to find, observe, and brainstorm new models for using technology in the classroom. Good tech integration and teaching models help us see what is possible.
	Yellow dots represent integrating a technology for the first time in the classroom environment. We become “YuperStars” when we’re willing to venture into uncharted territory and risk some level of failure.
	Red dots are for the valiant teachers who use a technology over and over again until they discover all of the small adjustments that really make it fly in the classroom environment. Teachers who have red dots for any technology are extremely valuable to our department, because they save us time and trouble and show us new and effective ways of doing things.

Most of what we are doing in the department is of a “Blue” flavor. This is to be expected and encouraged. We have to learn a lot about the ins and outs of any given technology before we can imagine applying it in the classroom [blue going on green]. Then we have to be selective and smart about how we integrate it in our classroom [green going on yellow]. Finally, we have to use a technology in the classroom a number of times before we can feel really confident helping others [yellow going on red]. It’s a long process!

Our Gumdrop Mountain

It takes a lot of singing the blues before we can walk in green pastures,
enjoy the yellow sun, and get a red sunburn. [ok.. i tried!]

The important thing is for each of us to find a technology that we find engaging and go with it. Anytime we do anything around here that smells like technology, whatever the color, Allison or Diane will post it on Twitter and give us chocolate credit. Then we can enjoy each other’s successes and learn best practices from each other at our monthly development meetings (while we each chocolate, of course).