"crap happens"

Technology is great! I would be lost if I didn't have my phone on me 24/7 or internet access virtually anywhere. Most of time I love technology, however when using technology, especially in the classroom, there are going to be complications and frustrations. When a problem arises, the best thing to do is stay calm- DONT FREAK OUT! Then you risk having your students freak out, and if you are planning to work with younger children, this will be chaos! Even when frustrations and problems arise with technology, there is always something to be learned! Of course, problems always seem to happen at the worst possible times. This is now the perfect time to have a mini-lesson, try and work through the problem together, as a class. A lot of times, the students tend to be more of an expert on technology then the teacher. This is a great way to keep the students engaged and continue learning.

In the past couple weeks, I have been working on a wiki with other members in the Deaf Education/Interpreting fields. There are so many different things that do into making a wiki, there is bound to complications. I remember starting out and having trouble formatting pictures, and attaching link to parts of the text. One thing I learned is never delete anything and have back files! I can't stress enough how important it is to back up all your work.

So, in the words of Amy, my technology teacher, "crap happens". This statement couldn't be closer to the truth. When a complication occurs, take a deep breath and think of the best solution to benefit everyone. Sometimes the solution will be as simple as clicking a few extra buttons, or changing the format. Other times, the solution will be more complicated and you will have the call in the experts. No matter what this situation - ALWAYS back up your work, you will be grateful later.