inspired by a webinar by my friend Bobby Zlatkov
Today's students bring more technology to class than we did as a whole. Their attention spans? They Google more quickly than I can say "open your books." Assume that they can quickly transition from TikTok to quiz mode, but only if the Wi-Fi is strong.
In the past, educators carried a red pen, overhead transparencies, and unwavering determination. Like mules, we would lug stacks of photocopies around and hope the one functional printer wouldn't jam—spoiler alert: it always did. You were essentially an influencer if you had colored chalk.
Students used to use their Nokias, which felt very high-tech at the time, to play Snake, take (some) notes, and sit (mostly) still.
These days, smartwatches that vibrate like slot machines compete with me.
There were no online resources, smartboards, or "click here to assign" when I first started teaching. I created worksheets from scratch, complete with clipart, if I wanted one. I worked as a tech support, researcher, editor, and graphic designer for a computer that sounded like it was getting ready to take off.
These days, teachers must be everything, everywhere, at once: content producers, Zoom specialists, feedback machines, and subliminal psychologists, all while navigating apps with names that sound like Pokémon evolutions.
Things have changed. Neither worse nor better. simply changing. Additionally, I'm incredibly impressed by how adaptable we've become, even though I occasionally miss the simplicity of the past (and the paper smell of freshly copied worksheets). From "write on the board" to "share your screen," we've managed to stay afloat somehow.
Inspiring this reflection was a recent webinar led by my friend and colleague Bobby Zlatkov, who reminded me that behind every update and upgrade, a teacher is still doing their best to make it all work.
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