I am passionate about education and technology…I know I come across as annoying at times! The mantra less is more has always been a struggle for me (my colleagues still kid me about my ability to talk when in front of others).  When I was in the classroom, I was the one who went to conferences and came back and wanted to try EVERYTHING that I learned…in one day. The justification that I used was that I was providing a real-world, fast-paced classroom experience for my students. I did finally come around to the fact that some students probably felt like they were on a roller coaster without the help of Dramamine . While some loved this theme park experience, others were just plain worn out! I started to focus on those skills and content that were truly important and then carefully selected (many times having the students decide) the technology or overall way that I would help guide students to master those important concepts. I had finally settled into what I thought was an effective classroom experience for my students.

Three years ago I felt like I was in a position to help other educators with the daunting task of incorporating the new 1:1 iPads into their curriculum by becoming a technology integration specialist.  There I was on the starting line of the greatest race I had ever run.

On your mark, get set, GO…

Voxer, Twitter, Google Apps for Education, Explain Everything, Kahoot, Socrative, Today’s Meet, Padlet, Schoology, Edmodo,…

I had forgotten most of what I had learned from my 22 years of classroom experience. What was true for my high students played out with my teachers. Some loved the roller coaster ride I was providing…others…not so much! While I am still not completely there, I think that I have started to get back into the grove that “less is more.” I have started (hopefully) to provide the exciting roller coaster ride for those who are ready for that type of experience and a gentle walk in the woods for those who need that type of experience. Just like with students in a classroom, my job working with teachers requires that I push them to step out of their comfort zone while also respecting their overall well-being. That is a tough task and one that I stress about everyday. I will continue to strive to keep in mind that LESS IS MORE!

Don Sturm