You're Fired!

My mother used to tell me I was "very persistent" growing up. "You didn't take no for an answer," she often said. One of her favorite examples of this was when I was fired from a summer camp job and managed to get rehired for the following summer. (I was 22).

I  made a lot of mistakes that first summer working as a head counselor, most of them because of pride and immaturity: being afraid to ask questions when unsure, not actively listening to the children and assistant counselors in my group (I was real good at telling them what to do), and not utilizing problem solving strategies prior to making decisions.

When I wasn't rehired I was surprised: didn't most of the kids like me? So, I had a few parental complaints. Don't we all? Yes, the Camp Director had to speak to me privately once or twice. Isn't that an initiation rite? (It wasn't).

The camp let me know by letter that I would not be rehired for the following summer. The administration cited my "inconsistency in relating to staff, campers and their families. on a regular basis." I really liked working at the camp, liked the kids, and enjoyed the staff. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. However, the place I liked didn't think I'd be a good fit in the culture and climate they created.

I needed to be honest with myself if I was going to grow and put forth a better me: introspect, digest what the camp administration stated to me during our "one-to-one conversations" over the summer and in the letter, then share with the Camp Director and Camp Owner that I'd learned from my failures. 

So, I wrote my own letter. To them. I stated that I understood I had made some poor decisions when interacting with some of my younger counselors and campers. My role was to model how to behave in a recreational atmosphere, build on the positive environment they'd created, and send the children home wanting to come back the next day. Campers needed to have fun playing sports while feel safe and appreciated. Their parents needed to feel that the environment was nurturing. I hadn't fulfilled my end of the bargain, and if the administration hadn't fired me, they wouldn't have done their job.

However, my job description was now to show them I listened to them, that I took the time to have an honest conversation with myself, and I wanted an opportunity to show them I used my failures as learning opportunities. I asked the Camp Owner and Camp Director for two things in my letter to them: to meet with me so I could apologize personally, and if they were open to it, to hire me back on a contingent basis. Week to week, day to day, unpaid, didn't matter to me. I wanted to be there. I wanted to make a difference.

The Camp Owner and Camp Director met with me. They were honest with me, sharing what got them to the point where firing me was the best option. I reciprocated their honesty, explaining my thought process during different incidents, what I learned from each experience, and all I asked for was an opportunity to continue to learn in an environment I truly enjoyed. We could figure out the money situation later.

I was hired back. I'd like to say I was a a new man, but I wasn't. I still made errors in decision making as I continued to learn. But, I grew. Rapidly. I made less mistakes. I shared my stories with new counselors and counselors in training who I saw making similar decisions early in their career. I made fun of myself, and said, "Don't pull a Barry." For some of them it stuck, and we remain friends to this day. For some, they weren't ready to hear the message, weren't rehired, and made a choice to seek future employment and guidance elsewhere.

I stayed at the camp for seven more years, until an opportunity to direct a summer camp came my way. My mom references this camp story as an example of me "being persistent, of not hearing no. I still can't believe you got that job back." I view it in a different lens now: I was taught that having grit, perseverance, and a willingness to take risks were worthwhile. I didn't like being fired, so I asked myself what I could do to change the situation. When I made mistakes during my following years at camp, my administration took the time to ask me questions instead of making snap decisions: explain what happened? What was your thought process? Why did you chose to solve the problem that way? Upon reflection, what can you do differently next time? How do we know this experience will make you better?

I keep these questions and this story in mind when I work with students and teachers. No one comes in fully-formed. (Exhibit A: me). We all have room to grow, and it's incumbent upon me to teach others how to think (not what to think), identify mistakes and learn from them, as my camp administrators did for me.

I wouldn't honor them if I did not pay it forward, and remember their lessons when I need to tap into my own perseverance and grit. Because, each opportunity in my work with teachers and students is another chance to reinforce to the Camp Director and Owner who rehired me that their investment in me taught me something, and made a difference in my life.  And if I'm lucky, a student I've taught, a child I've worked with in the Before and Aftercare program, or a teacher I've mentored will internalize and model what I've shared so they "Don't pull a Barry" too.

Tagged By Jill 'The Thrill' Thompson

I met Jill Thompson this past summer at ASCD's Leader to Leader Institute in Virginia. Jill was an Emerging Leader, identified by ASCD as someone with a strong education skill set, with a passion to channel it for what's best for kids. Me, I was a newbie, a neophyte. I didn't know anyone but my NJ Edubrethren, recently having joined NJASCD, attending a few State Executive Board meetings, and going to a few events. As I tried to get my bearings in a new environment where I was a big fish in a school of MUCH bigger fish, I met Jill. She was kind, helpful, and made me feel at ease. Probably what she does when working with teachers and students daily, and just one of many reasons she represents what ASCD stands for.

With that being said, it was an honor to be tagged by Jill for this meme. Not so much for the fact that she thought of me as one of eleven to learn more about, but because I'm interesting enough to her that she reads my blog. So, Jill, and the people I will tag in this post, here are 11 random facts about me you may not know:

1. I really appreciate the opportunities to talk to people in the education field and hear their points of view. I like knowing what they do, what their background is, and what their experience has been like in education (from being a student who sat at a desk to one who is in the front of the room). These experiences root our approach and interpretation of our pedagogy, and I like knowing what motivates people.

2. I learned a lot from Harvey Silver at a presentation he gave. I reference this PD at least once a week, somehow. He was entertaining, engaging, and his presentation was something I was able to turnkey in my classroom the next day. Of course, I lesson planned for it later.

3. I've done Weight Watchers three separate times. One of these days, it will click.

4. On the flip side, I trained for a powerlifting competition while in college. I trimmed down to 5% body fat, 155ish pounds, and tore abdominal muscles. I think I'd rather be chubby.

5. Rutgers was my dream college of choice coming out of high school. When I applied to the New Brunswick campus, not only did they reject me there, but they passed on my application to the Newark campus (without me asking), but then rejected me there, too. Good times!

6. I love to read. I read every night before bed, and cannot go to sleep until I have read something, no matter how tired I am. It was something cultivated in me from an early age by my third grade teacher, who was also my fourth and fifth grade teacher. I kept going, she kept looping. Every Friday we read for an hour independently. There was no formative or summative assessment, it was just read, read, read, and I loved it. @mattrenwick talks about the power of pure independent reading in his blog, and I believe it. Now, how to market it to the powers that be...

7. I find people interesting. I take something away from each person I meet. It may not be a "good" takeaway, but there's always something to learn from someone, if you listen well enough.

8. My wife is NOT into sports. At all. The best line I ever heard her say about baseball was: "I like the Yankees. They have good french fries." Upon many people laughing, her response: "What? Why is that funny?"

9. To piggy back off of that, my wife's explanation of football: "One team has the ball, the other team wants the ball. One guy runs with the ball The other guy runs into him, they crash, and then do it again 3 seconds later." Well, she's not wrong, but I like to think there's more to the game, mainly because it's my favorite seasonal sport.

10. Best thing a student ever told me, that no one ever finds funny but me: when I taught third grade, a student came up to me and said, "Mr. Saide, I eat my boogers. They're really NOT that bad." My response, "Bud, never tell anyone we had this conversation. Do not tell anyone else about this. You will thank me one day."

11. Before I want to ASCD L2L, I hadn't written anything in almost 20 years. I was motivated to write about my L2L experience from my conversations with @alinadavis and @beckcikelly. Now I'm tagging them, and they will need to take a turn. My way of paying forward and saying thanks.

Jill's Eleven Questions for Me:
1. If I could give my younger self some advice, I would tell myself to start being me sooner. Don't worry about what other people think, your own thoughts are challenging enough.

2. If I could go anywhere in the world it would be to Texas. Sounds silly, but everything is supposedly bigger there, and I want to see HOW big that is. I also love BBQ, and I wonder how well we get it here in the tri-state area.

3. I pay it forward everyday somehow. I listen, learn, and leverage others. I enjoy the moments, and I help others to do the same. That's what living is.

4. I haven't lived in too many states: just NJ, PA for college, and VA for an internship.

5. My favorite device is whatever the newest thing I don't own is. Currently any Apple products, especially Mac stuff and iPads.

6. The title of my first book will be: Dudes Can be Maternal: Life Lessons from a Male Elementary School Teacher.

7. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. There's no connotations, no gift exchange, just let's hang out, eat a lot, and watch football. That, and I get to sleep on the couch and it' okay.

8. A goal of 2014 is to get to the gym three times a week, and be consistent with it. I actually like the gym, I just need to get there.

9. My favorite teacher was Mrs. Pace, who taught me in third - fifth grade. She made me think, appreciated all her students, and didn't try to change any of us. She's my first reference on who I want to be.

10. I'm not a reality TV show fan. Actually, I really dislike it, mainly because it's not reality, it's scripted, cut, and by the time it gets on air, it doesn't remotely resemble what happened during the taping. With that precursor having annoyed others, I think I would enjoy being a judge on Chopped. I think I'd be campy about it, and be a caricature of the 'serious judge.'

11. My last meal on earth would be sushi. Eel sushi. A lot of it. With avacodo.

Here is my list of 11 bloggers: (in no order)
1. Michelle Lampien

2. Manan Shah

3. Suzy Brooks

4. Jim Cordery

5. Eric Sheninger

6. Alina Davis

7. Becki Kelly

8. Anthony Fitzpatrick

9. Scott Totten

10. Scott Taylor

11. Michael Parent

My Eleven Questions:
1. What are you currently reading right now?

2. What do you usually eat for breakfast and where do you eat it?

3. Describe one incident of road rage you were involved in.

4. One non-educational dream you have that is recurring.

5. From 1 - 5, one being least, five being most, how much of a fan of The Walking Dead are you?

6. What was one conversation you had that changed you?

7. What was one time you helped someone, but it will never be recognized?

8. Name one disturbing thing you saw in person.

9. Does your significant other tell you to order a different meal when going out to eat if you both want the same thing? (or is it just me?)

10. Favorite dive bar where it feels like everyone knows your name.

11. Something someone once said that blew your mind. (think inconceivable!)

Thanks for reading and asking me to do this Jill, it was a pleasure. To those I nominated, I enjoy interacting with you and reading your tweets and/or blogs. You inspire me daily to be better than I currently am. Keep fighting the good fight, and love like no one's ever felt.

The Culberhouse Meme

David Culberhouse nominated me as one of 11 bloggers he reads and wanted to complete this meme. David is someone I look up to. He models through his thoughts and actions what service learning is. His openness to better understand himself through his blogging drives me to be more open, transparent, and vulnerable with my thinking. It is a honor that he reads and responds to my work, much less that he wants to know more about me. So, with humility and pride, I will now share 11 random facts about myself that readers of my blog probably don't know about me...

1. I was in the Guinness Book of World Records for a little over a year: I was born four full months premature. In 1973, no baby born at my term lived. I was in an incubator for a year, as my newly formed skull couldn't handle the air pressure in the outside world. At one point my weight dropped to 870 grams. After five months in the incubator, the nurses told my mom I could go either way. I lived. And, the doctor who delivered me called me on my birthday until I turned 21. I guess he thought I was too old then. Too bad, I would've bought him a beer legally.

2. I didn't come out alone: I was born a twin. My twin's name was Ryan. When the nurse told my mom that I could go either way, she meant me and my brother. I made it. He didn't. I wonder sometimes what it would have been like to have been a twin. Then, I realize life was tough enough with one of me. We were all probably better off.

3. I have a learning disability: I think this makes me more sensitive to those who learn and think differently, have a lot of personality, or have a challenging background. I like quirkiness and I find that endearing. I like people who are puzzles. They're the most fun to solve. No one is easy to figure out.

4. I collected comic books and baseball cards up through my senior year of high school. I was drawn into the world of the X-Men, Daredevil, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. I liked Wolverine before Wolverine was on a t-shirt and a key chain.

5. I coached basketball for four years, despite having never played it, even recreationally: someone I played on a summer softball team with asked me if I would coach her co-ed basketball team. I told her I didn't really know basketball. Her rationale was that since I was a captain of the softball team and people listened to me when I spoke, that I would make a good basketball coach. Needless to say we were awful that first year. 

6. The fourth year I took a team in the same league to the finals. 

7. I went 15 years between hits in a baseball game: I loved the sport growing up. I went to camps, played on teams, and played for three years of high school. A friend of mine played in an adult baseball league an asked me if I would play. We went to the cages, I hit a few balls, and he said if I could hit at that speed, I would be fine. I got my first hit during the third game. 

8. I don't want to  be famous, I just want to be better tomorrow than the day before. I can go through my whole life anonymously. As long as I have my wife, two kids, and a career that makes me feel like I make a difference, I'm all good.

9. The best job I ever had growing up was working in a gas station: I made $5 an hour, under the table. I worked all summer for the local Exxon in town. Pumped gas, talked to people, and felt rich. I mean, $5 an hour cash in 1992 was good money for an 18-19 year-old.

10. I voluntarily did 4 years of high school in 5: I graduated public high school and realized I wasn't ready to go away. I needed a year to understand HOW to be away from home: learn to have a roommate, eat at designated times, make classes on my schedule, do my own laundry, sleep in a foreign bed, and study. My guidance counselor recommended I go to prep school for a year, and it was the best decision I could have made.

11. In my basement is a "man cave." I have a fully stocked bar, mounted flat screen TV, three custom made poker tables, framed movie posters and signed athletic memorabilia on the walls. I host a monthly game, welcome to all who like to play and socialize. Anyone is welcome. If you're not nice, you're no longer welcome.

My second task were to answer the 11 questions David asked me:

1. What is your all-time favorite book? 

My favorite book is Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bizzinger. I have bought it five times because I lent it out four times. Never again.

2. What is a favorite quote that best represents you? 

I have two: "Never let anyone take away your excellence," by Jimmy Casas. The second one is: "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody," by Bill Cosby. I try to live by those two every day, especially when things get uncomfortable.

3. What accomplishment is the most meaningful to you? 

Most meaningful is each year when I start the year with a group of students who are not ready for fifth grade, and when they leave they are more than ready for sixth. I take pride in being part of creating an atmosphere that allows students to enjoy the learning process and push the envelope when learning. 

4. When its all said and done, what is the one thing you want to make sure you have tried or accomplished? 

I want to do a tough mudder. I don't know why. I don't like to run, nor do I like live wires hanging over water. But, the idea of being a warrior for a day, running, getting muddy, completing all these obstacles like a contestant in American Gladiators, that just sounds cool.

5. What was the best part of your school experience as a child? 

Having a teacher that understood me, cared about the students she taught, had high expectations, and made sure that each day was a little bit different. It made me want to come back each day. I guess she was the first PIRATE.

6. What was the worst part of your school experience as a child? 

Being bullied. I know the teachers saw it. And, no one did anything. I will never allow that to happen to any students. No one deserves that.

7. If you could play in any band, which band would it be…and what instrument would you play? 

I would play in the original Guns N' Roses, before all the changes. I would be the drummer. Definitely. I have to play Rocket Queen on the drums.

8. What is your favorite thing to do outside of your work? 

Spend time with my two boys (3 and 15 months) and my wife. I used to love to sleep, but that's over.

9. Who has or does inspire you to go beyond what you thought you could do or be? 

All the people I meet on Twitter, the friends I have made at EdCamps, NJASCD and ASCD, and my children. I want to leave a legacy for them: that the educational system is better for them because their dad was in it and made it his mission to leave it in a better place than when he came in.

10. What is your favorite childhood memory? 

Playing kickball, baseball, whiffle ball, football, and any other sport we could play in the street until it got too dark out. I miss those days and can't wait to do them with my own kids.

11. If you could live anywhere, where would that be and why? 

Wherever the weather is nice year-round, near a beach, somewhere where the pace is slow, the barbecue is good, and the bar is open late.

My third task is to generate a list of 11 questions for 11 other bloggers to answer:

1. What keeps you positive?

2. What did you think when you heard Twinkies were gone forever?

3. What makes someone easy to be around?

4. Favorite movie line?

5. Best food to eat on the grill?

6. If you could master one of the martial arts, which would it be and why?

7. Favorite Star Wars movie quote?

8. Have you ever hit someone on purpose?

9. What scared you most?

10. Favorite non-mainstream cartoon you liked as a kid?

11. Do you ever wish you could still ride a big wheel and why?

My last task is to nominate 11 bloggers that I want to see join the More Homework Meme: (in no order)

1. Glenn Robbins

2. Kevin Kelly

3. Tom Murray

4. Phil Huggins

5. Rich Kiker

6. Jimmy Casas

7. Andre Meadows

8. Walter McKenzie

9. Kevin Scott

10. Rebecca McLelland - Crawley

11. Ross LeBrun

11. +1 Cory Radisch

Here's how it works:

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger.

2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.

3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.

4. List 11 bloggers after you write this.  

5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated.  Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.

Go on, you have homework to do.

All the best.

A Moment on the Couch

I remember the moment clearly when my mindset changed. I was sitting on the couch with my three-year-old two weeks ago. We were both happy. Him watching Toy Story 2. Me sitting next to him. He reached out and grabbed my hand. For the next 3 minutes he held it. We didn't say a word. We didn't need to. We just shared a blanket, enjoyed each other's company, and what was on TV.

As an often nervous parent, I am prone to overanalyzing situations involving my children. (I hear others are prone to this). I run through a litany of questions, chief among them: are my boys happy? Are they safe? Am I doing the right thing as a parent? These, and a multitude of other questions often blind me to what's in front of me -- two healthy, happy little boys, eager to experiment with the world and all the things within it. It is my neurosis that gets in their way.

As Jake held my hand and we watched the movie, the whispers I often hear did not creep into my consciousness. I didn't think: is he watching too much TV? Am I just being a lazy parent? Instead my thoughts kept drifting back to one feeling, that I was truly content. I didn't want to be anywhere else.  And, neither did my son. It was a simple moment, and it was beautiful. I wondered, how can I hold on to this? Recreate it for others?

All people should have the feeling I did, especially when it relates to being in school. Too often I hear of friends who have had less than positive experiences as former students. That saddens me. Everyone should have an opportunity to learn in a positive environment, to enjoy the learning process, and feel comfortable and content within it. To think to themselves, as I did when watching TV, that this is a perfect moment and I don't want to be anywhere else. 

So, now I ask myself each day: how can I capture this moment and keep it with me wherever I go? How can I use this as the driving force within my teaching, so no matter how challenging it gets professionally, I can always come from this place of contentment, of love? And, how can I share this with my students, their families, and my peers so they identify their own moments, their own love, and utilize their own 'moments on the couch' to drive them forward? Because if I don't, I've wasted the moment Jake and I shared on the couch. That would be sad, too.

A friend of mine who is not an educator told me recently that he felt badly for me. He cited the usual challenges I hear (students, parents, expectations, government, etc). My reply was quick, "I've never been more positive about my field and my role in it." I think he thought I was full of it. And he'd be right, I was full of it: full of joy and happiness, all because of one moment on the couch.

Education Selfies

A friend of mine's daughter took a picture of herself using his phone. She is 18 months old. He should be glad she didn't do something else with it. He captioned it, "Caden's first selfie." We call these pictures "selfies" because it's a picture taken of yourself, by ... yourself. I thought his daughter looked adorable with her big smile. I am not a fan of my own selfies because I think they bring out my worst qualities (too many to list).

As I thought about education today, I reflected on how selfies apply to education. We all know "education selfies." Education selfies have personal agendas. They may promote good learning and teaching strategies, and even have great ideas and concepts. But, the strategies and concepts they offer come at a price. The cost may be as little as an "atta boy," or personal recognition by a respected peer in their school district. Or it may cost more, like a solve-all education program they're peddling. In the end, education selfies are not team players. They may be on a team, but they're rooting for themselves to succeed. If their students do well, it's an opportunity for them to leverage this for their own benefit.

I also thought about those I know who are "education selfless." They share whatever resources they have and don't ask for anything in return. They don't keep score. Selfless educators give their time to those who need it: students who need help but can only come before school or during lunch, novice teachers in crisis mode, and parents who need reassurance. They're too focused on changing the world one student at a time to worry about putting themselves out there for personal gain. If they can make a student feel better about coming to school each day, support a peer, or help a parent reflect on their child's growth, then they've done their job.

Selfless educators put themselves out there in an opposite way. They share success stories, learn from the failures, and laugh at their follies. They are purposeful and model that. Their refrain is simple: "I want to help students and their families. I became an educator to make a difference and be a positive change agent." As Matt Hall, my school's science and technology supervisor says, "It's never about me. It's all about moving the rock. I just want to move the rock."

Matt is one of many educators I've met and learned from. My friend and New Jersey ASCD North Region Codirector Bill Krakower is another. When I think of who I want to be, who I strive to emulate, and who helps me "move the rock," Bill and Matt are just two of the people I think of. Everyone works with a Bill or Matt, too, just as we work with an education selfie. The best thing we can do is appreciate educators like Matt and Bill who will only take a selfie of their family, entire class, students' parents, peers, and more are in the picture. Because it's not about the selfie. It's about the selfless.

The Technological 5K

The first time I ran a 5K race was two years ago. It was on my bucket list, but that’s not why I did it. I did it for the pizza.

Every summer my in-laws’ hometown sponsors a 5K. Anyone who runs, walks, or limps over the finish line gets as much free pizza as they can eat. As if I needed any more motivation.
Now, I’m not a total neophyte to jogging; I run every summer. Then school kicks in, and I really don’t run until the next summer comes. Over the course of each summer, I build up my stamina and lose some weight. But taking the plunge to run a 5K race? That was stepping up competition. I run more like a tortoise than a hare. What if I finished last? Someone has to.

My fears about running in an official race, as opposed to just jogging to work out, are very similar to the fears teachers have with technology. It’s one thing to try something in the comfort of your own classroom or office; it’s another to do this where others can see you. What if everyone finds out you’re not familiar with the technology you’re expected to use? The questions mount. The fears multiply. That’s why it’s easier to run on a treadmill or on a track when you’re alone. No one knows when you started or how far you’ve gone.

In order to ease some of my fears about running the “pizza race,” I enlisted a coach. My sister-in-law had run a marathon, so she talked to me about the mental process of 5K training. I also went to a nearby running store, where the salesperson chose a few sneakers for me and watched my stride as I ran on the store treadmill (yes, they had one, and it was cool). I even found a dog-walking club and walked long distances with them and our dogs to build up my endurance.

In the end, I ran the entire five kilometers. I didn’t come in last. I felt good about myself. And I crossed something off my bucket list. I didn’t become a runner overnight; it took time. I still struggle with getting outside or on the treadmill to run. I set small goals for myself, celebrate those wins, share them with anyone who will listen, and set new ones.
Your mentality towards technology can be the same thing as training for a 5K:

• Set a technological goal that is manageable, clear, and makes sense for your current role.
• Accept that it may not work perfectly all the time, just as there are days I can’t fit in a run.
• Learn from it, as you teach your students to do when they fail. And grow from it, as we are all lifelong learners.
• Be creative about how you choose to learn about technology. Try to make it something that you can enjoy.
• Find a coach or a team that you’re comfortable with openly discussing your knowledge of technology (or lack thereof).

Teachers and administrators, at their core, are helpful people. Nothing makes us feel better about ourselves than when we leverage the learning of our students, scaffold their knowledge, and move them through their zone of proximal development. You can be that teacher. Or that student. You’re never too old to learn new technology.
The current oldest 5K runner, Fauja Singh, is 101 years old. He completed a recent 5K in 40 minutes. He wasn’t the last to finish, either.

Are You a Technophile or a Technophobe?

One of my favorite TV shows of all time is the American version of The Office (before it jumped the shark). I find it clever, funny, and endearing. The show follows the fictitious characters of a Scranton, Pennsylvania, paper company. Many of these characters are interesting and entertaining because I can relate to them. A few episodes in season four focused on technology. The Office staff was a combination of older and younger members, but the prevailing thread within them was their lack of technological proficiency. As an educator who is still learning his way around technology, I can relate to that.

As an example of The Office staff’s lack of technological know-how, Michael Scott, the branch manager, would post a stick-on note on his BlackBerry smartphone screen and then ask his secretary to hand it to the person that the message was for. In one memorable episode, Michael was supposed to give a presentation to his staff on PowerPoint use. Ryan Howard, his corporate boss, was in the audience. Michael, who didn’t prepare, fumbled around the home screen and was prompted to register and update PowerPoint. At that point, Ryan became angry:

Ryan: Is this the first time you ever opened PowerPoint?
Michael: Why?
Ryan: You didn’t prepare a presentation at all, did you?
Michael: OK. Honestly, it was unlikely I was going to figure this out anyways.

I think Michael’s response rings true for a lot of educators. Michael dismisses the idea that he can figure out PowerPoint and doesn’t solicit help to try and better understand the program. Instead, Michael is overwhelmed because technology seems hard, the terminology is foreign, and his boss, who asked him to showcase technology, is already proficient. Technophiles, like Ryan Howard, have prior knowledge which allows them to continue to construct, make meaning, and further their technological understanding. Technophobes, like Michael Scott, have prior fear and slim prior knowledge (if any) that impedes their ability to learn, thereby turning them off to the learning process.

The fact that technology hardware today is ever-changing does not help a technophobe. Computers are now the size of a marble composition book or a two-pocket folder. You can write on it with a computer pen (called a stylus) and save what you wrote. You can see and talk with someone halfway around the world, stream movies, and draw on the person’s face you’re talking to and on the movie you’re streaming (and your computer will save both). I can see how an educator would be intimidated when someone takes out a wafer-thin flat screen monitor, connects it to a wafer-thin keyboard, and when he’s done using his computer, takes it apart and puts it in his wafer-thin tote bag. This is LEGO blocks on steroids.

So, how do we assist people like Michael Scott without making them feel uncomfortable, as Ryan Howard did? I would suggest we focus on their soft skills: perseverance, grit, determination, and an understanding that failure is just a first attempt in learning. These are the skills we expect our students to embody, and we create classroom climates where this belief system can occur. Technophobes need to remind themselves that they already have the soft skills necessary to comprehend technology. It is just a new language. And, it takes years to master a language. Technophiles, on the other hand, need to demonstrate the skills necessary to be successful as members of a group: patience, collaboration, active listening, and understanding. To truly differentiate and meet the technological needs of all our educational lead learners, we will need to meet somewhere in the middle and go slow in order to get there. Otherwise, we’ll have too many more exchanges like the one Michael Scott and Ryan Howard had. And that didn’t end well.