School is open. For students and teachers. September 6th, 2011 the day I have been waiting for for a long time. I used to say to myself 'how come I am the teacher at the school with THE worst technology anywhere?" 1 year ago, shoot 5 months ago I stood behind my overhead projector finger tips blue and black from erasing mistakes by licking my finger and swiping. No more messy finger tips now they are swiping an iPad and a whole lot of presentation technology to boot.

Students walked into class today equipped with iPads. Ubiquitous access for all, a means of communication for the shy, a device of frustration perhaps for the know it all, a wealth of knowledge behind that shiny glass. This is a new playing field and somewhere in the midst of all this I have to figure out how my position on that field has changed. There are so many unanswered questions.

What does that role as instructor look like now?
How do I get out of the way and let students take the center?
How does this device transform the learning environment?
How can I teach my colleagues to allow this device to transform their teaching?
What will my classroom look like a month from now? 8 months from now?
Will I still love this device and the fact that each student has one?
Will learning really have been transformed?
Will achievement have been increased?
What will the rest of the staff think about the ipad? What will I think about the iPad?

The people from Jonstons did an assembly today encouraging students to graduate. At the end of the assembly the showed a movie montage that was way over emotional and dramatized (i.e. Braveheart...come on this is school we're not fighting a war).
I realized I couldn't do that job...selling class rings. I just don't believe in it. Who wears them? How can you sell something that nobody uses?

I hope at the end of this year (month) I can still sell the iPad in the classroom