Thursday, September 17, 2009

one session at a time

If I'm persuasive enough, if I offer treats that capture yummy and anachronistic elements, then teachers sign-up, and attend, hour-long interactive white board training sessions.
In an after-school setting.
Offering no extra-pay.
No flex-time.
But popcorn? Yes. And Sour Patch Kids. Mixed in for incongruity and puckering.
The training topics are basic and rarely about 'this button' or 'that Flash-based cube', even though the agenda would read otherwise. Instead, the sessions are theory, mental exploration, and pedagogical re-ignition.

Heads tilt. Eyes move up and to the right as jaws shifts just left of center. Teachers are in that moment, the welcome pause. They've reached acceptance. The IWB has something they never once considered:

Value.

And it happened thanks to conversations and questions. No one ever pressed a button.

That'll be the next session.

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