Another one of those sore thumb moments. We "played" "Four Corners" on the subject of "Technology in the Classroom". The first four statements were something like:

1. Technology is an essential element of today's classroom; I will incorporate technology into my entire teaching plan.
   
2. Technology is extremely important in today's classroom; I will regularly use technology into my teaching.
   
3. While technology is important, it shouldn't override the subject being taught. I will use technology sparingly in my teaching.
   
4. Technology has no place in the classroom; I will not use it as an element of instruction.

Few 1s, a bunch of 2s and 3s, and one 4 all by herself. (I didn't think I'd really be the only one. Sigh.)

Part of the "game" is explaining or defending your position.

When asked, I said,"I teach test prep to low income students. When I first started working with this organization, half the kids didn't even have calculators. The organization provided any old calculator to make up the slack--you know, those tiny checkbook calculators, or itty bitty solar powered gimmick calculators. I told them how important a good TI-83 was, and they held a fundraiser to raise money for reserve quality calculators. That's calculators. If I have to worry whether all my students have calculators, then I'm not introducing anything more into the classroom."

So there were a few more questions; the other one I remember is:

1. I will not assign homework that requires the use of technology.
   
2. I will occasionally assign homework that requires the use of technology.
   
3. Even though many students don't have access to technology, I feel that comfort with technology is essential and I will often assign homework that requires the use of technology.
   
4. Technology will be woven into all classroom activity,including homework, so that all students can become familiar with technology.
   

Again, I'm all by my lonesome. When asked, I said, "So now is when I bring up the other, more lucrative part of my clientele--the rich kids I work with. When teachers all assign that fabulous technology homework, the kids mostly think it's dumb. The parents think it's dumb, too, and they hire me to help their kids step through the technology homework that everyone in the family thinks is a complete waste of time and not really important. I make money,the kids who can afford me get good grades. I will not be spending time as a teacher contributing to that sort of inequity."

At the last minute, I bit off a diatribe about how I think the damn assignments are dumb, too.

I don't think I preach the social justice they approve of. But what the hell.

Note: I wrote this the first week of school, and we didn't do the Four Corners thing again until winter semester. Things had changed dramatically by then, I'm happy to say, and while I whined that I didn't want to be the only one, I WAS NEVER THE ONLY ONE! It was often just six or seven people, but I was never alone. The questions involved assessment, an area where I play hardball.

I don't want to assume that I had an influence on people's thinking. But I hope, around the edges, that '09 STEPPies may be more willing to be in the minority because I'd survived. Or maybe people had just changed their minds after a year in STEP.

Whatever the reason, the whole class got a laugh out of my reaction to non-isolation.