It’s time to stop being the ‘techie teacher’ 

A few years ago I was having a conversation with someone when they made an off-hand that ‘us techie teachers need to stick together.’ 

The language really bothered me because it was the language of exclusion.

The techie teachers and the others. 

Those with the inside knowledge and those on the outer.

I know something you don’t.

I’m part of the in-crowd, you’re not. 

The other thing that bothered me is that it reduced everything that I do as a teacher down just to one thing, technology.

I might have expertise in a particular area but that is not all who I am as person and as a teacher. 

When I talk with other teachers who are early adopters, often there’s a feeling of isolation in their school. Technology conferences, educamps, online spaces are often a place where they can congregate with people that share their interests and passions. 

Finding people who share those passions can feel amazing and exhilarating. However, I wonder if by putting labels on ourselves such as ‘connected educator’ or ’techie teacher’ to talk of ‘finding our tribe’ excludes those taking their first steps into the unknown.

We are all learners.

I love learning about new ideas in all their shapes and forms. I like seeing interesting approaches to teaching and learning the technology is just one way to get there.