Technology: love it/hate it

I’ve always been enamored by technology. I attended college before the advent of personal computers (and never miss an opportunity to regale my children and younger friends with tales of torturous experiences writing term papers on typewriters). I bought a Texas Instruments TI-99 in the early ‘80s. We were the first family on our block to have an Apple IIc. (Okay, there are only two families in our “block,” but you get the idea.) My first classroom computer was a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III, for which I manually entered programs in BASIC language. (I actually saw one of these in a museum awhile back!)

Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that technology has radically changed our world. I love technology, when it works!

When our school corporation purchased a laptop computer for each student and staff member last year, I became our building’s Technology Integration Specialist. (Don’t take the specialist part too seriously. There wasn’t much competition.) I envisioned spending days in creative bliss, exploring new programs by the hour, and sharing inspired ideas with teachers and students that would revolutionize education. Don’t get me wrong, I do get to do this (well, the description may be a little overblown), but a portion of each day finds me fielding student complaints such as: “My computer’s typing backwards!” “Everything’s upside-down!” “I can’t log in … again!” and the ever-helpful, “My computer won’t work!”

I’m happy to say that our technology assistant and I can probably resolve 90% of these problems, passing the rest on up the line to the real tech people, but it’s not my favorite part of the job. And all those new programs and websites I’m finding? Yeah, each one comes with its own unique personality, peculiarities and glitches. Rarely does a day go by that I’m not contacting our tech department, reading a user manual, searching a forum, or e-mailing a vendor’s tech support to remedy something.

Technology? I love it. But why can’t it just work?!

Morning duty

Due to some scheduling changes this year, I picked up a morning duty. I supervise in the gymnasium for about 15 minutes before the start of the school day. As students come in early, the gym is a holding area until time for release to classrooms.

Thankfully I’m a morning person, so this isn’t too much of a shock to my system. It begins with a trickle, 10 or 15 early arrivers, then picks up—40, 70, 85, a hundred—as more walkers and car-riders flow in, culminating with bus riders disembarking in a flood. Students sit in line by grade, lending some organization to potential bedlam.

I’ve yet to meet a teacher who relishes such tasks, and I must admit my preference would be to sit in my office preparing for the day, but such duties do not come without some perks. For me, it’s being one of the first adults to greet each student on his or her arrival at school.

Some prance in bright and bubbly (sometimes a bit too bubbly, even for a morning person); others saunter in somber and groggy. Some dressed and groomed immaculately, others looking as if they rolled out of bed directly onto the bus. Some obviously happy to be here, others noncommittal at this early hour, and (especially young ones early in the year) a few teary-eyed.

I play a little game (I’m easily amused) where I say “Good morning” to each entering student and see how many children pass me before my greeting is returned. (In fairness, many students eat breakfast in the gym and are more intent on getting to the head of the line than greeting a teacher. Can’t say I blame them.) “Happy Monday” provokes some scowls; “Happy Friday” may prompt a smile.

One student takes great joy in dodging my high fives. This has become a great amusement to her. (One could reasonably ask why a “mature” adult would keep trying.)

Fifth and sixth graders tend to form clusters within their “lines.” Some teachers might insist on more proper line protocol; I enjoy eavesdropping on their conversations, finding out what’s on their radars for the day.

What have I observed in my first few weeks of “morning duty”? First, we have wonderfully well-mannered, well-behaved students in my school. Of course, some need a few behavioral reminders (they’re kids, after all), but considering we have upwards of 300 students in one place at one time (no, I haven’t been able to count), it’s a remarkably easy duty. And the ones who don’t return my “Good mornings”? If I repeat myself and break through that pre-8:00 fog, they invariably respond, usually with a smile!

Baby tech

Today we were blessed by the arrival of our sixth grandchild! While Grandma was cooing over baby Eloise Marie, Grandpa was mulling over the question, “What technology is out there to help care for a newborn?” (I know, pathetic isn’t it? I can’t help it.) Well, here are some things I found.

• WebMD Baby App Yes, that hardbound medical reference book that we consulted so many nights while Baby wailed has been replaced by always-up-to-date, reliable, searchable online information. But wait! There’s more! Diaper Tracker: “Record the date and time of every diaper change, and note if the diaper was wet, dirty, or both. You can email each entry, generate a daily diaper change report, or see all changes in a calendar view.” WebMD Baby also features Sleep Tracker, Growth Tracker, Feeding Tracker, and Baby Book. Apparently new technology makes baby care so easy that one has time (and energy) to record such things.
•  The Why Cry Baby Crying Analyzer. What I would have given for one of these! Worth every penny of $49.99 if it really does “interpret the various reasons for why your baby cries and displays the answer on an easy-to-read LCD screen.”
• Withings Smart Baby Monitor. A bit pricy at $249.95, but this one does it all! Displays high resolution digital video on your smartphone (with pan, tilt, and zoom, giving you a view of the whole room). Digital quality sound from two “discrete” microphones. Night mode switches to infrared camera. Two-way talk. Plays seven lullabies, controlled from your smartphone. Emits a “soft and soothing glow,” with “rainbow mode.” Monitors temperature and humidity level.
•  Huggies TweetPee App. This clip-on humidity sensor will tweet you when a change is necessary. Only available in Brazil right now, one can only hope for a North American release soon.
•  Baby Changing App. Okay, just kidding on this one, but whoever develops it will be an overnight billionaire!

So, what apps would I recommend to precious Eloise’s mom and dad?

• Love App. Apply unconditionally.
• Prayer App. Use without ceasing.
• Hug App. No recommended limit.

Sorry, but the ones detailed above don’t even make the list.

Kindergarteners and computers

Last year when our school purchased computers for every student, I stepped out of the classroom to work full time in technology integration. This year, with the program established, I am meeting with each of our 15 classes once a week for about 25 minutes, providing some sort of technology instruction.

As I discussed this new role with my boss last spring, I expressed one concern: KINDERGARTEN! You see, I’d had just enough interaction with kindergarten students last year to learn two things: kindergarteners are helpless, and kindergarteners are incredibly needy. Working with a gaggle of kindergarteners for as little as 25 minutes is enough to drain my last ounce of energy. (Kindergarten teachers are grossly undercompensated!)

So a couple of weeks ago, operating on the premise that students can’t work on computers until they’ve logged on to the school network, I set out to do so with KINDERGARTENERS!

I was wise enough to know not to let kindergarteners remove their own computers from the storage cart, so I began to pull them out, one by one. Not knowing any of their names yet, I began calling out their user names labeled on the top of each device (usually first initial and last name): “Jones,” “Jones,” “AJones.” “Who is AJones?” A few teacher-pleasers raised tentative hands, none connected to AJones, which brought me face-to-face with …

Revelation #1: Kindergarteners do now know their last names.

Apparently this bit of knowledge has not been a necessary part of their skill set for the first five years of life.

Eventually moving past the distribution debacle, we opened the lids of the devices (no problem here, thankfully), found the power button and held it until it turned blue (a few problems), then pressed CTRL-ALT-DEL. Now I had been particularly prescient here. Knowing that they would be unlikely to find these keys the first time, we had actually practiced this on highlighted paper keyboards a week earlier. This step was more difficult than the first two, but we muddled through.

As students now blankly stared at two empty boxes, one for user name and one for password, I was soon struck by …

Revelation #2: Kindergarteners do not know the alphabet.

Now, mind you, each student’s user name and password are on a label, in all caps (just like the keys!) right above the keyboard. One simply needs to find the cryptic shape that looks just like the one on the label and press that key!

Well, most of us did get logged in that day, with considerable adult intervention. (My boss graciously has made sure I have assistance when KINDERGARTEN comes!)

This week, we logged in each student ahead of time, right up to the exact web page I wanted them to use, before they came for Tech Time. All they had to do was click on enticing pictures, nothing else!

My technology assistant thinks we might be up to trying student logons again along about Christmas. I think she’s awfully optimistic.

Faith, family, education

On a whim, a few days ago I decided to start a blog. I’m not sure why. You may be reading my first and last entry. I am not obligated to continue it. I’m not being paid nor expected to keep it up. It’s my blog and I’ll update it if and when I feel like it, thank you.

I’ve thought that if I ever became a professional author I would write instruction manuals.  A typical e-mail to my coworkers is along the lines of “How to Set the Homepage in Google Chrome in 7 Easy Steps.” I think in terms of numbered lists, so this will be a bit of a stretch for me.

So what will I write about? I suspect topics will relate to one or a combination of three roles that I play.

I am, first of all, a Jesus follower. Not a perfect one, mind you, but this is my intent and life’s quest. My other roles fall into place around this one.

I am a member of a family, a son, husband, father, grandfather (five times, going on six), and uncle. Family is of prime importance to me.

I am a teacher. I have wanted to be a teacher since fifth grade. To be honest, I don’t feel like being a teacher every day I go to work, but after 39 years it is still a privilege to view the wonders of our world through the eyes of children.

Oh, yes, the name of my blog. After extended reflection (of 20 minutes or so) I chose “pressed down, shaken together, running over.” Taken out of context, this phrase from Luke 6:38 might be interpreted to reflect that life in this world weighs us down. We do often feel pressured and jostled, with more woes than we can contain.

The whole verse, however, reads, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NIV) This is a promise of incomprehensible blessings promised to Jesus followers!

A first-century Middle-Easterner would have appreciated this analogy. An honest seller of grain in the marketplace would make sure his customer received the full measure he was due, the grain being pressed down in the container, then filled to the top again, shaken to settle it, then filled once more, overflowing to the point that the buyer had to catch the excess in the pouch of his robe.

I don’t believe that God is a cosmic vending machine: insert obedience, receive blessings in equal measure. I do, however, believe that faithful Jesus followers become aware of and able to receive the generous blessings that He wants to give all His children if they are simply willing to open their hearts and their lives to accept them.

Well, you’ve read all the way to the end of my first (only?) blog. No promises.