Excellent post! Just in time for a project I’m working on w/ a middle school and also just in time for me in my own personal work. For my clients I needed: “It is very difficult to feel good about success when you don’t know what you were trying to do in the first place. Getting the software to work is not success. Having kids writing get better is.”

For me, personally: I so needed and appreciate reading the comments about joining existing networks instead of always feeling like I need to be the creator of something new. I just read an article earlier this week about developing creativity and how the best innovators and creative minds work collaboratiely with others. So true! Sometimes I have great ideas and wished for what I want to do, but I don’t know how to start – usually the starting is the problem for me – so finding a way to share my thoughts/ideas, listening, and receiving feedback – hearing what others contribute with their own individual creative abilities is so powerful! So necessary!

For others I think the Anticipate Problems suggestions are invaluabel! It automatically lowers your frustration level to go into something realizing, “A glitch could come up. Kids could… The software could… etc, etc…” and combined w/ your Resiliency comments – don’t give up. Problems, even gigantic and frustrating problems make GREAT learning situations for us all! I don’t beg for problems, but having experienced so many in my work w/ technology and students working w/ technology has made me a better thinker. A little frustration is actually essential to learning – it is managing it that is key so you don’t quit. Now…how to get kids to this place…hmmmm….????

and Bill Ferriter: Superb comments! i work in a school district (Library Media Specialist) and have found success more often than not simply b/c I stay in close collab w/ our Tech Department/ IT Guys. Helps, too, that Library/Media is supervised by the Coord. of Tech! I bounce ideas off the guys regularly BEFORE beginning many projects/endeavours – something that many teachers might not do simply b/c as the “educators” what can the “techs” teach us!? Wrong. When probs come up – who do you call? Your comment about pedagogy rings true, often, however, I’ve noticed that some of our Tech Guys are better natural teachers than some “professionally trained teachers” that I know, sadly, and perhaps should be utilized more frequently when planning and designing PD for the teaching staff. I think meeting together, respectfully is key – recognizing the value we ALL bring to the table. Great comments!

Thank you everyone!