To Know That You Know Nothing

Technology has come a long way since the early days of my teaching career when we only had PCs in a computer lab and the business education classrooms.  I entered the teaching profession as a Business Education teacher back in 1996 as schools were starting to bring the Internet into the classroom.  In fact, during my first year, we only had one computer with Internet and it was an old Mac with a dial-up connection. The following year, my old Macs were replaced with Windows 95 and a T1 line was installed, but it was limited and service was slow. Fast forward almost 20 years and I'm now an ESL teacher at a 1:1 district where every student and teacher is issued a Macbook Air. Internet is not only fast and reliable, but it is also expected as technology is seamlessly integrated into every aspect of teaching and learning.

Technology is awesome, as it creates unlimited opportunities for exploration, discovery and growth, but above all, to me it is inspiring.  The great philosopher Socrates said, "To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge."  While technology as we know it didn't exist back in his day, that same message rings true today as we attempt to keep up with all the latest tools and gadgets.  The more I immerse myself in technology, the more I discover that I have much more to learn.

While I have to admit that at times it is exhausting, it is certainly very inspiring. In terms of my classroom teaching, technology has taught me that it is not about finding all the answers, but it is about asking the right questions. That's precisely the message I convey to my students every day.  The possibilities are endless and the more we explore, the more we realize there's so much more to discover.  It's like going up in space and realizing we never reach the top.  I find that very inspiring.

#BestYearEver