Have you ever noticed how people take technology failures so personally?

However, technology does exactly what is is told.
So what are you telling it to do? And what makes you think this is personal?

Do you often get results you did not intend in life?

How is your Personal Communication?

Trouble communicating your thoughts, ideas, and aspirations accurately plagues many. Remember, technology amplifies whatever we do already. If you are not happy with the results of your face-to-face communication, why do you expect more from a machine? A very literal machine.

Some report they can communicate better online than face-to-face. Consider online communication as an addition to face-to-face communication; that face time (not the app) is the baseline of all communication – how are you doing with that?

If you have not yet perfected your in-person, or you are lazy about maintaining face-to-face communications consider this your wake up call. And clean up that mess before taking it out on your technology.

How are your Personal Feedback Circuits?

No one likes to hear the negative things. Technology delivers the news with little-to-no softening of hard edges – you didn’t do *this* right. Since technology does little to soften the delivery of the bad news, that you didn’t know what you were doing this time, you have to prepare your criticism circuits. There’s evidence that separate circuits exist to handle negative information and events and they’re more sensitive than the circuits that handle positive phenomena.

If you have a trusted circle of people you can receive constructive feedback from, start with hearing and reacting to their critiques. When you build up your skills of how to acknowledge and react to this type of feedback, then branch out to gathering feedback from various sources.

Teachers need to model resilience to students.

As an educator you have an obligation to prepare for and demonstrate positive interactions with technology. This includes the inevitable fumble with technology in front of  – all – the students. How you handle that is important. Do not make a statement such as, “Technology hates me” or “I am awful with Technology.” With the majority of teachers in younger grades women, this runs the risk of being an antidote to any STEM instruction on female students. Instead, say something which indicates you are not getting it YET.What an awesome time to model positive self-talk as you demonstrate troubleshooting outloud to your students.Why not allow students to help you? Students can feel important, empowered and you can get on with your teaching.