Earlier this year, my department adopted a new data-tool. It generates lovely reports that teachers and principals can use to understand numbers and stuff.

 

It’s also super-complicated and the forum is fairly sparse. My search for support also took me to YouTube, which was equally fruitless.

image of a graveyard

“Wow. Last upload in 2011, huh?”

I found myself grumbling as I attempted to wrangle it into a form I understand:

This is stupid.
I don’t need this.
My life has been great before this system; how is this going to make it better?

But I stuck with it; my director expects me to learn how to use it, and that’s enough reason for me. Also, I’m aware that a positive mental attitude will make this more likely to stick.

After a couple hours, I realized:

This is how some teachers feel in every tech workshop I do.

Who cares about Google?
My class is just fine without Desmos.
Students don’t complain now, so why should I learn about Haiku?


 

After lunch, I had another epiphany:

This is also how some students view math class.

Who cares about completing the square?
I have basketball practice later, I can’t focus on fractions.
I have an A already; why should I care about periodic functions?


Learning is hard. It’s your attitude that dictates your success.

Change your attitude, stick with it, and the learning will come.

 

~Matt “This still ain’t much fun, but I’m pressing through” Vaudrey