I started out in teaching by not teaching. After student teaching, I was not at all sure that I wanted to continue, so I took a job as a Radio Shack manager. Personal computers were just hitting the market in a big way, and “user friendly” was not part of the vernacular yet. Explanations in manuals for how to correct problems often involved patches to correct a “misunderstanding” between the hardware and the software. I will always be thankful for that year. Users and sellers were much more exposed to software and hardware code. We had to pick up a lot of information to make computers work for our customers. As a result, without any real training, I can more easily pick up software that is new to me.
But what does that have to do with technology and teaching? Well, after selling computers for a year, I became more and more excited about teaching again. Surely for all the cliche reasons about how difficult retail can be, but also because I could see the possibilities that were there, but were barely being realized thus far. It was like getting that rare opportunity to catch the wave as it rises, instead of when it crests, or when it crashes. When I began teaching, and there was one computer on a cart that would freeze up while you were typing into the word processor, I was undeterred. When many others were fearing having to try out these “new” items, I was unafraid. Everything happens for a reason.
