Figuring Out Where I Fit In

For six months I have not been in public education. I am counting, and that worries me-is it indicative of how long it feels like I have been away from home? I am not going back, but I am still counting the days I have been away. I am in a place that is new and foreign and a bit uncomfortable. On the one hand, it feels like I have been   here forever, but on the other hand there is no denying I am the "new girl". I am still trying to figure out how and where I fit in. It bothers me that I am not on the "inside" of conversations and events, that I am on a need to know basis. I am not sure if it is because I am new and people do not want to overwhelm me-but on the other hand they have little idea where I have come from and what I used to do. It is a fine line between doing your job as others perceive it, and doing the job you would like to do without stepping on everyone around you.

There has been much in the news about introverts recently-and now I know I am one of them. I'm pretty sure I am not an extrovert. So in my own way, on my own terms, I have to deal with making myself fit in and be recognized for my strengths, skills and abilities. I am bringing my education background, focus and connections to an industry that is providing a service for educators. They are much more experienced in their arena than I, but my piece to the puzzle is quite valuable-and many of them are not sure what it is and how it fits right now. Without being a braggart and a know it all, I guess I will have to continue to do my job, my way, and patiently allow things to develop over time in a non threatening way, to allow others the opportunity to expertly guide me to places I have already been.

Techno-difficulties

So every day there are these annoying little technological discrepancies that slow me down. One really big annoyance was my Geneva Logic classroom management software program, Vision ,which in theory, should make my job easier. The program is designed to allow a computer lab teacher to monitor students from one station, or to demonstrate a lesson or prevent web surfing. Since upgrading to version 6.1 last Fall this program has not performed the way it should, and so I ask why?

"It must be something you're doing. Change your settings. You just need to play around with it,blah,blah,blah."

Why can't I connect to my students' computers? Why can't I see what's on their screen? Why can't I take control of their screens What am I doing wrong?

"I'm sorrry boys and girls," I would say,"this program is supposed to enable me to demonstrate this concept."

And as precious minutes tick by, I click, and click, and give up, exasperated once again.

Until this summer when I attended the National Education and Computing Conference and I ran into the Geneva Logic guys and I told them about their crappy product thatI used to love. "We've fixed that!" They excalimed. "You need to run the upgrade and you'll be happy."
"Are you sure?" I asked, "because right now I'm ready to throw my computer out the window!"
"Yes, " they promised."We know that version was full of bugs. We got rid of the team that developed that version and we completely scrapped it and started over."
So
And so today was the day I got to see the new and improved version of Geneva Logic's Vision program, finally, and my question was answered. I can now connect and disconnect and monitor and control with confidence. It wasn't me after all!

This question took a very long time to answer, and required perserverence. So if you know you have a good product but it just ain't happening for you....try, try again. And if you're lucky, you'll run into someone who has the inside scoop. Thanks Geneva Logic guys.