I don’t know about the rest of you, but this is the first time I have ever written something that other educators will read. This makes me nervous and thankful that Dove makes an anti-perspirant with a “Clinical” tag. Writing is not my forte. It doesn’t come naturally for me. Sports, technology, eating cinnamon buns…those are easy.

I am a worrier. I write and re-write and spend a lot of time worrying that if I don’t use smart words, or say insightful things, that people will think I don’t know anything. Why I do that? No idea. If I could stop it, I would. To have an assignment like this that puts me out of my comfort zone, makes me very uncomfortable.

Incorporating technology and innovation into my classroom is something that I love to do. My passion is searching out and learning new ways to get my students engaged and excited to learn. I spend my weekends learning how to code, going through online courses, watching and trying to plan ways to integrate what I have learned into my practice. I joined Twitter, and began co-managing a team for Destination Imagination at my school. This experience has shown me the true potential of my students. I have brought the “Instant Challenge” component of DI into the classroom and the students continuously crave more. I can honestly say I have bought twice as many straws this school year as I have in my entire life.

Our class has pen pals from Rankin Inlet, and we are currently setting up a Skype connection with a classroom from Kansas. These can be seen as innovation. What I have never had the courage to do is write something for my peers. I ask my students to take risks all the time, yet here I am, sweat dripping on my laptop, because I am doing exactly what I ask and expect them to do on an everyday basis.

A good friend and mentor of mine started her own blog this year. She has encouraged me to think about doing the same. I don’t think that will happen…well at least not this year.  William GT Shedd wrote, “A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what a ship is for.” This quote first off, makes me think of my home in the east coast (Shout out to my fellow Nova Scotians). Then it makes me think there is no sense of being innovative in your own classroom if no one can see it. I feel honoured to be part of this learning experience and I look forward to collaborating with everyone to see where it will take me.

Marcel Laroche

Ralph Brown School

1971 Proud