Technology: Lessons from IPhone 5S

1. I am an early adopter when it comes to new technology! I enjoy the glitz of launching the new products; I enjoy opening each immaculately presented Apple product with the care only reserved for special totemic items! And~ I wanted to love my new Apple 5S more than my 5; like the other Apple phone products before it~ the sleekblack/grey iconic phone fits elegantly in my hand like a piece of art. Call me crazy~ but this is one amazing machine designed to make me feel special! I was thrilled to see the pre-marketing and anticipated the color I would select (although I love black the best).
2. As I fussed about the new operating system~ I wondered what challenges I would enjoy and what problems I would have to face learning a new device and a new operating system designed to stay in the background and not frustrate me. What I learned surprised me. I was initially:
3. 1. Unhappy with the icons--they looked somehow flat to me
4. 2. Unhappy with the password process--it seemed somehow like too much work to me
5. 3. Unhappy with the calendar--it seemed too hard to negotiate for me
6. 4. Unhappy with the color choices--it was gold I wanted but with a black face~ the white is too casual for me.

Get out of your comfort zone to grow! Let go of Control!

1. Then I realized~ I sounded like all of the noise-makers who focused on the wrong thing! I was busy with the trivial and missing the upgrades~ the beauty and the options. What happened to me? Was I growing too old to learn? Then I realized~ a new operating system and device is like school reform and changes.
2. 1. It is not about what is comfortable for me~ it is about what I need to do to change and see the challenges differently!
3. 2. It is not about holding on to the past~ it is about learning new protocols as part of moving ahead.
4. 3. It is not that there is anything really wrong with the calendar~ I need to understand the new sequence in order to use it more efficiently.
5. 4. It is still not my favorite color combination~ and I will stay with the steel grey/black but I will write a letter asking someone to consider black face with gold background!
6. 
7. So I don't have to love everything about the change~ but I can learn new procedures and some of my students are excited about teaching me! School change requires staff development (I needed that with the new phone); it is about updating my practices and protocols; and~ I don't have to like everything about the change. I do however have to give it my best effort!