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as I chose.

My first year of teaching, I used those impressive resources to the best of my ability. Students watched videos and slide shows and they were on the computers regularly. I utilized the lesson plan books and the big television to enhance and emphasize what I was teaching.

But I did it poorly. Much of the classroom time was wasted handling discipline problems. I discovered, to my consternation, that no matter how interesting I thought the lesson was or how many awesome computer programs I used, students often did not do what I wanted them to do because I did not have the classroom management skills to back up what I was teaching. Also, many of my well planned lessons had little impact. I discovered, to my consternation, that students were not retaining because I had not acquired the skills of tying lessons together, rehearsing newly learned information with the students, or applying the lessons to the students' lives. It did not matter how impressive the slide shows or videos might have been. The students simply did not grasp or retain the lessons because I did not know how to teach them.

I went to classroom management and lesson plan workshops. I took classes online from nearby colleges. I observed veteran teachers in action. Gradually, I began picking up new skills and acquiring experience.

And then, my third year of teaching, I picked up a very soft, big orange ball that I had bought at a wholesale store for five bucks, threw it to a student, and asked him to tell me what we talked about the week before.

He did so. Successfully.

I threw the five dollar ball to another student and asked her to give me details about our discussion the week before.

She did so. Successfully.

And I thought about my first year of teaching, recalling the time the students spent on the computer and the videos and the slide shows and all of the times I asked students to tell me what we talked about the week before.

And all the times they were not successful.

Computers, slide shows, videos, books, and things are not the keys to successful learning. Do they help? Certainly. I use all of them when I'm able to get my hands on them. And because I have been to trainings, I know how to use them well.

But I also know how to throw a five dollar ball around a classroom and, with it alone, get a kid to listen, participate, and become a lifelong learner.

And no amount of the newest technology or the finest textbooks could ever replace that.

Learn more about this author, Crystal Loveless.
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