Non-Tech

While I love technology, it’s not always everything. These posts focus on topics other than technology.

An Unexpected COVID Christmas

/ Mrs. Waneta Hebert / 1 Comment

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2022, the year that has us all collectively afraid to set expectations. Let’s start with a reflective activity.

Things I did not accomplish over Christmas break:

  1. Write any posts for my blog
  2. Code the interviews for my ongoing research project
  3. Complete my dossier website (or even work on it)
  4. Research and plan an upcoming webinar

Things I did accomplish over Christmas break:

  1. Read 9 books of the Miss Fortune series by Jana DeLeon plus a handful of other books
  2. Finished reading/revising the second book of the series I’m writing as a hobby
  3. Played the Sims for two days straight
  4. Got a tattoo
Continue reading →

#disconnected

/ Mrs. Waneta Hebert / 1 Comment

Last week I did something that seemed impossible.

Let me start by setting the scene with a brief description of the devices in my home. In my office, I have a desktop computer with a second monitor, plus a television. I also have a work laptop that I use sometimes when I need the Mac or just need a third screen. Like any good bookworm, I have two Kindle Fires and a Kindle Paperwhite. I have a gaming laptop in the living room and a smaller laptop that I use when I need something more portable (gaming laptops are heavy). I also have a Nintendo Switch Lite (though I’m in the process of upgrading to a full-sized Switch, and I’m so excited). Oh yeah, plus my cell phone.

All of these screens help me keep track of all my various roles, including three Microsoft Teams accounts, five email accounts, and several social media accounts, both professional and personal, plus they help me relax and engage in my hobbies. It can all be a bit much sometimes.

Cartoon-style image of a frustrated woman surrounded by computers and other electronic devices

Last week, I disconnected. I mean I DISCONNECTED. Completely. Entirely. No screens. No email. No Teams. No messages. No social media.

It was more intoxicating than a mojito-filled pineapple on the beach in the Bahamas.

Continue reading →

A post that’s not about technology

/ Mrs. Waneta Hebert / 2 Comments

quote-technology-for-the-sake-learning

 

I’m going to let you in on a secret…. I don’t use technology in my classroom every day.

I’m a firm believer that technology should be used for the sake of learning, not for the sake of itself. Sometimes lessons really don’t call for tech, and sometimes tech even distracts from a lesson. I know I’ve made that mistake before.

Last week, I had one of those lessons that worked so perfectly, it had to be a fluke. But then my colleagues did the lesson in their classrooms, and it worked perfectly for them too. It was a such a great lesson that I’m going to share it here, even though the students used zero technology. Continue reading →