Tag: 21-A3

Technology can be great. It gives us access to so many incredible services that can enhance our lives. It allows us to break borders down through communication over long distances and can entertain us for hours on end. And when it comes to our work and education it can open whole new possibilities to access information and applications that encourage creativity and learning.

I have realized over the past few years is that I can categorize the ways I use technology in three ways: Education/Work, Communication, and Entertainment. When it comes to using technology I find that it is a balancing act between these three categories. This balance can be represented using a triangle.

When your triangle is balanced all the sides are equal meaning you are spending equal amounts of your time on each category. But when more time is spent on one or two categories then the triangle becomes unbalanced and the other sides are smaller.

Especially with school being online, I put too much time into my school and entertainment. This means that my communication category lacks and I can forget to keep in touch with friends and family.

Technology can be great but it is hard work to keep it balances in my life.

Launch meeting again,
It’s time to start class,
My students show up,
They just want to pass.

Cameras on, please,
So I know that you’re there,
I hope you can hear me,
I hope that you care.

I love teaching French,
I love teaching you,
But teaching on Zoom?
I haven’t a clue.

Having tech problems?
You’d better reboot,
Log off and rejoin us,
Or mute and unmute.

Learning comes second,
When school is online,
Our morale and our progress,
In steady decline.

Missing assignments,
Here’s another extension,
Please come to class,
Please pay attention.

You may prefer to watch YouTube,
Or play games on your phone,
I know that you’re struggling,
But you’re never alone.

This isn’t the school year,
You deserve or you need,
But if we both do our best,
You still can succeed.

Haunted by COVID,
The gloom and the doom,
It’s hard to be focused,
While sitting on Zoom.

I can’t wait to meet you all,
At the end of this ordeal,
To be there in a classroom,
And teaching for real.

We mustn’t give up,
The tables are turning,
In no time at all,
We’ll be in-person learning!

_{Zoom Desk Photo by Gabriel Benois on Unsplash}

In my life technology has played such a key role in keeping my relationship with my family who are essentially across the world from me. Many of you might not know I am first generation American, my mom and dad are from South Africa and moved to America over 20 years ago. That is where all my family is and I have grown up apart from them my whole life. I am lucky enough to visit them usually every two years and spend a month with everyone there. Below was the last time I was able to see them and I got to spend my first Christmas with them! I will forever treasure those memories of being able to decorate a Christmas tree and being able to open presents together.

I grew up always speaking to my grandparents and family every weekend on the and I still continue that to this day. As well as for my birthday they call and sing happy birthday to me all together and celebrate with a chicken strips dinner to celebrate my favorite dish my family makes! I am also constantly on my phone texting them pictures of every day life and just hearing about their day. Even with the time difference I always know I can count on them to be there even if they are in a different continent.

I am so grateful that technology allows me to stay connected with my family and don’t know what life would be without having technology to help keep my connections with them!

Featured Image: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay