Core #2 – Training

Core #2 is Leading and that involved 5 “T’s” – Tools, Talent, Technology, Training and Time.  The fourth “T” of Leadership is Training

Training is how you get everyone there. Provide it and you succeed. Let it lapse and your best tools, talent and technology approaches go stale.

Training is the battery pack that gets everything energized.  Schools that fail to pay enough attention to training staff find themselves behind the curve.  Training is needed for new users. Training can help you avoid the problems by setting a baseline for all staff.

Baseline Training

Get everyone trained by defining the baseline that everyone needs to know, then move toward getting all of your staff up to that level. You would be amazed by how many may have spotty understandings of the tech they use. Everyone learns what they may need, but there is no level set for all staff.

Here is a good reason that most schools avoid training…

The Quadruple whammy – Time away away from the classroom, time away from teachings collateral work of grading and prepping, training may cost money and you can’t do it during school hours. This has always been a sore spot for schools that are thinking of students first (and who isn’t). Since they have to dedicate the time to training it takes them away from prep and paperwork (on the short term).  It costs money to send them to training or bring someone in. You have to find a sub if it happens on a school day.  That is four level slam on the student and your school. Who has time to learn tech?

Don’t let the negatives stop you from trying.  Securing the training budget and time is crucial to your instructional staff moving forward.