As mentioned before, I have had the pleasure of instructing people in various learning environments. I am a full-time high school teacher in a career and technical school, and an adjunct professor that teaches pre-service and in-service teachers how to infuse technology in the classroom. I teach software applications, such as Final Cut Pro, to professionals, and I provide professional development for various school districts throughout the United States. One thing that I have learned from these experiences is that you can’t please everyone.

As technology continues to infiltrate the education field, it becomes especially important for teachers to find effective ways to engage all types of learners. However, research has shown that many special education students in particular benefit from using technology devices, such as iPods and iPads, to improve their hand-eye coordination and communication skills. These devices can address the students’ personal learning needs, provide them with a tactile platform on which to learn, and allow them to participate in similar activities as their regular education peers.

One of the biggest challenges teachers face is keeping their students motivated. I personally teach my students two hours and forty-five minutes a day for one hundred eighty-two days a year, over the course of three years. That is over ninety thousand hours I spend with the same students. There is no way I could ever imagine that I would be able to keep each student engaged and motivated if I was standing in the front of my classroom lecturing. For this reason, I believe the most successful strategy I have deployed is allowing my students to personalize their learning, take risks, and learn from their mistakes.