In the very beginning, teachers had a problem admitting they didn't know something, says Roster. Now they come and say, 'I don't get this, Diane. If they don't like it, say 'I don't like it' and let's talk. Teachers wanted to put the brakes on the whole process. Once we became more proficient, we could see the application and then, of course, it became part of our program.
Roster sees clear-cut roles for both the teacher and the tech specialist.
The direction should come from the classroom teacher. This enrichment includes plenty of teacher support. First-grade teacher Kay Belt likes the classroom telephones, which teachers use to call Roster for help if they get stuck in the middle of a presentation or if the computer goes down. They need to be able to call someone who can try to help them. They learn a certain thing and become an expert.