I'm still alive and learning

This is a response to Will Richardsons recent blog about educators missing the point. I think that he is right. It is not enough to have your students blog, create a podcast, start a wiki, or learn by feeds on their aggregators. These tools are great to use with your students.
But theres a question that needs to be asked... Do YOU use these tools to do YOUR learning? Most educators would probably answer NO to this question. As an educator, how do you expect to teach using certain vehicles, if you don't use them yourself. I would never expect my students to use a tool unless I could answer questions about how to use that tool.

What I see happening...
Teachers are missing the point. It has been my experience that the teachers I deal with automatically shut off all brain waves when I start talking with them about a new project that I am interested in starting with my students. Any mention of unfamiliar territory in the realm of technology is taboo. When I mention that I am blogging with my students, the first response is... "Can you show me how to do that with my students"? I respond with "yes, but you should create a blog first for yourself". Their response is usually... "Oh, I don't have time to do that". Teachers are always trying to make more time in their day. I am a teacher, and I have plenty of time in the day. Is it because I use my time more wisely? Do I know some kind of secret the others are unaware of? I believe teachers need to learn how to use their time at school more efficiently. By this I mean, continue learning new and useful ways to teach and learn in the school environment. How can we be expected to teach a technology driven generation without the use of technology? This is like teaching someone how to drive without the use of a car.

Final Thought...
As an educator, I have a responsibility to be a life-long learner and teacher. I cannot be expected to teach students anything that I haven't already learned. This generation is driven by technology. This technology is not going anywhere. We need to embrace it, learn to use it, learn with it, teach to use it, and teach with it, in order to move on as a society.