#1 Digitally Native

   Essentially, teachers are forced to use technology in the classroom by the government. I wish there was a more diplomatic or delicate way to phrase that, but it is what it is. In order to receive grant money, technology must be used in some way shape or form. But, with that being said, teachers have begun to use technology for everything from attendance to presenting materials to communicating with student's parents. Students use technology to reinforce the lessons taught by teachers, address issues with the diversity of learning needs, and to foster critical thinking, creativity, and communication. Based on the variety of ways that a student learns, teachers are able to use technology to personalize lesson reinforcement for students based on their unique learning characteristics. For example, a student may learn better in groups so a teacher can put together a small group of children to work together on a powerpoint presentation to present to the class. This way, technology is being introduced to the environment with the students using it to both create and present the project. Additionally, the student's individual learning needs have been met.

   So as someone who had never even heard of ISTE until a week ago, this is all very new to me, and I'm not gonna lie, a little complicated to understand. I guess the main takeaway that I got from these lists of standards is that there seems to be a real emphasis placed on increasing both student's and teacher's personal creative expression. I like that idea a lot. Specifically, I'm referring to standard 6g on the teacher standards file to "cultivate creative student expression". I think that in a lot of ways, through standardization of testing and other aspects, creativity has been pushed to the back burner in schooling. So by using technology as a way to bring that back to the forefront, a lot of students will be able to personalize their learning experience and thrive in school. I know that for me, I went to art school in middle and high school and my favorite projects in core classes were always the ones where I was able to express myself through my art. Everyone has a talent/passion so hopefully using technology will allow more students to utilize them in school.
   As far as the "over my skill set" part of these  standards, my issue isn't with a specific standard but rather the actual implementation of these standards as a whole. I am not an education student, and I won't pretend to know squat about it. So while these standards and ideas of implementing more technology and creativity sound fantastic, I have no clue how I would actually include them in a classroom or education setting. When I think back to the projects that I did in middle and high school that utilized technology, I appreciate my teachers a lot more now knowing that those projects were crafted from a list of incredibly ambiguous standards. So shout out to Palm Beach County teachers cause y'all are the bomb.
 
   I think that the term "digital native" is a very accurate way to describe today's younger generations. Considering that I struggle to remember a time when I didn't have access to a computer or cell phone means that I grew up with a lot of technology. My little brother, who is now 12, is even more of a native than I am. He is constantly showing me different ways to do things on Snapchat or Instagram. I consider myself pretty well versed in social media tech, but somehow he always finds a way to show me up.
   In the class room, I have seen that a lot of my teachers have struggled to use document cameras. Some have even struggled to make a YouTube video full screen. While in the moment it can often be frustrating, I have to remind myself to take a step back and remember that this technology is new to them. They didn't grow up knowing that the "full screen" button is always the little box in the bottom right hand corner.
   While I would like to say that I, in any type of instructional setting, will be proficient enough in technology education to avoid these issues, it would be naive to assume that technology will stop advancing here. Despite the fact that I may know a good about computers now, that doesn't mean that I'll know anything about the computers of the future. Digital natives of the future, that is people younger than me, will most likely know things about pioneering technologies that I don't, no matter how often I try them out. This isn't to say that I won't be a little more comfortable with technology than the teachers that I had, but I do mean that kids seem to have a way of knowing stuff that I could never hope to.