Bill+Herman+-+Monona+Grove+School+District

**I used to say I'm the anti-technology tech guy, and I think it's catching up with me.** I don't have a handheld device (OK, I have a phone), I don't have a Twitter account, I don't use Skype, I don't have a blog. And I don't use Facebook, even though I have an account and periodically go in and am amazed at how my friends provide a running and often quite witty commentary on their lives.

But recently I've started to feel like a sourpuss, like the Sophisticated Adults below.

So, when Sheryl offered me the opportunity to become a 21st century Fellow I accepted right away, in part because I've always wanted to be a Fellow. But more than that it seemed like time for me enter the 21st century. (I have an unaccountable preference for the 18th century.) Hopefully this confession isn't disconcerting to anyone whose Fellow I am. I'll work hard to be a helpful Fellow.

I've been working with computers in education since 1990, when I was hired by a K-8 school in D.C. to be their "computer teacher." I taught Logo (which was really cool; one of the best education apps I've worked with to date), then built a network, then worked with teachers to make it educationally useful, then repeated the process twice more at different school districts. Currently I'm the **Tech Director at Monona Grove School District**, where like everybody else, we have a network with more and more things attached to it--not least the Internet--and I'm still working to help teachers make it educationally useful.
 * But I'm actually pretty technological.**

One of my favorite technological things to do is design software. I've designed a program to help students learn how to paraphrase effectively, and two different programs to analyze group growth using student performance data. Unfortunately the companies that built these programs have gone under, but I'm still determined for them to see the light of day, someday.

I've designed and taught several University courses for teachers at Monona Grove -- __Investigation and Explanation__, a hands-on examination of Carol Kuhlthau's theory of what research and learning entail; __Paraphrasing__, a seminar practicing and studying techniques of paraphrasing; __How to Pay Attention__, where we read about and practiced meditation for clarity and stress reduction; and several __Software Project Workshops__.
 * I'm also interested in learning.**

Most recently I led a workshop with 7 of our district's finest teachers, where we have considered leading lists of 21st century skills, and have attempted to define the main skills for ourselves by identifying the dispositions underlying them. Our work is ongoing this year, and we are joined by Monona Grove's librarians. We aim to define and raise awareness of 21st century skills, and to develop and share techniques for integrating them into lessons and the curriculum.

I'm a husband, and a dad to three kids -- these are really my main roles. I love reading and writing, but haven't found time to do much of either recently. I like running but I've gotten pretty slow. I used to like watching the Packers play but then about 9 years ago during a game I found myself stabbing the TV screen with my finger and yelling at the players, and I knew it was time to stop. There are also more things about me but I can't think of them now. My memory is not what it used to be.
 * And there are other things about me.**