No Noticalble Progress

So far, there has been no progress in getting my wiki available in school. Too bad this great tool can't be truly used! I am still getting really positive feedback from both students and parents though. So far all that have viewed the page a impressed with what's happening. I'm the one that is thinking that this could be SOOOOO much better if all my students had access. I'd hate to punish students or keep them from information simply because they don't have the internet at home. Therefore, I'm limiting what I put there, which limits the students' need to view the pages. I'm looking forward to the day when all students can see what's out there and I can put more information out there that students won't find elsewhere. Ah, to dream. Some day, some day. It's just a matter of time. Just another hoop to jump through, even though the hoop keeps moving, I really plan on finding my way through it. Wish me luck as this little issue continues to take up my time.

Wailing Over Wiki

So far this school year, I've been waiting for approval to use and get access to my wiki in school. This past week, it was given approval. 22 weeks of using it, to a limited extent due to not all students having access at home, and it's finally approved!!! That was GREAT news to say the least...which was shortly followed by the email stating that the IT department was not able to open up access to my wiki alone. All of wikispaces was opened, which, considering that not all people are in education, was not good. The decree came down that the wiki would not now or any time soon be available to the students in the school setting. Not a good day.
I'm still holding out hope, but doubt that this tool will see the light of day in school this year. Another sad thing for me in my teaching experience. It seems that the more I try to improve my teaching, the more things hit me in the face to force me into the standard teaching box.
It started a couple of years ago when my project based method was terminated to more closely match the seasoned teacher teaching opposite of me and to be sure that all students were receiving the same education no matter which team they were on. Strike 1.
I started to do things more like my counterpart. More worksheets, less teaching, less of the newest things in science, less reading work etc. I admit it's a lot less work to give the students something to do than it is to expend the energy teaching and motivating them. Strike 2.
This year also brought about the end of my newsletters. I no longer have the ability to create these or access my old ones due to the lack of MS Publisher. I miss this contact with parents and the positive responses I received from parents. Along with that program went the "Positive Points to Ponder about Your Prize Pupil" that used to go home to many students that usually don't get things sent home but that work and do well in class. Strikes 3 and 4.
Add to this the fact that I'm unable to install the Starry Night program on this new computer. This was a staple in demonstrating numerous concepts. I don't have the ability to install the school's own program to use in class. Another strike...5 I believe.
The scanner that currently does nothing but hold up the phone in my room is another strike. I can't install this school item either. This was really nice for taking student work and using it for an example or for editing and made taking things from the book to show and draw on extremely simple. Another great tool falling by the wayside. If memory serves, that's strike 6.
Add to this the death of the smartboard, for some unknown reason( it just doesn’t cooperate at all), and it's been a pretty lousy few years for advancing my teaching. Strike 7 puts me two more away from the end of the inning and ready to retire from pushing this behemoth of contradictions we call education into the current time, let alone getting into anything that even approaches futuristic. Wait, did I mention that I can no longer email progress reports to parents (strike 8) and that printing grades to post on my wall (by anonymous numbers) now takes 45 minutes or so to create, cut and tape together (strike 9 and end of inning)
Sometimes I really wonder why the (pick and expletive here) I'm learning new tools if each and every one gets a fresh, steamy crap taken on it?? Why waste my time and money? In the words of texting students: WTF???? Why bother? Becoming the worksheet king is acceptable and apparently preferred in my school. Why try? It's the end of the 9th and I lose, that's the way it is.
Sorry about the post being so negative today, even though I decided not to post last week when the pooh really hit the fan and wait to see what happens. I am happy that I did do a good job of waiting to process exactly what the 23 weeks of wiki work being lost really meant in the grand scheme of what I'm learning in education. If I'd simply reacted, I might have lost the extent to which everything I do is completely in control of someone else in education. I'm happy that I see this VERY CLEARLY now. I guess that's a positive, or sort of. Anyway, that's my recent Ed Tech experience and I can fully understand why so many people consider teaching a lower profession. Excelling is not reward but punished. There is no competition, and no reason to push for new things or methods. Status quo seems mandatory, as I'm forced, kicking and screaming into the standard teaching box. What a pile!!! Looking for other options seems necessary, but where to go from here?