This post might stir up some negative feelings, but please don’t take it as a swipe at your use of or your enthusiasm regarding technology in your classroom.

It seems everyone is labeling themselves “technology teachers” these days. I take issue with that for a number of reasons, but first and foremost: the title of “technology teacher” belongs to those who have the actual trained specialist designation of technology teacher; those who teach woodwork, drafting, metal works, etc.  These secondary school teachable subjects have been called “the technologies” for quite some time now…give these guys a break!  Don’t steal their entitled titles.

Semantics, you must be grumbling to yourself.  Of course, you’ve already registered an awesome technology Twitter handle or started a fun blog with alliterations.  Perhaps you weren’t aware that this teachable fell under the title of “technology.”  Well, consider yourself in the know (and pass it along): you are not technically a technology teacher, unless you teach the aforementioned classes.

For me, as a computer sciences teacher,  I (of all people) should be first in line to label myself as a “technology teacher;” however, I don’t want the title.  I am a computer science teacher.  I love that I am a computer science teacher.  I trained to be one, I love to tell people about my job.  I love to explain what I teach (digital media, yearbook, interior design, programming).  My position includes teaching and using technology, but my position is more than just the computers I have in my classroom.

Here are three reasons why you should drop “technology” out of your self-proclaimed job title:

1.  Everyone, everywhere uses technology in their classroom to some degree.  It’s 2015, after all.  It doesn’t necessarily make you stand out (if that was your intention).
2. You should be proud to be a Grade 6 teacher, an English teacher, a French Immersion teacher.  You teach something special already, something unique and exciting to your students.  People want to know what you teach, as well as how your teach it.
3. Your tool isn’t your title.  You don’t teach technology, you teach with technology. The difference is important.  It isn’t just semantics.

Don’t sell yourself short with a disguise.  What you teach is important, technology should be secondary.

Let’s all be teachnology teachers instead.