The Buckley School, NYC

Edwin Gonzalez serves as Assistant Director of Technology at The Buckley School in New York City, where he champions a people-first approach to educational technology. His leadership emphasizes trust, reliability, cybersecurity, and empowering educators through dependable, mission-aligned technology that strengthens teaching and learning.

Leading Through Accountability and Servant Leadership

One of the leadership principles that has most shaped my approach to educational technology is simple: mine is the blame; theirs is the fame. To me, leadership means taking responsibility for mistakes while ensuring that the team members who contribute to success receive the recognition they deserve.

I strive to model this behavior by acknowledging my mistakes, learning from them, and focusing on collective growth rather than personal praise. I believe that when leaders are genuine and willing to admit their mistakes, it encourages others to do the same and creates a culture built on trust, accountability, and continuous improvement.

This philosophy reflects my servant leadership style: sharing credit for successes, accepting responsibility for setbacks, and empowering others to learn, grow, and contribute their best work

Addressing the Real Challenges Facing Educational Technology

One of the biggest misconceptions in education is that technology itself is the challenge. While tools continue to evolve, I believe the real challenge lies in building trust, maintaining human connection, and ensuring security in an increasingly digital world.

At the same time, expectations from both educators and students have changed dramatically. Technology is now expected to be fast, seamless, intuitive, and available anywhere. What was once considered a convenience has become critical infrastructure. When technology fails, instruction, communication, and productivity can come to a halt.

As educational technology leaders, our responsibility is to help schools embrace innovation while maintaining trust, security, and meaningful human connections. Technology should support teaching and learning, not replace the relationships that make education effective.

Balancing Innovation with Security and Reliability

Being innovative does not mean adopting everything that is new. It means thoughtfully evaluating technologies that align with educational goals while maintaining the security, reliability, and trust that schools depend on. I often remind myself that if a teacher tells me an innovative tool is meaningless because it does not work when they need it most, then we have missed the mark.

In education, trust is built through consistency. Teachers and students need technology that is dependable, secure, and easy to use. Interestingly, these same principles align with the cybersecurity concept of the CIA Triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Schools must protect sensitive information, ensure systems remain reliable, and maintain confidence that technology will function as intended.

“Technology changes constantly, but people remain at the center of everything we do. If you focus on serving people first, the technology will naturally follow”

The most effective innovations are not necessarily the newest ones. They are the ones that support the school's mission, strengthen teaching and learning, and work consistently when people need them most.

Using Technology to Strengthen Teaching and Learning

Technology in education should be an amplifier of great teaching;  it should never replace it. The role of technology is not to be the center of the learning experience, but to support educators and students so that learning can happen more effectively

When technology is working well, teachers spend less time fighting with tools and more time connecting with students. It can simplify communication, provide access to resources, and create opportunities for collaboration and creativity. Most importantly, it allows educators to focus on what matters most: teaching, mentoring, and building meaningful relationships.

In my experience, the best educational technology is often the technology people barely notice. It works reliably in the background, allowing educators and students to focus on learning rather than the tools themselves.

Advice for the Next Generation of Educational Technology Leaders

The advice I would give to emerging technology leaders is simple: technology is ultimately about people. Technical expertise is important, but if we do not take the time to truly listen and understand the challenges people are facing, we will never be able to provide meaningful and purposeful support.

Early in my career, I believed that having the right technical answer was enough and that solving the problem was the most important goal in technology. Over time, I learned that building trust is just as important as solving problems. People want to feel heard, understood, and supported. When technology leaders take the time to listen before they solve, they build stronger relationships and make better decisions.

Technology changes constantly, but people remain at the center of everything we do. If you focus on serving people first, the technology will naturally follow.