Aspen Summit 2019: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Last weekend, I enjoyed another #EdTechTeam summit. It was nice to be back in the ed tech world again, a bit weird to remember what it is like to present, and amazing to think about how much I have grown in the ~6 months since I last presented at a summit. I went through the #GoogleEI academy, have grown into an administrative/leadership role, and done a lot of personal reflecting and growing along the way.

A picture is worth a thousand words. I didn't capture as many details this weekend as I sometimes do in my sketchnotes, but I wrote down what was most meaningful and important to me. And that's what it's all about, right? Making meaning.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

2018 Reflection | #OneWord2018 | INTEGRITY

As 2018 comes to a close, I am sitting in a warm house, looking out at the sparkling snow, with much to be grateful for. A new job (which I love!), new experiences (best of all, #DEN18), and so much growth, both personal and professional. I want to look back on my #OneWord2018 to guide my reflections.
*Fair warning: This post is about me, and I feel a bit selfish writing it. But isn't that what personal reflections are?

This year, I wanted to focus on integrity, with three components being engage(ing), courage, and initiative. This played out in many ways as through the year!

In January, I was able to be spontaneous and engage with new friends as I took a trip to California to meet #PLN buddies in person! I also enjoyed a trip to string camp, in which I found & had the integrity to admit, for the first time, that I was happy to be in ed tech and moving on from my time teaching in the classroom.

In February, I celebrated the culmination of my #OneWord2017 (LEAD) journey by summoning the courage to press "submit" on my PRAXIS (spoiler: I passed)!

In March, I did a lot of reflecting, and took the initiative to really think about #selfcare as a part of being a healthy educator.

In April, I earned my #GoogleET certification and blogged publicly, for the first time, about my desire to apply for the #GoogleEI program - it took courage to put it out there for accountability!

In May, I wrote about continuing to learn and grow as an ed tech leader and engaged in "real talk" as I shared my first #GoogleEI application and thoughts along the way.

In June, I wrote with integrity about my honest feelings about not getting into #LAX18, enjoyed seeing ways that music teachers were taking initiative to take ideas even further, and met SO MANY friends IRL at #ISTE2018! What a highlight that was, and a reminder of how special it is when we are ourselves - both online and in person - rather than wearing a mask or putting on a persona!

In July, I engaged in some more honest sharing as I wrote about changes (having no idea what was coming in my own life) and took the initiative to not only attend another #EdTechTeam summit but convince my brother to present with me (which was amazing)!

In August, I learned about taking a step back and allowing others to find the courage to lead and published one of my more popular posts of the year with the results of a survey about what people were looking for from ed tech specialists in schools that I took the initiative to put together.

In September, a lot happened as I had the courage to put myself out there! I moderated my first Twitter chat, applied for #GoogleEI again (and got accepted this time!), and started a new job. Talk about a big month!

In October, I thought a lot about leading with integrity and what that meant in my new position - from the messages I was sending to the struggle with balance to the need for courageous choices & conversations.

November wins the award for the most blogs written in a month, because I was at #DEN18 and blogged my way through! I made the decision after the first day of the academy to write vulnerably and engage in a real, raw way, which took courage and initiative. It ended up being a great experience that further fueled my desire to live with integrity and walk my talk of what I think is important!

Which brings us to December, where I exercised that integrity by making sure I was living a life that demonstrated #selfcare, took the initiative to bring some fun to the office, and wrote about my struggles and lessons learned with listening to others.

It's been a great year, and I truly see how my #OneWord2018 was woven in and out of my experiences! What will 2019 bring? Check back next week to see my #OneWord2019 and let's find out! Happy New Year, everyone!

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

Something I have been thinking about lately, and trying to improve in, is telling our story. Many people have ideas about what school is like these days - some accurate, some not so much. Of course, a picture is worth a thousand words...here are a few recent ones that help tell our story!

What story are you telling?

Ed Tech Specialists in Schools

Several weeks ago, I shared a Google Form that I had made to gain insight on what teachers needed/wanted in ed tech specialist support at their schools. I received 15 responses (I was hoping for more, but I am incredibly grateful to the 15 of you). Here are some of the common themes...

What teachers are hoping for...

• Co-planning & co-teaching
  This allows teachers to step out and do something a little more risky, knowing that someone will be there to help them!
• Observation/feedback/coaching
  I love that people are willing to grow! An important distinction is that this is non-evaluative feedback.
• Help in keeping up with tech trends, tools, & ideas; deciding what to purchase/implement
  With so much out there, it is hard for teachers to keep track of it all, but they are interested in recommendations & ideas about what will give the most "bang for their buck"!
• Sample resources
• Leading or co-leading PD in the building

What teachers do NOT want...

• To be told what to do
  They know their curriculum, content, teaching style, & students best. Honor that!
• To be taught about tech tools with no thought given to classroom integration
  Context is everything - it might be a cool tool, but how does it apply in my classroom?
• To feel judged
  Not everybody is tech-savvy - and people need to know that it's okay!
• Lack of communication or availability
• Doing it for them, rather than teaching them something new
  

Timing/Scheduling

Not surprisingly, teachers want to collaborate during time already built into their day. We may feel like 1:1 help is not as efficient, but it may be the best way to really meet a teacher's needs and create bigger ripples of change!

Final Thoughts

If nothing else came through clearly, this did...RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS! Building positive relationships is a crucial foundation to any other work being done. But that shouldn't be a surprise, right? It's the same with students.

Thank you so much for your feedback - I am carrying these ideas & perspectives with me as I head into my year. Hopefully they can help other tech coaches out there, too - feel free to share!

Am I Welcome?

It's back-to-school time for many of us! In my district, students will start on Wednesday. As students, families, and even teachers come into the building after the summer break, there is a question that many are subconsciously asking.

Am I welcome here?

Can I be myself here? Will I be accepted, with all of my strengths, weaknesses, and quirks? Will people care about me? Will I make friends? Will I be left out? Is this a safe place for me?

Am I welcome here?

As I walk into a school, what cues do I use to help me answer that question?

• What does the space physically look like? Does it look kid-friendly? Are there lots of signs, rules, & regulations?
• How am I greeted? Am I even greeted? Is it with a smile? Do I feel like a guest, or like somebody who is interrupting others just to ask how to sign in?
• Do I know where to go? Are there signs? Does anyone offer to help me find my way?
• As I observe others in the building, are they happy to be there, or does it look like a struggle? Are there procedures in place? Do kids know the expectations of different areas?
• What is on the walls of the hallway? Are they boring and institutional, or are they used to display and foster learning?
• Does this place have its own culture, history, and identity? Is it a generic "school", or do they have pride in who they are?

Am I welcome here?

As a traveling ed tech specialist, I get to go to many buildings. They all have a different feel - part of the fun is seeing how each building has its unique identity! Some schools are older, some are newer, some are more strict, and some are more flexible. All of these are okay! And every school, no matter where they fall on those spectrums, can be welcoming. But the flip-side is also true - and I have seen both.

I had the privilege of visiting a school for the first time since I subbed there (once!) about eight years ago, and it immediately struck me as such a welcoming space. Even though students aren't there yet and most teachers were in training, I came in and was greeted by the office staff. I was a little early for my meeting, and I was welcome to sit down and wait (and get some work done!) in any of several places. I ran into a teacher, who gave me a tour of the building, told me about some of the work they are doing, and introduced me to other staff members. I saw smiles and waves, and was able to talk to several people around the building. I did not feel like an intruder - I felt like an outsider who was being welcomed in. And it felt good!

I know life can get busy. Spaces get neglected, we get absorbed in our work, and we don't always have time to give a tour. But education is a people business, and people are the most important thing. Even in the midst of a crazy day, we can always smile & greet people warmly, and let them know that,

"Yes, you are welcome here."

Ed Tech Specialist: Looking for feedback!

Hey, #PLN - I need your help!

I am really excited that, heading into this school year, my team is changing the structure of how we spend our time. This will mean more time in schools and less time in offices! My mind is overflowing with ideas for what this could look like, but I know that many minds are better than one!

To that end, I put together a form to collect ideas/feedback - if you don't mind taking a couple of minutes to fill it out, it would be appreciated!

A bit of background:

• I will have 13 schools (7 elementary, 3 K-8, 1 middle, 1 high, 1 K-12) I am supporting.
• I will be in schools Mondays & Fridays. There is the possibility of going out on other days of the week, but only as time allows.
• For the most part, our district do not have building-level instructional coaches or technology teachers. There are TOSAs for different subject areas that work with multiple schools.
• This type of support has not been available before through our department, so it may feel pretty new!

Thank you in advance for the power of crowdsourcing ideas - I will share the feedback on here after a few weeks!

#ISTE18: It's All About the Relationships!

This year, I was so excited to go to my first ISTE conference! After stalking the #notatISTE hashtag for a few years, it was amazing to finally be there!

I thought about writing a recap, but a picture tells a thousand words, so I'd rather just share my sketchnote of the conference. Each little sketch represents a memory of my time in Chicago! Looking back, I notice a lot of food on here...yep, food = good memories...maybe a little too much ;-).

As I look back, the thing that I will remember the most is all of the friendships & relationships. I loved sitting down next to new people (or, more accurately, standing in line) and being able to strike up a conversation, because we were all connected by our love of education! Even more meaningful were the people I got to have more in-depth conversations with, because this isn't the first time we've connected. From my amazing teammates to the Breakout EDU crew to #sunchatbloggers to other people I've connected with online, it filled my heart to spend time with so many amazing people!

My mind and heart are full. Thank you, #ISTE18!

A Positive Digital Footprint (for Adults)

This past week, I had the privilege of attending InnEdCO, our state ed tech conference. I had a great time, and I have many takeaways and things that I learned that I hope to apply immediately!

One of the big things that stuck out to me, though, was not something a speaker shared or something that was found in a session resource. It simply has to do with having a digital footprint. We often talk about this with students in the context of digital citizenship - how you present yourself online matters! The thing I sometimes forget is that this is 100% true for adults, too.

I enjoy connecting with others online. I make an effort to be authentic and positive. I share, I respond, and I participate in many communities of educators. I am not always consciously thinking about the digital footprint I am building, but it's there.

I was reminded of this over the week as I met many people who I have only seen online in the past. Some people specifically mentioned that recognized me from my Twitter activity, and commented on how they appreciate what I share there. I still find it a bit weird that others know who I am through Twitter, even if we have never chatted or had a back-and-forth conversation. I know I put myself out there, I just forget that others are watching and listening.

This week was affirming in realizing that I do have a digital footprint, and that it really is positive. I hope that it portrays me as I really am, too! I appreciated the reminder that when I share, I am sharing with real people, because sometimes it is easy to type to a computer screen and forget about the rest.

You, too, have a digital footprint. What is it like? In a world full of technology, let's not forget that we can leverage that tech for many things, but most importantly, to build relationships and connections.

Passing the Torch

It's been a year since I taught orchestra in schools as my full-time job. While I am happy to be where I'm at, I've also struggled with missing being in the classroom. One of the coolest things, though, has been watching a friend really pick up the torch of mashing music + technology together. It is a joy to watch!

Robots + Composition

A few weeks ago, I received this text:

"I assume you've played with the Edison robots? I think it would be really neat to do a composition project with them where the objects/surfaces around it trigger the different notes/phrases...I programmed mine to play the next phrase of Twinkle when it changed to a different surface when driving."

Prior to this, I hadn't heard about these particular robots, but wow, mind blown! I think that coding any robot to respond to outside stimuli differently is an authentic way to mix composition & computer science in a music class. This would make a great #HourofCode project someday!

Video Perspective

A few summers ago, I recorded lots, and I mean LOTS of instructional videos to help my 5th & 6th graders learn their songs. I found that it had several benefits - it helped my students learn their music, but also how to practice, because I talked them through the tricky spots in the video. It also really gave them a multi-sensory way to learn, by listening, looking at my fingers in the video, and looking at their music. Finally, it was a great way for parents to know what their kids were learning and how to help them or for kids to catch up after being absent. It is so common to get an email that says, "I don't know how to help my kid in music," and this game me a great resource to point them to! I even sent them occupational therapist at my school, who was working with one of my students, and she came back knowing how to hold the cello & play our first few songs, making it much easier for her to help this student!

Disclaimer: I totally stole copied this idea from another orchestra teacher in the district...good ideas just get passed around!

My friend shared that she wanted to make her own set of videos this summer, but instead of setting up the camera in front of her, she was going to take it from a forehead mount, showing the exact perspective of the students. This way, they don't have to see what it looks like from the outside and try to make their fingers match that from their angle. How come I never thought of that?!? It shows such a great focus on thinking about the user first, and what their needs are.  I was blown away!

Individualized, Self-Paced Learning

Orchestra Karate has been around for awhile, and is actually something the two of us implemented when we team-taught together. Once again, my friend is finding ways to expand ideas to make them even better! She shared that instead of just doing our "regular" songs for Orchestra Karate, she had made two extra packets - a holiday packet & a challenge packet - that students could work on & earn belts for. This is such a great way to combat the fact that the beginning class has students moving at a variety of paces, and allows all students to be challenged at their own level!

Spreadsheets

Okay, this last one is just because I'm a nerd and I love organizing my life with spreadsheets. I love finding others who do the same! She was telling me how she had one spreadsheet per school, but IMPORTRANGEd them all into one master spreadsheet, had different tabs to sort by different reasons (like who had district instruments, etc), and used conditional formatting to mark who had turned paperwork in. She also talked about using autoCrat to create nametags (to hang on stands) from these spreadsheets, rather than our usual practice of having students write their own nametags, which often results in small, light handwriting that is impossible to read from the podium :-). These little hacks make life so much easier, and I love seeing others use them in a way that works for them!

Passing the Torch

When I decided to move into this district position, one of the hard things was feeling like I was just scratching the surface of what could be done in a music classroom, and I didn't have time to explore everything I wanted to! These interactions with my friend have been incredibly encouraging in remembering that I am not the only one who is exploring. As obvious (and self-centered) as that sounds, it has been so cool to see her not only embrace new ideas, but take them even further to create the best educational environment for kids!

My recommendation? Find "your people" and keep building on each others' ideas. Continue to push further and deeper. Collaborate & share. Together, we can create amazing educational environments for students!

Days in Schools are the Best Days

As an ed tech specialist, I truly feel that the days I spend in schools are the best days. There's just nothing like the energy of a school building!

But what do I do in schools?

That's a great question. It looks very different based on my purpose for visiting, and sometimes, what I have planned and what ends up happening are two completely different things! Here are some examples of what I do:

Classroom Observations

Since I'm not directly teaching students anymore, I really appreciate the time I can just sit in classrooms and watch what is going on. It helps keep me connected to the day-to-day life of teachers and students and informs my ideas for the future.

Co-Planning

Trying something new in your classroom is intimidating! Sometimes, it helps to plan with another person to talk it through and think of all of the angles. I really enjoy planning with teachers and seeing the ways they are thoughtfully encouraging their students to grow.

Co-Teaching

In the same way, there are times when it just helps to have another adult in the classroom! I love the days when I am co-teaching, whether that looks like switching off in whole-class instruction, splitting the class up into small groups, or allowing students independent "work time" while both teachers wander and conference with groups.

Planning Meetings

Aside from lesson planning, sometimes there are other planning meetings that need to occur. Meeting with technology committees/teams, working on both the logistics of the tools and the vision of instruction in the building, and/or planning with administrators are all part of my job in schools.

Professional Development

Over the course of the year, I have been a part of many staff meetings where I have either facilitated or been an observer in different types of professional development. Because I am not actually working with the kids most days, the most "bang for our buck" comes when teachers feel more comfortable and confident with technology and instructional practices!

Parent Meetings

As technology takes over our world, parents are interested in finding out both how this impacts the school and how it can impact their parenting. There is definitely an element of community outreach at the school level that is present in my job.

Informal Conversations

This is one of my favorite things to do in schools, yet it can't be measured. Often, you can get a good feel for the culture of a building just by being there. I love chatting with teachers in the copy room, saying hi to kids in the lunchroom, or seeing how the day is going in the office. Many times, this will lead to questions or requests that I can help with - those things that are not burning enough to actually call IT, but that could really help make others' lives better! I'm not talking about fixing broken technology (my department deals more with instruction than hardware), but things like, "Is there any way to do THIS?" or, "I was trying to figure out how to do THAT..."

Fellow coaches/TOSAs/district leaders...what do YOU do in schools?

Teachers...what do you WISH we would do in schools?

I'm always looking for new ideas to collaborate - feel free to chime in below!

Music + Tech

I am a music teacher. I am an educational technology specialist. But how do those two mix?

Recently, I have become more and more excited about how my background gives me a unique perspective into how to integrate educational technology into the music classroom. The more I got into it, though, the more frustrated I became. Here's what I heard the most about:

• SmartMusic
• Finale/Sibelius/Noteflight/Flat.io
• GarageBand
• Practice/playing test videos
• Electronic practice logs

Now, don't get me wrong, I think all of those can have a place in the classroom, and I used many of them myself. But we are only talking about the tools. This usually means that we are only talking about substitution - substituting a paper-and-pencil task with an electronic version. What are students doing differently that they couldn't do before? What are they learning? That's the conversation I'm really interested in having!

• How are we teaching our students to be creative with the tools at our disposal?
• How are we helping our students collaborate, both inside and outside the class, using these tools?
• How are we ensuring our students are becoming critical thinkers, rather than just relying on machines to think for them?
• How are we teaching our students to communicate, through words and/or music and/or visuals, in a way that tells a powerful story?
• How are we, as educators, taking advantage of the globally connected world that we live in to reach out, learn, and grow ourselves as professionals?

These are the questions worth asking.

These are the conversations we should be having in professional development sessions.

These are the things that will truly change our classrooms.

To anyone who works with music and technology, I'm begging you to make it about more than just the tools. We're aiming for a mindset change & instructional shift, not just a change in what tools we use. Let's not sell our classes short when they can be about so much more!

And, really, can't this apply to any content area? The deeper we go, the more our students will benefit. I want to keep designing professional development that challenges the notion that ed tech specialists just want to see you using technology in the classroom. It's so much bigger than that.

How do you move beyond just substituting tools in your classroom?

Doing the Impossible

At one of our 21st Century Cohort (#bvsd21cc) meetings, a teacher shared a lesson plan idea that stopped me in my tracks. Seriously, it was that good.

Side note: This is why I love our PD opportunities - as a facilitator, I always learn so much from the amazing teachers that come!

It went something like this:

1. Ask the students to make a list of what a Sphero can't do (they had previously had an introduction to Spheros).

2. The teacher goes around and stars his/her favorite idea on the list.

3. Ask the students to figure out how to make Sphero do that "impossible" thing.

That's it. It's that simple. This teacher said that all of the students were able to complete the task, with her favorite being a contraption to help Sphero deliver McDonalds. I can only imagine the empowerment her students felt and how this helped them shift perspective about what they "can't" do.

This lesson was designed using Spheros, but it could really be replicated with many different materials. It's not about the tools, but the mindset, the creativity, the critical thinking, and moving past constraints. These are transferable life skills that our students must learn to be successful both in school and beyond!

My personal challenge: What do I think is impossible right now? How can I make it happen?

What's your "impossible" dream?

String Camp & The Unexpected

This past week, I had the pleasure of accompanying almost 100 middle school students to String Camp, an overnight field trip in the beautiful mountains of Colorado. It was a great trip! However, driving down the mountain, I realized that it was not what I had expected.

I had expected to be hit with a pang of missing music, of missing teaching.
I had expected to be overjoyed to be jumping back into my old "music teacher" world again.
I had expected to savor and treasure those little "kid moments" - the little comments and thoughts that aren't really that important, but mean so much.

But that didn't happen. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, and really engaged while I was up there! But, if I'm 100% honest, I missed focusing on my ed tech work. It was the first time that I was in a "music" situation and felt more like an ed tech specialist than a music teacher. Not because I didn't like it, not because I didn't feel confident, but mostly because I am excited about the work I am doing now!

There's a kind of a sort of cost

There's a couple of things get lost

There are bridges you cross

You didn't know you crossed

Until you've crossed

~"Thank Goodness" from Wicked (the musical)

I've blogged about my transition from teaching to being in ed tech - the ups and the downs - but somehow, this felt like a big step. I know that I will always be a music teacher, but I am in a different place now. And I have mixed feelings about that! Primarily, I'm happy to (finally) be so content in my job, but it is tinged with a feeling of loss.

As I continue to cross bridges, I hope that I will always be able to look back with fond memories and look ahead with excitement to the future!

*These are the full lyrics that have been running through my mind -
the section above is just an excerpt*

That's why I couldn't be happier

No, I couldn't be happier

Though it is, I admit

The tiniest bit

Unlike I anticipated

But I couldn't be happier

Simply couldn't be happier

Well—not "simply":

Cause getting your dreams

It's strange, but it seems

A little—well—complicated

There's a kind of a sort of cost

There's a couple of things get lost

There are bridges you cross

You didn't know you crossed

Until you've crossed

And if that joy, that thrill

Doesn't thrill you like you think it will

Still—

With this perfect finale

The cheers and the ballyhoo

Who?

Wouldn't be happier?

So I couldn't be happier

Because happy is what happens

When all your dreams come true

Well, isn't it?

Happy is what happens

When all your dreams come true!

Colorado Summit 2017: Takeaways

Nearly a week later, and I am finally getting the chance to sit down and blog about the Ed Tech Team Colorado Summit! I had an amazing time (complete with very little sleep!) - here are the three main themes that describe my weekend.

Connections

#sunchatbloggers buddies - @brianrozinsky & @historicalipad

More than anything else, this conference was about connecting with others for me! I had the pleasure of meeting several people that I have interacted with online, and it was so much fun to finally meet in real life. Being only the second ed tech conference I've ever attended, this is the first time I have really seen the breadth of my #PLN. I met so many friends of friends and it seemed like there were common connections everywhere! Last year, when attending this conference, I was just getting started on Twitter. This year, I met so many #eduheroes and realized the impact of being a globally connected educator!

Creativity

From the keynote speakers (@amyburvall & @jheil65) to the sessions (including sketchnoting by @sylviaduckworth), the innate creativity in all of us and the need for it in education was at the forefront of my takeaways from this conference. Even the winning demo slam was @sylviaduckworth rapping with Incredibox! As a music teacher, this fed my soul! It is always so affirming to hear the more creative subjects celebrated. But beyond that, I loved the way we talked about tying it all together - it is not about creating in isolation, but infusing that into everything we do as educators!

Leadership

I can't talk about this event without looking back to my #oneword2017, LEAD. Over the past year, I have slowly come to view myself as a leader in different ways. Starting with being the leader of my classroom, moving to leading a building in my summer admin job, and now being in a leadership position with educational technology in my district, I have been challenged to step up and grow. At the conference, I had a couple of interactions that challenged me to continue to think wider about my influence, as a leader in the greater educational technology community. I still feel like just one small voice in a chorus, but it's humbling to realize that some people may see me as a leader. I feel a sense of responsibility to be a positive voice, to be someone who is unafraid to push for change but who will do so in a way that always communicates love and respect for others. And I feel a renewed sense of purpose in being REAL (both online & in person), in being ME, and in sharing my story.

Thank you, everyone who helped make the weekend a success! What were your biggest takeaways from the Colorado Summit?

One Year Ago

One year ago, I went to my first ever educational technology conference.
One year ago, a friend asked me if I was presenting there.
One year ago, what my mind was screaming was, "NO WAY, there's no way I have enough expertise or anything to share at an ed tech conference like this!"
One year ago, what I said was, "No - I might present at a music conference sometime about how to incorporate technology into a music classroom; that's more where I see myself sharing."

This year, I am going to my second educational technology conference.
This year, I am presenting/co-presenting four sessions.
This year, I'm a bit nervous, but excited to share and learn with everyone who comes to my sessions.
This year, I am recruiting others to share & present too!

What's changed? I haven't become an expert in the past year. Sure, I've learned some things and grown, but it's not like "what I know" is drastically different.
What's changed? I see myself not just as a music teacher who is interested in tech, but as an ed tech leader.
What's changed? More than anything, it's my mindset and my willingness to share in this community of learners.
What's changed? I am growing in confidence as my #oneword of LEAD is really playing out in my life this year.

Here's to a great 2017 Colorado #edtechteam Summit!

Gratitude: How #Edtechteam Summits & #BreakoutEDU Changed My Life!

As we prepare for the #edtechteam summit this weekend, I've found myself reflecting on the path that has brought me to my position as an ed tech specialist. In many ways, my journey started two years ago with a summit that I didn't attend.

Wait, what?

Two years ago, my brother, who is a math/computer science teacher, attended a GAFE (Google Apps for Education) Summit hosted by my district. Here I was, barely even aware that it was happening, yet my brother drove an hour and a half to attend. We met up for breakfast one day because he was in the area, but that was about the extent of that.

A few weeks later, we were both home for Thanksgiving break, and he set up this cool thing that he had heard about at the summit: a BreakoutEDU box. My sister, dad, & I all played Time Warp, and we had a blast! I liked the idea of using it in the classroom, but didn't really see it as realistic for music...or for the number of students I had in each class. It became a fun idea, tucked away in the back of my mind, that maybe I could pull out if I ever found myself in a situation that would fit.

Fast forward two years. 

My mind continued to stew on the idea of BreakoutEDU, and that summer, seeing the digital versions really drew me in. Creating my own games led me to get on Twitter, to develop a PLN, to begin this blog, and to dive into the ed tech world. From there, I started gamifying my classes, implementing genius hour projects, experiencing a pseudo-1:1 environment by hogging regularly checking out a Chromebook cart, getting more involved in my district's ed tech initiatives through applying for a cohort, and eventually landing in my current job as an ed tech specialist.

As I reflect, I can't help but feel grateful to so many people who influenced my journey without even knowing it. I'm thankful for the Ed Tech Team & the people in my district who brought the summit to Boulder, CO. I'm thankful to the BreakoutEDU folks for creating an engaging opportunity that was my first glimpse of why I should attend conferences like this. I'm thankful to my brother for sharing his learning! I'm thankful to the people who started BreakoutEDU Digital, which was my gateway drug to the world of PLNs & connecting with a global community. And I'm thankful for all of those who encouraged me along the way and let me step out, explore, and grow, even when that included some wins and some failures.

"Big things often have small beginnings."

What are they REALLY saying?

We, as people, say things all of the time. But do we always say what we mean? Often, we have to look beyond the words and interpret what is really going on, even if it is not exactly what is being said.

I often have to do this with myself as well. When I am feeling grumpy, stressed, frustrated, or upset, it's easy for me to focus on the immediate thing going on, rather than the underlying issue. Whether conscious or subconscious, I'm not always honest with myself at first...and I am always grateful for friends who ask me the right questions to tease out my deeper thoughts and motivations.

"I don't want to do this!"

Is there something you don't understand about it? Is there something else going on that is stressing you out? Has something happened in the past that makes you feel like this won't be a good experience? What is the part that you are dreading the most? Why?

"I'm so stressed out."

What is stressing you out? What parts of it are under your control? What parts are not under your control? Do you need to take a quick break to refresh your mind? Are you getting enough sleep? Eating well? Is there something else going on in the background that is increasing your stress level? What would help you feel better? Can you do anything small right now to feel like you are moving forward?

My natural instinct is to want to focus on the specific issue, to give advice, or share a related story from my own life, but I am trying to become more of a question-asker (both in my own thought life and with others). Along with helping figure out what's really going on, it communicates to people that they are heard and valued. It suspends judgment and seeks more information, honoring the fact the people usually have a reason for their actions/feelings.

As a person who is in a coaching role now, it is so important for me to help others discover their own answers instead of "being an expert". I want to help us focus on the bigger issues, not just the symptoms that bubble up from day to day.

"What if students use technology for bad things?"
"It's just all too much, too overwhelming."
"We need to be more aligned in our vision."

What are people really saying?

Tech Doesn't Inspire...Teachers Do!

Can I be honest? I've found myself complaining way too much this week. The weather has been dreary and gray, I've had some long days at work, and I'm just tired. I've been making a conscious effort the past few days to STOP complaining and instead focus on gratitude & the good I see around me. It's an hourly battle & a daily choice, but as I spend less time complaining, I have found it easier to really recognize how many great things are happening right in front of my eyes!

In my role as an ed tech specialist, I spend a lot of time planning PD and training others. Sometimes, this means the very basics, like how to use Google Drive or sharing ideas for improving workflow. Sometimes, it bridges to more instructional uses, like finding the right tool for the desired use or "leveling up" a unit plan based on the SAMR model. What I don't always get to see is the follow-up to these interactions - how things are applied in real life with students.

That's why I have been so excited this week to hear about some awesome things happening in our schools! Teachers really are amazing...they can take an idea and run with it, and turn it into so much more!

This week, I've heard about:

• Teachers connecting their classes to real-world events (like the recent hurricanes), running a fundraiser via social media, and being able to see the tangible results that their money is bringing via a video chat
• Teachers embarking on a journey to meet the needs of all students by developing parallel lesson plans/units with similar content, one for students who are English speakers and a scaffolded version for newcomer students who are learning the English language
• Teachers who are collaborating across three grade levels in elementary to have students engage in research, write a script, film a video with the green screen, and put the final project together to show their learning

These are just a few examples (I know I've forgotten some that I wanted to share, because there's just too much awesomeness going on in our schools right now)! While all of these endeavors use technology, none of them are really about the technology. It's the creativity, expertise, and caring of the teachers that has really brought these lessons to life. The tech tools are simply avenues to build amazing experiences for kids. And THAT is what it should be about. THAT is what gets me excited. THAT is why I am in this job!

Thank you, teachers, for inspiring me this week!