Why I do what I do...for Inspiration

Technology has become a very powerful tool in the classroom. I use the word "tool" as it is not replacing curriculum or teachers. Technology simply enhances what I have always been doing.

Engaging and teaching my students.

When I began teaching at Oakdale Junior High School, technology in my classroom began with the overhead. Super tech savvy! Then quickly expanded to a SMARTboard and other SMART products. Of course, I was then intrigued with Google, iPads, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), and so much more. About two years ago, I discovered the professional development power of Twitter. Read more about my love for Twitter here.

Twitter has broadened my teaching and professional development in ways I never thought possible. Twitter has brought teachers, administrators, and other passionate educators together to share, encourage, and collaborate. I have developed quite the unbelievable Personal Learning Network (PLN) and I hope that I have brought to members of my PLN (and other's PLNs) as much as they have given me.

Speaking of my PLN, today, I received and email that has confirmed that I am indeed doing what I should be doing. Connecting, inspiring, and spreading my enthusiasm for learning, teaching, connecting, and technology. It truly made my day!

I know that all educators on Twitter are tech savvy and that Twitter to a newbie can be scary. But the simple fact that they are on Twitter, speaks volumes. It can be tough as a newbie on Twitter. I thought Twitter was tough the first time I participated in a chat! There are so many people, so many comments and questions, so many things I wanted to say! It all goes by incredibly fast and furious and Twitter only gives 140 characters to make one's thoughts heard!

So why do?

Why do I do it? Why do I spend my time on chats, moderating and co-moderating chats, and reading chat archives?

I do it for the same reason I began developing a PLN. I want to continue grow, learn, and inspire myself, my students, and others. Enthusiasm is contagious and I have TONS to spare! Ask those who know me or have met me! I may not always know what I am doing, or what I am planning to do next, but talking with other educators inspires me with new ideas, ways to change my teaching for the better, ways to change and develop currently lessons to make them better, ways to engage my students with and with out technology. I am not the best educator, but I am PASSIONATE! I love love love teaching! I love mentoring, helping, talking, chatting, blogging, advocating education and the betterment of my students.

I know Twitter is difficult and faced paced. I know the speed and information is overwhelming. But there is always one tweet, that one connection, that one idea will motivate and inspire you in ways you've never known. YOU could and will inspire people as they have inspired me, and turns out, I have inspired others! As educators, we need inspiration! To give and to get!

So here are some quick tips:

1. Find a chat that interests and inspires you. I love #smartee-empowering SMARTees and SMART tech users, #tlap- Teach lik a Pirate chat based on the amazing book by Dave Burgess, #ccsschat-discussion about all things Common Core State Standards, #geniushour-all things about the 20% method in the classroom, #flipclass-a new way of increasing face to face time with your students, #caedchat-teachers across California discussion top education topics, and #gr8teacher-this chat focuses on great teachers, methods, and pedagogy. 
2. Use TweetDeck, Hootsuite, or software to make chatting easy. These allow you to create a column focusing on a specific hashtag, search, or person. 
3. This advice from the AMAZING Rafranz Davis : Once using one of the above mentioned, during the chat create a column of the moderator. This way you can follow the questions easily! You'll never miss a question.
4. Follow individuals that move you. You don't have to follow everyone! Follow those who tweet passionately about topics and areas that are important and inspire you! 

For more tips check out Nicole Harrison's blog on "How to Participate in a Twitter Chat".

So dive in! Take the plunge and try out a chat! Just one. Put in a few comments, questions, ideas and see what happens. You too will inspire and move others! Because....

Summer: Time for refreshing!

    For me, school ended in late May. So this must give me lots of time to relax and become well rested for the upcoming school year, right?

Yes and no.

     I am currently teaching summer school, but I am also refreshing and revamping many lessons for the next school year. Thanks to Twitter and my Personal Learning Network (PLN) I have been inspired to try new things and walk the plank of greatness, so to speak.

     It all began with Twitter. My love affair with Twitter has grown to a full on relationship. Twitter has brought me closer to the most incredible, awe-inspiring educators that have pushed me to become more that I currently am. I strive to better anyway, so how has Twitter made that push even greater? All the well rounded discussions! The sharing! The support! The collaboration! Educators on Twitter are the kinds of professionals that I wish I could work with daily! And I do! My Personal Learning Network (PLN) is truly amazing and I am thankful for them every day.

    Some of my favorite chats include #smartee-SMART Exemplary Educators and users of SMART products, #tlap-based on Teach like a Pirate by Dave Burgess, #caedchat-a chat focused on California educators, but all are welcome, #geniushour-a chat for the 80/20 classroom giving   students freedom to learn, and #gr8teacher-a chat focused on sharing insights, techniques, curriculum and more from amazing teachers.

      One way to connect are the Twitter chats. There are a multitude of chats that I participate in and now even moderate. Because of my PLN and the conversations we have had, I created a new Common Core State Standards chat! Without them, I wouldn't be where I am and know where I want to be headed.

     Another way I am refreshing myself, is by revamping many of my lessons for the upcoming school year. Because I have been so inspired by Teach Like a Pirate that I needed to be better for my students. To find my inner rebel and get my students even more engaged. Dave and the Monday #tlap chats with other "pirates" have helped push me to do more, to be more. I have notes upon notes of specific lessons to change. Beginning even my first day with students. I won't do the typical introductions this year. Nope, I will send my students on a QR Code scavenger hunt to get to know our site and my classroom. Then the next day, I will impress upon students (like Dave discusses in #tlap) how my class is designed for them to succeed. I have always done this with my students, but I plan on creating a iMovie trailer to prove my points, have past students share, show research and more.

 

     Then I am working on "flipping" my class the first full week. New to "flipping"? Thanks to Sophia, I am working on being Flipped Classroom Certified. It has helped me learn more about a flipped classroom, but also how to better implement this technique in my own class. Plus, it's FREE! Additionally, there are many wonderful educators on Twitter, willing to help and share their knowledge and resources. Without them, I wouldn't even be brave enough to attempt such a feet! Check out #flipclass chat on Monday nights on Twitter.

   For my own flipped unit on writing, I am going to pre-record mini-lessons on Four Square writing, and have students ready to come to class, work together, practice, and come up with their own examples. If this works the way I am envisioning, it could completely change the way I teach, and my classroom. I won't flip every lesson or unit, but many to have students practice and collaborate to gain a deeper understanding of the content. I can't wait to see what happens!

    


     There is so much more I want to share and talk about, but I suppose I can save it for my next blog post. However, with all this excitement for this upcoming year, the challenges, and the changes, I am taking the time to decompress. As much as I love my job, my students, and learning new ways to engage and better my craft, I know I need to take some time for me. My husband and I are in the process of expanding our family through adoption. A complete and wonderful blessing we are working towards. We have also been taking weekend trips, getting out doors by running, walking our dogs, or even bike riding and hiking. I have been reading non-education focused books (gasp!), catching up on my favorite TV shows, and chatting with friends and family.

It's all needed and a definite refresher.

   

Edcamp is EduAWESOME!

EdCampCV North

Edcamps are popping up everywhere! And with good reason too! Edcamps are designed to "promote organic, participant-driven professional development for K-12 educators worldwide". 

With the economy the way it has been, educators everywhere are looking for affordable professional development. What is better than free?! According to Edcamp.org, edcamps are:

• free
• non-commercial and conducted with a vendor-free presence
• hosted by any organization interested in furthering the edcamp mission
• made up of sessions that are determined on the day of the event
• events where anyone who attends can be a presenter
• reliant on the “law of two feet” that encourages participants to find a session that meets their needs

With the use of Twitter, I discovered Edcamps from my amazing Professional Learning Network (PLN) and signed up for my my first one in Le Grand, California. It was set up by Alison Lopez (@alopezAG), Robert Osak (@misterosak), Matthew Schwartz (@mschwartz23), and more. We were greeted at the door, given a goodie bag, and then it began! We, the participants began writing our concerns, interests, and topics on sticky-notes. These notes were then turned into our workshop sessions.

I think one of the best parts of EdCamp (other than the amazing collaboration) is that sessions are very casual. If you go to one session, and it turns out it isn't for you, or you want to make sure you see another, you can up and go! There is not "weirdness" or hurt feelings. All the sessions are lead by the participants and understand that you need to go where the professional development is and suits your needs. 

So I went to each my workshops. Not only did I get amazing information from amazing teachers, but we got to share insights, best practices, problems, success, and discover that there are incredible educators and leaders right in our neighborhood. The camaraderie and the friendships gained is invaluable. 

I even got to see how I should use Idea Paint  to fix my past blunder! 

So what is next? I stay in contact with these amazing educators on Twitter, follow @EdCampCV and @Edcamp and go to the next Edcamp in San Francisco! I hope to see you there!

The New way to PD

I love Twitter. LOVE it. I have been on Twitter since 2009 and have had a pretty steady relationship since. Twitter is quick, exciting, and always has the information, entertainment, and connections I need.

More recently, however, I have discovered the value in professional development (PD) on Twitter. 

WOW!

I cannot express enough my love for PD on Twitter! Educators on Twitter are so full of resources, love for pedagogy, curriculum expertise, and (more importantly) willing to share, learn, motivate, encourage, and build connections beyond just one chat.

There are SO many educational chats on Twitter. So many in fact, that I had to create a calendar full of reminders, times, and dates just to keep them all straight! Chat's I love include: #CaEdchat, #smartee, #tlap, #geniushour, #gr8teacher, #DENchat, #gctchat. These chats have extraordinary educators sharing their expertise and yet learning right along with you. I have gained so much knowledge that I could out immediately into my own classroom. And it's growing! PD on Twitter is so popular that most of these chats "trend" each night.

For example, Genius Hour. Genius Hour is a fabulous idea that developed from the great minds of Google (see my blog post here). I had never heard of genius hour until I was in the #CaEdchat and the wonderful expertise of  Joy Kerr (@JoyKerr) John Stevens (@jstevens009), and many, many others! I was so inspired  that I did more research at http://geniushour.wikispaces.com/, http://www.geniushour.com/, and http://www.ckesler.com/category/passion-project/. Once I had more information, I just had to try it out! So, I made a SMART Notebook lesson. All this with an hour of my time collaborating in real time with educators with a passion for teaching!

PD on Twitter has made me a better teacher, student, and Pirate (Teach like a Pirate, HIGHLY recommended). Get connected! Get involved! Get some professional development!

I know Common Core is coming. I know that with it brings many big changes. For others (like me) it is confirmation of what I already do with my students. Our methods and strategies are finally being validated. That's a great feeling.

To prepare for Common Core, what better way to have students "wrestle with text" is for them to pursue their passions? Yep, their passions. Students decide, student lead, student driven.

Very exciting! Students in control ...that could be the frightening part.  But if I have learned anything in my twelve-years teaching, it's that students will rise to the occasion and I have no doubt they will do that here. 

I am presenting students with their very own learning time. Genius Hour. 

As many educators know, Genius Hour began at Google (thanks Google!) where their employees had to spend 80% working and then they could spend 20% of their time on projects of their choice. I was fortunate enough to see this in action when I trained to become a Google Certified Teacher in Sydney Australia in 2011. It was amazing to talk with workers and here about their work at Google and the flexibility to pursue their own passions while working for Google. 

What was the result? Better workers!

So why not in our classrooms? Why not indeed!

My students will get the opportunity to do what Google works do. Have their own time to pursue what interests them. I am excited to report what projects the choose as well as their reactions!

Here is my introductory lesson! Download it at the SMART Exchange!

  

Want to know more about Genius Hour? Here is a video!

Business Letters

Students study the format of a business letter. To make it "real" for students, they have an opportunity to choose someone famous person (a band, singer, writer, movie star, etc) to write to.

Students draft their letter, peer edit, and then type their letter and fill out their envelopes then I mail them out.

Students who receive letters back (they are sent to the school) they open them and share with the rest of the class. It is wonderful and the kids LOVE it.


Here is a picture of what Emma received back!

The Great idea....that wasn't.

Like every teacher who hears a brand new and great idea....I wanted to try it out. IMMEDIATELY.

And like many out there....I don't always think my actions through.

Today, that happened. 

During a #Smartee chat, I heard of a great idea of using dry erase markers...on the student's desks. Genius! This way students won't have to waste paper when working out problems in math, combining sentences, or simply completing some review or practice questions. Why hadn't I thought of that?!

Of course I wanted to try this with my students!

So today, during my interjections and conjunctions lesson, I asked my students to take out their dry erase markers. "Our boards too?" a student asked. 

"Nope!"

My students were SO excited to be doing such a taboo thing as writing on their desks! They were into the lesson and their desks. Little did I know....that my desks were not the easy to wipe off kind of desks, but  the kind that literally soaks up the marker!

Epic. Fail.

All I could do was laugh! I made a mistake. I tried something new and it did not work. 

But at least we had fun in the process!