It’s Sunday and I am at home sitting in my llama socks, drinking from my new Pike’s Place mug from the first Starbucks in Seattle, Washington, and reflecting on the AMAZING past few days! I had the opportunity to attend the Microsoft Underground Learning Summit for U.S. Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts (MIEEs) in Redmond, Washington. I was looking forward to this event for months and it exceeded my expectations!

Being part of the #MIEExpert community is more than just a professional learning network, it’s a family of educators who want to do what is best for children. When more than 200 of us gathered in Redmond, it was like going home for Christmas dinner to be with family we care about! If you don’t believe me, check out this @Wakelet of tweets.

When I arrived on Wednesday night, I met up with three fellow #MIEExperts from around the country. We shared an Uber to our hotel and connected with others. We spent the evening saying hello and getting to know others. I have never met most of the people attending this event. I only knew them through Twitter or our Microsoft Team.  That didn’t matter, it was like we were all old friends!

Inspiration, Motivation, Celebration

 

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The day began with an inspirational welcome from Anthony Salcito, VP of Education. I loved hearing his beliefs about personalized learning, inclusive education, and the way he values teachers. This was followed by motivational sessions by Mike Tholfson, Iro Stefopoulou and the Skype in the Classroom team, Ann Kozma and the Flipgrid team, and Mark Sparvell. The information shared was invaluable. In the afternoon we were able to tour the campus, which was so impressive. I loved the tree house and could imagine how stress-free it would be to have a meeting in the conference room there or work outside in one of the chairs. 

We all met back to find out which U.S. MIEExperts would be heading to E2 in Australia in March. We thought only 5 names would be chosen, but there were actually 10 names drawn from all the names of people who completed their Sway application. While I didn’t win, I am so happy for those that did. I look forward to following their journey on Twitter.

The evening was set up as a speed dating session. We walked around with a Bingo card, visiting approximately 25 presenters from Microsoft and other partners. I met so many people in those two hours and learned so much information. It was fun to get our cards stamped, receive stickers, and meet more Twitter friends.

Day 2 brought more connections and collaborations. The llama bowl was a great activity. We worked together in small groups to come up with an innovative lesson and posted our responses in Flipgrid.  Next we had what was called the #MIEBoom. A representative from each area prepared a short speech on a topic of his/her choice. It was so inspiring hearing the ideas of educators around the country.

I enjoyed every moment of this summit. It was so rewarding from the people I met, the experts I learned from, and the connections that were formed. I will take all I learned and share it with my team and the teachers I support.  I am so grateful to the MicrosoftEDU community for planning such a wonderful event. I look forward to continued connections and collaborations with my #MIEExpert family! Until we meet again…

Good-bye 2019

2019 was an amazing year! The 2018-2019 school year was my first year as a Technology Training and Integration Specialist. I learned so much in my first year and continue to learn and grow each and every day! I have built new relationships with teachers at the four schools I serve, so that more are inviting me in to share tech tools with their students.

Highlights of 2019

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

2019 brought new challenges and experiences that have helped me continue my development and grow my professional learning networks. June 2019, I experienced our #CobbInTechCon from the perspective of a member of a hard-working, collaborative team who tirelessly worked together to put on an amazing conference, rather than the perspective of a teacher presenting at the conference. I was in awe of everyone’s efforts and the incredible outcome and am blessed to be a part of such a valuable team.  I received my Global Minecraft Mentor designation and have continued to learn more about Minecraft Education Edition as I share with teachers and students.  I was invited to participate as a co-host in the Back To School #MSFTEduChat  where I have made so many connections! My second year as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert gives me the space through our Microsoft Team to connect with educators throughout the United States and around the world through Twitter and Facebook. I learn so much from these educators on a daily basis and am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this community. One of my favorite tech tools is Skype in the Classroom! I received my Master Skype Teacher designation this year and it is such an honor to be a part of this professional learning network with educators who are as passionate as I am about global issues and connections. I love sharing all the wonderful connections that are available with teachers and students. I ended 2019 with being invited to be one of the 290 co-hosts of the biggest Microsoft TweetMeet ever to discuss the best of 2019! Now that 2019 is over, it is time to look forward to the new year and all it has to offer.

#OneWord2020: new year, new word

With the new year comes a new word. I chose the word WELCOME. I chose this word because it is something that will help me branch my spiritual life with my work life. I say a Welcoming Prayer every day, yet sometimes when I get to work, I forget the words I said in the morning. I try to control situations and fix things, make everything right and perfect. Being in a supportive role, I tend to want everything to go smoothly for everyone else, even if it means more time, work, and yes, even stress at times.

This year, I want to be present in each and every moment and activity I am involved in while it is happening. I want to welcome each and every situation as it is and accept it as it is, without trying to change it or control it. I want to let go of control and welcome each person, experience, thought, feeling, and emotion, as everything is a gift even if it doesn’t seem so at the time. I can learn from every moment, event, person, and encounter.

I welcome 2020, full of possibilities and opportunities. I look forward to everything life will teach me in this coming year! Welcome!

To say being a co-host of the August #BacktoSchool Microsoft TweetMeet was amazing is truly an understatement. I had the opportunity to learn and grow as an educator and a communicator. As a co-host I have become a part of  a new learning network that will continue throughout my career. All of the preparation that went into this event paid off as the event was a huge success!

I have participated in many Twitter chats. I always enjoy the online conversation with others. I love receiving and sharing ideas with others. Often I would follow people I meet on Twitter through these events to grow my Professional Learning Network (#PLN). However; never have I participated in a Twitter chat with so many participants. The August TweetMeet was a record-breaking event!

Record-Breaking Numbers

The August TweetMeet had the highest engagement of all previous TweetMeets! There were 306 participants on August 20th (last month had 266). There are still people responding to the questions, even after the event. The hashtag had 2,615 #MSFTEduChat mentions (last month’s count: 2,355). As an August co-host, it was my responsibility to interact with participants and not focus on my responses to the questions. I have done this before in other Twitter chats; I would schedule my responses to the questions so I can check out others’ posts and reply to them to create more conversation. However, I have never participated in an event that had so many participants. I was typing responses to as many people as I could so that everyone felt welcomed and heard. I could definitely understand why we had 16 co-hosts! The co-hosts were on a back channel call on Microsoft Teams. It was comforting to have the organizers letting us know when each question was coming or if there was something we should be noticing. At one point it was so quiet, The @TweetMeet Microsoft leaders, Marjolein Hoekstra, Anica Tričković, and Francisco Texeira commented on the silence. I am sure everyone else was as busy on the keyboard as I was, typing their hearts out! My only hope was that together we all reached out to all the participants.

To see how AMAZING this event was, check out this Wakelet of all the Tweets!

PLN for Life

I am truly grateful for the experience and know that I will be a #MSFTEduChat participant for life! I enjoyed getting to know my fellow co-hosts and our leaders in this experience! I look forward to following their journeys and continuing to learn more from these amazing educators.

How to participate in a TweetMeet

Check out this video to learn more about participating in a TweetMeet.

You Can Join a #MSFTEduChat

Next #MSFTEduChat

If you love #MinecraftEDU, are just getting your feet wet, or wondering where to begin to implement it in your curriculum, the next #MSFTEduChat is for you! Join in, grow your #PLN, and make new connections. You won’t regret it!

Twitter connection

As a Technology Training and Integration Specialist with my school district, I have the privilege of working  in the best district in Georgia, with the most amazing teammates, and many wonderful teachers and students. I serve four schools in my district and I love to amplify the work they do. I often use Twitter as a platform for sharing all the incredible things that are happening in classrooms.

Twitter is also a great place to learn through sharing and garnering ideas with and from others. Often, I am searching for new and engaging activities to share with my teachers.  I have developed wonderful connections and become a part of many Professional Learning Networks (PLNs). I love learning and growing as an educator, and Twitter has helped me to continue to develop in order to better serve my district, schools, and teachers.

Microsoft Educator Community

One of my favorite PLNs is Microsoft Education. I constantly visit the Microsoft Educator Community to take courses and find connections via Skype Classroom.  This community and I learn helped me to transform my classroom, which I now share with other teachers. When asked by the Microsoft TweetMeet Team to be a co-host for their August TweetMeet, I was more than happy to participate. I felt honored to represent my team and district in a global discussion about #BacktoSchool.

What is a TweetMeet

What is a TweetMeet you may be asking? They are monthly global, multilingual conversations on Twitter organized by Microsoft Education. They take place on the 3^rd Tuesday of each month with a new topic being discussed. Each month 16-20 hosts lead the Twitter chat using the hashtags: #MSFTEduChat and #MicrosoftEDU.

Support from TweetMeet leaders

I have learned and grown so much through my participation in this experience. The @TweetMeet Microsoft leaders, Marjolein Hoekstra, Anica Tričković, and Francisco Texeira helped me to feel comfortable, capable, and prepared co-host this event. They were with us every step of the way, guiding, answering questions, and cheering us on. Everything was organized through Microsoft Teams, so even though they were six hours ahead of me, questions and concerns were answered quickly. They prepared a OneNote notebook with all the resources we could possibly need. I was able to read through my responsibilities and post questions on Teams to gain clarification. I learned more about Wakelet, Buffer, and even more about tweeting and TweetDeck.  Each host also had a private chat sections for discussions that were individualized. This was so helpful since everything I did was outside my normal work hours. It was comforting to know they would support me when needed. Throughout the experience I met even more educators that share my passions for global learning, Skype Classroom, and Minecraft Education. I have followed many more worldwide educators and have gained a few followers myself.

Join the community

If you want to grow your PLN, I highly recommend you follow @TweetMeet and @MicrosoftEDU on Twitter and join in on one of their monthly TweetMeets. If you want to continue growing as an educator or are searching for a passion, check out the courses on the Microsoft Educator Community or find some classes for collaboration. Be active on Twitter and share your stories and the incredible work your students are doing. And, if you are ever asked to be a co-host for a TweetMeet, accept. You won’t be sorry you did!

Join me at the TweetMeet

There’s still time to join this month’s TweetMeet on August 20th! For more information, check out this SuperSway! For Back to School resources check out this Wakelet. For more information about Twitter and TweetDeck check out these tips.  You can even create your own Friend Card

Check here for my next post about the August 20th experience.

As a teacher of gifted students in first through fifth grade, it is my job  to create a challenging environment. I always tell my students that if I am not challenging them, then I am not doing my job. I never thought for a moment that a student would think that my classroom was not hard.

One day one of my 5^th graders said to me, “Target class is easier than regular 5^th grade.” Target is what we call our gifted program. At first, I was devastated. I always reflect on my teaching and what I am doing in my room. I thought about what he said and pondered why he might have made this statement. I questioned whether or not I was challenging my students. And then I reflected on my teaching philosophy, pedagogy, and style. I implement a service learning framework in my classes. My front door has a sign on it that says, “This is a passion-driven classroom, enter with enthusiasm!” My students are able to find their passions and do what they love. These students chose to be in my room; at the end of 4^th grade we gave students a survey to determine the type of classroom they wanted to explore. This student has initiative, problem-solves, and is working on a project he is passionate about. My students investigate, explore, research, and present findings on real-world problems and issues. These students get to make a difference!

We do Mystery Skype and Skype with experts in the fields we are studying. We take virtual field trips using Skype and have collaborated with classes across the country who are studying similar things. I use Breakout.edu and students use problem-solving skills as they participate in digital and classroom breakouts. My fourth graders run a pop-up restaurant each year to benefit Must Ministries. They volunteer at the food bank warehouse, learn how to run a restaurant at a local diner, and work in our gardens to grow food.

I recently read an amazing book by Tim Elmore called, “Marching off the Map.” His book resonated with me and validated what I am doing! I am a “pioneer,” who integrates technology, allows students to study what they are passionate about, to be problem finders and problem solvers. They make their own decisions. I am a facilitator, their guide, their coach, their cheerleader! When they are learning like this, it doesn’t seem hard; it is exciting, invigorating, engaging, and fun! It reminds me to keep moving forward, keep seeking out lessons that challenge my students to challenge themselves! My class may not be hard, but it is challenging!

Most people have heard the song by the Beatles, “All You Need is Love,” but is it? One day I started thinking about that question. We have so many people in our community who are hungry, who are homeless, who are sad, who are hurting. Is love enough for them?

Love may not be enough for them in and of itself, but it is the love of others, the love of each one of us that can make a difference. We can lift others’ spirits, offer food, give comfort, share a blanket, be aware, and be of service.

Today, is a great day to remember Martin Luther King, Jr. and his many words of wisdom. Martin said, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” What would happen if each and every human on this planet would live their lives starting each day with love for all mankind? Wow!

As an educator, I continue to share Martin’s words with my students in hopes that they will share with others. I have hope, that my students will be full of love and compassion and a desire and willingness to serve. One of the quotes in my classroom that aligns with my framework of service learning is Martin’s: “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” A soul generated by love…so maybe, just maybe love is all you need!

I am always looking for ways to grow as an educator, so recently I joined an amazing Voxer “Power of Moments” book study group. It has been filled with rich discussions, encouraging words, and a wealth of ideas and new challenges. I have learned so much and tried new things, such as using Voxer and Flipgrid. I have met amazing educators across the country! Mostly, I have been challenged to reflect. I have been reflecting on my teaching, my beliefs, and my goals.

One of the topics that has come up in conversations is choosing one word for the year that can change your life. I have been reflecting for days on what this word might be for me. I know one thing I lack is balance, but whenever I have said I am going to have more balance in my life, they are usually just words. I know I need to eat healthier, exercise more, limit my coffee and diet soda intake…endless lists of things I need to do. Yet, New Year’s resolutions never work for me. I started thinking about why and realized that I never fully committed myself to the resolution. So….

The word I decided upon is COMMIT! People who know me, know I am very committed when it comes to my work, and that whenever I agree to be a part of something, (foundation work, church groups, leadership academy), I give more than 100%! This is different, this is a word to change my life.

Commit to making changes, big or small, one step at a time. Even if it is waking up five minutes earlier and doing some Pilates, or taking a longer afternoon walk, or drinking one extra glass of water a day.  Commit to writing once a week, to scrapbooking one Friday a month…baby steps. If I can commit to these small things, I know it will make a huge difference: more energy, strength, clarity, and yes, possibly balance!

Here is to a new year and a new me so that I can be the best me for my students!

#oneword2018

 

As we are nearing the end of 2017, I begin to think about all the things I am thankful for in my life. I am blessed with family, friends, a home, and a career I love! The big things are easy to recognize and say, “I am thankful, I am blessed!” But what about the little things?

I received the kindest notes before the winter break from many of my students and their families. Little things that shared their gratitude for the, “the effort” I put into my work, for, “always having a smile” on my face and, “working so hard at loving” those around me. Students were grateful that I, “always make learning fun,” “make our classroom exciting,” or that our meeting day is their, “favorite day of the week.” WOW!

These little notes and comments about something that is my life work, are so uplifting and heartwarming! They inspire me and motivate me to continue to wake up each day looking for new ways to make my classroom an engaging, exciting, learning environment where we can learn and grow together and continue to work to make this world a better place.

Gratitude is powerful and can make a person’s day, week, year! So as I end this year, I want to share my gratitude!

I want to thank my administrators who support all my ideas and projects, no matter how big or small! They allow me the freedom and authenticity to utilize my passions and strengths in my teaching.

I want to thank the parents who trust me with their children each day. I want to thank them for volunteering to help with projects, for donating items for a lesson, for their kind words, and their consistent support as we work together for the good of our children.

I want to thank the students who come to school with enthusiasm, persevere in challenges, who ask for help when they are struggling, who share their ideas, hopes, dreams, and passions! I want to thank those who challenge me to raise my level of teaching as I search for ways to inspire and engage them. For their smiles, kindness, and love, I am deeply grateful!

We can all show gratitude each day! As I journey into 2018, I will continue to be grateful and to share gratitude. I will encourage my students to show others gratitude as we work to make this world a better place! Happy New Year!