An Award & A Reflection

When I saw this tweet, I was both happy and deeply saddened.

Congratulations to the 2022 CUE Award Winners! CUE will be celebrating them at #SpringCUE next month in Palm Springs during Thursday’s General Session.

Congratulations! See you in Palm Springs!

Take a look at the winners — https://t.co/Pww8NUfCtj #WeAreCUE #CUEAffiliates pic.twitter.com/FBM0K8V0aT

— CUE (@cueinc) February 23, 2022

I was excited to finally share with my PLN that I am receiving a CUE Gold Disk this year, but I was frustrated to see the lack of people of color also being honored.

Looking at the slate of past CUE keynotes, speakers, and award winners, the lack of diversity is something I've been addressing in whatever capacity I can, whether it be as a committee member, collaborating with fellow CUE members, or speaking directly to the Board and CUE leadership.

Dismantling old systems, perceptions, and practices isn't easy, and the results are often incremental and unseen when advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. The challenges continue to be at the forefront, in this case, the makeup of the 2022 CUE award winners.

This is not to disparage the other winners. As a member of the awards committee, (I abstained from Gold Disk scoring, as I was an applicant this year.) I can say that all the winners are deserving. However, this doesn't mean we can't continue to review our processes as a committee to ensure CUE is not perpetuating systems that do not benefit all members.

In my time as a CUE member, I've seen positive change. It may not always occur as fast as we want, but it is happening. I genuinely believe that now more than ever, the CUE community is in a place where we can make lasting change.

I look forward to CUE 2022 to reconnect with my PLN, and I hope to see you there. Also, if you have ideas about advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the CUE awards process, please pull me aside in the hallway or reach out. This will take collaboration to ensure we're building something that can continue to grow and change with CUE membership.

When I lost a scholarship in college, one of the things the college made me do was go to an on-campus therapist. I thought it was stupid and a waste of time, but I knew I was wrong within one visit. I continued to go to weekly sessions for the rest of the year. Since then, I've gone to therapy on and off at various times in my life. Whether it was learning how to work through racism in the workplace or addressing ways to live with an ADA diagnosis, therapy has helped me live a better life.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, but mental health matters every day. 

---

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 press 1

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

One year later

Never forget all those who have lost their lives to police brutality. Carry their memories forward as we continue to fight for a better tomorrow. Police accountability is not the enemy. If accountability was so problematic, then why is it something we hope to instill in students?

I hope our county's Senators can work across the aisle and move legislation forward.

All lives do not matter until #BlackLivesMatter.

The Hat Trick

Hat tricks are great. At sporting events, they usually come with a unique animation and song to hype up the crowd and keep the momentum going.

But today, I'm excited to announce I have not achieved a hat trick.

EdTech Magazine included me on their EdTech's 30 Must-Follow K–12 Education IT Influencers list for 2019. (Click this text to read my thoughts on that recognition.) Then in 2020, I was included on the Influencer list for a second time. On May 10th, 2021, EdTech Magazine released the 2021 list, and I was not on it. 

I'll admit it, it would have been cool to be on the list three years in a row. However, I'm glad I'm not. 

There is a perception that if you aren't repeatedly recognized for your work, you'll become irrelevant, or people will devalue your contributions to the field. While some may hold this belief, I think it's an unfortunate result of the competitive nature of consulting and the number of fads we've seen a phase in and out of education.

Practically we know quality work doesn't stop when the next list of influencers is posted, but seeing someone fall off a list may still breed negative conations in the back of our minds. 

So, why am I glad I'm not on the list despite knowing how it might affect others? It goes back to an idea often referenced in training or strategy sessions "the smartest person in the room, is the room." The more voices that are elevated and shared, the better for everyone in the community. 

These lists have repeatedly promoted the same people for far too long, making it harder for new perspectives to be shared. This behavior makes it even more difficult for people of different races, classes, genders, sexual orientations, and those with disabilities to amplify their voice. Repeating some elements of your top # list isn't a bad thing, but as with all things in life, balance is vital. I hope moving forward, those creating lists like this, whether they are individuals, brands, or publications, keep this in mind. 

Again, I'm glad I'm not on the list this year. I appreciated being featured in the past, and I'm always grateful when my work is honored and acknowledged. However, not being on the list this year makes room for a least one new person, and I'd rather have more than an animation and a song. 

---

Congratulations to those on the 2021 list. I'm excited to network with new individuals and am proud of the members of my PLN featured on the list. If you haven't read the list yet, I encourage you to read it and follow the featured individuals. 

A year and a week later.

 

Since March 13th, 2020 time seems like an illusion. Everything just blends together as we all try to stay safe and stay sane during this crazy time. But as of today, I've been with CDWG for a year and a week.

I started with CDWG on February 24th, 2020 and 19 days later the U.S. shut down. My husband and I are in a privileged situation, we own a home and have been able to consistently work from home. However, the first year and a week as an Education Strategist hasn't been what I thought it would be.

As cliche as it sounds, it's been better. It hasn't all been roses, I can't even count all the late nights anymore. However, at the end of the day, I'm truly happy I took the leap and accepted this position. Over the past year, I've learned so much about education funding and policy, I've gotten to advocate at levels I never would have imagined, and I'm met so many amazing educators and administrators that are truly inspiring. I feel incredibly privileged when I get to collaborate with school staff because, again with the cliches, despite regional and population differences there is a lot to learn from each other and I'm happy to be a conduit for sharing.

Another reason this role is better than I thought is how much I've grown over the past year. Yes, the knowledge, experience, and expertise are great but I've been empowered to grow as an advocate for digital equity, diversity, and inclusion. While I will always have room to grow, I don't feel like an imposter. I feel confident in myself and the messages I want to share. After a particularly detailed email or a complicated call, I find myself being thankful. I know February 23rd, 2020 Ari would have taken on the situation differently. I can think of times when I reacted too quickly or gave up my power.

I find it crazy what a difference a year and a week makes. I didn't think changing jobs would make such a personal difference. I thought it would be a new challenge, a new way to grow as an educational technology professional. That's happened of course, and again there are days when I collapse into a chair mentally and physically drained, so no rose-colored glasses here. 

I'm thankful I've found a role where I can grow and positively affect things that matter to me. I know many in education technology aren't as lucky so I have to acknowledge this privilege. Despite the winding road it took to get to March 3rd, 2021 it's the road I needed even though I couldn't see past the next turn.

So what's up next moving towards year two and two weeks later? My focus right now, both for myself and those I serve, is not going back to school but moving forward towards what many of us have envisioned education could be for a long time. I'm excited to be a part of that work, and even more so I'm excited to help others along the way. 

What are snow days really for?

 

As a SoCal gal, I've never experienced a snow day. Heck, I've only seen snow fall from the sky once in my life and I was in London when it happened.

With inclement weather hitting many cities across the US I'm noticing a lot of debate about snow days versus remote learning days.

Many are saying snow days are a right of passage versus the idea that now that we know we can do remote learning days, why wouldn't we capitalize on the technology?

Now, number one, if a snow day is called due to danger incited by weather, don't do remote learning. Folx need to focus on safety in those instances and doing your assignments shouldn't add to the stress of unsafe conditions.

But the reason I wanted to jump on the blog today was the idea that snow days are a welcome respite from zoom fatigue. One person I spoke with shared that even before the pandemic, snow days were important for the mental health of students, families, and school staff and because of that should be preserved now and moving forward.

If random acts of weather provide a much needed mental health break, why haven't schools build this into their calendars? If these breaks are so important then why aren't students, families, and school staff across the US able to have a snow day?

The pandemic has exposed a number of issues in K12 education and mental health is a huge part of what's happening now and should be greatly considered moving forward.

Students in SoCal may never experience a true snow day, but I hope conversations like this help us think about the mental health of students, families, and school staff in new ways. As we move beyond the pandemic and return to campus there is a lot to unpack here and I hope it results in positive change. 

CDW-G Presents CITE's Women in Technology Executive Q&A Panel

I am so lucky to be moderating this panel with CITE. As a woman in educational technology sometimes I feel like an imposter in informational technology environments. So to be able to learn from these women is so valuable. 

Every time I feel that twinge of doubt I'm reminded about my success in my introduction to computer science class in college. It makes me wonder what could have been if I had more exposure and support to the world of technology beyond coding my MySpace. Those feelings led me to collaborate with Girls Who Code and the Picademy program to help inspire educators to inspire young women. 

I'm so happy to be able to continue that work and expand it with the support of organizations like CITE and CDW-G.

A Broken Tooth, a Changed Person, and a Broken System

In December a piece of a filling broke and left a decent size hole in my tooth. Luckily it didn't hurt on a day to day basis and I could still eat, but I had to adjust how I chew.

Even before the break I favored chewing on my left side because it just felt so awkward to chew on the right side. Maybe the break was trying to warn me? The break made it a much more necessary choice to avoid making the break worse.

I got it fixed this Tuesday and on Wednesday night I comfortably chewed on both sides of my mouth for the first time in recent memory. It was a strange experience because I know I used to chew on both sides, but last night it felt like the first time. Also, my mouth naturally took over and made it happen, when for the last 30ish days it was doing something completely different.

This experience got me thinking about my life as a woman of color. What have I changed about myself because of circumstances outside of my control? How often do we have a moment when we realized we've changed? What allows for moments to happen that give us the ability to rethink what we're doing or how we feel about it?  Are there warning signs I never noticed? How do I create more opportunities to reflect without the dental damage? Will 'muscle memory' allow me to go back to things I wish hadn't changed?

As I continued to marinate on this, I thought about where some  'breaks' may have happened in my life. While some were fairly recent, my mind drifted back to college and my K12 experience. The education system in both apparent and hidden ways changes students. Some changes are for the better, and others are not. 

In this situation with my tooth, I'm privileged to have health insurance. However, when education affects our students, what resources do they have to help them address situations like this in their lives?

This isn't something I can solve in one blog, but I wanted to get these thoughts out of my head and into the world. In light of 2019, more people have been forced to see the inequities that exist in education, and I believe this is part of it. It's cliche but people are right when they say we have the opportunity to reimagine education based on all we've learned during remote and hybrid learning. So I'll be continuing to think about this experience, and I'm interested to hear our thoughts too.

I hope there will be more attention brought to questions like this. Just because you get used to something as it is, doesn't mean that's what it should be.

20 for 2020 Follow Up

 

Last December (isn't it a relief to say that?), I started a Twitter project called 20 for 2020, and as promised, here is the list of all the tweets in one place. I will adjust the grammar and punctuation because I don't know about you, but I will sacrifice punctuation and turn words into numbers for character count's sake. So here they are, starting with the first going all the way until New Year's Eve with a short reflection on the whole process at the end.

1. Happy though from 2020: The floor on #edtech use has been raised way up! I hope I never hear "I can't do that" or even worse, "My kids can't do that" ever again. Technology will continue to change, but we've learned students' and teachers' capacity is greater than we believed. We can't forget that.
2. I've always been a fan of shopping, but this year, I've focused on #sustainability. Thrifting helps me find unique pieces, give items a second life, and it's a small way I can reduce my carbon footprint. Despite going through multiple stay at home orders, I've enjoyed thrifting online too.
3. While flossing, I lost a piece of filling the next available appointment 1/20, and my phone repair is lost in the mail. Also, I never heard from my Dr about an appointment request I made on the 7th. Their next available, 12/31. I'm annoyed, YET I'm not letting this ruin my day. 2019 me would not have been this chill. #GROWTH
4. I've read EdCode a lot this year & weirdly, I enjoy it. I never took the time to understand it, and I can't remember it being explained to me. It was a nebulous thing referenced to incite compliance. Moving forward, I plan to integrate EdCode when relevant into my professional development to help demystify and inform.
5. A hope for 2020- More we, less me.
6. I take medication to help address my mental health. In 2021, I need to be better at remembering them. There's nothing like going to take my meds in the morning and being like, 'Oh, I didn't take my meds yesterday. No wonder my day felt off.' I guess this also about striving for consistency as well.
7. My phone was MIA for about a week or so, and I liked it. I plan on scaling down my apps & using do not disturb way more often. So if you need me, you know where to find me, but maybe take a walk or play a video game while you wait for me to respond, because that is probably how I'm relaxing if I don't pick up.
8. Sometimes you get so busy you forget to do something you like, and that's ok.
9. A personal work in progress is learning how to better manage my time, so I can truly relax. Not my usual 'after I do the dishes I'll be relaxed,' relaxing.
10. I've been all Google since the early 2000s, but I will say, now that I work in a primarily Microsoft environment, there are some cool tools and features I've been sleeping on. However, I still find myself yelling at M365 from time to time. I miss Clippy. I could use his help sometimes.
11. After an injury and the pandemic, I've lost my way with health and fitness. I've realized it's hard for me to be self-directed in this arena of life. I'm hopeful now that I recognize this, I can invest in ways to help me feel strong and healthy again. Now to figure out where to start.
12. This year I updated from a travel hairdryer & plastic combs to a full-size GHD one and bamboo combs. I'm still learning how to style my hair like my stylist, but I'm able to duplicate the shine & softness, which is pretty cool. It's a nice thing to do for myself to feel cute, and I like it.
13. I've been lucky to build relationships online & it was always amazing getting to meet folx IRL, but sadly we all know how that worked for 2020. However, 2020 reminded me how lucky I am to have connected w/so many wonderful folx & to never take the IRL moments for granted.
14. Staying at home has given me a new appreciation for the moment of the sun, as I've watched the spots my cat likes to sit move throughout the house.
15. Communication isn't a destination. It's a long-distance road trip.
16. Some people learned to make bread, some got fit, others perfected a personal hobby, and I learned how to do my nails. However, you spent your time during various stay-at-home orders and quarantines. Don't let yourself or others shame you with how you spent your time. #StayAtHome
17. I think this qualifies as a life hack. If you have room, save some wire hangers from the dry cleaner. We've used them for minor makeshift repairs, garden stuff, and holiday decorations. Also, many dry cleaners recycle them, so that's always better than throwing them away.
18. We all get nervous during performance reviews, starting a new job, and the pandemic amplified those emotions. But today, I was reminded you never know how people see and value you and/or your work even if people up and down the chain of command and in your PLN don't actively tell you. Trust yourself, trust your work.
19. I work with folx in education across the US, specifically the West Coast. As cliche as it sounds, the problems facing states and districts are not so different across state lines. One major trend I've witnessed is the push and pull between guidance vs. mandates and how to lead while still honoring local needs and local work.
20. Just because things went your way doesn't mean you shouldn't stop to reflect and assess. If things didn't go your way doesn't mean you failed or that you've lost momentum.

Overall, I'm glad I did this project. It was nice to have one thing to do a day to think and reflect every day. It showed me why lots of folx like doing gratitude journals and one a day lists. I'm not sure I'll jump on that train, but it was cool to gain insight.

It was interesting that the tweets with the highest interactions based on likes (11, 6, and 16) had nothing to do with education. They were all about some sort of mental health concept. I think in many ways, that's a sign of the overall vibe of 2020 and a societal shift toward being more open to sharing and learning about mental health. Which if that's a side effect of 2020, I think that's something to be happy about. 

During 20 for 2020, I also posted this meme-based tweet (not a part of the series), and it got 281 likes. This makes sense because memes and images do well on social media, but it makes me wonder about the time I invest in social media posts. I truly believe it's not about the likes, but part of why I've always loved social media is for the connections. That tweet had 23 comments, versus the 15 total for all of 20 for 2020, so not a lot of connections. I'm not going to stop posting, but this might be another reminder about time management and work-life balance. 

Overall, I'm happy I did this because even though it was pretty inconsequential, this exercise showed me I can do something for 20 days in a row. Well, almost 20. There were two days where I had to double up because I missed a day, but it wasn't a horrible failure, and no one else noticed the doubles but me. Besides, fitness regimens have rest days, so this works right. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Knowing I have the capacity to do this is helpful because I have a lot of goals, big and small, that I'd like to work on in 2021, and consistency would be really helpful as I strive to make progress towards each one.

Speaking of goals, maybe I'll share those too. ;)

20 for 2020

 

As of tomorrow, there will be 20 days left in 2020. So despite this year being downright ridiculous in a lot of ways, I wanted to spend at least a few minutes each day to reflect. 

I'll be posting my thoughts on Twitter because I think the 280 character limit will serve me well. Plus, as always, I'm excited to see what the Twitter Hive Mind has to say. I really wanted to hashtag this, but all the versions of 20 for 2020 aren't where I'd to hitch my wagon. So no special tags or chains, just some thoughts I want to share.

I'll compile the 20 posts here in the new year for those of you that aren't on Twitter. 

Happy holidays folx. 

Responding to Digital Promise and the Value of Edtech Coaches

"With experience in helping teachers and students use technology in teaching and learning, as well as an understanding of the district’s goals, edtech coaches are uniquely positioned to support districts in successfully implementing at-home learning." March 31, 2020 | By Mahsa Bakhshaei via Digital Promise

Last year many districts made the difficult decision to send district educational technology teachers on special assignment back to the classroom due to declining funding. I personally know many passionate educators that found a second calling teaching and collaborating with their peers, that were devastated when they lost their position. Many of them are back in the classroom this year and while teaching their own classes are volunteering their time to aid their districts during this unprecedented time.

With the advent of distance/remote learning, it is becoming apparent how vital positions like edtech coaches are. When we return to school sites, districts may have more devices than ever before. District dollars will have been spent on technology, and districts have potentially gone one to one overnight. I hope that districts are able to find a way to fund educational technology coaches again because despite the hardship we are undergoing innovation is happening. Teachers that are empowered to be educational technology coaches for their peers can help us learn from this time and help propel us and our students into the future.

I encourage you to read this short piece from Digital Promise to learn even more reasons why edtech coaches are valuable to students, teachers, schools, and districts.

I haven't been on the Honor Roll Since High School.

If you'd believe it, I was a bit of a hard worker in High School. I lived on the honor roll and graduated number 11 in my class, but after High School was over, I never gave the Honor Roll much thought.


My work ethic didn't stop when I left school in fact, if anything, it grew in strength. This school year was no exception. For my EdTech life, I found myself away from home volunteering or working about 15 times for anywhere for one to three days at a time. For my job as a Staff Developer, I worked my standard contract, 185 days, plus an additional 196 hours of overtime. That equates to 26 days.


For all of this, I am incredibly exhausted and grateful. This has been one of the most challenging school years of my life, managing the needs of teachers, budget cuts, and my husband and I bought our first house in January (thank you over time). I've had to say no to opportunities with friends and family during this past year all for the career I love, and I wouldn't trade it for the world, but I must say I am very happy for summer break so I can recharge my batteries.


I woke up Sunday morning, my third day of summer break, and started my regular routine. When I sat down with my cup of coffee to swipe through my notifications, I saw the following tweet.

Woo hoo @EdTechAri 😍😍😍 !!!#LAX18 https://t.co/r071L1Ecv1

— Jennifer Leban (@mrsleban) June 9, 2019

At first, I was confused. Why was Jen tagging me in this retweet? So I clicked the link and there in the 11th spot of the Honor Roll I saw my face. I almost did one of those tv sitcom spit takes. I had no idea about this. This was published on June 5th, and I was clueless.


Everyone in education has their sweet spot. My husband works at an Elementary School and loves it, my good friend is a new Teacher Librarian and is kicking but even in her first year. For me, I thought my place was high school, but after 6 years working with adults, I've found mine. I love specializing in pedagogy-first technology integration to enhance practice & student achievement. I'm so grateful that my travels with EdTech have helped me pursue my passion for inspiring others to share their stories & skills through technology. Best of all, I'm so happy that I can share the vision that technology needs to be implemented equitably to provide all students access and opportunity.


I am so lucky to be able to do all of this, and to be highlighted for my efforts is never something I expected. To be included on a list filled with other wonderful educators and EdTech enthusiasts perfectly punctuates the 18/19 school year.


Thank you EdTech Magazine for recognizing me.

P.S. If you're interested in seeing me IRL I'll be at #ISTE2019 this year. Click here to see where I'll be for #ISTE2019 and beyond.

Reshma, 60 Minutes and #CSforAll

I've seen the 60 Minutes piece shared quite a bit already today and it really bugged me that a piece focusing on women in tech didn't feature actual women in tech or anyone from the many organizations working to close the gender gap. I know 60 Overtime features an interview with Bonnie Ross, a Microsoft corporate vice president, but I didn't even know Overtime existed and if you don't visit their website you won't see that feature because that's not what's shown in the actual nationalized TV program.

So when I saw the following piece from Reshma, founder of Girls Who Code, I found myself nodding along as I read. When I visit the Google campus, there a men every where, women not so much and you certainly don't want to get me started about hispanic women. Getting girls involved with STEAM and Computer Science isn't just about early exposure and early exposure isn't going to fix this problem at Google or other tech companies. It's about supporting and helping girls see themselves as a professional in that career.

This is something organizations like Girls Who Code and the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) do every day throughout our country. I've seen these programs change girls lives first hand. It's a shame 60 Minutes didn't share that story.

I encourage you to read Reshma's response to the article. Better yet, if you share the piece from 60 Minutes, share hers right along with it. #CSforALL

Erasing Women in Tech: How 60 Minutes Ignored Women’s Voices, Stories, and Expertise

The Room Where it Happens

I, like many, was sucked into the zeitgeist of Hamilton. So when I first read about Our Voice Academy on Twitter I immediately thought “I have to be in the room where it happens.”  

I emailed a friend that attended and learned that this event was Jennie Magiera’s capstone project for her Pahara NextGen Fellowship. I patiently waited and hoped another cohort would be announced. As luck would have it, I was nominated to apply for cohort two and was invited to attend.

As the days got closer to the beginning of Our Voice Academy, I kept telling myself to not be nervous but I couldn’t help it. Going into the event, I knew we were going to learn about the art of crafting a keynote message, begin writing one, and then give a short version of the keynote at the Our Voice Academy event.  While I knew all of this would be a challenge, something else worried me more.

I have always viewed myself as an advocate for students and educators of diverse backgrounds but knowing I was going to be surrounded by other educators of color intimidated me. Normally when I walk into a conference, it’s hard to find other educators of color; especially those on keynote stages. When I reflect on my day-to-day interactions in education,  I’m lucky if I’m one of two people of color in the room. This number is even smaller when I think about the educators of color in policy or decision making positions. While I was excited for the opportunity to be in a space completely different than what I’m used to, I was afraid. I was afraid I was going to say something insensitive. I was afraid I’d make an assumption, or worse yet, I’d discover an implicit bias that was lurking in my mind.

When I walked into the room for the welcome dinner, I was quiet. I said hello to the people I recognized and hid behind a glass of water but I couldn’t hide for long. We had to go around the room and introduce ourselves and I couldn’t hide it. I declared to the room, “I’m hella nervous.” Acknowledging my fears in front of my cohort was the perfect way to start the experience.

I took a leap and my cohort was there to catch me. By being honest with my cohort, and with myself, I was able to open myself to the Our Voice Academy experience and to those around me. This is something I made a point of bringing home with me to Chicago. Since the event, I’ve tried to be more open and vulnerable with colleagues and friends. As difficult as it is, I encourage you to do the same. When we go back to school there are so many emotions our students and colleagues are feeling.  Imagine how school climate could be positively affected if we could foster an environment where we all felt we could be this honest. For me at Our Voice Academy, this vulnerability allowed me to learn so much from the coaches and from the others in the cohort.

One of the most poignant moments of learning was when we were at dinner playing a card game about historical figures. A majority of the cards featured historical/famous African Americans. I didn’t say much until someone asked me what I thought of the game. I told the table I was angry, confused and ashamed that I couldn’t speak to the accomplishments of the men and women on the cards in front of me. Once again, my cohort embraced me. Being honest with what I was feeling gave me the opportunity to learn more about African American history in that dinner than I have in the many Black History months I have lived through. The environment that was built allowed for this to happen, and for that, I’m forever grateful.

There is magic in the room where it happens. Over the course of three days not only did we work together to create meaningful messages to share but we created bonds and memories that will last a lifetime. We were told that the word “voice” was chosen rather than “voices” because our individual voices are stronger when they are brought together. I am so excited to finish my keynote and one day share my message, but I am also invigorated by the messages being shared by others from my cohort. Best of all, the room isn’t just a physical space, it can be anywhere any of the cohort members are. Whenever we get to share our messages with others, we get to allow others into the room to grow and share.

Adventures in NV and AR Part 1

The Silver State Technology conference was wonderful. Any time you get to meet other individuals interested in things you are is a great event. Even if people don’t agree on how to implement technology, it’s always exciting to discuss ideas and learn with others. Friday night opened words from Dr. Jesse Welsh Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Professional Development for the Clark County School District. One thing he shared that I was so happy to see was a screenshot of an article about the digital divide that persists in Maine despite their statewide laptop program. Dr. Welsh shared this not to discourage technology use, but rather to remind us, that educational technology will only perpetuate traditional teaching styles without proper professional development and teacher support.  This isn’t the article he shared, but this is a story from NPR about the laptop program.

Admittedly, I called it an early night and didn’t get stay for the full friday night event. I was nervous about the keynote. This was the first time I would be keynoting to an audience this large, there were over 150 people registered for the event. About a year ago I presented my keynote to some of the teachers at the Norwalk La Mirada Unified School District, but this was a much bigger event. The next day I woke up early to get prepped for the big keynote. I went in to do a soundcheck and make sure all the tech was working because I wanted to make sure nothing would get in my way of sharing my message of TechEsteem. I won’t spoil the keynote, because hopefully you’ll get to see it live one day, but in super short summary I talk about educational technology and how despite challenges, we can harness our TechEsteem to persevere. People who believe in TechEsteme believe we can learn how to use technology for the betterment of education and that our learning can grow and develop over time. True to from, despite the sound check, the sound went out on one of my videos. It could have been a horrible moment, but I just ran off stage and turned up the volume. Kyle also came in with the assist too. It was a #BetterTogether moment for sure. Surprisingly it felt like a planned moment in the keynote, but it wasn’t. Although it was a nice moment to model what TechEsteem can look like.

The event was a great success for Nevada CUE and it was such a pleasure to work with the amazing teachers of Nevada. I’ve always loved visiting the state, I even got married there almost three years ago, and after the amazing conference I have so many new reasons to visit the state. I stayed in the city and enjoyed relaxing on Sunday for making the drive home. When I got home, I unpacked and went to sleep pretty early because I was so tired.The next day I woke up to several texts and messages making sure I was ok. I groggily responded not fully understanding what was going on until after I turned on the NPR Up First Podcast and heard the news.

When it comes to what happened in Las Vegas, well it’s such a complex topic and I know no matter what I type it won’t be enough. I do believe that our country can do more to prevent gun violence and help victims of gun violence. I just hope I’ll get to see that happen. I couldn’t go give blood, (less than a year old tattoo), but what I could do, did and continue to do, is call my government officials to let them know I believe this is a problem worth addressing.

---

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

Instagram

Snapchat

YouTube

Drop and Give Me Clicks

I know education doesn’t need another acronym, but I’m a big fan of the SAMR model. I think it’s a great way to help teachers think about using technology in the classroom. The thing about the model is, it can often be misinterpreted so I find it really important to help teachers and school sites think critically about SAMR and how it can be implemented in the classroom.

One of the biggest misconceptions of the SAMR model is thinking about redefinition. So often that is set as the be all end all and it’s not. If you watched the vlog you maybe have been thinking, why is the sticker for her SAMR training a cairn? It’s because it’s a reminder for balance on many levels. It’s about balance among the sections of SAMR, between analog and digital activities, individual and teamwork, lecture and collaboration. There isn’t a single one of these things that should overrun a classroom. I wanted the sticker to reflect that and hopefully remind the participants of this message.

As far as the Google Bootcamps go, I have at least one level 1 or level 2 bootcamp scheduled a month to help get more teachers Google Educator certified. Last year I hosted several one bootcamps, but this past week I hosted a level 2 bootcamp to help some level 1 folk move on to the next level. I’m also really excited that individual school sites want all their teachers Google Level 1 Certified. One thing I’ve noticed is even though we’ve been a G Suite District for years there are still many people at the basic level. I think I’m going to create a Google Basics Bootcamp for our district too. Then internally we’d have three levels teachers could potentially progress through.

It’s a short vlog, but a lot happened and more great stuff is on the horizon! Don’t forget you can still sign up for the Silver State Technology Conference and connect with CUE NV on Twitter and check out my interview with Peergrade: buff.ly/2f9N1tI

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

Instagram

Snapchat

YouTube

& We're Back, to School That Is

This vlog was a unique one in the sense I didn’t provide any additional voice overs for the Snaps. I felt a lot made sense on it’s own but I thought I’d still blog a bit about the content.

The all staff PD day (complete Snapchat Story) was quite an undertaking and so much of the planning and preparation you didn’t see because it was done behind the scenes and by a varied group of departments. With something this large, it was only natural to get other groups involved. Plus our department, while a provider of PD in our district, doesn’t hold a monopoly on PD. It was so great to be able to work with teachers that were interested in the SAMR model and help classified employees learn about how they can use Google in the classroom. My hope from the day is that staff I worked with now have another resource or two to help them in their position.

The snaps you see of staff using the HTC Vive were from an exploratory session to begin looking into how we can use the the virtual reality tool in the classroom. There are also some fun snaps from the office just showing some random happenings. One of the things I’m trying to do more this year is get away from my desk during lunch and whenever possible I bring others with me. I think it’s a great way to de-stress, disconnect from technology and get to know others in the department better. While we all work together, sometimes I feel like I barely know my coworkers and I like to change that. So for me, it starts with food but if you know me offline, that’s probably not a surprise to you.

The last major thing covered in the vlog was my short reflection from my first meeting with Renee Hill. While she worked in the district I always admired and looked up to her. In some ways, I was always a bit intimidated by her, but that was never something of her doing. She has command and presence, she’s the kind of person you pay attention to because you know she knows her stuff. There is no B.S.ing her, and that can be scary but a great challenge. When August began to wind down I knew Renee was who I wanted to call for help. I knew she would tell me like it is, and not sugar coat it. With something as important as an opening keynote, I didn’t want lip service, I wanted to know if the keynote sucked. Luckily she liked the first draft and provided great suggestions to help make it even better. I’m excited to keep working with her and I can’t wait to see what we create together.

Don’t forget you can still sign up for the Silver State Technology Conference and connect with CUE NV on Twitter.

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

Instagram

Snapchat

YouTube