Voxer Update

I'm still...if not more...in love with Voxer than I was before.

I've started using Voxer for personal and professional uses.

Personal: It's much easier than texting.  I can talk into the "walkie talkie" piece instead of texting.  Which comes in handy when I want to have a brief conversation with my friend as we swap pregnancy stories full of tmi questions.  It's so much easier to share those awkward questions when you know your friend can hear the embarrassment in your voice or you don't have the word to explain what is happening.

It's also very handy for my friends with kids and in different time zones.  Messages can be shared, questions can be asked, and/or stories can be told when you think of it (because clearly that's important for me at the moment - because I can't remember anything past 2 minutes).  Then the Vox that was left can be listened to when the kids go to bed or the next morning and they can be responded to at everyone's convenience.  Often the responses are longer and more personal than the emoji we have time to text.

Professional: Now the professional benefits are really the same.  My partner teacher has kids so when it's bedtime and I have a question about tomorrow's lessons, I can Vox her and I know she'll get back to me as soon as she can.  Another colleague has high school athletes and she is often attending games.  She can't be on the phone during the games, but we can brain storm conference planning or tech night or compare notes on the days events with short voxes back and forth.  It's been an incredible tool when connecting with "strangers" who have become friends from a #TLAP chat who all had an interest in blogging.  We came together to challenge and support each other.  That started last summer and it's still going....but now we push each other in so much more than blogging.  We share ideas to use for conferences, in the classrooms, in extra curriculars, etc.  I'm also part of the #edumatch Voxer group.  This is an incredibly active group and I love listening to the light hearted and the intense conversations about education.  There are constantly questions about podcasts and content and more!  There's so much to gain from this group!!  My final group is the Catholic Ed Chatish group.  As a Catholic school teacher, it's a wonderful little group that shares my unique situation.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment here or reach out and Vox me!  

                     
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Time...

is one of those things we never have enough of.  I don't care who you are or what you do, there's never enough time to get everything you want accomplished AND still have time to breathe and appreciate all of life's blessings.

My one word this year was breathe.  I need to breathe in order to stay sane and not freak out about the fact that I don't have enough time.  And I'm talking time today and time over the months and time over the year.  Yes, because I'm a BIIIIIIIG picture planner.


My professional life has always been a huge priority for me.  When I stumbled by accident into the ed tech world, it changed education for me.  When I worked closely with an instructional coach or 2, it changed education for me.  Both of these things showed me a professional path that I am exceedingly passionate about.  My ultimate goal in my professional life is to be in a position of influence where I can inspire teachers, get them excited about teaching and their students, understand how to use, and the many benefits of technology in their classroom.  I'm excited just writing that sentence.

GOALS

1. I thought I had found the perfect job at OSU.  I was getting to work with select high school teachers around the state of Ohio and do exactly what I described.  It was perfect!  But it was a grant and short lived.
2. I found myself back in a classroom but working with the teachers at my school to build some technology integration excitement.  I knew that I wanted more though.
3. I want to BE someone in the world of educational technology.  I so admire Tony Vincent, Matt Miller, Alice Keeler, Travis Allen and the iSchool Initiative, Jesse Lubinsky, Todd Nesloney, and Dave Burgess just to name a few!  Now I never want to on their level...but I want to be on my own level...enough to inspire teachers out in the world.  To do that I try to cultivate a presence online...Twitter, Instagram, blogging, etc.

Enterprise Architecture - SDSU Spring '18

4. I thought a great first step is to learn to be more than a coach but to be a true leader at a school.  So I decided to enroll in an MA program for Educational Leadership with a focus on Educational Technology.  Perfect FIT!
5. This year I ended up transitioning from the technology teacher position to a 4th grade teacher position.  I couldn't love it anymore.  However, it does involve a lot of planning and time and energy.  Couple that with the MA program that I'm enrolled in (see #4), and I'm overwhelmed but juggling.

Inspirational Ed Tech Goal + MA student + 4th grade teacher

I love my life.  I don't have time for everything but I surely juggle the best I can.

INSERT SURPRISE

My first week as a 4th grade teacher I found out I was pregnant!  It was definitely a struggle those first weeks figuring out everything I needed to do, working on homework, and being completely exhausted.  However, I have an incredible partner teacher who supported me the entire time (and still is) and an exceptional husband who picked up the slack at home so I could get work done, eat, and sleep...not always in that order.

We are over the moon with this wonderful blessing.  But for me, that means I literally cannot continue to do everything I've been working on.  Clearly, I cannot stop working.  I won't stop my program...I'm almost DONE - August!  But I can't, now or when the baby comes, focus so much of my time on my goal of being someone in Ed Tech.  I will still be on Twitter, I will still engage with my PLN on Voxer, I will still blog.  These things all bring joy to my heart in a professional capacity, but they can't be a priority.

Being a mother has to trump all of these things and more.

I'm writing this post, for me...because 99% of the time my posts are for my own peace to get my own thoughts out of my head and "down" somewhere.  It's therapeutic for me.  However, I'm also writing this post to point out, because while not the exact same circumstances, there are teachers all over the world, struggling to balance everything.

Goldfish Division

To them, I want to say, don't...it will all be there tomorrow.  What is your priority?  What is the most important thing to you?  Focus on that.  Then add the other things but don't burn yourself out trying to do and be everything.  We are only humans, we can't.  If what speaks to your heart is your biggest priority, you will find happiness, even while juggling.

Life Lessons from Minnie Mouse

Yes, I am talking about Minnie Mouse.  And let me just start with I don't love Minnie Mouse.  She's my least favorite of my beloved Fab Five (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto).

Photo by Michael Gardner

Now being the Disney fanatic that I am, I never really come out and say anything negative about Minnie.  I just avoid making her my focus in anything...school, home, vacations, clothing.  It's never really Minnie, and because Disney is so vast, nobody seems to notice.  However recently, Disney has partnered with a number of companies who sell products I like (LuLaRoe | Jamberry) and I'm the schmuck that will pay an extra $10 because it's Disney.  But so MUCH of it is Minnie Mouse, that so far, it's been pretty easy to "Just Say No".  

Many of my friends are on the hunt for me though.  And since I've never expressed the aversion to Minnie,  I get texts of pictures asking if I like this or that.  I am so appreciative that they are thinking of me!  But I feel slightly awkward because, no I don't like it.  Which leads to the inevitable question of why so that my lovely friends know what NOT to look for...and I have to admit, that I don't love Minnie.

However, having to answer this question has given me the chance to reflect on why I don't like Minnie.  I have come to the realization that as a child, I didn't like what she represented (to me) in a female presence.   I grew up thinking I could literally do ANYTHING.  I had an incredibly STRONG female model in my mother and in my aunt.  These women literally did everything and anything.  So when I would watch Minnie on TV, what I saw in her conflicted with what I saw in my family.

via GIPHY

I saw Minnie wait helplessly as she called for Mickey to help her.  RUN FOOL!
I saw Minnie become jealous.  GET OVER IT!
I saw Minnie become angry at Mickey for things he could not control.  IT'S NOT HIS FAULT!
I saw Minnie treat her friends with spite and get into petty arguments.  GIRL!

Granted, I realize all this was done for the sake of entertainment.  To get a laugh, if you will.  But for some reason, in my young and impressionable mind, I did not find it entertaining.  I just saw characteristics of a female that I did not want to be or have.

I learned through my family and through Minnie's non-example that:

I wanted to be able to take care of myself.  I don't need to be saved by anyone but me.
I never wanted to be jealous.
I wanted to be able to see both sides of any situation and understand that not everything will always be how I want it.
I wanted to treat my friends with kindness and support.  I wanted to be someone they could ALWAYS come to without fear of emotional repercussions.

Someday when I have children I want my daughter to learn from me, my mother, and stories of my aunt how strong women can be.  I want her to look at Minnie and appreciate her as entertainment.  I want her to understand that women can be and act any way they choose!  It's about having a good heart and believing in yourself.

I want my students to know this too.  The little ones have an easier time believing it.  When you get to middle school and start becoming teenagers, you start to question and have self doubt.  I want to instill that confidence in them and encourage them to continue to be who they are!  To be kind, to care, to support, to love but not be a door mat.

As an adult I can see why Minnie would behave in some of those ways.  I also know that she didn't ALWAYS act like that too.  AND of course, it's just a CARTOON.  But because I questioned and didn't understand as a child, those thoughts and feelings are still engrained in me today.  I can't say that I'm sad about it either.

I much prefer the friendly, lovable, laughable Mickey who gets in and out of scrapes with a little bit of fun and magic.

Lemons to Dole Whip...what?

I know what you're thinking...I've gone ahead and lost it.  There are lots of tradition and also new and creative ways to use the "When life gives you lemons..." piece of wisdom.  But I'm going to be honest, there are times when you just have to make it your own!  Hence the dole whip.  Now, I could go into detail about why I chose a dole whip...1) clearly it's from Disneyland which was my first true passion #disneylife 2) you get a cherry on top, which doesn't that always make things better (unless you don't like cherries - oops sorry) 3) the umbrella on top indicating that you need to kick back and put your feet up.  However, I am going to take this dole whip and use it a little more metaphorically speaking.  So lets take a look at these 3 reasons I chose I dole whip to represent life...in addition to being an all around wonderful treat.  

Attribution: https://goo.gl/zXVR9B

When life throws you lemons, a curve ball, things unexpected and/or a variety of things that you did not anticipate...keep in mind, what is happening does matter but how you are handling it that matters more.  

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 1: 

I eat Dole whips at Disneyland. Disneyland is a place to escape the realities of #adulting. It's a place to be a kid again! Perhaps this feeling of my childhood makes me hold onto Disneyland so much harder the older I get. Or perhaps it's the feeling of magic. That anything can happen...like a miracle. 

Change doesn't always feel like magic when it happen, but take a moment to soak in the real life magic around you. What are the random series of events that lead to this moment?!  What are the random series of events that will lead to the next change? Life is change...be excited. Take it as challenge and run with it like a kid who doesn't have a care in the world.

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 2: 

So life gives you challenges and that's ok. TAKE. THE. RISK.  Be creative in how you approach your challenge and possibly change what and how you were doing before.  Like a dole whip.  Really it's pineapple ice cream, not that impressive.  But they made it into soft serve and put a cherry on top and added an umbrella?! It's a whole new dessert!!  And people (myself included) LOVE IT!  

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 3:

Do not fight it. I am sorry to say but change happens. It happens TO you. Don't fight it. Embrace it. In fact, take some time to sit back and process it. Sit in the sun, put your feet up, enjoy a Dole whip and think. What lead to this/these changes? How can be the best ME in the face of these changes? Is there anything I can do to set another set of changes into effect? Do I even want to? Am I giving this change a fair chance? What are the possible positives that could happen? Is this change a good thing in my life? 

You won't have answers in one round of Dole whips. But maybe taking the time to reflect will help you feel a little more prepared for all your unanswered questions.  

Good luck to you and wish me luck in mine.  

Summer Time

It's summer!  What are your plans?

Most of us use the summer to try to readjust and improve things that didn't go so well or brainstorm new and exciting ideas for next year.  A lot of us are going to conferences and PD sessions to improve ourselves and our craft.

These are all fantastic!!

But...what else are you doing this summer?

Are you a crafter that is going to do some DIY projects?

Are you a reader that will spend days upon end reading straight through a good book...for FUN?!

Are you a traveler with your sights set on some new adventures?

All of these or any of these or none of these and a multitude of other things.  Be those.

Don't forget (preaching to the choir I know) to take some time and take care of you.  Summer vacation...any vacation...was not given to teachers for no reason.  It is provided so that your brain and your body can have a break.

I am going to Ohio to see my family and friends that we haven't seen in just about a year.  My husband is from Ohio and it's been difficult to be that far from the other half of our family.  Especially since we have a new niece to celebrate!  Then it's off to Tennessee to see my friend that I've known since we were in the 3rd grade!  You can't be that close to Tennessee and then skip a visit.  Especially because we have another new addition to that wonderful family as well!

These are how my brain and my body will rejuvenate themselves.  This is how I will be prepared both mentally and emotionally to come back next year.

via GIPHY

Pinterest

I'm just going to say it...it's a beautiful thing.  Pinterest is, I mean.  

It took me awhile to jump on the Pinterest bandwagon.  Then when I did, I was disorganized and confused.  And overwhelmed.  Definitely overwhelmed.  

I feel like I have finally gotten my Pinterest wings...as a teacher anyway.  

About a month before school ended, I started planning next year.  Don't we all?  Here's the thing though, this year was my first year at a new school in a new job with a new role I had never had before.  So I jumped in and floundered.  I made it work, but I wasn't in love with what I was doing.  I knew I could do better but the reality was that I was just trying to get by.  

For this coming year, I feel like I have a better grasp on exactly what I want to do with my students and how I want to approach it.  Granted, I'm fully willing to accept that once life starts, I may flounder yet again and need to just get by.  However, until then...I have Pinterest!  And I am pinning away!

Let me go ahead and give you just a very small sneak peak (because I'm just not done) into my plans and then I'll show you the board that goes with it!  Each month, I'm focusing on a skill or tool that will help my students with their homeroom assignments.  In order to learn the skill or tool, we will work on a whole class assignment that is linked to Catholic Identity (we're at a Catholic school soo....).  Once that assignment has been completed, the students will have a menu of choices of projects they would like to do.  

The first full month (Sept) of school, we are going to be working on Digital Citizenship.  I haven't come up with the Catholic Identity assignment yet, but I'm thinking something to do with the 10 Commandments.  But I need to teach my students about all the pieces that fall under the umbrella of Digital Citizenship.  I need to figure out what the bulletin board will look like.  I need to have ideas for the menu.  

ENTER PINTEREST!

For me, I just knew that I had to be selective about what I pinned because I would get overwhelmed and never look at it again if I pinned too much.  I needed to be realistic about my pinning choices. These are for 5th-8th graders...they will not appreciate the ADORABLE ideas for primary students.  I also needed to be realistic for me.  I am not going to spend 10 hours crafting.  I'll be lucky if I max out at 2 hours.  However, if I can make it in Google...I will spend hours doing that!  

So now I have my guidelines, I have my framework, and I have my Pinterest.  I'm ready to go!

Meme's In Education

from Flickr account - Meme Binge

Memes have become a thing.  There's no turning back.  And in all reality, do we want to?  They are funny, they help us (ok, maybe just me) laugh at situations that maybe aren't the most wonderful, and they are easy to make (thanks to wonderful advances in technology and photo editing and random meme generating websites).  In fact, my go to Happy Birthday posting on FB generally includes a meme...because that's just funnier than "Happy Birthday!!!"  (and yes, I add 3 exclamation points because I'm that happy that my friend is another year older).

Anyway, the point of this post, is there a place in education for memes?  I mean a place besides in the teacher's lounge.  And meme's other than the ones with an owl at the beginning of the school year vs the end of the school year and the "Hey Girl" memes.  Really.  Really...do meme's have a place in education for the sake of the students?

Recently I tried them in my K-8 technology class...another tale for another time with another blogger (hoping to have a guest blogger come share about that - +Kiersten Baschnagel).  The middle school kids nailed it.  Well...let me retract that...most of the middle school kids nailed it.  Some still didn't quite understand how the humor of a meme worked.  I took it down to 5th grade and most seemed to be able to create a meme with little trouble, although the joke was a little more basic.  When I tried 4th grade, I only had a handful of kids that could come up with a joke that was applicable to the picture.

This got me thinking...what is it about memes that makes them funny?  What skill do the students need to have in order to create a quality meme?  Is this a teachable skill?  Is it a skill that they can use in other areas?  Do they need to be witty?  Do they need a dry sense of humor?  Do they need to know the background story of the picture?

I admit, I don't know or I can't articulate exactly what it is that makes memes funny, especially because when I do, I can think of other memes that don't fit that definition.

What makes memes funny?
What skill(s) do you need to create them?
And is there a place for them in education?

ISTE 2017

*UPDATE* Here is the link to place a copy of my poster in your Google Drive:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cowNXnDZpa3pJbHOt4lzIPJJJ7eH-Fas_vImmq9U-JU/copy?usp=sharing

Please feel free to share, ask questions, and tag me in ideas!  Thank you!  *UPDATE*

Well I have to say that I am feeling so very excited and grateful!

Last year I attended and presented a poster session at ISTE 2016.  I had attended ISTE 2014 in Atlanta previously.  This year however, I had moved across the country and was starting a new job at a new school (oh how I miss my #collegereadyOH team).  This meant the likelihood of presenting...let alone attending...ISTE 2017 was not great.

I was wrong!

My school has a number of very forward thinking teachers that are not only FANTASTIC at teaching, but are also excited to integrate technology into their daily routines.  They want to reach students in different ways.  They want to make productivity easier for students and they want to provide opportunities for them to explore and learn in a more student centered and creative forum.  They blow my mind daily.  And these teachers wanted to go to ISTE.  So, we sat down about a week before the submissions were due with our principal and said, "What do we do?"  In 30 minutes, we all had ideas for presentations, our principal said "Do It!", and off we set!

December rolled around and that fateful day arrived.  I was obsessively watching my email and Twitter.  I saw tweets starting to talk about going to and presenting at #ISTE2017.  I held my breath and checked my email.  Of course it just had me go to the ISTE website.

Well by this point I had to breath.  I'm not a fish.  But my heart was pounding with anticipation...

SUBMISSION ACCEPTED!!!

I jumped out of my seat.  I texted my principal.  I texted the teachers.  I texted my friends from Ohio State.  I texted my mom.  I texted my husband.  (Not in that order necessarily...but possibly.)

I heard back from some of the incredible teachers I work with and they had their submissions picked up TOO!!!

WE'RE GOING TO ISTE 2017!!

I am beyond excited to be going to Texas this summer.  I'm so excited to be able to share the experience that is an overwhelming learning and connecting opportunity with these incredible teachers.  To say that I am blessed is an understatement.  Two years in a row to go with teachers that I want nothing more than to work with and learn from and be able to share what I am so passionate about with others....

I can't even finish that thought I'm so excited.

Will I see you there?  #ISTE2017

It's all SUNSHINE and rainbows...

Recently I have taken on the task of the Sunshine Committee.

It's a little bit of a blur as to how it all started and ended with me, but I have to say I'm kind of excited!  I have a lot of support from teachers that have been part of the Sunshine Committee in the past.

With that being said...what's the point of this post in particular?

Yesterday, one of the teachers gave me a binder of stuff from the past years of Sunshine.  I barely know what to do with it.  Have things changed so much that a binder of papers overwhelms me?!

Apparently so.  

Granted I haven't done much, but everything I have done so far has been almost exclusively digital.
Let's run down the list.

Meeting Agendas: Google Doc
Cards (Get Well, Happy Birthday, etc): Word Swag app w/ Pixabay images
Ideas: Pinterest
Happy Hour Interest: Google Forms
Happy Hour Announcement: Word Swag app w/Pixabay images and email
"Binder" to keep everything: Google Drive

Granted, I'm not expanding to outside the digital box but so far what I have works...for me and my team.  I do have to keep in mind that not everyone at my school geeks out over tech like I do.  So of course I made flyers for the Happy Hour and I will print out agendas for meetings, etc.

But I feel more organized...and creative.

"Get Well" image that was made into a card for a teacher out for surgery

The image above was made with @wordswagapp (introduced to me by +Tony Vincent) and +Pixabay images that are found within the app. BONUS: Pixabay images are copyright free so they can be used without attribution.    

Audio Boom

Hello!

I've fallen behind.  And I know myself and I know that unless I have a purpose and keep this short and simple, if I put too big of an expectation on myself for this blog, I will continue to fall behind. That is not something that I want...obviously.

So I decided today that I would talk briefly about +audioBoom.  I used this website to host some audio clips and I'm so excited that I rediscovered it and decided to use it.  So happy in fact that my post for today is pretty much hosted there.



Essentially, if you would like to use/explore Audio Boom, I highly recommend it.  If you're on Twitter, you can create an account through them.
Super Easy!
Then you can either record on their website, which I admit, I have not mastered or you can upload audio files AND they have an app.  I found that I prefer using my Voice Memos and uploading right from my phone.

Here's the question...as teachers how can we use this for our students?  I shared an idea in my broadcast here.  But also...what can our students create with it?!  I know this is going to be a tool I take back when the break is over and try to see what we can do with it!  There are some middle schoolers that I think may have a great time with it.

Thanks!

Google "Keep"ing It Together

So life has been crazy to say the least this summer.

1) Wedding
2) House hunting
3) Cross country move
4) New job - new school
and all the unpacking and cleaning that comes with 3 and 4!!

So today I decided to stop for a minute and do a quick vlog on Google Keep.  It has literally helped me keep my brain from exploding.

Enjoy!

What can you use Google Keep for?

Not Goodbye...

but rather, I'll see you later.

This week I am wrapping up my last week at Ohio State University.  It has been an incredible journey.  I was living in Las Vegas 2 years ago and I decided to pick up and make the move out to Ohio.  There were some personal reasons behind it, but professionally, to say that I worked at THE Ohio State...just WOW!  So when I was offered my job, I took it...no hesitation.

And WOW was right.  I met some AMAZING teachers that I will never forget.  I was fortunate enough to work with some of the TOP educational technology leaders.  Not to mention the inspirational and HILARIOUS College Ready Ohio team.

This week has been an emotional roller coaster.  I have laughed, cried, felt like nothing was changing and been blown away...literally in the matter of minutes.  IT'S ONLY TUESDAY!!  I'm going to be an emotional zombie by Saturday when I start the drive with my husband and father in law to head back to Las Vegas.

I wouldn't change it for the world.

Now, however, let me take a minute and look at this from a student perspective.  Our kids are not all stationary.  How many of us have kids that have left your class, you, their friends, and sometimes their family?  As an adult, if it's a struggle to make this kind of a change, when it was MY/YOUR/OUR own choice...imagine how hard it must be to have to deal with all of it and feel like you have NO choice.  

During my wrap up meeting with Ben, we talked about how it wasn't the LAST time we'd see each other...it would just be a very LONG time.  In order to keep from tears, I made a flip comment about us being Facebook friends.  Which, while it may seem insincere or vapid...it really does make me feel better.  I makes me feel as if the relationships that I have spent the last 2 years working on and building aren't gone forever.  I can reach out to anyone and see what's going on in their daily life.  As a military brat growing up, I was not able to do that and I lost many friends because we couldn't stay in communication about "nothing".  

Now I'm not necessarily suggesting that you become FB friends with your students.  I, personally, would recommend against that in fact.  However, what I am suggesting is use the social media platforms that are available to you to give your students a chance to stay in communication with you and their friends about the "nothings" that are happening.  Do you have a class FB page?  Do you have a class Instagram page?  What about a class Twitter account?  Even a class Snapchat might be worth looking into.  

The students will move and they will love their new teacher and they will make new friends.  But in this day and age of globally connected technology...goodbye doesn't have to be anything but I'll see you later.  

Pokemon Ideas

I have been playing Pokemon Go for the past 4-5 days.

I've seen the support from fellow educators and friends and I have seen the disapproval from fellow educators and friends as well.  I don't necessarily announce it to the world, but I'm kind of enjoying it. I'm also not going out walking trying to track them down.  I look when I'm sitting at my desk or walking to a meeting or walking my dog.  Right now, Pokemon hunting isn't my priority, but it is something fun to do for a brain break...along the lines of checking my Facebook or online shopping.*

*the kind where you put it in your shopping cart and then close the window...who's with me??


However, my brain has been endlessly (or at least it feels that way) processing and trying to figure out how to make use of this game that has so many people obsessed!

My non-educator friends will argue there is no educational purpose in the game.  I won't argue because, much like their profession - I don't understand their goals and focus, and they don't understand mine.  I'm not looking for a way to make throwing the pokeball (is that what it's called?) and catching the creator educational.  Yea...at it's base, this is not an educational game.  So, why not make it one?  Why not?

So I have done some reading and I have been (like I said) doing some thinking.  Here's my very rough list of ideas...no details yet.  It's all still very theoretical and not fleshed out.
*behavior management - think Class Dojo meets Pokemon
*mapping skills - plot of a Google map where and what you catch - collaborative
*animal research - research the animal different Pokemon are based on - where does it live, what does it eat, how has it evolved, etc.  Assign points based on different aspects of animal characteristics...similar to Pokemon.  Create a Global Pokemon map showing where different animals can be caught and how many points they can get by catching them.  Go even further and plan out adventures...think Oregon Trail...what supplies will you need based on the environment and distance you'll travel. (I'm thinking this one out as I'm typing and getting kind of excited!!)
*literature/SS Go style game - students create a game similar to Pokemon Go with different characters in a story/throughout history.  As characters are caught, the designer also provides some interesting facts that are meant to entice students to learn more.  They can learn more by following clues and "capturing" more information about story/history.

Again all of these ideas are super surface with nothing carved in stone but I would love to hear from you.  Can you elaborate on anything?  Do you want to collaborate on anything?

shameless promotion OR copyright lesson

You be the judge.

Sooo, I recently decided to take the dive and start uploading to Teachers Pay Teachers.  Initially, I was very against the idea.  The very core of education is legal thievery...or at least that's how it always felt.  But that was when you were in a building and everyone shared within that 1 building. Now, just like with the kids, the audience of teachers is more global.

So why not try to help a fellow Disney lover.  Yup...at this point (and anyone that knows me will NOT be surprised) everything is Disney inspired because well that's me and my style.  I love me some Mickey Mouse.  :)  Anyway, if I'm taking the time to create something that is Disney and copyright appropriate AND someone else can use it, why not put it on TpT?  And if I can make $2 for it...I think my time spent and their time saved is worth that.  Granted, nothing has been bought or downloaded but I've also only been uploading since 5 days ago.  I think I'm ok with that.

Anyway...shameless promotion part - GO! My store is my handle: EBGtech.

Now...to the copyright lesson.  One year ago, Tony Vincent came and presented to the teachers that I work with.  He showed us so many A-MAZ-ING tools.  I was completely overwhelmed and there was no way I would remember everything.  I picked up a few tools to use right away.  Other things have been in my back pocket...just waiting.  Well, about a week ago, one of those tools came out!

The Noun Project!  It's a website with icons that you can either download for free and give attribution to OR you can buy the image royalty free for $1.99.  It's your choice.  And if you decide to give attribution, they download the information on the image for you!  The only thing you have to do is copy the link from the webpage and share that with the image.  WHAT?!  They are doing the work for you.  Cause we all know you can copy and paste at this point.

I haven't opted for the $1.99 yet just because I'm stingy and I don't mind giving credit.  However, I can see how it would be useful.  The name of the icon creator is right there in the middle of my image.  Hmmmm...I don't care enough to pay for it, but you might.

Great tool for you and great tool for your kids!  Talk about an easy way to teach them about digital citizenship.

So now you get to decide...did I shamelessly promote OR did I share a new awesome tool for images with appropriate copyright information?

https://thenounproject.com/search/?q=laptop&i=531255

There's SMORE To Do...

Before I get started I'd like to say my friends +Ms.Kiersten Baschnagel and +LaRenda Norman are the ladies turned me onto Smore.  They use it regularly and inspired me to give it a whirl!

And now....

One of the (arguably) most repeated questions in a classroom is "What do I do now?".  This is a question you become well versed with as a 1st year teacher.  I learned early the beauty of the default answer, "Read a book".  However, as I have gone through the years, I learned also, that isn't always the best response.  I figured this out when I would see kids open a book and stare with no turning pages.

Yup...they were getting a lot out of that particular activity.

I've discovered the beauty of choices for students.  Will there always be the opportunity to read a book?  YES!  Cause I was that kid.  I want to read...especially if I'm in the middle of a really good book...say for example, Harry just found out that Sirius Black, the man who is after him, helped Voldemort kill his parents?!  WHAT?!?!  I want any excuse to pick that book up again.

(Yes, I'm re-reading the Harry Potter series and even as an adult...at work...what I wouldn't give for a chance to be done so I can catch up on my book.)

HOWEVER...there will be other options.  Especially since this year I am taking the role of a computer teacher, so to speak.  In the computer lab, with so much technology at my finger tips???  I couldn't possibly ask students to exclusively read a book when they finish something.  No...they need more options.  This is where the Smore came in.

Smore is a essentially a place to design newsletters.  However, their graphic rich designs make it visually appealing.  You can add whatever content you decide is needed.  You can share online or print hard copies.  And as an educator you can get a discounted account.  The free account only allows you to create 5 smores total.  So even if you create 5 and then delete 4...nope you're done.

I know...I just tried.

So in my Smore you can see that I have crafted a variety of choices for students to do if they are done or even if they are stuck...kids get writer's block too.  I have ideas focused on their projects as well as ways to create their own projects.  And I want their feedback, their ideas, and their questions.  I want them to feel heard.

Would you use Smore?  What for?  (hahahaha - I so want to keep going)
Please I would appreciate any extra ideas or feedback on my Smore.
Leave them in the comments.

https://www.smore.com/bryq4

big changes...bigger freak outs

You know how we always say that kids need stability and structure.  They like it, they just don't always know it.

Well as an adult (most of the time), I can say that I LOVE IT!  I love stability, I love structure, I love routine.  I love knowing what is happening and how it's happening.  I'm especially fond of situations where I can be in control of all of the happenings.  *Self proclaimed control freak*

However, I also know that change is inevitable.  What is it "they" say, "The only thing that never changes is change."  Well, change my old friend, welcome back.

I will soon be leaving my current position as an Educational Technologist at Ohio State for a position at a Catholic school as a computer teacher.  In that sentence alone there are at least 2 BIG changes; higher ed to K-8 AND outside the classroom to inside the classroom.  HELP!

I've been a K-5 classroom teacher before but not a computer teacher.  I will be pouring over pinterest and reaching out on Twitter for help.  I will be asking for advice and suggestions and ideas.  Help, help, help.  Thanks.

Now, couple those things with the fact that Ohio State is in Ohio and my Catholic school is in Nevada -- Las Vegas -- more specifically, and WOW!!  Thankfully, I am from Vegas.  My family is there.  I made the trip from Vegas to Ohio 2 years ago for this job at OSU.  BEST DECISION!  hard move. So while I know Vegas...I'm going home...it's not an easy move.  It's a big change.

So...I think...if I'm freaking out and stressing and panicking about all of these things that are my choice and under my control, how do those kids feel?  The kids who have no choice when they move from home to home?  When they have no control about the people that are in and out of their homes? When they do not have a choice of what school or classroom they are placed in?

What can we do to help them...while we are with them?

Saying "I Do"

I recently (4 days ago) got married.

*I know way to ease into big news!*

And anyone that has planned a wedding or been involved in planning a wedding, knows that there are A LOT of things to figure out.  Big details, tiny details, details you forgot about, and surprises - and lots of other things in between.  Depending on your wedding and venue, you have varying levels of help and people doing things for you as well.  You also have a wedding party and lots of family who can help and support you through the entire process.

While we were planning the wedding, and even on the day of the wedding, I couldn't help but notice some parallels to being a teacher.  Yea, yea, yea...don't roll your eyes yet.  Just read for a second.

Think about all the details you plan for the year, for the month, for the week, and for the day.  Think of how those details rarely go EXACTLY according to plan.  Think of who you lean on for support - your family, your grade level, your administration, your friends, etc.  Despite the stress and anxiety and hours upon hours upon hours...*pause for dramatic effect*...UPON HOURS of work you put into everything for the kids, nothing is ever perfect.  Just like a wedding.

I realized the DAY. BEFORE. THE. WEDDING that I could not keep up with or control each of the tiny details I had been carefully devising over the last few months.  I finally reached out to my friends and said this is what I want, but you know what, do what you think is best because I will not know the difference tomorrow.  I also said that to the caterers and the DJ.  And you know what?  Looking back, I have no idea if what they did was exactly what I would have done.  I was too busy soaking up my new husband, my new family, seeing all of my friends, celebrating, and loving the day.

Now I am going to say this to you, as teachers.  You cannot control every little detail of your classroom/school/students.  Ask for help from your grade level, your administration, your family, and your friends - even your students...especially your students.  Give up the control and trust that at the end of the day, week, month, year...you and your students will have soaked up all the important things.  You will have inspired and instructed.  You will have guided and given hugs.

You will have made a difference.

Challenges of Balances

This blog, while professional in nature, is done as part of my own personal love of writing and #edtech.

I haven't kept up with it recently because of "life".  There have been a lot of tasks to handle at work, another job creeps into the picture, planning large family events (weddings, parties, etc), maintaining a home, etc. all seem to take precedence.  I feel run down and tired.  I don't maintain some of the things that I do for me, for my own enjoyment.

I know that I am not the only person that this has ever happened to.  In fact, I know that teachers on a regular basis struggle with this specific dilemma.  I know this because at another point in time, I was that teacher struggling to find balance.  It has never been an easy thing for me to achieve, especially when I have so much on my plate.

So, I put this out there to the world.  How do you find your balance?  How do you juggle everything in your life, while still taking time to focus on yourself?  What do you do to focus on yourself?

Life Moment Fail

So this morning I had a life moment fail.

I was walking out to my car and took 2 steps in the parking lot and, very much like a cartoon, my legs went forward, my bags went into the air, and my butt when down.  It hurt.  I fell.  On ice.  On asphalt. On. My. Butt.

It hurt and I was embarrassed.  I was a little shocked...couldn't get up immediately.  However, I could make sure that my coffee wasn't spilled everywhere immediately.  Priorities people priorities.

As soon as I realized nothing was really hurt I started to gather my things and started to rant in my head. "THAT'S IT! I'M WORKING FROM HOME TODAY! I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE IN THIS! WHAT WAS I THINKING! I SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED IN BED!"

I started to pull out my phone to make sure I didn't have any meetings on campus and realized that the only thing that really hurt was my pride and the fact that I really don't like snow and ice. However, I made the decision to live where there is snow and ice so I have to deal with it. I decided to shuffle my way to my car...this time walking through the snow instead of sliding on ice again.

*disclaimer: if I fell again, I was staying home!*

I made it to work, granted my butt was wet from sitting on ice, but still I made it.

I had failed.  I had picked myself up.  I had tried again.  I had succeeded.

Why is it OK for me and for kids and for all other adults to have these little life fails in the outside world but not in education?  We learn so much from them.  I learned to walk in the snow for instance. I feel like in education, failing is the end.  Story over.  Why?  Why can't it be a chance to learn and try again?  Isn't the point of education to prepare for life?  We fail in life ALL. THE. TIME.  Why don't we teach that failing is just another chance?

Fail = DO OVER!  Don't we always want a "do over"?  WE HAVE IT!!!

*disclaimer: I'm glad I didn't fail forward this morning otherwise my face would have hurt much more than anything else.

I'm not "SLACK"ing off...

So I have found that working 2 jobs, wedding planning, and just trying to keep up with life in general has caused me to drop the ball on a few things.  I just can't keep up with it all.

That being said, I'm OK with that. *statement retraction*

I'm not OK with that.  Funny thing is that my priorities are (maybe) a little off.  What I'm OK with is not working at home.  What I'm not OK with is that I cannot clean my home.  Laundry piles up, mail collects on my table, and let's not even talk about the bathroom that keeps the liter box for Max (the cat).

Now...personal rant over. Back to what I am OK with.

I am OK with not working at home.  One of the reasons I'm OK with that is because when I do get to work the next day, my email isn't stacked miles high.  There are a few emails and I can organize and handle that.

The reason my inbox isn't so overwhelming is because my team is testing out Slack.  Slack is really awesome because it's basically a chat that can hold documents.  You can have team chats and 1:1 chats.

It took me time time to really start using it but now I feel like it's really part of my daily routine.  If you can imagine (think wavy Scooby Doo lines and sound effects):  You send an email with facts and questions to one or multiple people.  Someone emails back (not reply all) with some answers that lead to more questions.  You have to reply all with questions and answers to some people but not everyone.  Then someone else responds with a reply all, but doesn't answer some of the questions.  So then someone else replies, but you don't see it cause it wasn't a reply all, so you don't know those answers and have to send another email to get some information.  And back and forth and back and forth and etc.  Are you overwhelmed yet?  Is your inbox overflowing yet?  And you can't delete any of them because of the various pieces of information in all the different emails.

Or you can use Slack.  All in one place.  No inbox.  Everyone can see everything.  The end.