Category: ISTE Standard for Educators

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, Domain 2: Classroom Environment, Domain 3: Instruction, Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities, ISTE Standard for Educators, Personal Learning

Social Media is the New Handshake

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The beauty behind social media is that it is a built-in handshake ready to be embraced. It creates a connection far beyond the boundaries of city limits. With every handshake comes an opportunity. It creates a space for introduction, conversation, and the potential for growth. Social Media is constant, and yet forever changing. It has superseded all expectations and continues to spotlight its original intent to connect people. It is used in a professional capacity, creating a space for learning, and reaching a network that spans the globe. It is right there in front of you… now, what will you do?

Extend Your Hand

Go ahead, just do it! From the moment you create your first account, you begin the journey of building your very own Professional (Personalized) Learning Network (PLN). Twitter is a great jumpstart in Social Media, an energetic experience that intensifies with each connection. Each click to “follow” is a connection to someone that is willing to share. It is remarkable to have this unique opportunity to build a space that you can grow in on your own time with the amount of positive energy needed and bandwidth that you possess. You will be introduced to a group of people to learn and share ideas with… a space to feel nurtured in, inspired, respected, and ultimately gain unlimited knowledge.

Impactful Handshake

Unlike years ago when we could walk into a district office and shake hands with a possible future employer, we must now extend ourselves through a digital world with little to no personal contact. With every click of a follow, an impactful handshake is given. It is an introduction to an administrator or future colleague. It is a new resume created with each post, a pre-interview with every chat that helps you to reflect on current practices, a digital footprint that shows your bravery and respect, a glimpse into your classroom, and your WHY all rolled into one! It is your handshake! It is a space to connect with experts in a wide range of fields beyond a personal knowledge base. This is where to be in today’s educational field, shaking hands with the world!

The impact of being a connected educator is truly limitless!

Benefits of a PLN

  1. Connections to people/groups/expertise both in and out of education. Simply start by following just one person. You can then see who they follow. Or type in a grade level or subject that may connect you to a specific space. Let me be that one person for you, I’d love to connect!
  2. Specialized resources tailored for you and your students
    • Professional Development that is personalized to your needs. Many educators offer free workshops. Once you find something that fits your need, you may then want to invest and dive deeper into a course. It is truly a limitless space!
    • Jump over to Facebook where Bitmoji Craze Educators rallied together to provide a free space for all educators. Many of these educators have their own website where they offer free downloads to get you started.
    • Connect to authors and a wealth of innovative practices. Go one step further and join a book study with them! Get started on your journey with #Read2LEAD
  3. Share your wealth… never underestimate your worth… your ideas… someone needs them! Impact as many students as possible by sharing your own best practices!
  4. Inspiration at your fingertips: blogs, podcasts, websites, videos, articles, interviews, and much more… an a la carte experience!
  5. Endless support… just post what you need and tag a couple of educators. If they don’t have the answer, they will connect you with someone who does!
  6. Break down the walls for yourself and your students! Give your students an authentic audience beyond your grade level, create a global hallway!

Remember, it isn’t about having all the answers, rather extending your practice to gain access to them!

Twitter 101:

Class Twitter Account

Beginners Guide to Twitter

Weekly Twitter Chat Times

Domain 2: Classroom Environment, Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities, ISTE Standard for Educators, Personal Learning

ISTE19 BE BOLD BE YOU BE CONNECTED

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#ISTE19 was no doubt one for the eduRecordBooks! Oh yes, it was the conference for every global #edtech inspired educator, but for me it was far more than that… it all goes back to relationships and the bold way of becoming a connected educator! Here is why ISTE got it so right with me… their BOLD mission statement empowered me to reach beyond my walls of learning and connect with countless educators of impact.

BE BOLD

The International Society for Technology in Education’s mission is very clear: “ISTE inspires educators worldwide to use technology to innovate teaching and learning, accelerate good practice and solve tough problems in education by providing community, knowledge and the ISTE Standards, a framework for rethinking education and empowering learners.”

That in itself is a mic drop… what a BOLD statement, right? That very mission captured my attention about 4 years ago. I knew at that point I was destined to be transformed as an educator. I immediately wanted to get to that year’s summer conference, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. However, the wait was well worth it in the long run. The thought of going one day ignited a passion and love for technology that would powerhouse my own learning in the BOLDest way possible! Who wouldn’t be intrigued by ISTE’s statement of, “BE BOLD WITH US. Dreaming big. Transforming teaching. Empowering learners”? In a 4 year period I collaborated with educators across the globe, grew as a learner, stretched myself as an educator, and was about to attend a conference that would place the foundation to this transformation all under one roof! Priceless!

BE YOU

BE YOU… I got this! Being me meant heading to this conference with an endless amount of hugs packed tightly in my suitcase. I was ready to meet the incredible people within my network face to face in place of our typical virtual connection. BE YOU… meant collaborating with my PLN and signing up for sessions, dinners, after dinner get-togethers, along with random happenings that we just had to embrace while in Philly! BE YOU… meant buying 80s gear to wear for the Go Guardian/Class Link night to remember, starring the The Spazmatics. This very night was one to remember… laughing, smiling and dancing the night away! BE YOU… meant leaning into my passions, my voice, my creative outlets, my joys and my people! Note: It takes most people a moment before they realize I am describing fabulous friends that I had just met face to face for the very first time. BE YOU… meant embracing my friends and acquiring new ones as the connections ran rapid throughout the conference. BE YOU… meant that I was able to embrace all things that resonated with me and the common thread would go back to the BOLD way that ISTE empowers learning with technology.

BE CONNECTED

To think that ISTE was my first face to face interaction with the majority of my PLN (yet I talk about them around the dinner table to the point that my entire family knows them, their spouses, and children by name) is mind-blowing! To be a connected educator has brought about a powerhouse of ideas, resources, support, innovation, empathy, understanding, goal-setting, and love that I personally could never imagine my life without ever again. And the crazy “ISTE connection” to this entire experience is technology! My invaluable relationships have formed through many platforms, and without technology most of them would not have transpired. Being connected as an educator has changed my world and that of my students on a daily basis.

There is no turning back now… it is more than infusing technology into my practice, it is using the technology as a vehicle to steer learning towards the future of education!

Kristen Nan #ISTE19

Don’t wait… get connected! Don’t overthink it, don’t belabor the task. Simply choose what works best for you and create your own opportunity to collaborate with others. Here are my top 15 go to ways to collaborate and connect with my PLN globally:

  1. Google Hangouts
  2. Skype
  3. Facetime
  4. Twitter
  5. Twitter Chats
  6. Hashtags
  7. Snapchat
  8. Instagram
  9. Facebook
  10. Voxer
  11. Texting/Calling
  12. Podcasts
  13. FlipGrid
  14. YouTube
  15. email (true story… we actually still use it! ha!)

Thank you, #ISTE19 for the opportunity to present to and with others, for the powerful learning, the memories made, connections fostered and the possibilities yet to come!

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, Domain 2: Classroom Environment, Domain 3: Instruction, ISTE Standard for Educators

Global Impact Blog Challenge

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When my students heard “The world is waiting to hear from you” they knew that they were destined to OWN their moment.

So I asked one question… “If you could pick one word that you feel would be a challenge, yet help to better you in a magical way, what word would you pick?” Now is the time to OWN your #OneWord2019

Without hesitation, this is what they wrote…

My one word for 2019 is LEADER! I picked this word to help me become a better person. This word is now my own personal goal. I can lead ME! I can lead with my actions. I can make good choices in the way I act even when an adult isn’t with me. I can lead with my emotions. I can lead with my words. A good leader is not bossy. A good leader helps someone when they don’t get it. I can lead with my friendships. Being kind is very important. These are all the reasons I picked leader for my one word this year. -Karsten, age 9

My one word for 2019 is BALANCE! I choose balance to help me be become better. I will not play the Wii U for 5 hours a day and instead I will play the Wii for 5 minutes and then with my dog for 5 minutes. I will also stop playing alone for 10 minutes and instead I will play with my sister for those 10 minutes. -Emma, age 9

My one word for 2019 is BREATHE! I picked this word to help me when I am worried. This is now going to be a goal for me. I am going to breathe when I have a hard test. I am going to breathe when I lose something so that I don’t get upset. I am going to breathe when I am building Legos and they break. When I worry I am going to breathe. I picked this word because I am not that strong at it and I never tried it before. If I can stop and breathe instead of getting upset I will be so proud of myself.-Madeline, age 8

My one word for 2019 is HELPING! I picked this word so that I can become better at it. I want to help people out instead of watching them struggle. I’m going to help raise money for the hospital instead of letting someone else do it. I am going to donate to the poor instead of watching them stand and wait for a donation. I know I will feel better if I do this all year. -Thomas, age 9

My one word for 2019 is BE to make ME a better person! I need to BE kind so that other people are kind. I picked BE because I want to BE the person that is different. A lot of people don’t think about it. I picked BE because I think that it is an awesome word. You need to BE yourself because everyone else is already taken! This is my one word for 2019. -Jayde, 8

My one word this year is FRIENDSHIP! I picked this word to help me become a better friend. Friends can motivate you. They can help you. They can help me when I am down. -Bobby, age 9

My one word for 2019 is SMILE! I picked this word to help me crush more goals. I want to smile at people instead of frowning so people won’t think that I am miserable. I want to smile and most of all be happy. I want to smile at people because if I do they will smile back! That is why I want to smile! -Grace, age 8

Help me by sharing this opportunity across the globe with others to spotlight their voice! I am looking for voices of all ages to share their thoughts over the next 12 months… a moment in time for us to journey together! Let’s start sharing! Anyone can guest blog… no age limit or title! Pre-Service teacher… YES! Teacher… YES! Admin.. YES! Professor… YES! STUDENT… YES! Parent… YES! Your own personal child… YES! If you are invested one way or another into the betterment of education, I want to share your perspective! For details…

CLICK HERE

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, Domain 2: Classroom Environment, Domain 3: Instruction, Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities, ISTE Standard for Educators

I Can’t Go With Them

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I have had more conversations around this topic than any other in the time that I have been teaching.  It has looked different, sounded different, and has been reacted to differently.  Yet, my response is always the same.  No, I cant go with them… and would you really want me to?

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Building a legacy for your learners is never about you.  Once you humble yourself to recognize that one simple statement, you will then build up each child so that they are ready to take on the world… with or without you!

EMPOWER!

When I first read the incredible book EMPOWER by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani, I felt like they had been inside my head as they were writing.  It spoke to me… it was an outlet for my thoughts.  The quote  “Student choice is the heartbeat of ownership and empowerment“ was exactly what I had been trying to say.  I felt vindicated.  I felt… heard.

Do I want a child that can only learn through my method?  My style?  My way?  Or do I want every child learning through their method… the one that shines a light on their strengths and passions.  One that shows their own unique style that they learn to love and appreciate.  A style that they can channel their knowledge and learning through for a lifetime and not for 180 schools days with ME.  Their way… their choice… their voice so that they can learn to make decisions that they are able to own through personal experience.

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Empowerment is one of the most exciting words for a human-being, yet it scares the pants off of most.  This struggle is so real for educators.  You must be willing to take the RISK… but no one is saying you have to do it alone!  Or worse off without preparation or backing.  This is where I reach out… to a new book, a Twitter Chat, my PLN built by ME!  I am only alone if I chose to be (Not so much the exact quote of George Couros, but the truth is embedded)… there are educators around the world ready to support me at the drop of a hat because I have empowered myself to build these relationships.

This mindset is the same for my students.  One that they must be flipped for and by themselves within the first few weeks of having me.  It is scary for them.  It is exciting for them.  It is messy.  It is CHAOTIC.   AND at times like herding cats, but…

We must breakdown their mindset of compliance before we can build up EMPOWERMENT in their learning! 

I create this opportunity for my students with the 30 Second Pitch… it encompasses Mindset, Research, Connect4, and their Moment all wrapped up in one.  They must plan and pitch their idea to me in 30 seconds or less.  Not an easy task, but it takes them from

MAY I

to

I CAN

in one shift to their learning.

Domain 3: Instruction, ISTE Standard for Educators, Personal Learning

“Common” phrase: You Are The Voice

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Microsoft got it right with one single commercial!

“Today, right now you have more power at your fingertips than entire generations that came before you.  Think about that.  That’s what technology really is”.  -Microsoft AI Commercial featuring Common (American rapper, actor and author)

In the last few months I have watched technology blossom in my classroom, take hold of my learning, rival within my home, and have a lifetime of impact for one very special woman in my life.

One change… one common bond.

All it took was a reluctant switch from a flip phone to a Smartphone.  Technology at its finest.

Most recently my beautiful mother in law, Sandy Nan, passed away.  Over the last two years her life as she once knew and thrived in changed dramatically.  She finally retired after 52 years of service as secretary in the Hopewell Area School District just over 2 years ago.  This was a decision her body made, not her mind (with the help of my wise father-in-law).  Once retired, she attempted to put on her beautiful smile and embrace the golden years everyone had spoken so fondly of… but distance from her work family left a void in her life that no one could quite fill.

It was the day to day interactions…

Hello! 

How’s it goin?

How’s your day?

These may seem small to some, but for mom they were everything and now she was disconnected in a connected world.  I tried several times to tell her the advantages of a smartphone, but whether it was fear or her simple stubborn ways, she continued to say no.

Then the day came… the change.  The message…

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Yes, mom’s first text to me!  I remember cooking dinner and hearing an alert on my phone.  The smile she pasted on my face had to of matched hers… and that was big!

This was just the beginning.  She soon connected with old friends.  It was a common occurrence to hear my 15 year old son Trent say, “Mom, Nana messaged me today and just made me smile” or “Mom, I’m heading to Nana’s… I just messaged her that I was coming”.  Not to mention the convenience of scheduling visits with loved ones or simply sending a fun emoji to brighten someone’s day.  That is what she missed most… her impact on others… she was a giver.  The warmth she brought into a room was now possible again with one quick text.  With technology!

As Common says in the Microsoft Commercial, “ Technology is…

Possibility

Adaptability

Capability

What’s a hammer without a person who swings it?  It’s not about what technology can do, it’s about what  YOU can do with it.”

When mom’s health started to decline, she found comfort in the apps she could add to her phone.  They allowed her to conserve energy making them a touch away.  When shopping trips ceased and long conversations were no longer, her technology always came through for her.  The deliveries still came… because she ordered them.  Friends stopped over… because she was able to invite them.  She felt loved… because friends and family were messaging her during their busy work day when a phone call just could not have happened.  She maintained her dignity… because a message never required her to put make-up on or to have her hair done.

Not to mention the freedom it gave my amazing father in law who cared for her each day.  He was able to go about daily tasks because he was a text away.  Even if that meant he was downstairs or outside… technology gave her a way to connect when in need.

To say she was my world (our world) is an understatement.  Technology allowed me to reach out and make sure she knew she was on my mind when I was trying to get my family out the door each day.  I was able to send her songs each morning to raise her up when she was down.  With one click she was able to fill her soul with beautiful lyrics that were meant just for her.

Then came the message from dad on mom’s final day with us.  I had just entered my classroom when it came through.  “I need you!”  What would I have ever done if he was unable to reach me?  My husband worked much further away than my 7 minute drive.  Dad would have never been able to remember the school phone number along with my extension.  But he was able to go right into his smartphone and message me.

I am so grateful for technology.  I am grateful my mother-in-law had a tool that positively impacted her life.  My world extends beyond a smartphone… and it does for our children too.  What tools are you putting in the hands of your students?  How are you embracing the power?

The power of technology… the impact on many.

TECHNOLOGY…

“You’re the voice, and it’s the microphone.   You have more power at your fingertips than entire generations that came before you.  So here’s the question…

What will you do with it?” -Common


Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, Domain 3: Instruction, ISTE Standard for Educators

#LCInnovation: What if…

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What if…

the way isn’t the right way?

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I sit down, get my focus on, and layout what I think are the perfect plans for the upcoming week.  I take everything into account from each child, the skills, where education is today, to where it is going tomorrow.  I really think this way of planning is the right way… looking at all angles.

Asking myself questions such as how can I…

Ditch That Textbook?

Infuse ISTE Standards into my lesson?

Remake Learning “Pittsburgh style” by creating opportunities to design, make and create?

Reach every child at their instructional level?

Inspire students to innovate or iterate through inquiry based lessons? 

Hook my students into knowing down the door to learning?  LCL Dave Burgess style

Empower every child to own their learning and have confidence to act on the 30 Second Pitch

… and the list goes on and on. 

Yet, as I am reading Katie Martin‘s book Learner Centered Innovation, it has me asking what if the the way I am planning isn’t the right way.  To be clear it was a blend of reading her book and taking part in the #LeadLap Chat she moderated on Saturday morning that really pushed me to take action on this “what if“.

As any chat goes, I type away my gut instinct in seconds flat.  I hit the “tweet” button and find myself staring at my best plan yet… 

What if YOU answered Katie’s question?  What if…