Today, I'm definitely geeking out and stalking on what's happening at #FETC. I absolutely wish I was at the conference, doing sweet stuff and learning interesting things. Thinking about being there got me wondering if there is a noticeable benefit derived from attending these huge {awesome} Ed Tech conferences. When registration opens on them (FETC, ISTE, etc), I convince myself that I can learn all of this following on Twitter and discovering on my own, which is probably true... ...however, I think the REAL benefit gained from attending these (or any industry) conferences is momentum and excitement. I'm lucky enough in my job to have some (not a lot) time to discover new things and try them out, which I do. But as excited as I get about many of these innovative ideas, I have reasonably few options to share them and whip up some true momentum for me (and my staff). Many of my staff think I'm nuts...I mean who gets THAT excited about Technology? I use Google Hangouts, FaceTime, and messaging about EdTech to my awesome Tech Coach network, but there's something contagious about being immersed in something for 2-3 days with people who share that same passion. It doesn't even come down to you telling people or discussing these ideas at the event. At a good one, there's an energy that you can feel...a buzz of ideas and innovation and excitement. That's what I'm missing in my office. It's not getting interrupted, it's not having to run to meetings, or the noise from the hall...it's the isolation associated with being the only person on a staff doing what I do. So next time Margaret asks me to go to a conference with her, I'm going to do it. Do you make New Years' resolutions? I have in the past, and they usually fizzle out by March (and that's being generous). I thought that I wouldn't do it again after last year, but I've decided to give it one more try. Why will I be successful this year? I did some things that I know are going to help me:
I suspect my husband isn't overly fond of the New Years' resolution idea- perhaps less that I've taped them to our bathroom door, but I'm hoping he will start to see positive changes. I think that there is something to be said for a concerted effort toward making positive changes you want to see in your life. I can't get better if I don't make a plan and stick with it. Not only is it important to develop personally, but New Years' resolutions can aid in your professional life, as well. Make a resolution and post it somewhere visible in your classroom, office, workspace...wherever. Encourage your students (whether kids or adults) to make a goal focused on personal or professional development and work toward achieving it. Remember hearing "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"? Even if I don't reach my goal, any positive improvements make me that much better off. Do you make New Years' resolutions? How can you work on a development goal/plan with your students? I love seeing what people can do when they are inspired. This morning, the school division I work for didn't close or delay school even though it is snowing. Granted, it was only a few inches, but a few inches here (in Northern Virginia) can have a huge impact. So much so that I am sitting in an Economics classroom watching a class because their teacher couldn't make it to work. I have friends who have been in their cars for three hours attempting to get to work...but that's not my point. As a way of getting the division to close and to share storm/traffic/safety conditions around the county, students (and parents) have been using the hashtag #closefcps on Twitter. This might seem something minor and reasonably isolated - except it's not. At one point this morning, it was the highest-trending hashtag on Twitter. Ahead of everything else. This has been retweeted and featured by national news. Think about that. Some students complaining about the weather decisions of the division was more popular and widely used than anything else on Twitter. More so than The Bachelor (which apparently has a big episode last night), sports, news, and everything else. The reach of these kids and their message is not something to be overlooked. Gone are the days of disgruntled students at a school passing around a paper petition in hopes of changing things in a building. Today's #closefcps storm shows just how powerful the people are. The students in the 10th largest division were able to organically join forces (read: zero planning) and essentially disrupt the nation to an extent. Obviously, complaining about a weather decision and working the division to close early isn't earth-shattering. But, imagine if this were applied to a grassroots effort to improve learning opportunities or end abuse or hunger. The impact and reach we have today is amazing. We just need to figure out how to use it. |
Kendra MurphyI'm a Technology Coach and IT Support for a school. I'm passionate about 1:1 classrooms technology in instruction. Archives
September 2015
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