Learning | Over the TechEDge

The Power of Passion and Edcamps

This weekend I attended my 7th Edcamp. I think. To be honest I have stopped keeping track of annual professional learning experiences because it makes me feel old. Edcamps, Educon, Teachmeet, Online K-12, all began before Twitter, before Facebook, and before the iPhone and iPad became mainstream. Teachers have been sharing and teaching each other…

The Mind Body Connection

It has been several months since I have written, mostly because I have been too busy. Bring on May, and once again, I find myself sidelined with an injury. As I lay awake in the middle of the night trying to get comfortable, my mind started thinking and working and suddenly I found myself wide…

Passion, Perseverence, and Singular Goals

Every two years we have the opportunity to be inspired by stories of passion, perseverance and dreams of Olympic gold-and this year in Sochi is no different. The media tries to help spin those stories, but sometimes they get it wrong. Every athlete has a unique story to tell, but all seem to share a…

On Staying Outside of the Box

When I ordered my iPod a couple years ago I had it inscribed with the words “Think Outside the Box” to remind myself to stay open to new ideas, to wonder, to ask questions and to be creative in problem solving and seeking solutions. These attributes are fundamental to who I am. It is easy…

On Slowing Down and Learning

Road Signs I have been pondering this post for a couple weeks as I look toward my goals for 2014. I am a firm believer in “signs.” If I stopped long enough to reflect on my actions and consequences, I would recognize the signs I have been rushing by the last couple months. It is…

Look Back to Learn, Move Forward to Grow

The other day my husband asked me what my goals were for 2014. The question came out of nowhere, but it got me thinking. At work it is that time of year to reflect on goals and learning, and following my first year of running and racing, I have been thinking about personal fitness goals…

Connected Educators

Having dinner with my former middle school teaching colleagues/friends last night reminded me how much fun I used to have thinking about, talking about, planning for and discussing curriculum and student needs. As we sat around the table engaged in talk about math, social studies and science (I was the ELA teacher) and the differing…

My Teaching Identity: Reflecting on NCTE 2013

What inspires me? -The opportunity to share my stories with others. My children-grown now, with their own children- are the people they are because of who they were allowed to be in those elementary years. Their stories were valued and their teachers respected their expertise as authors. We all have many stories to tell. I…

Edu-Connections: Reflections on Educon2.4

It has been a week since Educon 2.4.I have needed that time to digest and process the time spent with some of the brightest, most optimistic, passionate thinkers I know. This year, for the first time, I had the opportunity to spend Friday at Science Leadership Academy, to visit classrooms, share moments with students, and…

Unintended Learning

Yesterday’s Google Docs workshop started out with the teacher (me) fully in control. I had gone through Google’s Educator Apps training modules, I had created a 2 page handout, and I had a demo document set up so we could try it out in the workshop. As soon as teachers logged in, however, there was…

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