Wednesday, June 29, 2016

ISTE ignite...

Barbara Bray First up - @bbray27 challenging us to tell and share our stories... New word of the day - screenagers - Share and tell...

Bill Selak - my story... using snapchat to tell a story... show your work... create an epic short story of your day... share a ten second reflection of the story... using geolocations...

Delna Well Global Nomads Group - Applying technology to Global Education - keep your finger on the pulse of needs...
Kerry Gallagher @KerryHawk02 Check out her ted talk here. https://Materials and contact with experts! Making real connections... Learning activity as a suggested route. Eliminate textbooks, paper and tests - move to student published work and questioning...

Michael DeRoush - Five rules of design thinking to reach all students – Breaking the rules – we change the rules for all sorts of reasons – eg monopoly. “Read the rule book then rip it up”. Teach like you’re da Vinci. Blend all the fields. Be curious about everything. Make things better with what you’ve already learnt. Teach like you’re Coco Chanel – strive for beauty and elegance, but understand those things will not be the same for everyone. Teach like Brunel – do things differently. Knowing that imagination makes the extraordinary possible. Own fifth rule… for me it is finding the MAGIC in learners and learning everywhere…

Laura Thomas – Becoming Badass… Holding on to your personal identity! Know who you are, hold on to the things that feed you! Avoid the overwhelm. Hold onto the relationships, the connections. Research, learn and be open to the next thing… Hold on to your creative outlet…

Ben Smith The culture and climate in a stem classroom – unlocking potential. Letting go of control! Build the infrastructure so your learners are ready for learning. Two layers of culture in a class – layer one – whose question - student question, whose answer? UCC – user created content! Creating interdependence! Have independence space for creation.

Donna Teuber – from ideas to innovation @dteuber Going to the deep end of learning… When the road is blocked ahead, you have to find a different way. Become a hurdler. Become a master communicator. #isteignite #iste2016 Cross road of should and must… Innovation incubator – doing what is expected as well as something extra! Get your thinking outside the box! Bias towards action! Risk takers and change makers – go big or don’t go at all! Be a story teller! Create a f2f friend to friend wall of kindness.

Brad Flickinger – badges… Why do we need badges? Badges are to grades and assessment what flipped was to learning. Show pathway, score, recognition, reward, motivation, Real or digital badge, showing the skill… making the steps to achieving realistic, make them progressive… make them fun… involve collaboration!

Bonnie Palmer – designing in the classroom! Making it very real… how might we… Most likely breakthrough…

Jaime Donally – living in 360 tiny.cc/Vr almost real… Using VR to tell stories – bridge stories with interactions… Draw or write what you didn’t see in an experience… connect prior knowledge…

Kasey Bell – the rise of the entrepreneur – online startup business with participatory economy. “Teacherpreneur” uberised education. Improving and creating products. Continuous improvement – kaizen! Curiousity and resilience

  • Creative thinking and problem solving
  • Work ethic
  • Practise the art of curiousity
  • Leadership
  • Continuous learning mindset
  • Survival skills. 

Al Pajak – The purple cow is loose in your classroom! Stay remarkable in an ever changing world. Purple cow – Seth Godin. The goal of education should be to make purple cows – be remarkable, think differently, discover own voice, share story, learn from failure, publish, be self motivated, try… we need to be behind them helping them on their way! Creative problem solvers… collaborators… model our schools on google, high tech high… building creating unique things… make purple cows…

Check out the links and wonderful digital tote links here:

ISTE ignite...

Barbara Bray First up - @bbray27 challenging us to tell and share our stories... New word of the day - screenagers - Share and tell...

Bill Selak - my story... using snapchat to tell a story... show your work... create an epic short story of your day... share a ten second reflection of the story... using geolocations...

Delna Well Global Nomads Group - Applying technology to Global Education - keep your finger on the pulse of needs...
Kerry Gallagher @KerryHawk02 Check out her ted talk here. https://Materials and contact with experts! Making real connections... Learning activity as a suggested route. Eliminate textbooks, paper and tests - move to student published work and questioning...

Michael DeRoush - Five rules of design thinking to reach all students – Breaking the rules – we change the rules for all sorts of reasons – eg monopoly. “Read the rule book then rip it up”. Teach like you’re da Vinci. Blend all the fields. Be curious about everything. Make things better with what you’ve already learnt. Teach like you’re Coco Chanel – strive for beauty and elegance, but understand those things will not be the same for everyone. Teach like Brunel – do things differently. Knowing that imagination makes the extraordinary possible. Own fifth rule… for me it is finding the MAGIC in learners and learning everywhere…

Laura Thomas – Becoming Badass… Holding on to your personal identity! Know who you are, hold on to the things that feed you! Avoid the overwhelm. Hold onto the relationships, the connections. Research, learn and be open to the next thing… Hold on to your creative outlet…

Ben Smith The culture and climate in a stem classroom – unlocking potential. Letting go of control! Build the infrastructure so your learners are ready for learning. Two layers of culture in a class – layer one – whose question - student question, whose answer? UCC – user created content! Creating interdependence! Have independence space for creation.

Donna Teuber – from ideas to innovation @dteuber Going to the deep end of learning… When the road is blocked ahead, you have to find a different way. Become a hurdler. Become a master communicator. #isteignite #iste2016 Cross road of should and must… Innovation incubator – doing what is expected as well as something extra! Get your thinking outside the box! Bias towards action! Risk takers and change makers – go big or don’t go at all! Be a story teller! Create a f2f friend to friend wall of kindness.

Brad Flickinger – badges… Why do we need badges? Badges are to grades and assessment what flipped was to learning. Show pathway, score, recognition, reward, motivation, Real or digital badge, showing the skill… making the steps to achieving realistic, make them progressive… make them fun… involve collaboration!

Bonnie Palmer – designing in the classroom! Making it very real… how might we… Most likely breakthrough…

Jaime Donally – living in 360 tiny.cc/Vr almost real… Using VR to tell stories – bridge stories with interactions… Draw or write what you didn’t see in an experience… connect prior knowledge…

Kasey Bell – the rise of the entrepreneur – online startup business with participatory economy. “Teacherpreneur” uberised education. Improving and creating products. Continuous improvement – kaizen! Curiousity and resilience

  • Creative thinking and problem solving
  • Work ethic
  • Practise the art of curiousity
  • Leadership
  • Continuous learning mindset
  • Survival skills. 
Al Pajak – The purple cow is loose in your classroom! Stay remarkable in an ever changing world. Purple cow – Seth Godin. The goal of education should be to make purple cows – be remarkable, think differently, discover own voice, share story, learn from failure, publish, be self motivated, try… we need to be behind them helping them on their way! Creative problem solvers… collaborators… model our schools on google, high tech high… building creating unique things… make purple cows…

Check out the links and wonderful digital tote links here:

ISTE ignite...

Barbara Bray First up - @bbray27 challenging us to tell and share our stories... New word of the day - screenagers - Share and tell...

Bill Selak - my story... using snapchat to tell a story... show your work... create an epic short story of your day... share a ten second reflection of the story... using geolocations...

Delna Well Global Nomads Group - Applying technology to Global Education - keep your finger on the pulse of needs...
Kerry Gallagher @KerryHawk02 Check out her ted talk here. https://Materials and contact with experts! Making real connections... Learning activity as a suggested route. Eliminate textbooks, paper and tests - move to student published work and questioning...

Michael DeRoush - Five rules of design thinking to reach all students – Breaking the rules – we change the rules for all sorts of reasons – eg monopoly. “Read the rule book then rip it up”. Teach like you’re da Vinci. Blend all the fields. Be curious about everything. Make things better with what you’ve already learnt. Teach like you’re Coco Chanel – strive for beauty and elegance, but understand those things will not be the same for everyone. Teach like Brunel – do things differently. Knowing that imagination makes the extraordinary possible. Own fifth rule… for me it is finding the MAGIC in learners and learning everywhere…

Laura Thomas – Becoming Badass… Holding on to your personal identity! Know who you are, hold on to the things that feed you! Avoid the overwhelm. Hold onto the relationships, the connections. Research, learn and be open to the next thing… Hold on to your creative outlet…

Ben Smith The culture and climate in a stem classroom – unlocking potential. Letting go of control! Build the infrastructure so your learners are ready for learning. Two layers of culture in a class – layer one – whose question - student question, whose answer? UCC – user created content! Creating interdependence! Have independence space for creation.

Donna Teuber – from ideas to innovation @dteuber Going to the deep end of learning… When the road is blocked ahead, you have to find a different way. Become a hurdler. Become a master communicator. #isteignite #iste2016 Cross road of should and must… Innovation incubator – doing what is expected as well as something extra! Get your thinking outside the box! Bias towards action! Risk takers and change makers – go big or don’t go at all! Be a story teller! Create a f2f friend to friend wall of kindness.

Brad Flickinger – badges… Why do we need badges? Badges are to grades and assessment what flipped was to learning. Show pathway, score, recognition, reward, motivation, Real or digital badge, showing the skill… making the steps to achieving realistic, make them progressive… make them fun… involve collaboration!

Bonnie Palmer – designing in the classroom! Making it very real… how might we… Most likely breakthrough…

Jaime Donally – living in 360 tiny.cc/Vr almost real… Using VR to tell stories – bridge stories with interactions… Draw or write what you didn’t see in an experience… connect prior knowledge…

Kasey Bell – the rise of the entrepreneur – online startup business with participatory economy. “Teacherpreneur” uberised education. Improving and creating products. Continuous improvement – kaizen! Curiousity and resilience

  • Creative thinking and problem solving
  • Work ethic
  • Practise the art of curiousity
  • Leadership
  • Continuous learning mindset
  • Survival skills. 

Al Pajak – The purple cow is loose in your classroom! Stay remarkable in an ever changing world. Purple cow – Seth Godin. The goal of education should be to make purple cows – be remarkable, think differently, discover own voice, share story, learn from failure, publish, be self motivated, try… we need to be behind them helping them on their way! Creative problem solvers… collaborators… model our schools on google, high tech high… building creating unique things… make purple cows…

Check out the links and wonderful digital tote links here:

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

From Digital Citizenship to Digital Leadership - Empowering Learners.. #ISTE2016GC

WOW using a hashtag during the session... how clever is this... must explore that idea during my next big session!
How do we get our learners to use everything they have access to?
We have the world at our fingertips... what are we going to do with it?
Share our learning online... If we are sharing, it takes away any worry about bragging!
Instant creating... sharing the real us!  Take care of our learning online!
It's not just about the learning - it is who you are as a person...
Sharing very personal stories... sharing the real self!  It's not about what you are sharing as much as the impact of our words, our sharing, our self. 
We live in a world when everyone can have a voice - how are we teaching them to use it.... 
Taking any negative and turning it into a positive...
Doing something crazy... in our time... it disappeared... do something crazy now... and it lives forever...
"They loved you.... then they saw your tweets."
Our kids just want to know that someone cares about what we are doing... 
"It is crucial to see both obstacles and opportunities."

Digital Safety
Insert images... 

What are we doing to teach accountability, connecting! What about the joy? The way we are sharing with our learners has the power to change the world.
How do we model we our own digital footprint - if we can say it to our kids, we can say it online...
#YourDailyAwwwwww

Digital Awareness
"the best Internet filter is the one that runs between the child's ears..." Larry Magid
Teaching kids by having the conversations... 
"we have a daughter due to be born in August, we have googled her name and bought her domain..."  Hilarious...
Literacy is not just about "reading" and "writing" it is about creating new opportunities!
Danah Boyd - It's complicated. A must read... 'the social lives of teens."
We must practice empathy, not superiority!

Digital Leadership
Positive, negative or neutral?
Separating what we do in real life from what we do online... 
Agh.... George... you just made us all cry again... 
Death, life, sadness, and happiness... all what make us human.
Using facebook to give compliments... hooplaha
"always err on the side of the positive"
"Social media is like water. You can either let us drown, or teach us to swim." 

Three things students should have before they leave school:
A PLN
A digital portfolio
An about.me page

What do we choose to see?
Bringing expertise in and sharing our expertise with the world...



EdTek Talks

Amelia Rose Earhart 
http://www.flywithamelia.org/ 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Rose_Earhart
Exceeding expectations!

2014 - flight around the world over 18 days...
Obligation... Earhart.. shared name - so living up to the expectation... Turbulence - full of commotion.
Smooth skies do not make for skillful pilots. 
Turbulence builds character!
The obstacles in our life often define us... 
The longest way around is the shortest ride home!
The story of having a dream, passion, the modern-day Amelia Earhart - 77 years on....
Living on a dream, a passion, a belief... 
Identity, and discovering who you are, who you are and what you become can be decided each and every day...  
WOW... 

Marley Dias and Dr Janice Johnson - Grass roots community...
http://grassrootscommunityfoundation.org/
7000 books! 
Marley - wow - black girls matter!  #1000blackgirlbooks 
Hearing Marley's story... Looking for 1000blackgirlbooks - with a mission!  
A desire for more diverse books!  
Brown Girl Dreaming... Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry...
Reaching 7000 and nowhere near done... Marley is not done until learners have books which represent learners... everywhere!
We NEED to listen to our children's voices!  
Love science - love our children, teach them the science of how the world is organised!
Great, creative, inquisitive children are not born, they are MADE! Is the literature reflecting our diverse communities. 
Raising awareness - and raising consciousness!  People have to help!
Action - people must commit to doing something!
Inaction is as bad as conscious ignoring.
Be aware of issue, engage and do something about it, so we have freeedom... 
About to engage on a literacy tour... connect with kids!  Starts with community of black girls - helping them become stronger!
Dreaming of a world where equity and freedom is a reality... 

Caleb Harper - Director of Open Agriculture Initiative at the MIT Media Lab.
http://openag.media.mit.edu/team/
Scariest thing I have heard today - the average age of an apple on the shelf in a USA supermarket is 14 months.... scary!!!!
General ignorance of food... 
Open platform to ask and get real answers... 
What if there were 1 billion more successful farmers...
Average age of a global farmer - 58 agh
Coding climate meant coding flavour...
Finomics?
Designing recipes that corellate to better flavour... 
airponics - 90% less water... 5 times the growth speed!
Companion planting - and the exploration of potential. 
Biochemical... what is done, what is achieved... 
Learners creating conditions for growing.
The farmer of the future... young learners... with a passion for creating conditions... sharing passion.... 
Producing nutritious, safe product!!!
Food units, food servers, 
Open source vertical farm... 
The future of educating around food... is about getting together on one platfomr and ask WHAT IF?

Ayah Bdeir 
little bits... the future of invention... 
New problems, new careers, new opportunities, 
Creating the next generation of innovators, creators, critical thinkers, lifelong learners.
STEM is a national priority in USA, and international priority.
How do we get learners engaged and keep them engaged?
Snapping together complex circuits... little bits...
Keeping learners engaged:

  • Make it fun
  • We go from STEM to STEAM
  • Help learners make it theirs
  • We empower our educators
Well curated moments of fun!
eg: invent a throwing arm
eg: invent an art machine
eg: this will help you create things you want now!
Invention based learning.... see no limits, just ideas and possibilities! Your solutions can inspire the world!
Getting and keeping learners engaged, keeping up with the change, being mentor, coach, teacher... 
Teachers as STEAM hero in their school!!!
Invention based learning!  WOW Let's create the next generation problem solver, creator, 







Activators and Summarizers… Kathy Schrock

What a way to start… we are in for a treat!
Openers and closers – entries and exiters…

Focus Learning

Moving knowledge into long-term memory…

Used to minimize student tension…

Actively teach, learn and practice skills of collaborating… collaboration rubrics can help!  Take a risk and collaborate.  Allow time for all to sit, reflect and discuss. 


Involve sharing – apple TV, Reflector app, document camera, quicktime - choose new movie recording, choose ipad, 

Icebreaker - 5 minute pdf personsality quiz...

Observe - use timelapse, or camera to record and see what is going on... make it a natural part of classroom practice. 

Teaching channel - recording in the classroom. Using video to Improve practice: Video 101 

Using mobile devices:
Mia MacMeekin - prior knowledge
Draw - draw what you know begining and end
Draw and record - explain everything... or show me for free..
Pixiclip - draw and record - get ready then record.

Point out misconceptions... 
Sync Pad app - able to submit, get feedback and re-work

Quiz
Pre quiz
Kahoot - extract individual student data

Explain
Students explain what they think they know or have learnt
K-W-L 
sketchlot

Challenge
Create a challenge, evaluate prior knowledge
Paired verbal fluency

Recording
irig recording
vocaroo

Demonstrate
Teach someone else
Animation - explain everything
Explain everything - collaborative app

Mind Maps
Concept map - nodes - relationships labelled
Mind Map - centre node and breaks out from there...
Mapping tools...
Sketchnoting...
Use pencil, add colour later, use icons, notes, limit to a couple of fonts, practice drawing things - eg sketchnote after watching a youtube clip... 

Evaluate
Aww app - touch share draw...

Interview
interview classmates... podcasts
twisted wave
Pocket wave pad hd
Podomatic
Sort card strategy
Padlet as activator... - with images, categorise cards, defend choice...
Padlet as summariser... create own, visit others, and give feedback... then add a reflection to own... 

List 
Cacoo
coggle
co.map

Summarise
Topic, details, closing...
wufoo like a google form survey - easy to use....
Tabletop texting...
Watch a movie, pause every 30 seconds... students make a statement, ask a question, 

Make it concrete - watch a segment of video - 
make it concrete - drawing pad
silent sharing... critical thinking workbook pdf...

Advertising
Read write think - ad access site - classification of advertisements...
Advertisements on Canva








Liberating your genius in Action

Oh my goodness.. it is 8.30am and I am in the presence of Angela Maiers!!!
The challenge is clear... are we sharing our genius?  Are we sharing that gift with the world... knowing absolutely that there is someone waiting for the gift we have...
Check out -  LinchPin by Seth Godin
We have a duty to share our genius to make a difference in our world.  There is Genius to be Liberated all around...
3 phases...
choose2matter.org/liberatinggenius 
Notice the genius around us... accept, accelerate, act!

Accept:
With learners - share a sheet with a superhero - allow all to share their genius...
We really need to be able to reveal our genius...
Share and interact with our communities... make sure they want to come and find more... Does our work serve... what is it that we are doing to serve and engage...

Accelerate:
Who's shoulders do we stand on!
Diverse talent, perspective and mind frames - together we are capable of so much more.  A dream team with a mission. 
The world is in desperate need of ALL kinds of genius.  It needs all genius and all perspective!!!  The smartest in the room is the room! Every genius in the room must be fully willing to share... with no agenda other than to share.  Genius hour!!!  Leveraging the collective genius....  

Tammy Brecht Dunbar sharing story of genius hour...  How to embrace the genius of all and allow all to share their genius and compassion with all. 

How do you allow every learner to identify and embrace their genius.  How do you enable learners to enact their compassion - move from believing you can make a difference to making a difference.  Making connections between lessons and life!

Using 'heart break' to activate passion, to be brave and make a difference, make an authentic contribution to the wall of the world.

What is the purpose of your journey!
Genius hour is an apprenticeship to life. 
The power of technology is to advance humanness!

Be more 'kid-like' in our approach to problems - without limitations - growing up in the age of possibilities.... I have a genius and the world needs my contribution. 

Live the mission - contribute genius to something bigger! Impossible defined in profound ways... 

Be the change... Not only believe but expect... Demand it... 

Genius liberated.... the look when someone believes in you... never risk losing the contribution from each and everyone of your learners... Learners are looking for human beings to look them in the eye, and believe in them to be the change... 

DOCS.COM/Choose2Matter

Match.com for student genius inside this link...

WOW just WOW.... collective genius of passionate young people to change our world....



Monday, June 27, 2016

Opening Keynote - Michio Kaku

http://bigthink.com/experts/michiokaku 

Feeling the learning love already... As Michio starts with a story keeping it very real!
The future of education and the future of science and technology!
Introducing us to everything that physicists have made and their love of predictions.
"The internet would become a forum of high culture, high art... "
Looking forward to a guided tour of the future...
Cautionary story... good giggle...
Is there intelligent life on the earth... 
The future of the mind - the internet will become brain net...
Why do we have such inequality?  Where does wealth come from? 
It comes from science and technology!
Life expectancy 200 years ago - 45... 'life was a bitch'
Science and technology gave us the industrial revolution!
A hundred years after that - electricity, magnetism...
The third wave of wealth and prosperity... high tech...
What is the fourth wave?
Biotechnology, nanotechnology and the quantum era...
Top third do very very well.... doubling time for computer power is 18 months. 
The word computer will be everywhere and nowhere...
Computer classes recognise faces and will give translation and subtitles...
Doctors are already using this technology in the operating theatre...
Architects will walk through there designs... 
Internet in contact lenses...
Educators role should be and will be concepts and principles rather than the drudgery of memorisation!
Augmented reality and supervision... land warrior.. the internet of the battlefield...
Edcuators must steer students... insert photos...
Intelligent papers... go to the wall... 
Robo-doc... robo-lawyer... 
We have to prepare students... 
The digitalisation of life... eg music digitalised... 
Transportation, medicine and education about to be digitalised the way music was... 
3D TV without glasses.. the screen will be digitalised... 
Digitalisation of cars... in the future. 
Already legal to drive a driverless car in Silicon Valley!  Reading the paper as you drive to work is now a reality.
Seamless transfer of information.
Perfect Capitalism... able to scan everything!  Know everything about what you are buying - cost, mark up, buyers...
Surrogates in the classroom... 
Cyber education... drop out of online courses approaches 90%.  No mentor. Mentoring, career guidance is the future. 
A balance is necessary between e-instruction and mentoring... personal guidance which cannot be given on the internet. 
The big source of jobs will be medicine.  Digitalisation of medicine is necessary! 
Intel inside.... 
The future of medicine detection... in the toilets... detecting what is going on in our bodies.. 
Liquid biopsies... already being used... 
Detecting with a phone as an MRI
Genomics to grow organs...
Ears, bones, livers, next the brain... 
Creating exoskeletons - chip in the brain - allowing the brain to be connected to exoskeleton...
Exoskeleton and computerised prosthetics.
Brain pacemakers... bringing back the memories...
Photographing a dream...
Library of souls and immortality... 
Hospital of the future... 
The future is closer than you think...
50 years from now we'll live in a smart house... chips woven into fabric - when dressed you are online, clothing will identify co-ordinates and update services... doctor in your clothing.. smbulance of tomorrow will reach you in time and save your life... 
Suggesting - reversable death...
Every second counts... cures for trauma victims... print up new bits...
In 50 years time we may have a human body shop...
Operations via virtual manipulation... revolutionising surgery...
Robotic arms form actual work
We must be a role model, we must inspire, 
WOW just WOW inspired... excited... engaged... 






Teach Meet ISTE 2016





http://bit.ly/tmiste16

Wow, Teach Meet notes... rewindable... I will sure have to revisit these notes... fast paced, fun learning...

Arrived in Denver...

WOW we are here...

Couple of interesting events on the way... will blog about that real soon, but for now, Grant and I made it safely, (not so the bags... but fingers crossed for a reunion today) to be greeted by the amazing Leigh and Dan.

Now here I am at #ISTE teachmeet 2016

A couple of photos so far...










Heading to #ISTE2016

ULearn is the social, learning explosion of the year for me.  I love the people, the buzz, the sharing and learning.  Have you registered for ULearn16 yet? I have.  I also dreamt of registering for ISTE.  For the longest time I have followed the ISTE hype on twitter and dreamt of attending.  That dream became a reality over an online chat with friend and colleague Leigh Hynes.  Together we dreamt of attending, we registered and we are going!!!


At Ulearn I am still overwhelmed by the choices, the number of attendees, and the buzz in the spaces at the conference. How then will I survive ISTE with almost 20,000 delegates. The answer is simple, get a little help from a friend.  Fourth time attendee, Fiona Grant was a willing tutor, talking me through selections, presenters, theme and practical survival tips.


11 days out… I am very excited about the upcoming event.  I have read and researched and checked out presenters I already know and follow.  




10 days out and I enlisted support.  A wonderful catchup with the amazing Fiona Grant, and I negotiated my way around the programme, searched for presenters I was keen to connect with and favourited a range of sessions.  I’ve gone for a collaborative, networking, literacy, global connection type mix in the main.  I have also realised there is to be a whole lot of JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) at ISTE.  As I read through all the tips and hints I see that having gaps is going to have to be a reality.


I have followed the twitter feed, and connected with a number of my edu-heroes.  It really is hard to believe that I will meet and attend sessions of educators I have followed from afar since first joining twitter.  I was bold enough to tweet many of my edu-heroes and delighted to catch up with many online.  


As for connecting with buddies from NZ while I am there, we have a number of ways.  We have set up a phone text group, a whatsapp group, and a twitter back channel chat.  I have really listened to Fiona though, and realise that I can catch up with my NZ buddies anytime at night, so during the day I am on a mission to meet and connect with educators from around the globe.


I have my business cards, and stickers, already for the Expo Hall and for networking. I have comfortable clothes and shoes packed.  I will have water and snacks packed in my back pack for each day!  


What more needs to be done?


I guess it is timely to reflect on the WHO, WHY, WHAT and HOW of this adventure.  


WHO - Leigh and I are attending ISTE together. Last September we got chatting and realised we both dreamt of attending. I am extremely grateful to CORE Education for supporting me with my dream.
Ali, Mary Anne and Becky are also going to ISTE and I am delighted to have been able to connect with them in the build up to this adventure.
Fiona and a team from Manaiakalani are also attending and I have been delighted with the support and guidance from Fiona.


WHY - I touched on the WHY in the opening paragraph.  For the longest time I have followed the ISTE hashtag and annually have ISTE envy.  I have always dreamed of the magnitude of such an event. I have spoken to educators who have been and felt the buzz.  I have thought of the opportunity to connect with global educators and learn and grow.  I have also dreamed of a conference then a holiday, and honestly, what better place, than getting up to Denver, then travelling on to Canada and Alaska.


WHAT and HOW - planning, booking, saving, selecting.  The amazing Jenny at House of Travel made it all very easy and all very possible.  So a week in Denver for ISTE then off on a four week adventure.  To be away for such a break brings its own special challenges and June has been absolutely manic fitting in schools, UChoose and consultancy sessions.  August will be equally busy, but it is oh soooo worth it.


Now to really reflect on what I am most looking forward to:
  • He tangata, he tangata, he tangata - people, thousands of them…
  • Meeting and attending sessions by edu-heroes: Angela Maiers; Dean Shareski; George Couros; Adam Couros; Slyvia Duckworth; Jennifer Williams; Mark Wagner;
  • Keynotes
  • Sessions
  • Queues - yes I am looking forward to being in queues and meeting people
  • Parties - yes there are a few parties I am really looking forward to
  • Tweeting and live blogging - sharing my journey
  • Epxloring the digital totes
  • Soaking it all up
  • I am completely in awe of it, and intend to make the most of every moment…


On my return I am writing a blog post for the CORE Education blog.  My thoughts at this stage are that it will be a sort of self help guide for people looking to attend big conferences, such as ULearn.  I think it might be useful to take the lessons from my build up and apply these to our New Zealand context.  That’s my thoughts for now anyway!

My immediate thoughts are for getting well.  All week I have battled with hot and cold, rasping throat, sore ears… I have been to the chemist twice and have been swallowing vira-defence, I have nasal spray, barrier cream for my sore red nose…. So fingers crossed, they all kick in, and I am well for the Sunday morning kick off with TeachMeet ISTE on Sunday morning and ISTE ignite on Sunday afternoon, followed by the grand opening and keynote on Sunday night… WOOHOO bring it on!

Friday, June 17, 2016

A trip down memory lane - a reflection on my NAPP journey hui experience in 2012

Wow, what a find!  Thanks so much Jane for capturing my reflection on the hui.

Wow, this is a precious clip... showing me in our place, our space, our class! I also love the creativity, the way the story is told... the shots, the angles, the capturing of me in my class space... 

I'm no longer there, the class is no longer there, the school is no longer there.  On this very spot, a Countdown Supermarket is currently being constructed! 

So many precious memories... the couch, the stand-up bank tables, the learning walls, the tent, the bottle bivy, the ever evolving learning journey...

A trip down memory lane - Teach NZ Scholarship 2012

http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/Articles/Article.aspx?ArticleId=8608


Study awards transform careers

The best teachers are always learning – from students and colleagues, and from research and study. Study awards, sabbaticals and study support grants are a key part of professional learning and development for schools’ teachers and leaders. Three 2011 study award recipients spoke to the Education Gazette about how their recent learning has influenced their teaching practices.



Anne Kenneally, from St Mary’s School in Mosgiel, was awarded a TeachNZ Primary Teachers’ Study Award last year. She didn’t hesitate when asked about the impact her 2011 Study Award had on her teaching practice.

“My teaching career has transformed,” Anne said. “I have developed exponentially in my leadership capacity, and have returned to the classroom with renewed vigour and enthusiasm.”

Anne used her Study Award to complete her Masters in Educational Leadership, and to undertake a self-designed Twitter Tour 2011, which involved her visiting teachers, classes and schools across New Zealand through her Twitter Professional Learning Network contacts.

“This travel was the best possible way to experience the wealth of innovative practitioners around New Zealand,” Anne said. “I have an extensive network of teachers and classes to collaborate with, through weekly Skype sessions and regular blog contact.

“Our classroom programme is now a blend of current best practice research and a mash-up of the fantastic ideas I learned about through my travels – like keeping a student blog, and holding student-led conferences for families and whānau.”

A bit of a trip down memory lane... CORE Education 2012 eFellow Review

Tonight I had a bit of a journey down memory lane... WOW what a powerful reflecting time.  I am re-sharing clips that have been a HUGE part of my journey to where I am today!  

Aroha and gratitude to Helen, Beverley, Paula and Rachel for an incredible 2012!