Check out the ISTE blog post I partnered with Jorge Valenzuela on to learn how we can all become advocates for equity in our spheres of influence. 

Teachers need feedback for growth just like our students. Yet any administrator will tell you there’s simply not enough time to visit classrooms and provide teachers with meaningful and effective feedback in a timely manner.
 
As a Professional Development Liaison, I get to travel to K-12 schools in Hillsborough County and see what systems of support are in place for teacher growth. Nationally, administrators struggle with the same issues: high teacher to admin ratio, and a tendency to get pulled into building operations issues. Very rarely does the administrator get to visit classrooms, and even more rarely do they get to provide meaningful feedback.

Hillsborough county has worked hard for the last few years to change this and to provide administrators with an opportunity to be teacher leaders, not managers. And their job just got a little easier with Microsoft Office 365. 
 
Bellamy Elementary School was selected last year to become a pilot 1:1 school. It was the perfect fit, a Title I school with an amazing group of teachers and administrators to support students. I was excited to see how access to technology would affect student achievement. 

But before the school year started, before any students got their hands on devices, my mind was blown. 

​Administration, Dr. Lazarus (Principal) and Dr. Seits (Assistant Principal), wanted to increase communication and collaboration amongst their teachers. They decided since most teachers planned on using OneNote in the classroom, they would create a Faculty Notebook for the staff.
Technically, we created a ‘Class’ Notebook’ because I wanted them to keep the Collaboration Space and Content Library permissions, as well as, the ability to ‘push’ things out using the Class Notebook Tool. 

They wanted the Staff notebook to be the one place teachers could go to for anything related to the school, sort of the ‘hub.’ But they also knew they would need to help ‘push’ teachers who weren’t tech-comfy to explore the notebook.
 
Dr. Seits had a genius idea. They would replace the original feedback form teachers received in their mailboxes on paper with a digital version in their private notebooks in OneNote.
 
Now teachers had a place where they could access faculty agendas, professional development materials, input school wide data, and so much more.
 
But how could administration track the implementation of professional development and trends in teaching across grade levels? How could they give teachers meaningful feedback in a way that felt like a conversation, without taking the time to meet with each teacher individually every week?

I wish I could say I was the mastermind behind using Office Forms, but that was all Dr. Seits. She had the vision of what was possible, I just had to show her a few clicks to get her going.
 
An Office Form was created for each grade level. Why? Because now all feedback data would be broken down into grade levels that teams and administration could easily reference. The walkthrough forms for the grade level had some similar components based on the instructional focus for the year.
 
Check out Dr. Seit’s example form here.
 
The administration fills out the Form each time they visit a classroom. They created shortcuts on their smart phones so they could easily access them. 

​Then, at the end of each day, the data is copy/pasted into the individual teacher’s private notebook. There is even a column for the teacher to write any comments on the feedback given.
 
Once a quarter, the data from each form is copy/pasted into the grade level section of the OneNote so teachers can meet and celebrate kudos, as well as, discuss how to tackle any weaknesses. 

​OneNote and Forms is revolutionizing the way of work at Bellamy Elementary School. It’s not about working harder, but working smarter.
 
Yes, the administrators are still busy with other things. Yes, they still have to schedule time to visit classrooms. But Forms is making the most of the time they are in the classroom, and OneNote ensures teachers are collaborating and growing from those visits.

Breakout EDU: How to escape the monotony of Professional Development

Day 3 of my ISTE experience began the best possible way, experiencing Breakout EDU for the first time. If you have no idea what Breakout EDU is, check out this article USA Today wrote about the new method that is transforming what learning looks like. 

Essentially, it is similar to the escape room idea: hints and clues are provided while the team uses their knowledge (phones allowed) to get inside of a box with more clues, and/or the final lock to break out of the room. 

The great part is the puzzle or mystery can be about anything- different content topics, professional development strategies, anything! The learning occurs in a naturally collaborative experience that makes participants excited about learning. 

The topic my team got was 8th grade Science. Eek, I'm an English teacher! Luckily, the clues were not nearly as content heavy as I thought, and really stretched everyone's ability to synthesize information. It also helped to have a few team members who experienced the game before and helped lead us. Otherwise, it may have been difficult since some of the clues can be tricky- sneaky game makers. 

The best part? Since 20 minutes is given to break out, I felt an adrenaline rush the whole time while actually learning about science. I didn't know most of the people on my team, but I wanted everyone to win. It was great to see the team dynamic and almost seamless division of tasks. More than an exercise in learning, it was a great social experiment to watch. 

ISTE TEN Playground: Focused Professional Development in your PLN

Another highlight of Day 3 was getting to volunteer to help spread the word of using Twitter for professional development. Thanks to the ISTE Teacher Education Network, I got to spend about two hours answering teachers' questions about Twitter. From starting an account, to how do I gain followers, all different levels of users came. This was one of the best moments out of my whole trip because I got exactly what I wanted out of ISTE: a chance to connect with other educators. 

At times ISTE can be overwhelming, so many people, always a crowd. It's a little intimidating for introverts like me. Volunteering at a playground to share about a topic I'm passionate about was incredible. I felt it fulfilled the one-on-one connection I so desired, while exposing people to a powerful social media tool. Check out what people tweeted about the stations at the playground here or browse the full Resources page. 

If you're planning on attending ISTE 2017 in San Antonio, consider volunteering. It truly provides a unique experience. 

My first full day at ISTE 2016 was full of playing and connecting. One thing I notice that sets ISTE apart from other conferences I have attended is the amount of spaces dedicated for PLAYING. Unlike other expo halls, ISTE vendors delivered fun games and stations for attendees to explore new tools and have fun. Of course there were also the standard ed tech celebrities, like Moby from BrainPop. 

My first official session set the standard high, as Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook, dropped some sketchnote knowledge on us. His tips and tricks made me feel like one day I too can sketchnote. For his FREE resources on sketchnotes tips and tricks, click HERE. 

While in Matt Miller's session, I connected with an attendee who was an expert in badges and he very kindly stayed and chatted with me! Noah Geisel is an amazing resource for badging and is leading the way in Aurora. If you're interested, follow him on twitter or join #badgechatk12 to connect with others. 

The most powerful part of my day, was listening to the EdTek Talk presenters. One presenter stuck out in particular, and truly touched my heart. Marley Dias was tired of reading about 'white boys and their dogs.' With help from her mother, Janice Dias, they began the #1000BlackGirlBooks movement. The movement strives to gather titles where black girls are the main character, not the side kick. They now have over 7,000 titles available. Her story reminded me that every child needs to see themselves in the stories we read.   

A physicist presenting at an ed tech conference?  Did someone book the wrong guy?

Some may wonder why Dr. Michio Kaku was the opening keynote for ISTE 2016, but it was clear just a few minutes into his speech. After a brief history lesson on economics and some hilarious jokes, Dr. Kaku shared what the next wave of wealth creation will be and how educators can prepare students for future careers that don't exist yet. 

It was great to hear from a physicist what many teachers already know, most classrooms are still preparing students for jobs created in the 1950's, not the jobs of the future. Teachers must use new technology to change their teaching and help students THINK. In a world where information will be accessible in a blink, teachers must stress principles and concepts.

The one thing that stuck with me throughout Dr. Kaku's presentation was how important the teacher's role is as a mentor and counselor for students. We have to help create or strengthen students' natural curiosity and support them in becoming scientists and explorers. It's no longer what you know, but what you do with the information. 

ISTE Ignite sessions allow presenters to quickly (in 20 slides) share something they are passionate about with the hope of inspiring attendees. The full line-up for round one of the Ignite sessions can be found HERE. Below are four presenters who IGNITED my passion. 

There are certain times during the year when I receive a lot of questions about what apps or websites can be used in the classroom, and a big request for a 'list of approved sites.'
Most districts do not have such a list because new tools are constantly created. It would be hard to keep up with the growing number of tools in the classroom. Also, some sites may be safe today, but change their services tomorrow.
Teachers should know how to evaluate tools for classroom use while keeping information safe.

What does safe mean?
Three important pieces of legislation were passed to help keep student information safe:

• FERPA
• COPPA
• CIPA (the most important when integrating apps and websites in schools)

What does this mean for me as a teacher?
It means having to evaluate apps and sites to keep student information safe.

• Create accounts using a professional email address to separate it from personal accounts. 
• Read the Terms of Service and specifically look for the age users have to be to create an account or use the site. Some sites allow for a parent to create a login for the child to use, while others prohibit anyone under the age of 13.
• Does the tool have: 
  • a 'search' feature? These can often lead to students finding inappropriate things.
  • some type of 'messaging' or 'chat' feature? This is a red flag.
  • a 'location' feature? No one should be able to identify a student's location.

• Does the tool pass the test? Great! 
  • Keep in mind district guidelines and procedures vary, ask administration for support.
  • Make sure to tell administration and parents what tool is being used and the purpose it is serving. 
  • Create avatars for students when possible. If the tool requires a name, let students pick a nickname or assign a generic one like 'Student 1.'

It was 3 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon. Stacks of papers to grade, engaging lessons to plan, and  saving the world (or at least it felt that way), when I had to leave my classroom to attend a mandatory professional development (PD) training. I repeat, mandatory. 

Some of the immediate (and censored) thoughts that ran through my head:

• ​Noooooooooooo!
• I already know how to do that!
• If anyone raises their hand with a question... 
• I won't go, they can't make me. Wait, they actually can, and they are. 
• Who is this person anyway? (As I throw shade at a district employee I've never seen before and will probably never see again.)

The struggle is real for anyone who attends mandatory PD.
I tried to fight it, but that didn't work.
I tried to embrace it, but it was so awful at times.
Eventually I realized it's not me, it's you (the idea of mandatory PD, not the trainer delivering it).

Then in April 2015, on a whim, I signed up for a one-hour Engaging Students with Technology course and it was amazing! I wasn't distracted. I wasn't scoffing at the trainer. What was that feeling?

I was engaged. I thought of ways to integrate what I learned the next day into my lessons. More importantly, I had honest, authentic discussions with my colleagues about how this would look in our classrooms with our students. 

What was different about the Engaging training than all the ones before, other than it was voluntary? 

After reading Cindy Strickland's Professional Development for Differentiating Instruction, it comes down to three questions: 

• Is it relevant to teachers and their students?
• Does it reflect best practices in the classroom?
• Does it create a community of learners?

Learners need to know the relevancy of the information being presented, and teachers participating in PD are no different. Here are a few pointers to make your training relevant:

• Include teacher voice when deciding the topic.
  • Use data from observations to decide on a focus point.
  • Send out a survey to teachers asking them to choose the final topic.  (We did this at a site where the teachers rated low in technology in the classroom. An Excel Survey was sent out with topics they could choose from like OneNote, Assessment with Technology, and Project-Based Learning with Technology.)
• Make sure the training is practical. 
  • Can a teacher implement it tomorrow in their classroom? If the answer is no, it is probably not an effective training.
  • Practicality over theories. Big ideas are important, but professional development should focus on what the ideas look like in the classroom. 
• Know your audience. 
  • Are teachers ready for it? While I love Augmented Reality in the classroom, I realize not all teachers are ready for this. Nor would I push it on a teacher who is a novice and looking for a 'new tech tool.' 
• BEWARE OF FADS.
  • Remember when all the cool kids used Prezi? (Okay, some still do.) Instead of training Prezi, train design tips for presentations, or how to create an engaging presentation. New tools will always emerge, solid content and effective delivery are priceless. 

The phrase 'best practices' is overused. How about we call it effective teaching? Whether the participants are young students or veteran teachers, good teaching is good teaching. Here are things to consider when developing a PD training:

• ​Know your audience. (Again!)
  • A pet peeve of teachers in PD is when trainers treat them like students and make them participate in childish activities. While modeling is important, part of modeling is adapting to the audience. Consider what the goal of the activity is and how it can be adapted for the audience at hand.
• Practice what you preach.
  • If teachers are expected to create engaging lessons for students, PD should look the same. (One of the worst trainings I attended included a presenter who said,  "We know we just told you not to talk at your students for a long time, but we have a lot of information to get through." I don't remember where I was or what I was suppose to learn, but I remember those words and every teacher in the room mentally checking out.)
• The content allows for innovation and creativity.
  • Does the material presented allow teachers to make it their own? Will they have the autonomy to decide what it will look like for their students, in their classrooms?
• Feedback is valued.
  • How will teachers provide feedback on the training? Meaningful feedback is important for the presenter and content developers. 

Let's say no to 'drive-by' trainings.
Let's say no to 'never see you again.'
Instead, let us create a community of learners. A group of teachers committed to improving themselves and their craft. A group of teachers who understand that learning does not end because the training ended. Consider the following to create this environment:

• The training allows teachers to have honest conversations.
  • Include time for teachers to share. Whether it is sharing successes or struggles, or thinking out loud of what it will look like in their classroom, teachers need to share to make it real.
  • Fidelity is important, but teachers also need to know they are in a supportive environment that will help them if they are struggling.
• Conversations are supported after the training.
  • How will the conversation continue after the PD session ends? (Consider social media as a tool, check out this Twitter tutorial.)
• Teachers are empowered to continue learning without the trainer.
• Long-term coaching and support occur.

Most educational leaders do not need convincing  to go 1:1, but what happens after the decision is made? The steps a school, or district, takes after deciding to go 1:1 are crucial to the program's success.

​ In fact, the program can fail before devices ever reach the classroom. That's right, the teachers and students do not decide if the program will succeed.

Last year, I began working closely with schools implementing 1:1 in my district. The following is a list of things to consider to ensure your program is successful. 

Alan November can say it way better than me in his article, "Why Schools Must Move Beyond One-to-One Computing," but the most crucial factor for success is ensuring your reasons go beyond a trend.

​Just because the school or school district next door did it, doesn't mean you should. Just like teachers should not use technology for technology's sake, you should not implement 1:1 because the devices are good press. 

So why should 1:1 occur? To give students equal access. To increase personalized learning. To connect students to the world. To create digital leaders. There are so many good reasons, but those reasons should focus on students. 

Choosing the right device seems to be the first step of every implementation plan. As if one device can ensure a student's success while another one will fail him/her.

Ironically, the people who are often left out of the decision process are those who will use them everyday: teachers and students.

The decision is usually made by someone in Information Technology (IT) who never taught and is solely looking at it from an infrastructure viewpoint (yawn).

Forget money, architecture, Apple versus Microsoft versus Google. Forget all of that, at least for a moment.

In that moment, ask teachers and students what they want to DO with the devices. What hopes and dreams do they imagine this new technology will bring? How will this technology transform curriculum and instruction?

Now that the requirements of the new devices is known, the comparison shopping and evaluation of system infrastructure can begin. Hopefully teachers and students will get what they asked for, or at least understand why something was left out.

If a district-wide implementation is occurring, schools need the autonomy to decide what is best for their stakeholders. For example, an elementary school may want iPads because it is easier for little ones, while a high school desires laptops with more capability. This may sound like an IT nightmare, but no one said going 1:1 was easy. Remember, the students and teachers come first.

Maybe so many start by picking a device because it is the exciting part, like shopping for a new car. Perhaps others start there because they don't know where to begin. Check out ProjectRED for tips on choosing a device and properly implementing technology to increase student success.

Digital learning requires a redesign of the curriculum and it asks teachers to change the way they deliver content and assess learning. In fact, it causes them to reassess what learning looks like and what it means in their classroom. It is a huge paradigm shift. 

The best way to support this change and encourage teachers to embrace failure and take risks, is to give them time to collaborate, analyze student data, and reflect. 

Going 1:1 is more than a device in a student's hand. Change the bell schedule, alter the instructional day, take the steps necessary to give teachers more planning time. 

One middle school did this by creating S.W.A.G (Students Working to Achieve their Goals) time for students. Lunch was extended so students could go to teachers for tutoring or to take make-up tests. Each day was dedicated to different departments. A teacher rotation for each department was created so each grade level had one teacher. BONUS: this gave teachers extra planning time when it wasn't their turn in the rotation. 

But what about the students who don't have anything to make-up? Or don't need tutoring? Kahoot! to the rescue; every day a lunch-wide kahoot game takes place in the cafeteria. Lunches are by grade level and the games review topics students are learning about. Or consider setting up learning spaces around the school where students can work on a passion project. 

Where will this program be in 5, 10, 15 years? How will it be financially supported? What will instruction and learning look like? 

Make sure the program can succeed in the long run. That means planning the future now. Though goals may change after reflection and analyzing data, it is important to communicate the vision with the community and all those involved. 

There are some great articles on using social media as an educator or using it to connect your classroom to others, yet very little is written to guide educators in selecting the best social media tools for the intended use. 

Here is a breakdown of my favorite tools to connect and what I share with the world. 

1. Twitter- my number one resource and addiction. Through twitter I connect with other educators, ask questions, and gain insight into what works. I love that everyone is willing to share their expertise for the sake of sharing (FREE!).
In return, I try to contribute with tweets of what I am working on, tutorials I find, or articles on tech implementation. Recently, I connected a friend who is a music therapist to a classroom conducting research on the topic. They set up a skype session and students used the interview discussion for their research. How cool is that? I directly impacted a student's learning experience without being in the classroom.
(For a full tutorial check out "How to Tweet for Educators".) 

2. Snapchat- the social media app that I used to call the devil, is now on my phone. How did this happen? What started as a sneaky way for teens to send pictures to each other evolved into a great platform for storytelling.
I decided to use the stories feature to share behind-the-scenes moments of my job as a tech trainer. Mostly because people often ask me "What do you do all day?"
Today my story consists of a team meeting with surprise "The Walking Dead" treats like zombie blood and zombie skin. Followed by a snap of a school training about to begin. I like the ability to draw/write over my snaps and it provides a less formal way for me to share my passion and promote the great things happening in my department. 
(For a full breakdown on Snapchat check out this article.)

3. Instagram- I use instagram in my personal life but leave my account public for a few reasons. First, its purpose is to provide a platform to share photos with the world. Who am I to stop someone from seeing my mom life and the monotony that comes with it? Second, I want students to see that part of being a good digital citizen is posting things you feel comfortable sharing with the world. Because after all, that is who you are sharing with- even if you set your account to private. 
I also love following people locally and from all over the world who provide a glimpse into a different life. From my favorite local photographer to a girl in Germany who shares my son's rare disease. 
(Even though my account is personal, here's a great example of using instagram in the classroom.)

4. Facebook- it feels like everyone has an account. Or had an account and deactivated it, because Facebook knows you'll be back so no point in cancelling. Facebook has over 1.5 billion active users*. Take a moment, let that marinate.
I use Facebook to keep in contact with family and friends who live around the world. I don't let my students follow me (at least not until they graduate) and try to keep it an intimate place for me to go with people who really know me.
I share interesting videos and articles (1 million links are shared every twenty minutes on Facebook*) as well as family photos or things promoting my city (Tampa). 
(Here are some great classroom uses for Facebook though.)

Depending on your objective different tools may be needed. If you choose multiple platforms, consider varying your content. No one wants to see the same photo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Remember that each platform provides a unique opportunity or way of sharing. Think of it like student differentiation but for social media. 

*Statistical Resources from Leverage New Age Media.