Professional Learning and Growth

May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 Deb Weston Additional Qualifications, Professional Learning and Growth

ETFO AQ Edge: Inclusion in Teacher Communities Learning Together

I’ve taken many Additional Qualifications (AQs) in my 19 year teaching career. As a classroom teacher, AQs give me the edge to meet my students’ needs and keep me up to date with the latest pedagogy and technology tools.

Through many universities and accredited organizations, I’ve experienced how AQs are presented and organized. I’ve taken some AQs where I was impressed with their high quality and instructional expertise; I’ve been underwhelmed with AQ courses too.

My recent experiences with ETFO AQ courses were excellent. ETFO AQ courses rise above other AQ options as the courses are:

developed by highly qualified and experienced elementary teachers for elementary teachers
taught by teachers who are still active in classrooms
regularly reviewed and updated to address the current realities of elementary classrooms
developed with course content that is practical and well grounded in effective practice
developed to balance the theory of teaching with the practice of teaching
respectful of the work/life balance teachers juggle with every school year
taught by instructors with high levels of professionalism and updated AQ course training

While I was taking ETFO AQ courses, I noticed a significant difference in the culture of the courses. I experienced a sense of collaboration, support, and community I had not experienced in other AQ courses. I felt that I was an individual candidate with unique needs instead of just a name on a class list. My instructors went beyond my expectations in creating a classroom community, both in online and in face to face courses. Interestingly, this is what I stress in my own classroom practice: a sense of belonging and inclusion.

Feeling included and part of a community is the additional edge ETFO AQ courses offer to teachers. As part of my ongoing professional development, I plan to take more ETFO AQ courses in the near future.

Collaboratively Yours,

Deb Weston

March 20, 2018 Michelle Fenn Communication Tools, Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Genius Hour, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Planning, Professional Learning and Growth, Technology in school, Use of Technology

Twitter EDU

Over the last few years many people have become disgusted and disenchanted with the platform of Twitter. I agree that it can be an echo chamber for those who like to hear their own voice. However, I also know that it can be an effective Professional Learning tool. I have created an entire Professional Learning Network on Twitter because of the people that I chose to follow and I am diligent about blocking people who are spreading unworthy tweets. My Twitter account posts nothing personal. It is about my own professional learning. With Twitter colleagues challenge my thinking regularly. Questions that I have for my educational colleagues are answered immediately and without judgment. Global connections are made easily and then I use these connections to learn with my students.

Let me give you a few examples of how I’ve used Twitter in the classroom. One of my students brought in a rock with a fossil on it from his backyard. We took a photo and tweeted it out to find out if anyone could tell us what it was and the approximate age. Within an hour we heard back from a scientist at the ROM. He had an answer for us and was happy to help. In fact, he told us that corresponding on social media at the ROM as a scientist IS his job! One of the students brought in a mushroom from the woods near their house. We tweeted out to our PLN because they wanted to know whether or not it was edible. We were answered immediately and there were many links to other sites for information that sent us on a further journey into the wonderful world of fungi. Consequently, the advice from our Twitter contact was to never eat anything you find in the woods unless you are a scientist. In music, we were learning the words to a song by the Alternate Routes band and the students asked to tweet the band. They tweeted us back thanking us for the support and encouraging us to keep singing. We found some great classes across Canada to Skype with through Twitter and did mystery number finds with other grade 1 and 2 classes. You get out of Twitter what you are willing to put into it.

I have gotten more out of 15 minute Twitter education chats than I have out of some day long workshops. The educators on Twitter chats are there by choice and they are passionate about education. The questions are specific and the answers are in 140 characters. The best part is, you don’t even have to comment if you don’t feel comfortable. You can just sit back and learn. I have also met these Tweeters in person at IT conferences and taken their workshops. Knowing the presenters ahead of time and having a connection is like going to a concert when you already know the newest album really well; it makes the experience richer and deeper.

Here are a few EDUTweeters that I suggest you follow to get started:

@dougpete @peterskillen @brendasherry @avivalova @mraspinall @sylviaduckworth @Toadmummy (that’s me)

Here are a few #hashtags to follow

#EdchatON #edtechchat #teacheredchat #bfc530

Twitter may not be your thing, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it as your #PLN. I guarantee you will find some ideas for #deeperlearning or #inquiryed.

February 18, 2018February 18, 2018 Michelle Fenn Celebrating Success, Classroom Management, Combined Grade Classes, Communication Tools, Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Differentiated Instruction, General, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Integration, Literacy, Modern Learning, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources, Technology in school, Use of Technology

Free Creation Apps to Show Student Thinking

I was asked to present a workshop about using technology in the Primary grades over a year ago and got into a debate with the Principal at the host school about apps. The Principal was quite excited about the apps that he intended to purchase for his teachers to use with their students and he showed me his list. I was surprised. None of the apps were creation apps. They were all “practice basic skills and keep kids quiet apps”. I showed him my list of preferred apps. It was his turn to be surprised.

“These apps that you have chosen for the teachers are a lot like fancy worksheets for kids to practice basic skills. Those skills are important, but doing a worksheet on an iPad might be a little more engaging, but it is still a worksheet, and an expensive one at that! The apps that I am going to share with the staff today are all apps that students can choose from to show their thinking in a fun, engaging way that also provides opportunity for feedback and editing.” Unfortunately, he didn’t stay for the workshop.

The main difficulty that I have found with apps is finding something that you can use in schools that doesn’t cost a lot of money and isn’t just a free trial or have “in-app purchases”. I don’t mind paying a few dollars for an app but when you get into the double digits for a school, it isn’t sustainable. I thought I would share a few free creation apps that I have used with both the primary and junior grades. I have also included some samples. None of the samples are done by students, but I can assure you that each of these are quite intuitive and easy even for primary grades to use. Each of the apps has a link to it in the App Store for further information.

Shadow Puppet EDU The name is deceiving and the little white bunny on the app icon is too. It basically provides a video of a slide show in which you can add voice and text. Students can link to the already sourced for copyright pictures provided within the app or take pictures from their iPad or with the camera. The students find this one easy to use but tricky to edit some of the text. It uploads to Seesaw and other platforms easily.

Here is a sample of Puppet EDU:

Padlet I have used this a lot in order to begin a new unit of inquiry on something. It provides a place to put safe links and videos that I have sourced for the students as a starting point and reference. In addition, the students can collaborate their thinking with sticky notes. You can share it publicly with other Padlet users, but we keep ours private at this point. We may share our Padlets with other classes at our school through the use of the QR code and password. The sign is uses a QR code which you can print out. We are using Padlet for our unit on the Olympics. The students will then create their own Padlet to share with classmates on an Olympic event that they will research. Students will be invited to provide feedback to one another. This is a screen capture of our Olympic Padlet:

iBrainstorm This app allows students to add sticky notes, text or hand written notes to templates like Venn Diagrams. In addition, up to 3 other people can be invited to collaborate on the same template in real time. You can take a screen shot and save it to photos. It also uploads to multiple platforms easily.

January 28, 2018 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, Professional Learning and Growth

#PDThatWorks

It’s no secret…I’m a lover of professional development! I’ve always been of the mindset that learning is a continuous process that is afforded to all of us in a variety of ways and we should take advantage of as many opportunities as we can. That being said, over the past couple of years, I’ve been on a hunt for #PDThatWorks. It’s a hashtag that we used last year as part of our STEM Certificate Course hosted at RJ Lang Elementary and Middle School for K – 8 Teachers. We too were interested in finding a model for professional development that would inspire teachers to continue the work outside of the session and build capacity in their schools and over-time, the board. I think that I finally found what works for me:

Building a community with participants

Time for implementation and reflection

An opportunity to celebrate and look for next steps

Building A Community With Participants

Our module was 4 days long, over a 4 month period (1 day per month), and this time afforded us the opportunity to get to know the colleagues that we were working with on a deeper level. It wasn’t just one session where we learned something to take back in isolation, but over the course of even the first day or 2, we were quickly realizing that we could leverage the skills in the group in order to learn from one another. As a facilitator, it was exciting to see relationships being built based on reflecting on experiences and connections we might be able to make with the students we have the opportunity to serve. Amongst facilitators, it was great to be able to understand the skills that each of us brought to the course and how we were able to form a great team because of the diversity in our skills. Once the course was finished, we simply couldn’t stop there. As facilitators, we decided that we wanted an opportunity to continue our work together with like-minded educators who were just as excited about learning and growing professionally as we were. #TinkeringThursdays was born out of this idea.

Time For Implementation And Reflection

Ever participated in a PD session where you received many handouts and great ideas to take back to the classroom without any real follow-up, accountability or commitment to implementation? I have. Ultimately, as educators it’s our responsibility to take the learning back to the classroom to implement but often times, without accountability, things fall by the wayside. Good intentions exist but follow-through doesn’t always happen. Being a part of a workshop or course such as this, allowed for participants to take the time needed to implement, reflect and return to have discussions on successes and areas of need. I know that there should be some intrinsic motivation for implementing our learning but let’s face it, collaborating with colleagues who have also had the chance to implement ideas in their own spaces, provides a better opportunity for success. There are many times that I’ve seen ideas that worked well in one learning space and then when brought into my own have had different results. What’s the difference? The students. When we take an idea and make pivots based on the needs of our learners and share, there’s even more learning that can be gleaned.

An Opportunity To Celebrate and Look For Next Steps

On the last day of the course, participants showcased the work that they did with students based on their learning during the course. It was phenomenal. Some participants even went as far as bringing their students so that their actual voices were heard through the projects and tasks that were created. Not only were the presentations or projects diverse, but they spoke to the true learning and teachers were excited to share with one another their next steps for implementing the Engineering Design process. Again, there was the gathering of ideas and an excitement about having been able to learn with such an amazing group over a 4 month period.

Now that I know the type of #PDThatWorks for me, I’m better able to tailor my learning experiences and find sessions that truly honor my style of learning and speak to me as an educator. What type of #PDThatWorks will you find?

January 17, 2018January 17, 2018 Laura Bottrell Classroom Management, General, Professional Learning and Growth

Guiding Principles

I’ve been doing some self-directed professional development on behaviour management lately. I have a personal interest in the psychology behind learning and development, and as a Kindergarten teacher this is my main area of focus on a daily basis. Before my students will learn literacy and math, I need to ensure their social and emotional well-being.

I recently took a PD session through my board where I was inspired to take a step back and think about my language in the classroom. How do my words and actions influence the behaviour and well-being of my students? After all, behaviour management in a classroom is influenced the greatest by the teacher’s words and actions, rather than those of the children.

As adults, we are tempted to flood our children with rules. These rules make us feel better. If we redirect our students constantly, we will keep them safe and ensure they are doing what we want, right? Well, this isn’t always the case. Think of how many commands, comments or redirection you dole out to your student on a daily basis. These phrases may sound familiar to you:

“Don’t run in the hall”

“Quiet voices inside”

“Don’t build that tower too high”

“Get down from that chair”

“Careful with those scissors”

“Hands to yourself”

“That wasn’t very nice”

“I don’t like to hear those words”

The list goes on, and on, and on, and on. But what if we don’t need to spew out these phrases repeatedly? What if there was a way to get that message across without overloading our kids with what, will inevitably, become white noise to them? We know that overloading kids with language can be overwhelming and as a result, can bring about even more behaviours.

This is where guiding principles come in. For your classroom, choose a phrase or a few words that define what you believe to be the most important rules. In our classroom, we use:

“At school, we are safe and kind”.

Rather than throwing out constant redirection and comments as listed above, we simply repeat this statement to our class. Why is this effective? We’re using simple language with words that are clear and effective. Almost any situation that could come up in your classroom can be successfully redirected using this phrase. For students who are ready, it can be turned into a question to get kids thinking and reflecting about problems as they arise. For example, if a student is running in the hallway I might stop them and say, “At school we are safe. Are you being safe?”, rather than giving the command, “Stop running in the halls”. For a group of students that are not including someone in their play, I might remind them, “At school we are kind. Are you being kind?”. I think of the two words as umbrellas that all desirable and undesirable behaviours can be categorised under.

This method has worked wonders in our Kindergarten classroom. I always know my strategies are effective when I hear my students repeating my language. Since beginning using guiding principles, I hear my students guiding each other through situations by using the exact same phrase, “At school we are safe and kind!”. Undesirable behaviours are being stopped much faster and I’m noticing more mindful students.

I do believe that there is never a “perfect” or “correct” method for anything in teaching, as we know, every group of children is different. This particular method has really changed how I think and interact with my students and has been a wonderful guide to my own approach to behaviour management. I encourage you to give it a try!

January 13, 2018February 1, 2018 Michelle Fenn Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Occasional Teachers, Occasional Teaching, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources, The Arts

Teaching Dramatic Arts-Resource Recommendations

My first Additional Qualification Specialist was in Dramatic Arts. When I signed on at my current school board I worked as an overlay teacher between two schools and taught whatever I was assigned by the Teachers for whom I provided preparation time. I was mostly asked to teach art, drama, dance, and music. These curriculum areas are my passions but not all Teachers feel qualified or comfortable teaching these subjects. Drama seems to be one of those courses that some Teachers “tack on” for a week or two just before a reporting period and with good reason, they aren’t comfortable teaching it and it can become difficult to manage behaviour during dramatic arts.

Drama lends itself well to all areas of the language curriculum. There is a misconception that Drama and Theatre are the same thing and that scripts and plays are the end goal of the Dramatic Arts curriculum. However, there are many ways in which to incorporate Dramatic Arts activities into the daily language curriculum and you don’t ever have to mount a full scale production. Drama doesn’t have to be scary.

One of the best resources that I recommend to Teachers who have Dramatic Arts Anxiety is the DramaNotebook website. It has all of the Drama games you will ever need all in one place and is especially handy for Occasional Teachers for transition times. In addition, it has poems and scripts that you can access from 2 parts up to 30 parts. There is a sign up for a cost, but there is also many free items including 40 drama games for teachers.

Another great Canadian source for drama lessons is Larry Swartz. He is an Educational Consultant, author, speaker and Dramatic Arts specialist. His book, “Dramathemes” is in it’s 3rd edition and is used in many Education Faculties in Ontario. It not only provides “activities” but it creates units that are easily integrated into the language curriculum.

The Council of Drama and Dance Educators has a fantastic website and there are many free resources which are written by educators and can be accessed even if you are not a member of CODE. In addition, they have a conference each year held in the fall which provides opportunities to learn along with other Educators.

I would also highly recommend the Arts resources from ETFO. The Primary ETFO Arts and Revised ETFO Arts resources provide an integrated approach to all of the Arts. You can find them at Shop ETFO on the website by following the link below.

http://www.etfo.ca/SupportingMembers/Resources/pages/shopetfo.aspx

Revised ETFO Arts (2014) $23

Ref. #91.129 The Revised ETFO Arts book is a practical step-by-step handbook for junior/intermediate grade teachers who want to include the Arts in their classroom program by introducing all the elements of dance, drama, music and visual arts.

Primary ETFO Arts (2013) $20

Ref. #91.169 Primary ETFO Arts is a publication that features 10 picture books that will pique children’s interest with their universal themes, issues and questions. Each section of Primary ETFO Arts includes engaging verbal and non-verbal activities to stimulate imagination, communication and critical thinking.

I hope that these resources provide you with some ideas and inspiration. I am always looking for more. If you have some other resources to recommend; please add a comment.

December 31, 2017 Arianna Lambert Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources

Goal Setting

As the year winds down, I take time to reflect on the year that has past and consider setting a few goals for the year to come. Not only do I do this personally but I’ve often seen the new year as a great opportunity to work with students to consider what they might like to achieve moving forward in the school year.

Over the years, I’ve considered different types of goal setting but have found SMART Goals as being the most effective, personally and in my work with students. SMART Goals are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. This year, I created a SMART Goal Action Plan to work on with my students. Using this Google Doc, students will decide on a goal that they would like to accomplish and answer questions to make sure that their goals are indeed SMART. Now I know that I’ve made New Year’s Resolutions in the past that were easily forgotten by January 3rd, but I also know that an essential part of achieving our goals is support and accountability. By having students turn-in their work in Google Classroom, I’ll have the opportunity to conference with them on their action plan and have ongoing discussions as they progress. Part of the learning is going through the process. I’m really excited to support students in achieving something that is of importance to them and the hope is that by participating in this process, they may gain the skills necessary to continue to set SMART goals, personally and academically.

What goals are you setting for yourself and for your students this year? All the best for 2018!

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, Equity, General, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Professional Learning and Growth

The Workshop Presenter’s Palette

In my last post, I blogged about attending and presenting at workshops. And well…perhaps I should have waited a few weeks before sharing about that topic. Hindsight is always 20-20 and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share with you on this topic once again.

That being said, I must admit that I am coming off of a high that I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing enough of as of late. This past Monday and Tuesday, I had the privilege of participating in ETFO’s The Workshop Presenter’s Palette. I walked in not knowing quite what to expect but prepared to work on something and in all honesty, quickly realized that I was really working on myself. I’ve said it before, I love sharing the work that I get to do with amazing students and this session was really for me to be able to improve on something that I already enjoy doing.

Screenshot 2017-11-30 at 7.10.16 PM Much thanks to the “Terrific ETFO Trio” – Ruth Dawson, Joanne Myers, and Jane Bennett. Not only was it inspiring to watch these 3 women share strategies – with intentionality – but I also felt as though they gave to us on every level. From remembering our names to making sure there were yummy treats, they hosted us so well and reminded me of the importance of making my audience feel as though they matter every time that I present. I walked away wishing that I had more time to sit down and learn from them. Thank you!

Now you’re probably wondering what was so magical. Well, here are a few tips that I picked up over the 2 days. Now I can’t go giving away all of their amazing secrets, you’ll have to stay tuned and try to get in on the fun next year.

The Environment Makes A Huge Difference

We were in a large room with great acoustics so it was clear to hear the presenters. Everything was already set up for us and it was inviting because it made me feel as though they were welcoming me not just a group of people. If you know who your audience is and have time to prepare for them in advance, do it! Make it obvious that you have thought of them in planning your session.

Not sure who will be joining your session? Not to worry. Play some music. I learned that the number of beats matters. Aim for 120 beats per minute. It’s uplifting and raises the energy in the room. Consider playing a game to get started. We started with a Meet Three activity where we were asked to meet 3 new people and were given prompts for each new person we met. Each prompt was timed and eased participants from a place that was familiar to them – what they plan on doing over the holiday – to the deeper purpose of the workshop – what made a workshop memorable.

When I say that there was intentionality behind every part of the workshop, there really was. Down to the variety of tools to get the attention of participants such as clappers and other noise makers. I felt heard, never screamed over but gently brought back to the larger conversation. Small things that made a huge difference in the learning space.

Help A Friend!

Ever been in a session where people were offering feedback on something you were creating? Have you ever gotten the feeling of being overwhelmed by capturing all of the amazing feedback? Well, I think I was just given the solution. We were asked to get into Mentor Groups where we shared our workshop ideas and were given the opportunity to get feedback and answers to some of the questions we may still have about our work. Rather than frantically trying to write down the wealth of information shared, the person to the right of the presenter took notes while the presenter was able to actually engage in active listening. Sound simple? It really is and believe it or not, I never thought of it. I think this is a strategy that I will take back to the classroom and use with students in peer feedback sessions.

Equity

Language matters and the idea of intention vs. impact was made so clear to me. No matter my intentions, the impact of my words is what participants and those around me actually feel. Adam Peer was our presenter for this portion of the day and he addressed the importance of being conscious of the images that are shown in our sessions. Do they show the diversity that exists in terms of abilities, skin colour, religion, age, family, and genders? Still saying girls and boys or ladies and gentlemen? Consider using children, everyone or using the person’s name instead.

I feel as though I’ve just touched the surface of all that was incredible about this 2-day session but at the same time given away a few tips that you may chose to take back to your classrooms or even workshops. I’m refreshed and excited to implement my learning into my sessions and classroom. Remember to stay tuned to ETFO’s Upcoming Events to sign up for amazing PD that is sure to change your life.

November 23, 2017 Kelly.McLaughlin Celebrating Success, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, Diverse Learning Needs, Inspiring Teachers, Learning About Your Students, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, Mentorship, Mindfulness, Professional Learning and Growth, Questioning, Resources, wellness, Wellness

Book group

A colleague of mine started a book club for educators in our school. We read the book “The boy who was raised as a dog” which takes you on the journey of various stories from the child psychiatrist, Bruce D. Perry. The book group involved seven to eight educators discussing the assigned chapters we had read for the week. I highly recommend this read for any teachers who have ever struggled with a “challenging” student. The book details the accounts of many children Perry encountered whose traumatic past altered their future. The book teaches all teachers to have a compassion that is so necessary for these traumatized children.

We discussed many things during our meetings each week. We started discussing the chapters but the conversations always had a way of covering anything and everything. The meetings helped me go into each day with an open mind and a compassion for a child’s situation that I did not have before. You rarely think of the reason someone behaves “badly” or defiantly. We may just assume that that is the way that child is. Many of us may have not stopped to think of the reason for that action. Realistically, we all have a lot on our plates that day and we may be thinking of a quick way to discipline the child. The book helped our book group members to think of ways to help these children in class so that they may have a successful future outside of it.

Today was our last meeting and we took the last twenty minutes to reflect on our love for teaching. How amazing of a feeling it is when you have that moment in the classroom (or outside) when you just get that feeling of “this is the most incredible job on earth!” We all discussed moments we have felt like that and how incredibly lucky we are to be teachers. The book group was a great way to celebrate and to continue our love for learning. If anyone would like more information about this book, please let me know. The book could change your entire outlook on those “tough” situations, reminding us never to give up on a child or to jump to negative conclusions especially when we do not know their entire situation.

November 21, 2017November 22, 2017 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, General, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth

It’s Conference Time!

My presenter journey started a couple of years ago when I thought, “why not take a chance and share my work with other educators?”. My first conference was Bring It Together in 2015. Funnily enough, I find myself starting to write this blog from this year’s BIT conference.

In 2015 our school was involved in a school-wide Water Inquiry and I had just begun working with students on Entrepreneurial Thinking in the classroom. It was something new in our board and I was excited about this work and naturally thought the conference would be a great way to share it.

In Marketplace style, I set up my booth and had an hour filled with inspiring conversations with other educators about similar work that they were doing with students in their classrooms. Initially I thought I was there to present our work but found such value in learning from the experiences of others and gained great insight on how to take this work further. I caught the conference bug then, I’ve still got it, and I’m not letting go.

Over the years, I’ve learned 3 things as a presenter and attendee:

The Power of Story
Being Open to New Learning
Network, Network, and Network

The Power of Story

Sessions that have inspired and impacted me the most have been ones where the presenter has connected with me through the power of story. Either through taking me on their journey or sharing their students’ journey, these sessions have brought life to the material that the presenter is sharing. Seeing a real application and/or the humanness and messiness behind the implementation of ideas or projects makes it real and tangible. As an educator, I’ve realized, the realness of the struggle and the ability to overcome makes the process inspiring. I’ve tried to implement this in my presentations and am learning that it’s not just about me, but more so the amazing students who I am privileged to work with and whose work I am sharing that are the power in my presentation. As I presented at STAO a couple of weeks ago, I realized that I was most passionate when I was sharing my students’ work on hurricane solutions and the learning that I gained from them. If ever you are considering presenting, tell your story; and with their permission, tell the story of your students. It’s some of the best PD I have ever experienced.

Being Open To New Learning

It’s inevitable. At every conference, I end up attending a session where I think it might be on a particular topic and find out that it’s really about something else. In the beginning I would get discouraged and tune out if I found that I wasn’t getting what I thought I was supposed to be. Then I learned that I could get up and find another session that might better suit my needs. While I thought the second “strategy” was effective/useful, I’m learning the importance of seeing a session through and finding new learning. Whether there is a new tip or trick used by the presenter or participants or a strategy to avoid, there is always something that I can learn. Fortunately, this happened a couple of weeks ago during a session. I learned that it’s essential to test a demonstration before facilitating a session and to ensure that I truly understand all the steps involved when I’m asking participants to take a risk and try something new with me. Presentations can be tough and many of us are just learning about how to give them. Bear with us. Consider sticking it out and perhaps you may just learn something that will be of value to you in the long run. By being there you’ve already opened the envelope. Why not read its contents to the end?

Network, Network, and Network

Ok…It may be no secret but I love Twitter. I have to say that all credit goes to my former Principal, Greg McLeod, who suggested I hop on a few years ago to participate in a Twitter chat. I hesitantly agreed to join the Twitterverse and little did I know, it would be a revolutionary tool that would connect me to educators all around the world. I’ve gained tips and ideas by seeing the work of others online and during conference time, it’s my opportunity to seek them out and meet them in person. It’s also my chance to find new people to connect with and learn from. Last year, I attended a workshop at STAO where I met Shari Green-Brown who is the Principal of RJ Lang Elementary & Middle School. Who would have thought that learning about hand tools during a session would lead to the opportunity to collaborate with her – and others – to help facilitate our STEM Certificate Course or our current PD series – Tinkering Thursdays? I’ve grown as a teacher, presenter and facilitator by building a relationship that began on Twitter, was strengthened through an experience at a conference and developed over time. If ever you decide to take advantage of presenting or attending a conference, take the leap! Talk to a stranger or a Twitter friend. You never know who you might meet & what journey you’ll have the chance to take with them.

Fall conference season is almost done for me. As I look forward to the fun of conferences this spring, I’ll keep in mind: The Power of Story; Being Open to New Learning; and Network, Network, and Network. Consider taking advantage of conferences and events offered by ETFO. Last year I had the opportunity to present at ETFO’s ICT Conference. The energy was simply amazing and the sessions offered many new learning opportunities for participants.

I look forward to learning from and with you soon!