Teaching a totally new course: not as scary as I anticipated!

For the first time since I began my career as an educator, I am not teaching a Spanish class. At first, I experienced an identity crisis. I thought to myself when I meet someone new and they ask me what I do, can I still call myself a teacher? I have met a few new people and I do still introduce myself as a teacher. The hard part is when they ask, what do you teach? I'm never totally sure how to answer this question. Until a few weeks ago, I wasn't actively teaching a class. So for a couple of months, I would awkwardly explain my role as the Technology Integration Department Chair, which to anyone outside of an independent school sounds like a made-up job title. Now that I'm back in the classroom, I feel more like my old self. The only difference, I'm teaching a class on a subject that is totally new to me!

Some time at the end of last school year, I heard through the grapevine that they were looking for someone to teach Small Business Management in our Innovation Department. I approached the department chair and asked about the class. I explained that while I had absolutely no experience in managing a small business, I'd be interested in teaching it if they'd be willing to have me. Luckily for me, most of the courses taught in the Innovation Department use Design Thinking protocols and really look for the teacher to be more of a facilitator than a leader.  So there began my journey as a Small Business Management teacher.

During the first semester, I checked in with the department chair regularly and we slowly planned and revamped the final course project to prepare for the class to begin in mid-January. By early December, I was feeling really confident - we had a great plan and we coordinated with real businesses to give our students an authentic experience.

On the first day of class, I walked into the classroom and suddenly my stomach dropped. I had this moment of panic, thinking: what have I gotten myself into?! As the students filed into the room, I saw some familiar faces and others that I didn't know at all. As I was rehearsing my introduction in my head, I realized I was planning it all in Spanish. I took a deep breath and started the class by introducing myself and setting the stage that this class would be about learning collaboratively and using interviews with real businesses as an integral tool. We spent the first class getting to know one another and completing some creativity exercises. By the end of the class, I was feeling more confident.

Over the past three weeks, I have learned so much from my time in the classroom with these students. Because I am unable to answer many of their questions, I get to push it back on them and really encourage them to seek out the information for themselves. I am watching them depend on one another for help and guidance. I leave each class energized and excited to see where the next class will lead us. There are some days I walk in feeling a little nervous about how it will all play out but those nerves motivate me to keep pushing myself further to explore more ways to embolden the students.

My experience makes me question so many times that I just answered students' questions in my Spanish classroom without pushing them to think differently or look for the information themselves. I am the beginning of this journey and it's already made me rethink so many things. I can't wait to see where I am when the class ends in May.

How a 19 Year Old Entrepreneur Motivated Me!

In 2011, I spent a summer in Southern California working for the Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy at Pomona College.  During my two months in Cali, I spent everyday in a Spanish One Immersion class with six or seven students ages 13-15.  It was a great experience and I even got the chance to pilot Middlebury's online language program.  Even though it was just a few years ago, it feels like a lifetime ago!  A few months ago, a colleague who started a new course at our school called Small Business Start-Up, told me about an amazing 19 year old that had started her own company, Yellowberry.  I was so impressed by the story behind the company and how the founder was trying to empower young girls.  As I was browsing the website, I came across a video telling her story.  As I watched the video, I kept thinking, this girl looks so familiar.  Finally it hit me that it was Megan, a student from summer I had worked for Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy.  Today I was lucky enough to participate in a Skype chat with Megan and the Small Business Start-Up class.  Megan's story just reminded me of how much young people can accomplish when they use their tech skills for good.  Since starting her company, she has deferred her entry to college (at Middlebury!) until next year.  In the meantime, she is running PR, Social Media and Blogging for her company. It has since grown to employ 5 full-time employees and outsourcing some parts of the work.  She has even been picked up by Aerie for a collaboration.

Hearing her story, I really started to reflect on the skills that our students will need when they enter the work force.  Megan has been thrown into the business world pretty quickly with the success she's had.  She's had to learn a lot in a short amount of time. I want to make sure that when students leave my school they have the skills they need in order to be successful.  Over the past few years, my school has discussed content versus skills a lot.  We arrived at the conclusion that skills should outweigh content. But the struggle for many teachers is making that shift.  Moving assessments away from memorization of facts to demonstrating mastery of skills is challenging and it takes time.  Megan's story reminded me that we are moving in the right direction and reignited my interest in motivating teachers to make that transition.

I encourage you to check out Yellowberry and Megan's story, I promise you'll be impressed!

#realtime from Common Sense Media

These days when we are all hooked to our devices, this is a great reminder not just for parents but for everyone.  It's important to unplug and be in the moment!

What I've learned about Parenting in the Digital Age...

Back in November, I attended the Family Online Safety Institute Annual Conference.  After the conference, I started reflecting on how hard it must be to be a parent these days.  I'm not a parent, but I am an aunt and a teacher.  In those roles, I've heard countless parents seeking more information and guidance on how to handle technology use with their children and adolescents.   It's an area that is constantly changing which causes it's own challenges.  So here are the major take aways that I gained from the FOSI conference.

Balance risk and reward in the digital world.

I loved this quote from Sonia Livingstone of the London School of Economics: "Children have to encounter risks because it's how they live and learn.  It's how they go out into the world and become resilient." As parents and educators, we cannot shelter kids from the things they may encounter in the world.  Instead, we need to prepare them and give them opportunities to navigate the digital world.  This can be hard sometimes because we worry about what they may see, hear, or find. Parents and teachers must develop a relationship with children and students that allows for open conversation. 

Be a role model.

During the conference, Michael Rich from the Center on Media and Child Health at Harvard University said, "Kids hear about 1% of what we say, but see 100% of what we do."  If we model our expectations, it will make it much easier to enforce.  If you expect your child to unplug during dinner, then you too must do it. 

Let kids be bored!

Boredom can spark creativity and innovation.  As tempting as it is to pacify kids with technology, it's important for them to develop the skills of being bored.  We do a disservice to our kids and students if we constantly entertain them. Encourage your kids and your whole family to unplug every weekend for a period of time.  

Sleep is important!

We all know that kids and teenagers need lots of quality sleep.  Technology can interfere with their ability to get a good night's rest.  One of the best suggestions that I heard at the conference is to make their bedrooms a tech free zone.  Even if a phone is silenced or turned off, having it nearby can create anxiety which causes poor sleep.  Creating a charging or docking station in a common space of your home, is a good way to keep technology out of the bedroom overnight.

People before Technology

This concept of "People before technology" came from Erin Reilly of the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab.  It is a phrase that she started using with her son when he was a toddler to let him know when it was time to put down a device.  I can see how this phrase can apply to any age, even for adults.  At the end of the day, what matters most is people.  What we say and do on the internet affects others.  It is important to take the time to reflect on how our actions online might affect someone else.  

For more resources and help with "Parenting in the Digital Age," check out my resource page under the Parent Resources tab.

Round 2!

Last Spring I started this blog to reflect on my experience as a Technology Integration Specialist.  Clearly, time got away from me and beyond my first post, I haven't taken that time to reflect.  After spending two days at an amazing conference, I'm finally motivated to get back into blogging and sharing some of my experiences.   So here goes Round Two of starting my own blog!  Wish me luck and check back soon to follow me on this journey!

Making the move....

Almost a year ago, I got the itch to make a change and try something new.  I was looking for new challenges and a way to grow in my profession. Then it happened, the yearly email with open positions came into my inbox.  I saw a posting for a Technology Integration Specialist and I started to think... could this be for me?

A few days later, I got an email from the TIS Chair asking if I would be interested in "talking" about the position.  I had completed a Masters degree with a focus on Technology Integration but I hadn't really done anything with it for a few years.  After talking about to friends, family and colleagues, I decided to take the risk and apply for the position.

After an interview and a month of waiting, I got the exciting news that I would be the Technology Integration Specialist for 7th-12th graders AND I would still get to teach a class. It has been a challenging year and I've learned A LOT!  This blog will be a way for me to reflect on what I've learned, what has inspired me, and how I want to revolutionize education.