my version of transparent, collaborative leadership...with a Teamann twist

Texas Tripapolooza…

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2013-04-18-ChildressEdTechMy word. It’s the first day of summer and I haven’t paused to take a breath.

#TEPSA13 was great. Fast paced and full of sharing. Wish there were more admin’s on Twitter so they could have shared about their sessions. When you’re missing that techno component now, I feel like I miss out so much of what the conference has to offer. There’s a only a couple sessions per day, so it was hard to pick and choose where to go. Did get to dinner with some great peeps…and go t to meet @DrJolly for the first time.  Have  Relevant content, lack of tech.tepsa

#ignite13 was great. (there’s a pattern here, go with it.) I didn’t realize that it was a techno focused conference so that was a pleasant surprise! There were several district peeps there that I hope enjoyed the sessions…I saw sites like Dovewhisper and Blabberize being shared.  Was bummed that the Aurasma session was scheduled at the same time as mine so I wasn’t able to go to it, but I’ve already warned @TechNinjaTodd that we’re having a sit down to discuss next week.  Met several tweeps in person, including the great @Shareski, whom I hope to have more time with at #iste13 next week. Wish the content was stronger, but great tech involved…

 

The last of my triple threat trips is next week. (pant, pant, pant) I leave for ISTE on Saturday. What’s in store for me there? LOTS of my PLN who’ll I’ll either see again from ASCD or get to meet for the first time, 🙂 Super excited about my roomies, which will prolly make the trip worth it for me! (Joan, Ashlie, Erin, & Angela) Hoping this conference will be the perfect cornucopia of tech, content, and fellowship. I have a post coming up on that, on the great tech divide.

 

This has literally been the year of the conference for me and I can’t wait for 1013-2014 to put into action all that I’ve seen…but I’m not going to lie. I am ALSO ready for several weeks off … 🙂

 

haven’t packed yet,

Amber

 

 

 

3…2…1..social media blast off!

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tinywebbannerKeeping current as an administrator can be difficult! Come get fired up about social media (FB, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and learn how you can use it to your administrative advantage. You will walk out knowing how to get started and with some best practices for experienced users. This session will cover the how to’s and the why’s from an elementary and secondary administrators’ perspective.

 

 

 

Prezi from today’s session:

[prezi id= ‘http://prezi.com/ur7rwnpztsak/321blast-off/‘ ]

 

 

Twitter for beginners

Chat schedule

Hootsuite for Beginners

Printable Template for Pinterest Board

Instagram template

Facebook Assignment

Flutter video

Sasquatch video

Social Media

 

 

a SM blast,

Amber

A lesson in justice & passion…by Sandra Day O’Conner

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oconHave you ever applied for a job and didn’t get it? Wanted to go to a certain school and didn’t get in? How did that make you feel?

Would it make you feel better to know that you are in great company? Sandra Day O’Conner, retired Supreme Court Justice, couldn’t get a job right out of law school. In fact, it was so difficult for her to find something she went ahead and worked for free…sharing an “office” space with the firm’s secretary until they had enough business to bring her on staff.

Hearing her tell her story at #ASCD13 last weekend was so inspiring. Not only because of that fact but because of her passion that is still evident for what she does. Even from the bench she saw that there was such a misunderstanding of the court systems in America, that she feels it is her civic duty to continue to improve our nation in some fashion. She founded iCivics, designed to prepare young Americans to become knowledgeable, engaged 21st century citizens by creating free and innovative educational materials. Why iCivics? She wittily said we “have i-everything else, why not iCivics?”…earning one of many chuckles from the crowd.

Other tidbits of terrific-ness?

  • 2 out 3 students scored below standards on citizenship in middle schools, only 1 out 3 adults can identify the three branches of government
  • Her favorite way to get items discussed civilly? Over lunch at her house.
  • She feels that young people need to be aware of current events, be able to mix it all up and have a conversation.
  • There are great opportunities for males and females to be involved in politics, but that passion has to be developed while you’re young.

Her number one piece of advice to students? Be able to read fast and write well. The orator kept trying to steer the conversation to her impact on female success in this country but she wouldn’t go there, choosing instead to focus on what educators could do to ignite the passion in their students to love learning. She chose to go to law school because of one of her undergrad classes. That professor inspired her…and she became the first female supreme court justice.

What could you inspire your students to be? Hopefully about something so passionate that even when retired, they are still fighting for it!

 

civically,

Amber