Several reflections and thoughts from my trip this week to the National Principals Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
- When teachers are asking for more devices for students, we should be asking how the devices are going to be used. We don’t want students simply completing digital worksheets, but rather creating, making and solving authentic problems using technology. Thank you @TechNinjaTodd for your insight, collaboration, and sharing.
- When we focus professional development on how many hours teachers are completing, we completely miss the point. We should be more concerned with what teachers are learning during PD time. Thank you @ThomasCMurray for helping to ensure that students are #FutureReady.
- Innovative learning spaces can be easily created by using DIY furniture. Reach out to family and community members to help redesign and personalize learning for students. Thank you @DellWein for sharing your journey to improve learning spaces for students.
- When teachers and students have a say in what goes on in the building, they are less likely to complain or respond negatively. Keep the positive vibes going by recognizing and celebrating students and staff alike. Thank you to @Shelley_Burgess and @BethHouf for your inspiration and for ultimately sharing your PIRATE spirit!
- @TheresaStager shared tools and apps to work smarter, not harder. Inbox Zero is possible thanks to an app called Polymail, which allows you to send an email back to your email at a later date. She also shared If This Then That, which gives you the ability to connect various social media accounts. Her crowning achievement during the session, however, is when she shared Unroll.me! This site allows you to quickly find out which subscription emails you are receiving, and gives you the ability to cancel the ones you don’t want.
- Thank you to @casas_jimmy for sharing your inspirational message. Standing up and proclaiming “EVERY KID. EVERY DAY. WHATEVER IT TAKES.” with other educators has a certain way of uplifting your spirit. There is still work to be done, and it’s important that we do it every day for KIDS. We can never forget this message. For most of us, it’s why we got into this in the first place, and it sometimes gets forgotten or missed amongst other concerns or issues. KIDS first, KIDS always.
Thank you to these wonderful educators who lifted and rejuvenated me with their powerful words. Thank you also to @RossCoops31, @JayBilly2, @drzitopaw, @CiminoHMP, @RFreil, @mhayes611, @jdolci, and @NazHSPrincipal who simply brightened my day through conversation/sharing.
I left the conference on Tuesday more committed than when I arrived and for that, I am grateful.
Rich (@RACzyz)