Author

Susan Meyer

Interview with Astronaut and TCEA Convention Keynote Dr. Mae Jemison

by Susan Meyer January 29, 2019

written by Susan Meyer

Mae Jemison opening keynote If you’re gearing up for the 2019 TCEA Convention & Exposition right now, then one of the many things you’re probably excited about is our opening keynote from Dr. Mae Jemsion. (And if you’re not currently gearing up for the Convention, don’t worry; there’s still time to register.) Dr. Jemison has long worked in STEM fields. She is a former astronaut and an engineer, social scientist, entrepreneur, and educator. You can learn more fun facts about her background here.

Her approach to education and encouraging future scientists, tech leaders, engineers, and mathematicians is to cultivate their curiosity about the world. I had the pleasure of speaking to Dr. Jemison and learning a bit more about her views on education, STEM learning, and more.

Embracing Curiosity as the Heart of Science

Dr. Jemison describes her own love of science in childhood as blossoming from her curiosity about the world around her. “For me, I wanted to know how the world works. Every child wants to know how the world works.” She encourages educators to really harness that innate desire to explore. “That’s the point at which we really need to connect as educators: honoring and respecting and integrating that incredible curiosity. Children come out picking up bugs and looking at things and trying to experiment, and that’s how they learn about the world. Sometimes we get so carried away with the idea of professionals ‘doing STEM’ that we forget that at the base of all of this is trying to understand the world around us.”

“I think one of the issues that can happen in education is we actually destroy that [curiosity]. We want a specific answer. We ask for something to be memorized. And that’s not the best way.”

Encouraging Student Exploration

One of the first things Dr. Jemison did after leaving NASA was to apply this philosophy to the science camp she founded called The Earth We Share. She describes the approach she took there. “It was about science literacy. And it was for students 12-16 years old because that’s the age when they start falling out of the sciences. But the reality is they are really excited about the world around them. They have incredible motivation.”

She developed a curriculum with the help of educators, child psychiatrists, and others that was focused on developing problem solving and critical thinking skills. “We let students answer questions like ‘Predict the hot public stocks in the year 2030’ or ‘Design the world’s perfect house’ or ‘How many people can the Earth hold?’ We created a methodology that was really experiential.” The students at the camp worked on solving problems together and then presenting their solutions. Working together, they were able to really invest themselves in their team’s solutions. “When working on teams, peer pressure can actually be a wonderful thing. They don’t want to let their team down.”

Helping Educators Support Students

The Earth We Share program was designed to help teachers as much as students. “We wanted to give teachers the opportunity to see that you could get even better results when you have the students in pursuit of information rather than you telling them they have to absorb it.” She encourages teachers to guide students in searching for their own answers by trying things out.

When asked what teachers can be doing to prepare students for the future workforce, Dr. Jemison says, “Again, our goal is to harness that innate construct for information gathering and problem-solving and to refine it. When we learn best, it’s often by doing stuff. You learn all these miscellaneous things along the way [to solving a problem] that may or may not be relevant. You have to learn to filter it to find the right information to solve the problem.”

“We want to ask the question, and then we want an immediate answer from the kids. But sometimes you need to get enough questions out there to understand the range and complexity of a problem. Have the students produce the questions. What do they think they need to understand in order to solve the problem?” At the Earth We Share, they called this the “discovery method.”

Another way Dr. Jemison sees that educators can help support student curiosity and problem-solving is to embrace differences and allow students to learn how they learn best. “An issue I sometimes see in education is that we want everybody to learn at the same rate and the same way and the same thing.” By letting students learn in the way that is best for them, it can allow their curiosity and critical thinking skills to flourish.

See You in San Antonio!

Do you want to hear more from Dr. Mae Jemison and the exciting things she sees coming for education and science? Make sure to check out her keynote at the 2019 TCEA Convention & Exposition in San Antonio. She’ll be speaking on February 5 at 1 p.m.

January 29, 2019 0 comments

Announcements/Important Dates Leadership

Interview with 2019 TCEA Convention Closing Keynote Alison Levine

by Susan Meyer January 8, 2019

written by Susan Meyer

Our closing keynote at the TCEA Convention & Exposition will be the incredible Alison Levine. You can read more about Alison and some of her accomplishments here. We had a chance to ask Alison a few questions about her successes, her experiences, and what drives her. After hearing a little bit more from her, we’re even more excited to hear what she has to say in San Antonio on February 8. Are you planning to see Alison in person, along with 1,200 workshops and sessions by other educators and thought leaders? Register on or before January 9 to receive the best pricing.

When did you first become interested in mountain climbing and boundary-pushing travel?

When I was younger, I was quite intrigued by the stories of the early Arctic and Antarctic explorers and the early mountaineers. I would read books and watch documentary films about these adventurers…and then finally the light bulb went on in my head and I thought, “If I want to know what it’s like to be Reinhold Messner and drag a 150 lb sled across 600 miles of Antarctic ice, or if I want to know what it was like to be Sir Edmund Hillary or George Mallory—then I should go do these things instead of just reading or watching films about them.” But I did not start climbing until I was 32 years old (and I’m 52 now). I started later in life because I had some health issues that required a couple of heart surgeries (all good now though). It’s never too late to start living your own adventure.

What was your path to success like?

I am not even sure how I would define “success” really, because I think of life as a series of experiences that are ongoing. My path is just a bunch of twists and turns and I have no idea where it will take me next, and I’m fine with that.

What motivates you to continue achieving new things? What and who inspires you and your work?

What motivates me is the thought that my various achievements could perhaps inspire other people to try new things, to push themselves outside of their comfort zones, and to never listen to the naysayers. As far as who inspires me: a woman named Pasang Lhamu Sherpa who was the first female Sherpa to summit Mt Everest. She is the woman who took on—and won—the fight for gender equality in Nepal. Pasang had a dream to climb Mt Everest because she saw all the men in her village climbing, but at the time, the government of Nepal did not allow female Sherpas to climb. Pasang could not read, could not write, could not even speak the national language in Nepal—yet had the courage to fight for equal rights for female Sherpas. She summitted Everest on her fourth attempt in 1993, but sadly, she perished in the descent. I am working on a documentary about her right now, and you can check out the film trailer if you’d like to learn more about this amazing trailblazer. In addition to the feature-length film, we will cut a 90-minute version for schools.

What lessons can educators take from your experiences?

Well, it would take me days to write up all the lessons, so I will leave you with one: When you climb a lot of mountains (figuratively speaking), there will undoubtedly be many expeditions where you fail to make the summit. But failing is not always a bad thing. Society and corporate America are often not failure tolerant enough, which is unfortunate because a lack of failure tolerance stifles progress and innovation and prevents people from taking risks. And a lot of our successes would not have been realized had someone else not taken risks and blazed the trails before us. Previous failure often propels future progress. The key is that you have to learn from the failure and figure out what you need to do differently the next time around.

How would you describe your own philosophy as an educator?

My philosophy as an educator is to help people understand that they are in a leadership position. You can’t leave leadership to one person or to a couple of people with certain titles. I want everyone to empower themselves to think and act like a leader, regardless of title or tenure, because everyone on a team has a responsibility to help the team move toward a goal, and everyone also has a responsibility to be looking out for one another. This type of thinking must be embraced by everyone on the team.

What do you consider to be your most important accomplishment?

Well, as far as climbing goes, my most important accomplishment would be my climb of Mt Stanley in the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda because, during that climb, my team took a group of Ugandan women up the mountain for the first time. (No Ugandan women had climbed this mountain before that.) We trained them to work as porters and trekking guides in those mountains – which had a huge impact because working in these mountains is really the only way to earn money in that area. As a result, women were hired by the local guiding company and were able to earn a sustainable living wage for the first time in their lives. And that climb also enabled the first local woman (Malabina Muthahinga) to summit Uganda’s highest peak. Lots of milestones on that climb!

And finally…what can attendees at the TCEA Convention expect from your keynote?

They can expect to learn a lot, laugh a lot, and hopefully walk away feeling like they can tackle any challenge that comes their way.

January 8, 2019 0 comments

Good Teaching

Member Spotlight on Literacy Specialist Mandy Taylor

by Susan Meyer December 14, 2018

written by Susan Meyer

As you know, each month TCEA likes to shine the spotlight on one of our incredible members. We want to give our readers the inside scoop on what real educators are doing throughout Texas to make a difference in their students’ lives. As another year winds down, we have one more member spotlight to share with you this year! Our last member spotlight of 2018 is on Mandy Taylor. Mandy is a first-year literacy specialist at Hays CISD. Previously, she was a classroom teacher for 17 years and campus-based instructional coach for three years. Read on to learn more about Mandy’s story and her favorite advice and tech tips.

The Life of a District Literacy Specialist

In her first year as a literacy specialist, Mandy is able to support teachers, coaches, and administrators at multiple campuses in Hays CISD. Each day she takes on a lot of tasks and wears many different hats. You can find her attending or leading training, attending data meetings, modeling lessons in classrooms, or PLC planning with grade level teams. As Mandy explains, “I like the fact that I never know what I’m going to learn on any given day. I get to learn from so many amazing educators. I also love how technology can help a district our size stay connected across campuses.”

Connecting Teachers Near and Far

Mandy cites Twitter as a tool that has really helped her to stay connected to all her stakeholders across the district. (You can find her @mandymtaylor.) However, she is also using other mediums available to her to create more fun ways to connect with teachers nationwide. “I host a podcast with Josh Gauthier (@mrgfactoftheday) called Stories in EDU, hosted by the Bretzmann group. We visit with teachers across the country to hear stories from inside classrooms. It’s been a fun way to connect with teachers that I’ve met in my district and through social media and has opened up lots of new questions and things for me to learn.” You can access the podcast and listen to the latest episode and all past episodes here.

Ready to Get Fully Charged?

Mandy will be attending the 2019 TCEA Convention & Exposition and getting Fully Charged in San Antonio this February. Will you? “I love learning and presenting at TCEA. I also blogged for TCEA at the conference last year!” In fact, she will be presenting on personalized PD along with colleagues Amy Storer, Kristi Daws, and Knikole Taylor. Their 90-minute panel will be held at 8 a.m. on Wednesday February 6. It promises to shake up the traditional professional development model and provide voice and choice to teachers.

Tricks of the Trade

I couldn’t interview Mandy without asking for her best advice and favorite tech tools. Naturally, Mandy is focused on making connections and working with others. “My best tech-tip in general is to connect with other coaches. Coaching is a very lonely job because you are often the only one on your campus who does what you do. Twitter is a great way to connect, as well as the TCEA Community!”

And her favorite ed tech tool? It’s Flipgrid! “It can be used across multiple content areas, with adults and kids, and is a great tool for communicating with staff and parents. It’s got so many built-in features and is very user-friendly. It also has a great community of educators to support you as you’re learning how to implement it in your classroom!”

Thanks to Mandy for answering my questions and wrapping up 2018 with some great advice and resources! To learn about other innovative educators transforming education, you can read some of our previous member spotlight posts here. Do you know a TCEA member who needs to be in the spotlight? You can always email me your suggestions at smeyer@tcea.org.

December 14, 2018 0 comments

English Language Arts Reading (ELAR)Writing

Unlock Your Students’ Stories with Tools to Support Creative Writing

by Susan Meyer November 20, 2018

written by Susan Meyer

Creative writing is the makerspace of the mind. A truly open assignment where students are free to follow whatever crazy directions their stories takes them? This is a priceless avenue for invention.

Right now, we’re nearing the end of Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month). This is a 30-day period when writers around the world write like the wind. The goal is to produce a 50,000-word novel during the month. This writer has personally started and failed the challenge three times. But luckily, I never consider the undertaking truly a failure. After all, even if you don’t hit a certain number of words, there are always things to be gained from writing stories. Writing builds confidence, encourages creativity and self-expression, boosts the imagination and problem-solving skills, and helps you learn to clarify your thoughts.

I want to share some tools to get your students writing down their craziest, most outlandish, off-the-wall stories. Here are some ideas to get started.

Spark Inspiration

Writer’s block. Sometimes the most difficult task is overcoming the blank page. Here are some tools to help your students answer the question: What should I write about?

Thanks to the collective hive mind of the internet, there’s no shortage of writing prompt generators. These provide free plots ideas to start a narrative. This site lets you choose your genre and what type of ending the story will have. And this one from Scholastic lets you choose your grade level for age-appropriate writing projects. This Google Doc option doesn’t create full plots but instead offers imaginative phrases to get those wheels turning.

For your more visual writers, check out this Emoji Writing Prompt Generator. A few randomly-selected icons might spur your students to write the next great American novel.

Finally, if you don’t want a whole plot mapped out for you, there’s this fun generator that creates the first line of a story for you. This could be a fun classtime writing activity if you assign all students to write using the same first line and discover all the different directions their stories can go!

Write Online

Once they have their idea, the next challenge is putting pen to paper. Or, times being what they are, fingers to keyboard. Typing out a story has some distinct advantages. You can easily share it with others for collaboration. It’s often faster than writing by hand. And you don’t have to worry about your only copy blowing away or getting thrown in the fireplace or some other very literary scenario. Here are a few places students can start their next writing project:

Of course, it would be impossible not to include Google Docs. This tool makes word processing in the cloud simple. Changes are automatically saved and your students can also easily share their work with you or other students for comments.

Draft is another free tool designed for online word processing. It has some unique features that make it great for young writers. It provides a word count at the bottom of the screen and lets them know how many words they are writing per day. It also allows them to make “to do” notes in their stories so they can easily come back to things they want to elaborate on more.

Of course, there are also some downsides to writing on a computer instead of in a notebook. Namely: distractions. Calmly is a writing tool that tries to keep the writing process distraction-free. When you start typing, all of the distracting menu options disappear, so you have a blank canvas to work on.

Refine the Work

One of the fun things about creative writing is you can let all the ideas flow freely and not worry about editing. Those NaNoWriMo winners who get to 50,000 words certainly don’t end up with a completely polished, ready-to-publish piece in 30 days. While the goal of encouraging creative writing might not require polishing, you can still provide some tools if your students are happy with their story and want to take it to the editing phase.

Grammarly is a free proofreading extension you can add to your web browser. It will correct typos and grammatical errors in everything from your emails and social media posts to your creative stories and poems.

Hemingway App is a way for writers to improve the readability of their work. It highlights sentences that are hard to read and offers suggestions for fixing them. Depending on their personal style, your budding writers may or may not find this useful. If they enjoy figurative flourishes and are more of a William Faulker than an Ernest Hemmingway, this might not be the tool for them.

Go Forth and Create

In the same way that students can find value in makerspaces by creating things without strict parameters, so too is there great value in free writing. Allowing students to use their imaginations to whip up whole worlds from thin air is powerful. Do you have any favorite writing tools? Please share them in the comments below!

November 20, 2018 0 comments

Announcements/Important Dates

Our TCEA Convention Closing Keynote Is Always Reaching New Heights

by Susan Meyer November 12, 2018

written by Susan Meyer

I can’t wait for the 2019 Convention & Exposition in San Antonio. Not only am I excited to see thousands of motivated educators gather in the Mission City, but we’re welcoming not one but two incredible adventurers as our keynotes. You may have already read about our opening keynote astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison, but our closing keynote is just as inspiring. TCEA is pleased to welcome Alison Levine to the stage to close out the week. Read on to learn why you aren’t going to want to miss her.

She’s Unstoppable

Alison has survived it all. Extreme temperatures, avalanches, hurricane-force winds. You name it. She is one of only a few dozen people to have completed the Adventure Grand Slam, an achievement she spent more than two decades working towards. The Adventure Grand Slam requires skiing to the North and South Poles and climbing the Seven Summits (the highest mountain on each of the seven continents). She completed her Grand Slam by scaling Mount Everest in 2010.

In January 2008, she went down in the history books as the first American to complete a 600-mile trek from west Antarctica to the South Pole. She survived extreme conditions and lugged 150 pounds of gear while on skis. This is despite having had three heart surgeries and suffering from a condition that makes her particularly susceptible to frostbite.

Alison believes anyone can achieve what they want to by sheer force of will and never giving up. As she shares on her website: “You don’t have to be the best, fastest, strongest climber to get to the top of a mountain. You just have to be absolutely relentless about putting one foot in front of the other.”

She’s a Leader

Alison’s summit of Everest was made as the captain of Team No Boundaries, the first ever American all-women group to attempt and achieve reaching the top of the tallest mountain in the world.

Outside of her outdoor adventures, Alison has climbed great heights on the corporate ladder as well. She worked in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry, earned an MBA from Duke University, and spent three years working for Goldman Sachs. When she left Goldman in 2003, it was to serve as deputy finance director for Arnold Schwarzenegger in his successful bid to become Governor of California.

She has also led as an educator. Levine served as an adjunct instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point She has also acted as a strategic advisor for the Thayer Leader Development Group at West Point. This is an executive education program that “shares West Point leadership best practices with senior-level executives from the public and private sectors.”

Her knowledge on leadership doesn’t just stop at the mountaintop or the boardroom door. Whether you’re seeking to lead other educators or students or community stakeholders, Levine has plenty of insights to offer.

She Helps Others Rise with Her

In 2005, Levine founded the Climb High Foundation. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping improve the lives of women in Africa by providing job training so they can become mountain guides. This way they can have a sustainable living wage by being part of climbing tourism in their countries.

She also supports the stories of others. She is an executive producer on a film called The Glass Ceiling which tells the story of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa who became the first Nepali woman to summit Everest. Born into poverty, Pasang battled racism, sexism, and political leadership in her country to achieve what is already a very difficult feat, even without those barriers.

Overall, Alison Levine is someone who will inspire you to be the best leader you can be in your own life and work. I hope you will join us at the 2019 Convention & Exposition to hear from this remarkable adventurer, risk-taker, trailblazer, and advocate for those who never give up no matter what challenges they face.

This Wednesday, November 14 is the last day to register at the early bird price, so register now to save $100.

November 12, 2018 0 comments

Digital Literacy Educational Trends Good Teaching

Member Spotlight on Lexi Law

by Susan Meyer October 17, 2018

written by Susan Meyer

The leaves are changing. The semester is well underway. And we’re excited to share with you another one of our TCEA members who is having an incredible impact on education! This month’s member spotlight shines on Lexi Law, an Education and Training teacher at the Wichita Falls ISD Career Education Center. Read on to learn more about Lexi, her work molding the next generation of educators, and her go-to tech tip.

A Teacher and a Leader

Before she became an Education and Training center teacher, Lexi taught fifth-grade science. Now she’s moved up to high school, and instead of inspiring budding scientists, she’s leading the next generation of educators! It would be hard to find someone more qualified to mold future teachers. She recently received her master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Midwestern State University. Beyond that, her list of accomplishments and accolades is long. She is the 2019 Region 9 Elementary Teacher of the Year. She has also previously been named the 2018 Wichita Falls ISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. She won the 2017 Ernest and Sarah Butler Excellence in Elementary Science Teaching Award from Texas Medical Association and was a 2016 and 2018 West Foundation Excellence in Teaching Recipient through Wichita Falls ISD. In addition to her other responsibilities, she is also the head organizer of the Wichita Falls Ed Camp.

Opening Doors for Future Educators

All educators have the unique joy of helping their students realize their future dreams. In Lexi’s case, the students she helps already know their dream–to become teachers themselves. In 2017, Wichita Falls opened a brand new facility, their Career Education Center. The program offers a number of career pathways, but the one Lexi works with is Education and Training. She helps her students really understand what the profession ultimately entails. As Lexi explains, “The most rewarding part about my job is changing the way my students view education and all of its bits and pieces.”

The students in the Education and Training Center aren’t just learning about education, they’re experiencing it. “My students get to spend part of the week on elementary campuses (field site) helping to pull small groups and be a resource to teachers all over the district. I want my students to feel like they are part something awesome and that they are making a difference even if it is just helping students build their fluency with sight words. My hope is to inspire them to be enthusiastic about the education world.”

Celebrating Technology in Education

Part of teaching her students about the world of education involves how technology fits into the equation. Things are changing fast. Already the landscape of education is different from what Lexi’s high school students experienced when they were in elementary school. As Lexi explains, “One thing that shocked my students after entering the elementary classrooms is how well the K-2 students work on Chromebooks.”

Lexi works with her students for two-hour blocks, which allows them to get valuable real-world experience. She shares what really engages her students: “Something I get really excited about is when my students get excited about helping the teachers with technology. When my students are in my classroom, we use technology a lot and I model many different ways teachers can use them to increase engagement in the classroom. In fact, one of our goals is to have all the senior students in my course become certified as a Google Certified Educator Level 1 and Level 2!”

Find Your Tech Mentor

As someone who supports future teachers in working with students and technology, Lexi’s suggestion for finding the best go-to tools and strategies is to harness the incredible knowledge of the community around you. “Technology is forever changing. My biggest technology tip to educators would be to try to be aware of the people who are on your campus that are ‘tech-savvy.’ Once you have located these educators, ask them to show you some of the lessons they do that incorporate technology. Ask them to show you how to set it up. As educators, many of them will take the time to teach you about their technology efforts. After all, they are teachers. I think my ease with technology came from just asking a colleague to show me one of her lessons and, after seeing it in action, I then felt like it was doable and achievable.”

In addition to working with educators in her community, Lexi has also found mentors and resources from TCEA. “[TCEA] is such an amazing resource, professional development, and opportunity for educators to get together and collaborate. I have enjoyed presenting at Chromebook Academy and the TCEA Convention. Both of these events I would highly recommend to educators who are wanting to learn more about technology in the classroom. The entire Professional Development team at TCEA is spectacular. I would highly recommend going to any of their sessions during TCEA events. Shout out to Peggy Reimers (@preimers) and Diana Benner (@diben); they always make educators, including myself, feel like rockstars!”

We hope you enjoyed this spotlight on extraordinary educator Lexi Law. To learn about other innovative educators transforming education, you can read some of our previous member spotlight posts here. Do you know a TCEA member who needs to be in the spotlight? You can always email me your suggestions at smeyer@tcea.org.

October 17, 2018 1 comment

Educational Trends Good Teaching

Member Spotlight on Janelle Safford

by Susan Meyer September 15, 2018

written by Susan Meyer

As another school year gets underway, we at TCEA continue to be amazed at the amazing educators we know. Each month, we shine the spotlight on one of the extraordinary educators who make up our membership. This month, we’re celebrating

Janelle Safford who is an Innovative Learning Design Specialist for grades K-5 in Sulphur Springs ISD. She serves as a mentor, teacher, and valuable touchstone for other educators as they work to seamlessly weave technology into their lessons to improve student success.

Read on to learn a little more about Janelle, including what her job entails, some of her best advice, and how she determines what tech tools to recommend.

A Lifelong Learner

Janelle is a longtime educator. In fact, she’s beginning her 25th year in education this year. She has gone from teaching fourth grade to kindergarten and now on to the new challenge of teaching other educators how they can make the most of their resources. Continued learning and professional development is something that Janelle both preaches and practices. As she explains: “I love sharing my passion for innovative practices that promote and advance student learning. I believe that as an educator, I must embrace the idea of being a lifelong learner myself if I am going to be an example for teachers and students.” Janelle maintains a number of certifications and continues to hone her product expertise as a Google Level 2 certified educator, Seesaw ambassador, Flipgrid ambassador, Peardeck coach, and certified BrainPop educator (CBE).

As part of her lifelong pursuit of learning, Janelle is currently working on a Master of Education in Digital Learning and Leading through Lamar University. “I have learned so much from this program that will benefit both myself and the students and teachers that I serve.”

Eliminating Tech Fears and Embracing Student Voice

Like any educator, Janelle finds great satisfaction in helping others discover something new. She takes pride in helping teachers make their jobs easier by finding the right tools to better engage students. She also wants to raise awareness and understanding about the Technology Applications TEKS and the ISTE standards for students and educators.

Technology in education can be something of a hot button topic for some, and part of Janelle’s job is to help allay fears and frustrations about integration. She also hopes to help teachers see that their role is different but no less important in a blended learning environment that lets students take the reins. “I believe technology is a tool that can transform the way students learn. The internet now provides students with unlimited access to a wealth of information which allows them to take more responsibility for their own learning. This fact redefines the role of the teacher from being the sole source of knowledge to an information facilitator and instructional designer. I love nothing more than to share tools, lessons, ideas, and programs with teachers that can engage student learners and allow them to choose how they best learn and take ownership of their own learning.”

In fact, student ownership of learning is something that is very important to Janelle. She believes strongly that personalized learning can lead to improved student outcomes because students are more engaged when what is being taught is meaningful to them. “I think it is so important that we, as educators, look at school differently. It is no longer enough for students to be cognitively compliant and memorize their way through school. Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn by sitting in classes listening to instructors and spitting out answers.”

The Tools of the Trade

As an advocate for technology to help create these personalized and blended learning opportunities, I’m sure you’re wondering what are Janelle’s go-to resources. Well, it’s not quite that simple. “Honestly, it is impossible for me to choose only one ed tech tool or resource. I work with many different ages, topics, and student needs, so I try to think about which tools, apps, or resources give teachers and students the most bang for their buck. The first question that I often ask teachers when deciding on a tech tool is ‘What is the learning goal and how do you want students to demonstrate learning?’ This question should actually drive the conversation about any learning resource or activity.”

In addition to grounding the acquisition of any new tech in the intended learning goals, Janelle does have some features of tools and apps that she looks for. They should:

Have multiple uses.
Allow and encourage student creativity.
Contain built-in features that allow teachers to monitor student understanding and abilities and provide students with timely, relevant feedback.

Janelle also uses TCEA resources to help her stay current and find new learning solutions. She regularly attends and most recently presented at the Elementary Technology Conference. She is also a member of TEC-SIG and CAMP-SIG. For those attending the 2019 TCEA Convention & Exposition in San Antonio, you will be able to hear Janelle present there as well!

We hope you enjoyed this spotlight on the incredible Janelle Safford. To learn about other innovative educators transforming education, you can read some of our previous member spotlight posts here, here, and here. Do you know a TCEA member who needs to be in the spotlight? You can always email me your suggestions at smeyer@tcea.org.

September 15, 2018 0 comments

Announcements/Important Dates STEM/STEAM

And the 2019 TCEA Convention & Exposition Opening Keynote Is…

by Susan Meyer August 21, 2018

written by Susan Meyer

We’re so excited to announce that the opening keynote for the TCEA 2019 Convention & Exposition is the remarkable physician, engineer, social scientist, entrepreneur, educator, and wanna-be dancer Dr. Mae Jemison! Oh, and she also just happens to be a former NASA astronaut and the first woman of color to travel into space. Jemison is an advocate for STEM learning, and she has a powerful message to share with our 2019 attendees. Read on to learn a little about Jemison and why we’re thrilled to have her help get educators Fully Charged this February. You’ll also get a sneak peek at some of our other featured presenters.

The Sky Isn’t the Limit

Mae Jemison is not someone who sees barriers or limits. She is continually looking for ways to expand what humanity is capable of and to encourage the next generation to push even farther. Jemison served as a NASA astronaut for six years. She traveled aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992. She also started the Jemison Group, a technology consulting firm that Mae Jemison opening keynote develops engineering and science solutions to solve critical socio-cultural issues such as using satellite technology for healthcare delivery. Jemison is an inductee of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame. She is also a winner of the National Organization for Women’s Intrepid Award.

Jemison leads 100 Year Starship, a bold nonprofit initiated to ensure that the capabilities exist for human travel beyond our solar system to another star within the next 100 years. Of course, for these advances to happen, the next generation of learners will need to embrace STEM learning and STEM careers in a big way. Jemison has written several books to help make the ideas and concepts of the 100 Year Starship accessible to young learners.

Fostering STEM Learning

In 1994, Jemison founded the international science camp The Earth We Share. This camp is open to middle school and high school students and focuses on improving science literacy and problem-solving skills. The camp is run by the nonprofit Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, named for Jemison’s mother, a dedicated educator for 25 years. From 2011 to 2014, The Dorothy Jemison Foundation held the TEWS-Space Race which trained hundreds of middle school teachers and thousands of students in experiential science education.

Jemison is herself an educator. She was an Environmental Studies professor at Dartmouth College from 1995 through 2001, where she worked on sustainable development and technology design for the developing world.

Fun Facts About Mae Jemison

Here are a few pieces of trivia about Dr. Jemison.

Before she was an astronaut, she served as a Peace Corps medical officer in Sierra Leone and Liberia. She has also worked in a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand.
She played a role on Star Trek: The Next Generation. In fact, she was the first real astronaut to ever appear on the series.
Jemison has a LEGO minifigure in her honor as part of the Women in NASA set. It was the fastest-selling toy in Amazon history.

More Featured Presenters

In addition to the incredible Dr. Mae Jemison, we’re thrilled to be welcoming several other featured presenters that will make the 2019 Convention one to remember.

Gerry Brooks is an educator who is known for his hilarious, and all too relatable, videos on his popular YouTube channel. He will be bringing his best tips and tricks on how to foster a positive culture in your school or classroom. And, of course, he’ll make us all laugh!

Leslie Fisher is a former Apple employee who now specializes in presenting emerging and practical technology solutions to educators all over the world.

Shannon Miller is a Future Ready Librarian spokesperson working with students, librarians, and teachers to encourage conversations around education, technology, creativity, and student voice.

Toni Robinson is passionate about helping professionals embrace change, achieve results, and step into
new possibilities. Her interactive learning experiences incorporate technology, movement, and participant expertise.

Sara Schapiro is the Vice President of Education for PBS and leads their efforts to engage with education communities to empower and support students, educators, and parents. She speaks about the transformation of education through innovation and technology.

Catlin Tucker is a Google Certified Innovator who has written several books on achieving blended learning. She also runs an internationally-ranked education blog at CatlinTucker.com.

These are just a few of the voices that will be helping educators to get Fully Charged this February. We hope you will be there too, ready to take in all that they have to share. Mark your calendars because registration opens September 13. See you in San Antonio!

August 21, 2018 0 comments

Libraries

Member Spotlight on Becky Calzada

by Susan Meyer July 30, 2018

written by Susan Meyer

If you’re a regular reader, you know that each month we like to feature the story of one of our fantastic members on this blog. We feel it’s important to recognize all the amazing things educators are doing in the field, and our members are doing some pretty unbelievable things. This month, we’re fixing the spotlight on Becky Calzada, a Library Services Coordinator in Leander ISD. Read on to learn how Becky supports librarians on a daily basis, what she thinks about the evolution of the school library, and her best tech tips.

Loving the Libraries of Leander

Becky has spent more than 30 years in education. Of those years, 20 were spent in Leander ISD, and 17 were spent working in libraries. She has served in her current position as Library Services Coordinator for seven years. So what does she actually do each day in her role? Quite a lot! As Becky explains: “An average day for me includes supporting librarians via email, phone, or in person. There are also district level meetings I attend where I work with Teaching and Learning, Technology Services, or Facilities Departments on things like curriculum, literacy, technology integration, hardware purchase input, library design, and library furnishings. I also work with librarians on district-level purchases of digital resources, our library system, and book purchases. I’m a district representative on the LEEF Board, our district education foundation, where I coordinate literacy projects and volunteer with fundraising events that provide funding for our district; so I’m also coordinating book donation pick-ups or book requests for campuses. Every day is different and very busy!”

The Evolution of What a Library Can Be

Becky really enjoys working in libraries partly because she gets to be on the forefront of innovation. In her nearly two decades of working in libraries, she’s seen them transform from having two desktop computers to teeming with technology. What a library can do for students goes far beyond books. Today’s school library can be an active learning environment full of opportunities for sparking young creators and problem solvers. Becky shares what the Leander library is like these days: “Now our elementary libraries have a mix of 25 laptops with students in ALL grade levels creating, writing code, Skyping with authors, taking advantage of makerspace opportunities, and more. Our secondary campuses have gone 1:1, and librarians support with deployment, tech support, and many also have student-led tech support help desks in the library. Librarians do all this along with direct instruction on information literacy, research instruction, and digital resources. Working with librarians to stay future ready and impact student achievement by connecting what we do to our Leander ISD vision and goals is truly an amazing privilege.”

Becky is proud of what her district has accomplished so far, and they have no plans to rest on their laurels. She is always excited to support new initiatives. Leander ISD is currently taking stock of technology hardware in their elementary schools. They want to survey all teachers and librarians to see what people are actually using and what needs they still have. This will better inform future buying choices. They are also using two-years of BrightBytes data to help inform a new digital citizenship component. “We want our students and teachers to be empowered to navigate responsibly, ethically, and safely online, and this data tool will allow us to see if our work is having an impact.”

Finding Your Flock

When asked her best advice for someone starting out in her role, Becky encouraged developing a strong PLN. There is nothing as empowering as educators working together and sharing ideas and solutions to shared problems. Becky also has a favorite resource for online network building. “My go-to is Twitter; it has been a game-changer in my practice because it’s allowed me to learn and connect with other librarians, tech leaders, administrators, and authors. I follow conference hashtags to glean learning from afar too because I can’t attend every conference.”

Becky also serves as a a co-moderator for #TXLChat, a weekly Tuesday chat to connect librarians across the state. She uses the LIB-SIG part of the TCEA Community to post chat questions and further connect with a PLN of dedicated librarians. Although all educators can benefit from uniting with peers, Becky stressed the particular importance for librarians. “Librarians are typically singletons on a campus and it is easy to fall into the trap of being siloed. Virtual collaboration is possible via a PLN and has allowed me to learn about new innovations, leadership tips, tech tools, library furniture, book titles, and even library hacks. What a powerful opportunity!”

Becky’s Go-To Tech Tool

We asked Becky for her favorite tech tool right now. “I would have to say that FlipGrid is the newest tool I’ve tried and used. I’ve been invited by others to share innovations as a librarian, define what a future ready librarian is, and use it as a way to introduce myself to others. It’s a tool that be used in so many creative ways and I’m excited to use it, as well as see how others leverage its use.” If you’d like to join Becky in flipping over Flipgrid, you’ll be happy to hear it’s now free for educators to use!

Thanks for joining us in another monthly member spotlight! We hope you got some valuable tips and ideas from Becky’s journey and from the exciting steps she’s taking to keep the libraries of Leander ISD on the cutting edge. To learn about other innovative educators transforming teaching and learning, you can read some of our previous member spotlight posts here, here, and here. Do you know a TCEA member who needs to be in the spotlight? You can always email me your suggestions at smeyer@tcea.org.

July 30, 2018 0 comments

Leadership

Member Spotlight on Superintendent Dr. Kyle Heath

by Susan Meyer July 9, 2018

written by Susan Meyer

At TCEA, we have members in all roles of education. Any educator who embraces learning without limits is welcome in our ranks. Each month, we like to spotlight one of our members because it may help you, our readers, to hear great ideas that you might be able to apply to your own districts and schools. It also gives us the opportunity to showcase some outstanding educators. This month, our member spotlight is on the superintendent of Cleburne ISD, Dr. Kyle Heath.

A Long Career in Education

Dr. Heath is not new to the field of education. He has been superintendent of Cleburne for four years and, in total, has spent an incredible 31 years in education. He started out as a social studies teacher in Perry, Oklahoma. He speaks fondly of those times: “Some of my most favorite memories are from those years as a government teacher, working with students in the final leg of their journey to graduation, then watching them move on to college or career.”

Collaborating with Other Educators for Student Success

Dr. Heath’s job involves working with many different educators and stakeholders. He fills his calendar with meetings with administrators across the district. He also makes time to meet with government and community leaders. Cleburne ISD is a high-profile district. Dr. Heath appreciates the involvement so many parents and community members take to ensure the district’s success. “I love collaborating with those who are passionate about education, teaching, learning, and having a shared vision, and then, through the efforts of many, seeing that vision become a reality, knowing it will make a positive difference in the life of a child.”

Student-Centered Changes for Cleburne

Cleburne ISD is a great example of what can happen with leadership–and a community–focused on innovation. The district is working on building a new high school. Cleburne High School will include a Career and Technology Education and Fine Arts facility. Dr. Heath speaks enthusiastically about the potential for this new center, which was made possible by a 2016 landmark bond referendum. “It is so exciting to know the major impact this new high school will have on the programs and opportunities we can provide to students, now and in the future.”

One way the district seeks to make changes to benefit students is by involving student voices. Dr. Heath explains one example of this: “A component of our last bond election provided mobile devices for all secondary students to use at school and home. We had sixth through twelfth grade members of our Superintendent’s Student Advisory Committee pilot the devices we were considering for this initiative. Their feedback was invaluable and ultimately determined what was chosen with great results!”

Gathering Resources

Dr. Heath encourages his teachers and staff to seek out resources to keep current and improve their knowledge and skills. This includes the resources and events provided by TCEA. “We will be including micro-credentialing in our staff development opportunities in the upcoming school year and I know TCEA has been, and will continue to be, a great source in helping us help our teachers develop and grow in their use of technology.”

He was proud to see many of the Cleburne team present at the 2018 TCEA Convention & Exposition. And of course, the Cleburne Board of Trustees was honored with the 2018 School Board of the Year Award (one of TCEA’s Educator Awards). “Our board is so deserving of this recognition, and I commend TCEA for recognizing educators, administrators, and trustees for their commitment to making technology a vital part of the learning process.”

Advice for Leadership

Dr. Heath encourages other school leaders to stay well-informed about technology. He also emphasizes the importance of involving many different perspectives to guide leadership. “I encourage those new to the role of superintendent to learn all they can about technology and to collaborate regularly with their district’s technology professionals. Input and feedback from those who will use it most—the teachers and students—is essential.”

And of course, we had to ask what Dr. Heath considers to be the most exciting ed tech tools out there right now: “Virtual reality and augmented reality are quickly becoming among my favorite educational technology tools used to enhance instruction and student learning. How wonderful and amazing to be taken anywhere in the world and to view anything, from a human heart to a hippopotamus, from the inside out. These platforms have taken learning, and learners, to a whole new level. When Dr. Suess wrote about ‘Oh, the Places You’ll Go,’ he had no idea where instructional technology would take us in education.” Certainly, no one can say that the students, teachers, and staff of Cleburne ISD aren’t going to some pretty exciting places.

We hope you enjoyed this look into the professional life of Dr. Kyle Heath. To learn about other innovative educators transforming teaching and learning, you can read some of our previous member spotlight posts here, here, and here. Do you know a TCEA member who needs to be in the spotlight? You can always email me your suggestions at smeyer@tcea.org.

July 9, 2018 0 comments

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