 Template by @edtechbing Since I just got finished presenting at SCMidlands Summit in Columbia, South Carolina, I've got two books on my mind. I think I referenced these books at least 5 times in 2 days with other EDU coaches and teachers. Lead Like A Pirate (Beth Houf & Shelley Burgess) and Be REAL (Tara Martin)! Both of these are a must for educational leaders! Lead Like A PIRATE taught me ...How to take the Teach like a PIRATE model and implement it as a leader in our schools. "Navigating the C's of Change" in each section of the PIRATE acronym are super helpful in remember what to do and not to do! 
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Calling all EDU Coaches! Let's Get Organized with Google! Tech Integration to Reach All Learners with UDL & GSuiteEDU Click the images above for my session resources. I appreciate you joining today! Please leave feedback on the Summit website and feel free to share with others that may benefit from these resources. I look forward to connecting with you! @specialtechie.
PIRATES Inspire me! I was not an avid reader growing up. I would start a book and have a hard time getting into it. I wouldn't connect with the characters or the way the book was written. To be honest, I would usually read what was required of me and wouldn't explore much beyond that. Once I became an adult, I started reading self-help books in my spare time more than fiction. I guess I felt like "self-improvement" was a better use of my time. Then I found myself reading books on education and I would fly through them! I would take notes, try new things, and share ideas with other educators as soon I was done. This is when I realized that I have to be INSPIRED when I read in order to stick with it! In May 2015, I purchased the book Teach Like A Pirate. This was the book that ignited a fire in my soul and started my addiction to all things PIRATE! This is just the beginning... Teach Like A Pirate taught me...Updated Post! Summer 2019 Edition!
What Does It Mean to Be a Google Certified Educator?
Even though you don't need a certificate to use Google tools, it's nice to be recognized for your expertise. Becoming a Google certified educator gives you that "proof" that you know your stuff when it comes to GSuite tools in education! Why would I recommend taking the time to do this?
My Top 3 Reasons for Becoming A Google Certified Educator?
There are lots of reasons to become a Google certified educator. I personally am a "life-long learning geek" when it comes to implementing new tech tools with teachers and students. A bonus, is the certificate and badge you get upon completion of each level of certification. I'm not sure why a badge is so exciting, but I love them (especially as a part of my email signature)!
That being said, here are my main reasons for encouraging others to become certified.
⓵ Learn the most up-to-date information about GSuite tools for educators.
⓶ Professional development at your own pace in your own place. ⓷ Find a network of like minded educators to connect with, and learn from across the globe. What Types of Certifications Are Available?
I'm Convinced! Where Do I Start?
This is where Kasey Bell from Shake Up Learning, comes in! She has the most amazing courses created to help educators prepare for each level of certification. I truly believe, she's the reason why I made it as a Certified Trainer the first time I applied. The courses just opened and enrollment is open until June 4,2019 (Do it now...it only opens twice a year)! Watch below for more information, then click on the Wakelet collection below when you are ready to register!
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I know any of these courses would help you with your goals! Please, connect with me today if you have any questions or concerns about Google Certifications. I'd be happy to help!
~Pam @specialtechie
~Pam @specialtechie
Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Shake Up Learning courses. This means if you sign up for a course through the links above, I will get a small commission for referring you. That’s Kasey’s way of thanking me for letting you know about the courses! She's awesome like that!
Be REAL, Educate from the Heart by: Tara Martin
Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a slight addiction to Dave Burgess Consulting books.
When Tara Martin's book came out, I had to get it immediately. I have so many other books on my required reading stack, but I had to make time for this one. I'm so glad I did! Anything that has "Educate from the Heart" in the title is right up my alley!
When Tara Martin's book came out, I had to get it immediately. I have so many other books on my required reading stack, but I had to make time for this one. I'm so glad I did! Anything that has "Educate from the Heart" in the title is right up my alley!
#REALedu #Sketchnotes
When I read professional books, I highlight and write ALL over them! Then I go back and write, draw, or color all the key points in my Gotcha Covered notebook to help me remember them. This is why #Sketchnoting is one of my favorite comprehension strategies! Want to learn more? Check out Sylvia Duckworth's resources!
Reflection...
First, Tara's story is amazing, sad, and inspiring, all at the same time. I must say, I cried reading this book! Okay, I may be a little sensitive anyway, but I mention this to say... this is no ordinary professional development book! You have to read the book to get the full effect, but these are the ideas I want to use to improve my impact with the teachers I work with.
Part 1: Relatable
- No matter what your role in education (or life)... Be transparent, Be humble, Be you!
- Use the "Little Yellow Notebook" for coaching.
- Books to read: Multipliers, Humble Inquiry, Mentoring Matters, and Start with Why!
- REAL Talk Treasures!
- REAL + Innovator's Compass
- Write a blog post on My Multipliers. *DONE!
- Favorite Quote: "Each of us has a tremendous and unique gift to offer the world and when we allow anything to stand in our way of sharing our gifts - our real selves - we cheat the universe."
Part 2: Expose a Little Vulnerability
- Know your goals and crush them!
- Remember - Humility is being REAL, sharing obstacles you've overcome, and being grateful.
- Cannonball-in!
- Favorite Quote: "We must share our experiences of overcoming challenges, because doing so helps others gain strength and encouragement."
Part 3: Approachable
- 10 Approachability Principles
- Drive-By's twice a week! Go slow to go fast, but stay consistent.
- Favorite quote: "Approachablity is an invisible trait that people can sense."
Part 4: Learning Through Life
- Blogging! "Professional Time Capsule" with voice and transparency.
- Twitter! #BookSnaps #Gratitudesnaps #REALyousnaps #PottyPD
- Know your Why and ask these questions:
- How will this action help me achieve my why?
- What positive impact will I have on the people I serve?
- Favorite quote: "I view life as a great, big learning opportunity!"
Next Steps...
I think I need to re-read this book over the summer while I mentally prepare for my second year as an instructional coach in my school. I spent this year building relationships and learning what the job entails. I'm really looking forward to keeping the momentum going and Cannonball-In this August!
In the meantime, I'll be "learning though life" this summer with many professional development books by the pool. I'll also be using Twitter to share my #booksnaps as I learn. I hope you'll join me!
In the meantime, I'll be "learning though life" this summer with many professional development books by the pool. I'll also be using Twitter to share my #booksnaps as I learn. I hope you'll join me!
 Post via Shake Up Learning | Here's my latest guest blog post for Kasey Bell, Shake Up Learning! As an Instructional or Technology Coach, we have a lot to do on a daily basis. It’s not more or less than a classroom teacher, it’s just different. The trouble with a coaching schedule is flexibility. I know… that doesn’t sound like a problem, but it can be. This is where productivity and organization are key! If you don’t plan out your days, weeks, even school year, it can get away from you and then you’re often disappointed with the number of goals you complete. |
The purpose of this post is to give coaches some ideas and tools to manage your time and energy.
*Note: I am fairly new to coaching, so I am not claiming to be an expert by any means!
This post also includes tips from coaches that are a part of the Shake Up Learning Facebook group. Make sure to join us today!
*Note: I am fairly new to coaching, so I am not claiming to be an expert by any means!
This post also includes tips from coaches that are a part of the Shake Up Learning Facebook group. Make sure to join us today!
Read the full post on Shake Up Learning and
check out her new Podcast while you are there!
Be REAL - Education from the Heart
I have read many of Dave Burgess Consulting books, but this one is in my top 5 at this point!
The older I get the more I agree with the idea of just being REAL, so I HAD to get Tara Martin's Book!
As I read this book... I cried, laughed, got awesome ideas, and was completely inspired and assured that being REAL was the only way to be, the only way to change the world around you for the better.
Do I have a false sense of power because of it? No way... but there are some things I can change, and that's where I want to spend my time an energy. Life is short, make it the best life you can! Or as Tara would say, "Cannonball In"!
The older I get the more I agree with the idea of just being REAL, so I HAD to get Tara Martin's Book!
As I read this book... I cried, laughed, got awesome ideas, and was completely inspired and assured that being REAL was the only way to be, the only way to change the world around you for the better.
Do I have a false sense of power because of it? No way... but there are some things I can change, and that's where I want to spend my time an energy. Life is short, make it the best life you can! Or as Tara would say, "Cannonball In"!
Relatable
Expose Vulnerability
Approachable
Learning Through Life
Here's a great video to give you a glimpse of Tara Martin's book and her amazing personality that you can feel as you read the book. Seriously, I felt like we were friends by the time I finished it!
My Multiplier!
I have lots of Sketchnotes to share after reading this book, but I'll save that for another post.
This post is more for about my Multiplier that Tara inspired me to write about. I have more than one, but Mr. Sardone is the first one to SPARK something in me that I wouldn't recognize for MANY years. He ignited the fire in my heart to be an educator! Thank you Tara for reminding me to keep them in my heart, remember my why, and aim to be a "Multiplier" myself! (referenced book: Multipliers)
This post is more for about my Multiplier that Tara inspired me to write about. I have more than one, but Mr. Sardone is the first one to SPARK something in me that I wouldn't recognize for MANY years. He ignited the fire in my heart to be an educator! Thank you Tara for reminding me to keep them in my heart, remember my why, and aim to be a "Multiplier" myself! (referenced book: Multipliers)
Mr. Sardone, My Inspiration!
Video Credit: LaEpocaFilm.com *Click the image for the Facebook video.
While reading the book, I had to reconnect with Mr. Sardone ! I had to tell this amazing 5th grade teacher how much I appreciated him (again)! He's the reason why I wanted to be a teacher and that never changed. I had written Christmas cards to him for many, many years, until I moved and had my second child. I feel horrible that I ever stopped! I was elated when I found this video on Facebook done by a man who also had him a few years after I did. I sent "La Epoca" a message and I was able to connect with some local people who still see him (at the gym of all places)! This video makes me cry every time I watch it (click the image above to watch)!
Even though this video won't mean as much to you, watch it knowing the impact you can have on your students. You never know which ones you'll reach or what they will do once they have moved on. I think Tara gets that point across in her book as well!
Even though this video won't mean as much to you, watch it knowing the impact you can have on your students. You never know which ones you'll reach or what they will do once they have moved on. I think Tara gets that point across in her book as well!
The Interview
La Epoca:
"When I thank you, as I have over the years, what does my expression of Gratitude do to you?"
Joseph Sardone (88):
"So many of you have come back into my life - never forgetting me. I am so elated by your generosity, the love that you show me, and it's genuine. Because you don't have to. And yet, you still come back. And at the same time - this elation, I'm humbled by it. *Where I start bawling.
I don't know whether I deserve it or not, but I guess my reaction to it says it all.
I never take it for granted. Never. I never take people for granted. I never took my parents for granted. That's where it all started for me. If I extended myself to you, you received a bit of my mom, my dad, and my beautiful brother. So, I don't know what else I can say."
Later in the conversation he says,
"I thank you so much (for telling me). Just saying thank you seems so inadequate, but you are in my heart. That is all I can give you."
"When I thank you, as I have over the years, what does my expression of Gratitude do to you?"
Joseph Sardone (88):
"So many of you have come back into my life - never forgetting me. I am so elated by your generosity, the love that you show me, and it's genuine. Because you don't have to. And yet, you still come back. And at the same time - this elation, I'm humbled by it. *Where I start bawling.
I don't know whether I deserve it or not, but I guess my reaction to it says it all.
I never take it for granted. Never. I never take people for granted. I never took my parents for granted. That's where it all started for me. If I extended myself to you, you received a bit of my mom, my dad, and my beautiful brother. So, I don't know what else I can say."
Later in the conversation he says,
"I thank you so much (for telling me). Just saying thank you seems so inadequate, but you are in my heart. That is all I can give you."
"You are in my heart, that is all I can give you."
This man was, and still is as REAL as it gets!
He's my inspiration and I'm so happy that I had the chance to tell him so!
Who is your Multiplier? Do they know?
I hope you will reach out to them if it's still possible.
Come back after you read Tara's books to read my reflection post.
This is just the beginning of the inspiration she's given me!
He's my inspiration and I'm so happy that I had the chance to tell him so!
Who is your Multiplier? Do they know?
I hope you will reach out to them if it's still possible.
Come back after you read Tara's books to read my reflection post.
This is just the beginning of the inspiration she's given me!
#TeachSC Inspired!
Anyone who knows me, knows I love a good Twitter chat! I learn so much from other people in such a short period of time. It's the best FREE PD out there! Jed Dearybury leads a great chat every Tuesday night from 8:00-9:00 EST called #TeachSC. It's a chat sponsored by the Palmetto State Teacher Association, but anyone can join!
Re-Think EDU
This is not the "official" name of the chat on 2/26/19, just the name I gave it to remember what the chat was about. If you want to read all the tweets during this chat, check out this Wakelet collection.
Does Homework Have to Be A Bad Thing?
When were discussing homework during our chat, most people disagreed with it, including me! However, some places still require it as a grade.
If that's the case, we need to get creative! That's when I had a thought...
We "Google" things that we are curious about on a daily basis, right?
Why not use this with students an authentic, real-world research and reflection homework assignment ?!
My thought was to call this homework reflection journal "Googled It EDU" or #GoogledItEDU.
Let's say we give our students a notebook (physical or digital) to archive their daily Google searches. Of course, you'd have to give them some guidelines as to what's appropriate and what's not before letting them run with this idea.
I can picture it with an index at the front so they can keep track of the pages and topics, kind of like a Bullet Journal. If it's digital, it can be a Google Doc with a Table of Contents or a Google Slides presentation that continues throughout the year with a Table of Contents on the first page linked to the corresponding slide.
Imagine all the passion and curiosity that can be shared on a daily basis! If you want to give them challenges every once in a while on a given topic so they are researching something based on what you are learning about in class, great! Just make sure to keep it mostly student driven!
They'd be researching, having to determine credible resources, writing down individual thoughts & key points so they can remember what they learned. It doesn't have to take long at all. Just maybe, they will spend more time on homework because they've gotten sucked into something that peaks their interest!
I don't have anything created for this yet, but I had to get the idea down and share it so we could come up with ideas together!
If that's the case, we need to get creative! That's when I had a thought...
We "Google" things that we are curious about on a daily basis, right?
Why not use this with students an authentic, real-world research and reflection homework assignment ?!
My thought was to call this homework reflection journal "Googled It EDU" or #GoogledItEDU.
Let's say we give our students a notebook (physical or digital) to archive their daily Google searches. Of course, you'd have to give them some guidelines as to what's appropriate and what's not before letting them run with this idea.
I can picture it with an index at the front so they can keep track of the pages and topics, kind of like a Bullet Journal. If it's digital, it can be a Google Doc with a Table of Contents or a Google Slides presentation that continues throughout the year with a Table of Contents on the first page linked to the corresponding slide.
Imagine all the passion and curiosity that can be shared on a daily basis! If you want to give them challenges every once in a while on a given topic so they are researching something based on what you are learning about in class, great! Just make sure to keep it mostly student driven!
They'd be researching, having to determine credible resources, writing down individual thoughts & key points so they can remember what they learned. It doesn't have to take long at all. Just maybe, they will spend more time on homework because they've gotten sucked into something that peaks their interest!
I don't have anything created for this yet, but I had to get the idea down and share it so we could come up with ideas together!
How could you use this with your students?
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Share your thoughts and ideas by tagging me @specialtechie and Jed @mrdearybury on Twitter! Let's see what we can come up with!
#GoogledItEDU #TeachSC Thanks for reading! ~Pam |
The #WakeletWave has taken over!
Last summer, I was looking for a way to archive one of my favorite twitter chats with a new tool since I couldn't use Storify anymore. After a quick Google search, I found Wakelet and I was hooked! I started using to archive the #PD4uandMe chats that I co-moderate with my friends Teresa Gross & Emily Francis. Once I started using Wakelet for archiving Twitter chats, I realized I could do SO much more with it! It also turned into my FREE alternative to using Smore for newsletters. Smore is still a great resource, but I didn't want to spend the extra money to purchase an educators account. So now I use Wakelet for just about anything I would curate for sharing or research purposes. Honestly, I use it more now than I do Pinterest. That's saying a lot!
#PottyPD
My favorite way to use Wakelet is for #PottyPD! Sounds crazy, right? The first time I heard of this was on Twitter (shocker, I know). There are lots of different forms of this "captive audience" professional development out there like Learning in the Loo, Bathroom Briefs, etc. Here's a great post below from Tara Martin about this school bathroom PD craze! I use the plastic flyer stands to display a PDF visual (created in Google Drawings) in all the bathrooms and change it out once a month. I've had the same experiences as Tara mentions in her blog post. My visual is basically a teaser though. The links and more details are on the Wakelet version that I share through Google Classroom and email to the teachers. So there's a lot of GSuite EDU app smashing going on here!
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I also add a 3 question Google Form to the bottom of it with a "duty free lunch" give away to encourage others to read it & try new things! I may not have money to give away really cool things, but I can give the gift of time !
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From Tara Martin's Blog linked here.
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Check out my 2018-2019 #PottyPD Collections here!
Give Wakelet a try today!
There are SO many ways to use Wakelet, I've only covered one today. Check out this blog post for a Getting Started Guide. You can also follow me once you create an account to see how I use it. Look at the people I follow or just click "Explore" to see how the rest of the world uses it. Join the #WakeletWave today!
#DitchSummit Inspired!
Okay, so I'm a PD geek! This is nothing new to anyone who knows me...
This is when blogging is really effective! As soon as you get an idea, you can write about it and share it with the world (well, the small part of the world who reads my blog). 😉
That being said, while watching one of the Ditch Summit session with Tony Vincent, it made me think of all the ways we can teach "on-the-fly" with GSuite tools. Yes, planning ahead is the best way to have awesome lessons, but sometimes you get a brilliant idea that only works RIGHT NOW. This is when GSuite tools come in handy!
This is when blogging is really effective! As soon as you get an idea, you can write about it and share it with the world (well, the small part of the world who reads my blog). 😉
That being said, while watching one of the Ditch Summit session with Tony Vincent, it made me think of all the ways we can teach "on-the-fly" with GSuite tools. Yes, planning ahead is the best way to have awesome lessons, but sometimes you get a brilliant idea that only works RIGHT NOW. This is when GSuite tools come in handy!
DitchSummit Notes:
 | Each of the Ditch Summit sessions have notes, but I still need to type notes while I'm listening so I don't forget the ideas that come to mind. In this session, I also made the decision to sign up for Tony's Classy Graphics course. I do pay for these things myself, but if it makes me better at what I do, I believe it's worth it. Should educators get a budget for this type of thing, most definitely, but that's out of my sphere of control, so I digress. This course starts in February, so it's not too late to sign up. It's discounted until January 8th! |
Author
I'm an Instructional Coach at Daniel Island School in Berkeley County South Carolina.
I have experience teaching K-8 special ed. and General Ed. as well as instructional & technology coaching. Since I enjoy technology more than some, I started this blog for educators who love it too. Thanks for visiting!
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