#10GoodThings

It’s been fun getting to (virtually) know more and more math Tweeps in the #MTBoS.  One such bud, Jon Orr, tagged me to compose a #10GoodThings post to reflect on “good things” that are happening with my little corner of the world (usually known as room 510 – and I really am tucked away in a little corner of our middle school, ha!)

I’ll try to keep this concise, but if you know me at all, I get kind of excited when I talk about teaching and learning and what I get to do every day.  Here are some “good things” that happened in 2014, and even as recently as yesterday.

In no particular order…

10) The other day, I gave in to the “rabbit holes” of Facebook and found myself taking a quiz with the premise “Can we guess how long you’ve been teaching?”  My results were “Have you been teaching from 0 to 5 years?”  The description followed about how my answers implied the enthusiasm of a new teacher.  So… I’ll take that.

9) I can’t even sit down to write this list because I’m continuously in conversation with math Tweeps in another browser tab.  I love that!

8) My students have become “math authors” of interactive eBooks.  Their work has been featured by Book Creator, iTunes U, and soon, will be included in a (paper, physical) book about student-created media using iPads.  Stay tuned!

7) I’ve gotten to meet, work with, and learn from truly legendary professionals I respect.  In 2014 I got to hang out with Dan Meyer, Andrew Stadel, Kyle Pearce, and Robert Kaplinsky at events like NCSM and iPadpalooza.  I’ve learned from Dylan Wiliam, Carol Ann Tomlinson, Ramsey Musallam,  Judy Willis, Sugata Mitra, and I’m sure I’m forgetting a few!  Having the chance to have in-person experiences makes the continued virtual communications richer.  I hope to meet more Tweeps in person in 2015! (ISTE? iPadpalooza? NCTM Regional Nashville?)

6) I’ve seen colleagues who teach in my corner of the hallway trusting my nudges to try new tools with their students.  When a colleague nearby sees successes with Nearpod, Socrative, ThatQuiz, Kahoot!, etc. with their OWN students, we have these “I-get-it” happy dance moments that I cherish.

5) I’ve continued to work with and create lesson content for Nearpod, an app I believe has amazing potential to impact student learning and develop that precious math metacognition.  If you’re not using it… you should be! 🙂

4) My students feed off of my passions, and give it right back to me.  That cycle of I’m-not-sure-what’s-going-to-happen-next, and not taking ourselves too seriously (especially when we goof) seems to make math class perpetually fresh.  There’s a lot of love and energy in room 510, and I’m glad students know I adore them… and feelings (dare I say) are mostly mutual.

3) My week-at-the-spa (so to speak) was ADE Institute 2014 in San Diego.  I mean, getting to hang out with educators from literally the entire WORLD for a week of learning and hands-on exploring was an experience I will never forget.  When I compare it to the “spa” I mean figuratively – ADE Institute is a week where I didn’t have to think about making meals (that’s for sure!), errands, bills, or any other mundane real-life stuff.  I could be professionally selfish for an entire week, and soak up that energy that only a room full of worldwide, passionate, Type A+ educators can muster.  I am WAY too high strung to spend a week at a spa – I’d be bored!  ADE is like a brain spa… and you should apply if you want to drink some of that ADE Kool-Aid.  It’s good stuff.  Plus, I had a few seconds of fame on the big screen – that was pretty cool.

2) I helped my son create an advocacy project last summer so he could help educate others about severe food allergies.  He exported his book as a video on YouTube, and you can watch it and hear him narrate it here.  It’s been shared all over and has helped skeptics understand what it’s like for folks who have to consider food allergies 24-7.

1) I have the best “cheerleader” and encourager right here in my house.  My husband is always pushing me to be better, do more… and he keeps it real.  It’s nice to have a former high school math teacher and current ed-tech nut right here next to me.

What are your #10GoodThings?