Kentucky Connected Educator Day 31

Representing the Center for Teaching Quality (CTQ) and serving as Kentucky's first Teacherpreneur...

Ali Wright

Lafayette High School

Fayette County Public Schools

In what ways are you a connected educator?

Being a connected educator to me means that you are "blowing off the doors of your classroom." When I began teaching 13 years ago In Hampton, Virginia, teacher life was pretty isolating. I taught in one of those 70's- era schools with no walls, and even though I thoroughly enjoyed our shared office/workroom because it provided us the opportunity to collaborate on a daily basis, but it was pretty much a solitary gig. I remember looking forward to the annual district event called "Winter Numberland" that for one afternoon, gave me an opportunity to learn from and interact with all of the math teachers in the district, which was amazing! And now, in 2013, I can have daily interactions with teachers from all over the world! Although I just started blogging this year, Twitter is my main source of connected-ness. I love having a Professional Learning Network that challenges my thinking and provides me with new ideas and  instructional materials.  I also enjoy participating regularly in EdWeek's Teaching Ahead: A Roundtable, which is an awesome discussion forum that focuses on a new topic each month.  (Check out the most recent discussion- about online PD- here.)  Most importantly, I love being a part of CTQ's Collaboratory, which is populated by some of the smartest educators from all over the world.  

How does being a connected educator improve your practice?

Anytime I am able to talk "shop" with other teachers, I learn new things. Being a connected educator means that these conversations go beyond the copy room at my school, which as a result means that my practice is constantly evolving and improving. Just the other day, I saw a Tweet from one of my AP Calculus colleagues from another state that I then used as a warm-up for my class.  

How does being a connected educator impact you as a professional?  

I can't even begin to imagine what my professional life would look like right now if I was not a connected educator. Just three days ago, I participated in a webinar about Common Core Math Standards that allowed me to engage with teachers from all over the country.  Opportunities like this are transformative for me because I feel like I am part of an education movement that is so much bigger than my classroom, school, and district. Working with other teachers- whether from my home office in my pajamas or at a conference halfway around the world in Singapore-inspires me professionally.  Knowing that I am connected virtually to other teachers helps me see the big picture, and gives me the courage to speak up for my profession in any way that I can.  For example, last week I testified to a legislative committee about school funding in our state capitol. Knowing that my PLN had my back was the push I needed to work through my personal anxieties and speak from my heart.

What advice or resources do you recommend for teachers becoming connected?  

Start small.  The virtual educator world can be overwhelming! Try a Twitter chat (#kyedchat is a great one!) or simply start following a few supersmart fellow educators.  Some of my favorites to follow are: @notbradclark, @AkaMsCrowley, @SherriRMc, @TeachingChannel, @KatieNovakUDL, @kastidham, and @WorldLillie.

Think about what it is that you are passionate about as an educator (for me, it's all about math content!) and search for those networks first.  If you are looking for a great virtual community that has lots of great discussions and resources, try the Collaboratory.  (We even have our own teacher-only KY space!)    

Read a few  teacher blogs (there are so many great ones!) and then comment to keep the conversations going.  Two of my go-to's are Bill Ferriter and The JLV.  

Ali Wright is a National Board certified math teacher at Lafayette High School in Lexington, KY who is thrilled to be working in a teacher leadership hybrid role this year as a Center for Teaching Quality teacherpreneur.  Ali also enjoys spending time with her husband of 4 months and their dog and 3 cats, reading novels, playing handbells, and watching reality TV.  

Don't stop reading yet!  There's a fun book giveaway...

In her role as teacherpreneur, Ali works to connect teachers to services from CTQ.  One of the CTQ founders wrote the book Teacherpreneur, and Ali is giving away a copy.  

Enter for a chance to win by answering the question:  

What is the best thing you learned during Connected Educator Month?  

Tweet your answer using the hashtag #cemtaughtme

Tweet by midnight EST November 4, 2013
Ali will choose the best response and notify the winner by November 8, 2013

Ali celebrating Pi day with cake

Kentucky Connected Educator Day 30

LeRonda Morton

Learning and Innovation Specialist

Fayette County Public Schools

In what ways are you a connected educator?

Being connected is a way of life for me. In addition to using social media and the Internet daily to connect with friends and family, I depend on technology to support my work with administrators, teachers, students, parents, and the community. As a Learning and Innovation Specialist for Fayette County Public Schools, I model effective use of technology constantly. I encourage educators to take advantage of the rich opportunities we each have at our fingertips to virtually connect with people, ideas, and rich learning experiences across the globe. Most recently, I participated in an 8 week Coursera course entitled Creativity, Innovation, and Change. Through this MOOC, I was able to collaborate with over 100,000 other people from all over the world and all different walks of life. This type of extreme collaborative culture opens doors to learning in ways that I never before imagined. Being connected enhances creativity, generates ideas, allows for extreme collaboration, broadens research opportunities and experimentation, and spurs change.
 
How does being connected impact your practice?

Being connected gives me a platform to practice what I preach. The most important part of being an educator to me is being a lifelong learner. With the daily advancements we see in technology and connectivity, I find myself constantly seeking knowledge to stay abreast. I love to see our students, the true digital natives, in the role of teacher when it comes to bridging the technological gap we sometimes see. Some of my best days are when i can sit down with a student at STEAM Academy and partner with him/her to discover new ways to incorporate technology into the student learning experience.
 
How does being connected impact you as a professional?

Being connected allows for ongoing, intensive, relevant professional development. Being connected also eases collaboration that would not otherwise be possible. Through Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and MOOCS, I have learned practical knowledge that I implement immediately to enhance and change my practice. Being connected allows me to grow everyday as a professional and personally.
 

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

-Be creative!
-Use Twitter  to connect with other educators and start conversations about your own interests, needs, and growth.
-Share! Share! Share! Anything you find useful will probably benefit your colleagues in some way. 
-Encourage a culture of sharing resources.
-Keep an open mind. Technology, like us, is always evolving. Allow yourself to test and experiment different platforms to fit your needs.
-Value the learning experiences that result from being connected.
-Watch TED talks in your spare time to spark your own creativity.
-Start a blog.
-Collaborate with a student on a project. Allow the student to take the lead and facilitate the learning process. You'll be surprised how much you learn.

LeRonda is Learning and Innovation Specialist with Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington.  She works with the STEAM Academy and within the district supporting the schools of innovation.  Prior to this position, she taught high school English and served as a literacy coach.  LeRonda has a B.A., M.A., and is pursuing her doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Cincinnati.

Kentucky Connected Educator Day 29

 Brandon Abdon

Highlands High School

Fort Thomas Schools

 In what ways are you a connected educator?  

Professional connection starts in my own building.  My colleagues work so closely together that we regularly text, email, tweet, and blog with and about one another and our practice. It also means connection with students, but within the ethical considerations of that relationship.  This means a teacher Twitter account for class updates, Edmodo for assignments and materials, Remind101 for text message updates, and so on.  Beyond that, my work with the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, both the National and Kentucky Councils of Teachers of English, the National Writing Project, and teaching courses in pedagogy and English at the University of Kentucky have been key to establishing and maintaining my relationships with teachers across the state and the country. Through Bread Loaf alone I count a dozen friendships with teachers in other states with whom I regularly share ideas, writings, and so on.  In fact, the BLSE supports a group called the Kentucky Bread Loaf Teacher Network that is connected to the international network (BLTN).  They offer full fellowships to attend the school for teachers who are willing to work on developing and fostering connected classrooms and professional distance collaboration.  Feel free to email me for more details.

Mr. Abdon working with his students

 How does being connected impact your practice?

 I am never lacking in resources, support, or feedback.  I know that others who seek to be connected themselves have the dispositions to work beyond the walls of their classrooms and share the responsibility of teaching.  Because of work done through my Bread Loaf fellowship and other collaborations with colleagues beyond my school, my students are well aware of their connection to a world bigger than their school and community.

 How does being connected impact you as a professional?

 The professional relationships developed at conferences and meetings have been invaluable. Opportunities to connect my classroom, pursue interests in my field, and seek answers to problems I might face in the classroom are endless through the myriad of connections I have made over the years at conferences, BLSE, and other gatherings of professionals looking to make themselves and their students better.

What advice or resources would you offer to colleagues wishing to connect?

Just keep track of people and never be afraid to ask a question.  Once they know you are asking questions and that you want to hear from them, they will then seek you out.  That's a great thing about twitter.  People retweet you ideas of comments and then other like them and see them and then follow and/or retweet.  Be careful not to get caught in the idea of just talking and not asking for help or sharing ideas.  People want to grow and improve and help.  If you give them that, they will give it back to you.  That's how you build a trusting professional network. 

Currently a student in Northern Kentucky University’s Ed. Specialist program, Brandon holds a BA in English and Classics and a MEd in Curriculum from the University of Kentucky along with a MA in English from The Breadloaf School of English @ Middlebury College, Vermont. Originally from Greenup, a small town in rural eastern Kentucky, he currently lives in the Cincinnati area. He has taught 9-12, all skill levels, as well as electives in creative writing, philosophy, and black writers. Beginning his career in the urban setting of Lexington, Kentucky for four years, he is now in his seventh year at suburban Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Along with high school, he teaches courses in English and Composition Pedagogy at the University of Kentucky. A reader for the national AP Literature exam, Brandon also consults with a number of districts on curriculum and instruction. A former president of the Kentucky Council of Teachers of English, he currently serves as the Kentucky state liaison for SLATE, or “Support for the Learning and Teaching of English,” and on NCTE’s Committee Against Censorship.  He regularly takes himself too seriously, to an ironic fault.

Kentucky Connected Educator Day 28

Mike Paul

Pre-Service Teacher

Bardstown, KY

IN WHAT WAYS ARE YOU A CONNECTED EDUCATOR?

In my case, being connected is a way of life. I'm a confessed tech-obsessed 36-year old male, so I have this natural inclination to try out every new shiny object that comes along in the land of technology. I created my first website back in 1997, started blogging and podcasting in early 2006, was an early adopter of services like Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, FriendFeed, Pandora, Google Reader, Gmail… the list goes on and on. I've signed up for so many things that I don't remember them all, often just to get my username before someone else picks it up.

My day consists of starting every morning with a quick perusal of my feeds through Feedly (RIP Google Reader) to see what's happening in my favorite topics. I tweet some items and save a few to read later with Pocket. I also get a lot of my inspiration for blog posts (check out the awesomeness at http://PikeMallTech.com) by tracking different feeds. It's sort of like a fire hose of information coming my way, but I've always got a multitude of topics I can read and share. It's how I navigate the “digital flood” we all face every day.

HOW DOES BEING CONNECTED IMPACT YOUR PRACTICE?

Although I'm nearly finished with my degree, I've only been in an education program for a little over a year. Being connected helped me realize what was possible as I head for my own classroom. I really didn't know the resources available to today's educator and just how much technology and the Internet has changed, and continues to change, the education landscape.

The tipping point for me was when I attended the 2013 KySTE conference back in March. I suddenly found myself surrounded with a flock of connected educators and I suddenly felt at home. There were several times over the course of those three days that I found myself sitting in a session with tears in my eyes (OK, maybe I was openly bawling) as I saw what teachers were doing NOW with their students and what was possible. My entire outlook on the profession has changed since then and I truly believe that every teacher that wants to step up and dedicate themselves can truly change the world.

HOW DOES BEING CONNECTED IMPACT YOU AS A PROFESSIONAL?

In my experience, I don't know how being connected couldn't impact you as a professional. The resources that you can find if you just spend about 30 minutes scrolling through the #edchat or #edtech hashtags alone will give you enough new ideas for an entire school year.

Plus, with social media, you have full control over the people that you choose to learn from and work with. Even as a pre-service teacher, I understand that in your school there will be people that don't share your vision or work ethic and that you have a difficult time working with in a group. With your connected PLN, you gravitate towards the educators that share the same interests as you and you all grow together. It's very difficult to recreate that in a school setting, simply because you're limited by numbers. With about 628,276,152.4 teachers on Twitter alone (yes, I made that number up, but I know there's a bunch of us), the chances of you finding a large group of educators to collaborate with increase exponentially.

WHAT ADVICE OR RESOURCES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO COLLEAGUES INTERESTED IN BECOMING CONNECTED?

Here's my recommended process:

• Get a Twitter account (find me at http://twitter.com/mikepaul ).
• Start following any of the numerous Twitter chats on an education topic or a state-centered chat (#KyEdChat is a great place to start, here's a video showing you how to join us).
• Dive in. You have thoughts and opinions; we'd all like to hear them.
  
  

We may not agree, but that's cool. That's how we all grow. It will definitely be uncomfortable for you at first, especially if you're a technophobe. And you may find that Twitter isn't your bag; it's not for everyone. But, you can get a taste of the connected life. Maybe Pinterest is more your speed. Or maybe you just want to read about all the great things that are going on in education before you jump full speed ahead into making your own thoughts known. That's cool, too. There's a way for everyone to connect and make the connection meaningful to them.

My biggest piece of advice is to keep an open mind. Yes, there are concerns behind this great, big, digital world of ours. Yes, we all need to be good digital citizens and we should model that for our students. But the benefits of connection far outweigh any of the dangers and we can deal with the dangers as they come. Just jump in, get involved, and be open to experience new things.

Who knows? Maybe next year we'll be reading your article during Connected Educator month!

Bio:

I teach, I geek, I dad, I write, I math, I husband. Not always in that order. Ravenclaw. Font snob. Husband to Amanda, Dad to BooBoo. Currently a pre-service teacher with the WKU SKyTeach program.  Coming to a middle school math classroom near you, fall of 2015.

Kentucky Connected Educator Month Day 27

Boyle County Educators

Working with the Kentucky Department of Education's Marty Park, Boyle County Educators decided to have a little fun during Connected Educator Month.  They produced this YouTube clip of Things a Connected Educator Would Never Say.

Enjoy it and share a link in the comments when you create your own connected educator video!

Kentucky Connected Educator Day 26

Jennifer Thornton

7/8 Middle School Science Teacher

Scott County

In what way (s) are you a connected educator?

I remain a connected educator through the use of face to face interactions such as the Science Content Leadership Network through CKEC (Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative).  CKEC is a great way to meet educators from every district across the state of Kentucky and have an exchange of ideas as we tackle the new science standards.  Technology is fantastic but it can never replace personal interactions by teachers.  Technology is great for aiding in communication.  I use twitter to let students and parents know daily what was classwork and homework and ask and answer questions. Remind 101 is something new I’m trying this year to send out big announcements for our team.  It is a fantastic resource with a very similar format to twitter but does not show parents your cell phone number and goes straight to their phone.  I’m also available before school, during school, and after school through email to parents and students.  Royal Spring Middle School believes as do I in maintaining and encouraging student relationships and being rigorous.  With rigorous instruction means supporting students so they can be successful in all endeavors and be willing to take big risks.  I also use a Google blog (http://jthornton13.blogspot.com/) to share with my students and parents what the daily learning target is and the bell ringer, agenda and homework for class every day.  I also have a website (http://jthornton17.org/) which I use for students to use to review for a test or to teach content.  Every topic for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade is addressed with twenty to forty interactive games and online labs.  Most of the games are self-checking.  I use this to differentiate and enrich by helping every student review whatever content area for each unit they are having difficulty with as well as to teach certain topics.  Links to Brain Pops and Study Jam videos by Scholastic also offer instruction as well as feedback from their quizzes.  I use United Streaming video clips and You-tube videos in my classroom to offer great visuals to many hard to understand scientific concepts.    NSTA conferences, List serves from KDE (Kentucky Department of Education), and professional publications such as NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Science Scope and Science Teacher, and Edmodo are great professional resources at my fingertips.  Smart Exchange also helps me find great Smart Board activities as well as submit my own. 

How does being connected impact your practice?

It is what allows my world to rotate!!  Organizations such as the CKEC and NSTA help teach best practices, how to assess, content knowledge, and new research on educational practices.  They also give a person to person network to bounce ideas off of and get ideas for lesson planning from their professional journals and handouts.  Whether it is your first year teaching or you’re a seasoned veteran, staying connected helps me be a better teacher.  They help me stay on the cutting edge.  Staying connected pushes me to try new practices and implement new technology with the support of content teachers in the trenches.

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

Using research based educational practices helps drive my instruction.  Knowing that I have CKEC to help as Science consultant to my district as well as anytime I pick up the phone there is an actual live person there to support my classes is tremendous!  Twitter, Google Blog, Remind 101 and email allow me to communicate daily with my students and parents and other teachers (such as special education or alternative education within my building) or others from all over the state of Kentucky.  The more my parents and students can access and see what I do in my classroom on a daily basis, the more they can work together with me as a partner in their child’s education.  It allows my students to start advocating for their own education by having support and be in charge of their learning. 

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

 As Alison Preece says “Education is not a process of putting the learner under control, but putting the student in control of his or her learning.”  Technology can be a great help in giving control and support to a teacher.  Not every technology website or social media is going to work for every teacher and every content area.  You need to do what feels natural and is an extension of you.  If something doesn’t work the first time don’t give up.  Be persistent and try again.  Stay connected.  Pick one small new piece of technology and practice to try and work up from there.  If you can try it with someone you work with so you can support each other through the ups and downs as you start on that journey, then so much the better.  Realize it’s okay to change based on the group of students each year.  Staying connected gives you more tools in your teacher tool box that you can pull out based on the situation.  Staying connected is worth your time and energy!  It will directly impact the learning and instruction in your classroom. 

Jennifer Thornton is in her 15^th year teaching Science at the middle school level.  Currently she is a seventh and eighth grade teacher at Royal Spring Middle School in Scott County.  Jennifer enjoys meeting diverse students’ needs through hands on experiments and technology to explore each concept being taught.  She began her career teaching eighth grade physical science and forensic science in Lexington, Virginia.  Jennifer holds a K-8 elementary education degree with a concentration in Science from Wilmington College in Ohio.  She also holds a masters degree in special education Learning Disabled from Mary Baldwin College in Virginia.  Jennifer has implemented standards based learning and grading, and enjoys curriculum planning.

Twitter: @jthorntonRSMS

Blog: jthornton13bolgspot.com

Website: jthornton17.org

Email: jennifer.thornton@scott.kyschools.us

Kentucky Connected Educator Day 25

Digital Citizenship Week ends with a library media specialist who can help you flip your classroom...

Heidi Neltner 

Johnson Elementary
Library Media Specialist
Fort Thomas Schools
 

In what way (s) are you a connected educator?
 

I believe I’m a connected educator in the sense that I really work hard to learn new things and share my learning with people at a building level with weekly Tuesday Teacher Tips emails and new Power Lunch Fridays, through the KYLMS listserv and more recently at a national/global level through the use of Twitter, Google Communities and blogging. 

Over the last few months, I have really seen major growth in my own Professional Learning Network (PLN) thanks to Twitter.  #TLChat is a monthly twitter chat hosted by and for teacher-librarians around the country.  Thanks to the #TLChat community I have been able to participate in webinars and the new TLNews night that spotlights different issues in school libraries in a news panel format.  Another Twitter chat I participate in often is #KyEdChat, which meets weekly. I have been so inspired by the growth I have experienced through this awesome community of teacher librarians, that I made the suggestion on the KYLMS listserv that teacher librarians in Kentucky create our own Twitter chat.  With the help of awesome teacher librarians around the state – James Allen, Stephanie Griffith, Amanda Hurley and Carrie Wilkerson – we have already had our first successful #KyLChat, and are working on our second.  Through our own, state level Twitter chats, it is my hope that we can connect with each other on timely topics that would otherwise be difficult to share information about.

In addition to Twitter, blogging has really helped motivate me to learn and share new things. As an example, throughout the past spring and summer, I spent a lot of time learning about the “Flipped Classroom” model, and was lucky enough to be able to present my findings during District level PD, and also through a few blog entries: “Flipped Classroom a Primer”, “Flipping your Classroom: Instruction that Extends Beyond the Classroom and Improves Face-to-Face Time with Students”  and Cheat Sheet for Flipped Classroom.

How does being connected impact your practice?  
 

As a connected educator, I try to make sure that I can connect with groups of people, including students and parents in a variety of ways.  When I introduce a new topic, technology or feature in the library, I often create how to videos, write up directions to share, and feature it in newsletter email blasts to parents and faculty, on our Facebook page, and on Twitter. When we unveiled our new eBook collection, I created a Follett Shelf Resource page for parents and students and posted information on our Facebook page, and sent home QR codes that directed students to all the resources they would need to get started checking out books from anywhere with WiFi.

Additionally, I believe being a connected educator really helps me manage the day to day business of the school library.  I use QR codes and newsletters to parents to help promote our website and collection; I check Twitter and Pinterest daily to find ideas for everything from classroom management to the latest and greatest books I should have in my collection, to the best apps we should really spend our time trying out.  Thanks to online curating and collaboration tools, the wide assortment of blogs and people I follow on Twitter and the productivity apps available, I can organize, manage and easily get and share ideas across devices and platforms.  Years ago, as a new teacher, I used to have to go to NKU’s library and sit on the floor and thumb through old lesson plan magazines for hours; now with a couple of good search terms or a plea for help on Twitter, or the KYLMS listserv, I can have tons of ideas in a matter of minutes.

How does being connected impact you as a professional?
 

For me professionally, being a connected educator means that I am not an island.  It is energizing to know that I can glean ideas from an incredible number of people, get feedback on things I’m working on, and keep up with trends all from the palm of my hand.  Thanks to a growing PLN, I can find ways to engage my students and find new ideas to share with my colleagues. I have been challenged to try new things and take risks.  This year I have been experimenting with project based learning in the library, which is pretty big game changer, and really requires me to think outside the box – and let my students think outside the box.  Thankfully, there are people I have connected with on Twitter, like Donnie Piercey (@MrPiercey) and Todd Norton (@toddnorton), who were able to help me troubleshoot ideas. I have also worked to be more proactive, so that when I see a need for something in my school or within my field, I feel more motivated to try to open up discussion about what we can do to prevent things from happening.  For example, using #KyLChat will hopefully be a good way for teacher-librarians across the state to discuss trends and concerns and find a way to support our schools and districts.  I also see that failure happens, but there are a lot of people out there who can offer support, and that failure is an important part of growing and learning.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

For educators who are working to be more connected, I would recommend that you start small and with something you are comfortable with doing.  For example, you might want to start a Pinterest board and invite others on your team or in your department to pin ideas to it.  The ideas you collect together could generate some excellent discussion.  It also doesn’t hurt to check out the listservs that are available to subscribe to for professional  discussion. You can take things further by checking out the Weekly Twitter Chats Times compiled by @thomascmurray, @cevans5095, @cybraryman1.  Try participating in a chat that interests you, and find people with similar interests to connect with on Twitter.  Finally consider connecting with your students or colleagues through blogging.  Blogging can be an easy way to share info with your classes or to a share more involved ideas.

 Heidi has been in education for over 13 years--10 of which were spent teaching high school English.  She is currently a teacher-librarian at Johnson Elementary in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.  She is a tech enthusiast, moderator for #KyLChat and a life-long learner.  In her spare time, Heidi is a home cook, kayaker, hiker, runner, traveler, & dabbler in all things good.

Twitter - @heidinelt

Blog – Learning in Progress http://learninprogress.blogspot.com

Website - http://www.fortthomas.kyschools.us/olc/class.aspx?id=41467&s=460

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/JohnsonElementaryLMC

Kentucky Connected Educator Day 24

Digital Citizenship Week takes us across the globe via Kentucky e-learning...

El khdar Abdelmoula

Kentucky-e-Learning Educator

Youssef Ben Tachfin High School

Khouribga, Morocco

In what way (s) are you a connected educator?

I’m always connected or looking for better ways to be connected. ‘Connected’ means that I belong to a global world. I’m connected when I establish collaborative works with other schools through virtual platforms to share and exchanges ideas and projects. I also connect when I participate in virtual professional training courses that bear tremendous effects on my teaching profession and academic pursuit.

How does being connected impact your practice? 

Being connected makes me believe that I belong to a flat world where frontiers are compressed and distances are mitigated. The power I invest in my teaching comes from the incentives that I get from the power of connection. I learn every single day that I’m not alone when I face troubles. I hear people’s stories and build on them. When I’m connected I adopt success and dispel failure. I build scaffolds for my creative ideas and usher them towards the end of the tunnel. Dreams grow into schemes and new horizons appear on the limitless sky of my universe.

One concrete example is when I took some PD courses with Kentucky Virtual School, I learnt much and invested that learning in my actual teaching. I had become better. One time we even had an online collaboration with a class from Kentucky; our students shared cultural insights regardless of distances and had much fun and importantly knew in their hearts that people can have the same dreams and aspirations regardless of their language and the ample materials they have. We all play in a field which is being leveled and we can see each other from a big distance, virtually but truly!

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

I believe in the notion of self-made man as suggested by Benjamin Franklin. The idea of being connected helps me achieve this value of independency to improve my professional life and the life of people around me.  Independency doesn’t mean I don’t interact with other people. It just means I can do whatever they can do but need much room for thinking and unconditional motivational push. I strive everyday to be better person.  I also use other models for success to build on their strengths and avoid their pitfalls. Even when I fail, it is often a good sign that I’ve really tried hard.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

“Go for it”.  We learn when we are involved. Being connected is the shortcut to being involved. The world has changed tremendously and one needs to move beyond ones’ comfort zone. The only comfort in this busy life is when you know that there are other people just in the other corner listening to you attentively and compassionately.

Abdel was one of several Moroccan teachers who participated in online professional learning courses offered through the eLearning Ky grant. He participated in courses facilitated by Melissa Ferrell and they have stayed in touch over the years.

Kentucky Connected Educator Day 23

Digital Citizenship Week takes us to Barren County today...

Jaime McMillan

High School English Teacher

Barren County

In what way (s) are you a connected educator?

I remain a connected educator through the use of social media and Internet tools in my classroom.  Over the past year and a half, I have learned to use Twitter as a rich educational tool for myself and for my students.  On Twitter, I had the amazing opportunity to connect with Rob DuBois, author of Powerful Peace.  As I taught Mr. DuBois’ book in my class, we were actually able to interact with him and other professionals connected with his book on Twitter. 

I also use Twitter for other classroom activities and resources as well.  Through Twitter posts of other professionals, I found the Marc and Angel Hack Life blog (www.marcandangel.com).  I have begun using some of these blog posts with my seniors as a read and response activity.  This activity heightened student interest and gave them a unique classroom lesson plan beyond the textbook.

We also use blogging on my school website for some class activities.  While some teachers use the Edmodo resource for blogging, I have kept my activities tied to my school website blog option.  Here, I set up blog questions for my students to connect with certain chapters or quotes from the books we read in class.  Students then go into the blog and post their responses.  Again, this gives students the opportunity to move beyond the textbook and use social media tools within the classroom.

How does being connected impact your practice?  

My class had two different online response days where we discussed specific aspects of Rob DuBois’ non-fiction book Powerful Peace.  We labeled these activities “TweetChat” sessions.  These interactive sessions piqued students’ interest by giving them a unique opportunity to feel and experience a connection with the author himself.   Also, these TweetChat sessions gave my students and me a sense of worldly community connection as those who interacted with us, though connected with the book, were located in different parts of the country.  Further, those who watched our classroom activities unfold online offered help, resources, and even donated more books to my classroom.  Through this online connection, Mr. DuBois even visited our school and met with my students who read his book. 

In addition, I often conduct short classroom activities using Twitter.  I’ll post a question or multiple questions for students to answer.  Students learn to become precise and succinct in their responses due to the 140 character limit on a Twitter post. 

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

Social media such as Twitter allows me to interact and connect with similar individuals who can exchange information and ideas with me about educational practices, resources, and activities.  Being connected on social media has also afforded me the opportunity as an education professional to showcase to those outside the educational realm that progressive, fun, and exciting activities happen in public schools. 

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

Many educators have begun using Twitter and other social media tools as avenues for classroom activities.  The students love these activities, as most students personally use social media on a daily basis.  I find when students are interested in an activity, they put forth more effort and look forward to class activities.  I truly believe that learning at higher levels occurs when students are connected and excited about their schoolwork. 

I would recommend any educator at least try one form of social media for classroom activities.  Twitter, blogging, Facebook, Edmodo, YouTube, and dozens of other options exist.  Don’t be afraid to “get connected” using one or more of these online options for classroom activities. 

Jaime McMillan is a 13 year veteran English teacher at Barren County High School.   Jaime earned a Master’s Degree of Arts in English and Education from Western Kentucky University.  She is known for her innovative teaching strategies that connect the content of lessons to lifelong learning skills for better individuals in a better society.  She has conducted writing workshops for her school and has earned multiple awards for the integration of technology in her classroom.  The Barren County School District named Jaime district teacher of the month in December 2012 for her use of technology and social media in the classroom. 

Twitter @KYTeacherJMc

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