Books, Beach & Battery Life

Books, Beach & Battery Life

When my program for Instructional Technology was over last October, I realized it would be the first time in four years that I would not be taking courses during the summer break. Naturally, like most people, I started plotting my next program so my summer time would be occupied with the reading, research and rigor that I thrive upon. Besides I need to keep my figuritive favorite pet, Student Loan, properly fed.

Before you decide to send me funds to get my head thoroughly examined, do not fret my friend. I am not taking classes this summer and have designed my own coursework that includes incredible professional development and an excellent staff of professors that I collectively refer to as my PLN. So here's what's in my backpack, I mean beach bucket, this summer:

1. Google GeoTeacher Academy, June. Every time I share this my stomach gets a little jumpy and excited, the same way it did when I was a kid and my mom told me she got me tickets to go see Neil Diamond. (I was an odd kid). I am throwing all logic to the wind and flying to Dublin, Ireland for some straight up Googlin' a week before school ends. I get all starry eyed thinking about what I am going to bring back to my colleagues and students. Dreams come true, and this is proof. Besides the obvious, I am busting at the seems to meet teachers from other countries and hear what is happening in their neck of the education woods. I am preparing to be humbled and awed while seeking a durable raincoat.

2. Room Purge, June. My classroom is being relocated for the following school year. I am the purge queen, but I am looking forward to this perfect opportunity to rearrange some furniture and research perfect locations for my IWB and purge even more. Nothing is safe. I will be ordering window markers and thinking about how to best lay out the furniture and store science supplies. Boxes, tape and trash bags will officially close my school year. 

3. EdCamp Louisiana, July. When I heard that this was backing up to an already scheduled trip to NOLA (see #4) I made sure to rearrange flights. Sure, I'm an EdCamp junkie, but there's another reason here too. New Orleans is hosting me and a few hundred teachers from around the country the following week. If I am going to be bunking for awhile, it only makes sense to get to know the teachers of Louisiana through conversation and participation. It only seems like the proper thank you for their hospitality. 

4. Phillip Mickelson STEM Academy, New Orleans, July. After spending time and making connections with teachers at #EdCamp Louisiana I will be participating in a week of STEM education. This is incredible. Hush all arguments about corporations in education, this is an opportunity that I am beaming about. I am looking forward to every single inch of this because I am also a history enthusiast. Oh and yes, I will be the dorky tourist taking the ghost tour with my colleagues.

5. EdCamp Leadership, July. When I saw EdCamp Leadership posted I didn't think twice about being invited to the party or whether or not classroom teachers belong at a "leadership" event. EdCamp is the model that shows teachers are leaders. This event taking place speaks loudly to the testament that this grass roots movement has catapulted itself to new heights in the last year. I am looking forward to leaders getting honest about what they want from education in general, what they need from teachers and what they will do to provide the path.

5. Leading some PD, August. Hopefully this summer I will be leading some professional development here and there. This is tentative, but we'll just throw it in for giggles.

In the name of balance I am unplugging for a week this summer to take some beach and friend time before the school year starts. This is when my summer reading list that includes Shift the Monkey, Transforming Classroom Practice, Professional Development Strategies in Education Technology and As We Speak will help me sit down for a little while. (I consider downloaded books a midway point to unplugging by the way.) When no one is looking I'll also be catching up on Edmodo webinars.

A large thank you in advance to all the magnificent professors I am going to have this summer. As my students would say, 'this will be epic'. My coursework this summer is sure to be filled with rigor, research and hopefully a Neil Diamond song.