Rejected for MIEExpert NOW WHAT!!

I am feeling all kinds of emotions right now. I thought that one was the lock but I looked at what they included:

Have your posted ed tech helpful tips and tricks on social media to share your expertise with others?

If I am honest with myself I have not. I am still in the learner phase and too scared to share my stuff out there. I am not discouraged but I feel like I have the information I need to be ready for the next cohort. I still have work to do. I congratulated sincerely the people that were accepted but when I look at their profile and what they are doing they are innovators and not afraid to let people know it.

I didn't want to blog this but when I searched rejected by MIEExpert nothing came up maybe this will come up for someone else. I am documenting my journey and this is part of the journey. It doesn't mean no it means not yet. I am working on it. 

I presented for the first time about Google Forms and differentiated instruction in the GEG Virtual on Youtube so I have started. 

I am presenting next week for BUNCEE (Community Building) and for TeachMeetNJ (Using Wakelet with Flipgrid to Build Community) so I am getting my voice out there. I was selected to present for ISTE - Adobe Sparks Digital Storytelling in October so I am still in baby stops. I have a small group that I am training for Google Certified Educator Level 1 and Microsoft tools so again baby steps. 

Now it is my turn to create and I started this blog saying that our students and teachers were consumers not creators now it is my time to create, but first I had to get the knowledge. I'm not done learning that is life long but it definitely time to put some of this into visible evidence of learning. 

I celebrate where I am in my progress. This is not a race to the finish line because there is no end. I have to remember this is not for me it is for the students that I teach and the educators that I encounter to help them be the best that they can be. 

When I post now I want to include artifacts:

6th Grade ELA 2020-2021

Google for Educator Certified Innovator???

Well I did it, I applied and was DENIED!! What a let down but in my heart it wasn't my time. I just recently entered this EdTech world and I need to learn so much more. I was too scared my "How might we" how would I prepared to present it to the world. 

Now that it is over I will share my "HMW" How might we get urban teachers in Title 1 schools into the digital age to address a component of the digital divide?  This is related to my experience and other Title 1 educators experience exposed during the pandemic. We thought we were up to date. We were Tech gurus in our schools but we were not exposed to the digital tools that could be used to give our students an opportunity to have an equitable education. Even in my home district it is interesting that schools within the same district had access to different resources and it was not only the students it was the teachers. Staff in different schools within the same district given access to different professional development. In Title 1 schools we spend money on consultants from scripted programs and train us how to use scripted programs. It is like they don't trust teachers or is this a systemic method to keep quality education out of Title 1 schools. Then when the scores come out they blame the teachers but the curriculum is scripted with little deviation. How are we blamed but these scripted programs continue to make millions. With edtech training now teachers are exposed to  to tools to help make content accessible for ALL. Teachers can then use their pedagogical knowledge and tech knowledge to design curriculum that will fit the needs of the students in the classes that they teach. My project was one where I would be examining ways to bring Title 1 urban educators into the digital age. 

I am now reflecting on what I can do on my end to work with these educators to bring about radical change in how our Title 1 students are taught content. Not getting Innovator was a set back but not a STOP it was a not now in that arena but now I have to look at other ways I can get this important message out there. 

NOW for information on the process

APPLYING FOR GOOGLE FOR EDUCATION CERTIFIED INNOVATOR - WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

STEP 1: Make a decision that this is what you want and know your WHY?

STEP 2: Look for a challenge in education that you would like to tackle? Create a HOW MIGHT WE statement.

STEP 3: Be able to articulate the challenge

STEP 4: Interview another educator - you will write about this interview

STEP 5: Be able to show your digital EdTech journey

STEP 6: Create a video 2 minutes

The application process was stressful. I second guessed myself every step of the way. I redid my video a thousand times. BUT what I didn't do was put it out there. I did not get feedback from others. 

SUGGESTIONS I RECEIVED

1. Digital footprint - BLOG, WEBSITE, YOUTUBE I need to put my voice out there

Going forward these are the things that I will be doing. Whether or not I was selected does not change the need. I want to be an advocate for my fellow Title 1 urban educators. I did not write this blog post immediately afterwards I needed time to reflect. The denial does not stop me only I can stop me. My students need me to be an advocate for Title 1 urban educators so they can give them the quality education that they deserve!!!

 

EdTech Burnout

I know what this is now... This new world that I have entered has brought with it some amount of stress keeping up with everything it consumes your life. Today I missed the very first Google Educator Coach Book Study group. How did I do that??? Running around making sure my Microsoft Innovator Educator Expert application was right. Making sure my Google Innovator application was right. Was I passionate enough? Was I split between the two icons? I don't know but I do know they are both done. 

This made me reflect was I in it for the badges? Was I going left again? 

This I went to a book club for ... WOW!!! Is all I can say the universe redirected me back to my purpose. It ALL mattered. I must push through radically to get my message out there and to be a positive conduit for students who look like me to get what they deserve. This is the time. I have to be like my ancestors put on my big girl pants and push through. This is the season to finally address systemic racism in institutions of learning and to do that we need the tools. I need this platform to speak for them. I need this platform to train others so that we are not "left behind". 

Google vs. Microsoft Hmmm!!! Am I Cheating????

I just got my Trainer certification for Google and I am a Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer. Before getting the Google Trainer status I was helping people with Google but not really formally training people. Whereas, with Microsoft I have been conducting formal trainings for about a month. 

My insight after being trained on both and training on both. At first I felt that I had to choose between the two. I DON'T. I have found that I can use them both. There are some activities that I would use Microsoft, particularly math with OneNote, and some I would use Google for the ease of use for the students. They both have basic word processing, spreadsheet, slideshow capabilities. Now within that there are differences. 

In Microsoft I feel like they are WAY advanced in the accessibility features. In Google the ease of use for students can't be beat. Would I choose one over the other I think not!!! I evaluate my learning goal and look at which tool will help me reach that goal. Additionally, I have had students work on research task and some do it in Google Sites (higher functioning) and some do it in Google Sway (lower functioning) based on the needs of the students.

So to answer the question I started with NO I am not cheating I will use that tool that best meets the needs of my students for the particular task at hand. I am lucky my district is Microsoft but they have a Google integration so my students have access to both and that is ultimately the goal. #Studentchoice the best tool for them to find their #studentvoice. 

Getting that Coveted Google for Education Trainer Badge!!!

I can't believe it!!! I have come such a long way from Google Doc and Google Slide shown in front of the room. What does it mean? What does it represent? It represents that I am a life long learner and open to the wonder of incorporating new ideas and tools into my teaching arsenal. It means that I am committed to EdTech for my students to get them the resources that will make learning more accessible to all my students. It is a personal achievement now I can be a change agent in the community to bring them into the digital age. I did it now onto Innovator and Coach!!

Summer School and It's Impact on "Our" Students

Today was the first day of summer school, renamed Summer in the City. I stopped working summer school years ago because I didn't see that it was positively impacting our students. The neediest students were told year after year you are not good enough and you have to go to summer school. It always made me think what do we think we can do in 6 weeks that we couldn't do in 40 weeks. 

I like the idea of voluntary academic "camps" because the connotation is different. What message are we sending them when they cannot attend graduations and other things to do this 6 week course where they already know everyone will pass you just have to show up.

I volunteered to work so I could make a difference to use these new tools that the students did not have access to during the school year and in remote learning. The students came from different schools so this was an opportunity to work on engagement with students that I didn't already know. I created a Buncee. They loved it!!! 

Maybe this virtual thing could work after all.... I know for me it has made me a more deliberate teacher. I examine each activity and lesson to make sure that it is deliberate and serves a purpose to engage and draw the students into the learning. 

My takeaway from remote learning is that now we have to REALLY sell our lessons to get the participation. In classrooms they were hostages now it is a choice. So what do I have to do to make them choose to come to my class. 

Is this the education revolution??? Are we now salespeople??? Is this good or bad??? TBD 

Diversity in EdTech

I'm starting to see a pattern in EdTech I hope it isn't so but I see what I see. Is EdTech truly diverse??? I returned to Twitter the same day as another educator and we had the same count of "followers" at the end of the week and were following the same people. Why does she have 2000 followers and I have 500? Is there bias in who we follow? 

When I updated my profile to begin this journey I thought about whether or not I should use my bitmoji which showed my race. Do other non-minority people consider whether or not there race will make them more or less attractive to people. 

Don't get me wrong I love the groups I am involved in and the people that follow me are powerful but that was just a wondering. I was following Google Educators and Microsoft Educators because that was my interest. As I started getting "badges" I followed those groups and developed my "window" into the EdTech world. As I scrolled I was seeing the same names and groups and started to wonder where were the people of color. Now there were people of color but NOT clearly representative in this new world that I joined. 

I decided to go to #blackteacher #blacktwitter to see what was going on. Was I part of a select group of POC involved in the EdTech world. I found POC but I had become aware of these badges of "honor" and I noticed they were not as prevalent in this world. Why???? Why weren't POC represented in the world of educator certifications???

I thank ALL of the groups that have taught me so much but they are teaching me to use my voice to speak out. So I am speaking out!!! Does it matter having these certifications and badges? It shows a level of excellence in this area but do our educators of color know about these things???

Before the pandemic I was unaware and changed that so I was left out but now I am in and I want to bring other educators with me. I was struggling with my Google Innovative Educator application but I am not struggling anymore. This is the work this is the problem. Having POC be fully represented in the EdTech world.