First Time At ISTE

 

My first experience with ISTE was overall positive albeit overwhelming. From the sheer number of people to the overflow in popular sessions, I felt as though I was running from location to location attempting to make the most of the experience. While I did not make it to every interactive lecture that I hoped to attend, I did walk away with a few ideas that caused me to pause and reflect on my thoughts on technology's role in education, instructional coaching, and the future of education. In addition, my digital tote is now full of countless resources, links, and people with whom I can continue to learn from in the coming months. Despite a little fatigue from carrying way too much around with me and traveling down to the city, which is not my favorite trip to make alone, I also feel my passion reignited and motivated to tackle my new role as my school's instructional coach with fervor and a better perspective on how to best serve my colleagues and the school community.

At a tech conference, the attendees are generally well-versed in the latest educational technology tools, lovers of all things Google, and eager to share resources, ideas, and tips. The amount of information and tool options can feel daunting because the list of tools is continuously evolving and growing. Too much of a good thing can become cumbersome. After weeding through my thoughts, one of my takeaways that was reinforced throughout sessions and conversations with colleagues and friends is that "the what" matters far less than "the how" and "the why." Whether a person chooses to use Google Classroom, Blackboard, or another LMS (the what) matters less than the how it is implemented and why we are using it to support student learners. The same concept applies to any strategy or instructional tool utilized in attempts to engage students, make learning and teaching more efficient, and deliver content more effectively. No matter what we use to educate students, we should continue the dialogue on how and why we are infusing content and learning strategies in our daily practices both in and out of the classroom because the what will continue to evolve and so will the needs of our students.

Another theme of the conference highlighted was yet another "e" - empowerment. Whether the message was focused on empowering teachers to attempt to push their instructional strategies further by personalizing learning or empowering students to use digital platforms to create change and impact their communities, the conference experience was designed to encourage teachers to be an agent for positive growth in their respective positions, schools, and learning networks. In an age in which our lives are documented, both voluntarily and involuntarily, online, we need to remember that we can connect with people around the world and can build relationships that will allow us to use our voices to make a positive impact on those with whom we connect. In addition, we can also access resources that expand our perspectives, enhance our knowledge within our content areas, and challenge us to improve our instructional practices with every passing semester. When I consider empowering my students, I return to the notion that we are in the business of people - specifically young people. No matter how the mode of education evolves (because it will evolve dramatically in the next decade), what is most important is the relationships we cultivate with our students, fellow educators, and our community as a whole. Relationships will allow us to help students grow into curious, life-long learners that are able to pursue their passions and interests beyond our walls successfully. Ultimately, that is all of our goal and job as educators.

As with any new experience, I do have a short list of what I wish I knew before attempting to undergo this instructional idea overload, which includes (1) being prepared for the long lines that we needed to get into an hour before sessions started if we truly wanted to attend a specific session. Too many people and not enough chairs for popular sessions, especially related to instructional coaching, did end with being turned away from a learning opportunity on more than one occasion. Also, (2) I wish I had planned to attend less and previewed the digital resources with more care while I was scheduling my day. Realistically, a person cannot participate in more than three sessions in a day and explore the playground, posters, and vendor expo that ran concurrently with interactive sessions. Incorporating a little more downtime in my schedule might have allowed me to target the meaningful sessions for me to attend.

While walking through the vendor expo was not high on my priority list, (3) I wish I would have taken a little more time to examine which vendors were in attendance that I use. Of course I walked through the Google for Education both and checked out the newest upgrades coming this fall (I can't wait, by the way), and I went and spoke directly to my district's Canvas rep who I will be working with quite a bit on the phone this coming year, I could have met with a few other vendors for programs that I use or would like to utilize next school year (like Flipgrid). Meeting a representative face-to-face can lead to strong relationships, additional assistance and support, and even provide new ideas and implementation tips to improve student learning in the classroom. (5) My final wish was that I had scheduled more time to reflect. Some of my most valuable moments at ISTE were the times I had to spend with my colleagues - especially my fellow instructional coaches. Having conversations, both personal and professional, made me excited about the coming school year, will allow us to collaborate more effectively, and encouraged me to reflect on what I was learning in that moment as well as start planning for the fall. In addition to investing in quality time with people in my district, I also had the opportunity to connect with a few of my favorite Twitter/teacher friends that I have made over the years, which was much needed and just so much fun. I love my teacher tribe!

Ultimately, ISTE or any professional development experience is most effective when it's personalized to individual interest and needs. Strong professional development is less about what sessions one attends; it is more about the people the attendee is with and the reflection that results after the experience is over. Again, we are the in the business of people; attending with colleagues with whom we can share ideas and collaborate in the moment and the future can make any experience more meaningful and certainly more fun.

Attitude is Everything: When Work and Life Blend Together

After walking to the library during nap time with Jordan, I found I had a fair amount of downtime before the girls were up from a nap and fed. Josh often brings the car and whichever child is left at home to play at the library and drive me home. Sitting snuggled with my littlest, I picked up the book Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt. The title caught my eye because this was my mom's mantra in her final year as principal of her school. This book was a positive and inspiring read filled with a few poignant nuggets of knowledge to jump start my annual summer recharge and reflection muscles moving as the themes centered around goal setting, gratitude, and a growth mindset.

The book begins by recounting the story of an accomplished runner, Heather Kampf, who made what seemed like the impossible possible. After falling flat on her face during a 600-meter dash, advancing from neck-in-neck with the first place runner, Kampf picked herself up and sprinted from the last place to first - crushing her competition in spite of a devastating setback. The message in this anecdote seems so clear - no matter how fast we are running or how close the finish line is, we can always pick ourselves up to find success. How impressive that this runner was able to mentally and physically recover so quickly to come back from such a drastic fall and what would seem like an inevitable failure. What a beautiful and tangible reminder that when all seems lost or hopeless, we can pick ourselves up and finish what we have set out to do.

This year I have been challenged to pick myself up a few times over and learned how interrelated my personal and professional lives are. My focus at the beginning of the year was to find work-life balance, but the more that I seek an answer to this equation, the more I realize that the answer is in embracing happiness in each moment and less about finding the perfect amount of minutes to dedicate to each part of my life. Often, my life cannot be divided into home-life and school-life; the people I love and the family I have created have entered into both aspects of my life and cannot be ascribed to just one part of my life.

Early in my career, I  was given a great deal of well-intentioned advice. I was warned about burnout and told that I need to draw clear boundaries in between my home life and my career. I was told that I was taking on too much too quickly with graduate degrees and extracurricular duties, and I was often told that these commitments could lead to adverse effects on my personal life. While I do run into the occasional bout of stomach flu as the result of lack of sleep or rest (At least once a year. It's awful), my tiredness is well-worth the messy and blurry lines between my school and personal homes. Meaning no disrespect, I have not listened to that piece of advice; it never made sense to me because working with young people is not a job. Teaching is a matter of the heart. I cannot leave my students and their stories at school.

Perhaps a better way of applying that advice is to protect who you are and do not allow one aspect of life take away from the joy of another aspect, especially family. This advice is applicable and essential for any career - know who you are, embrace it, and protect it. Now in my early 30s, I have a much better sense of my identity. I embrace my frenetic energy and see it as my greatest strength - and my weakness. While I can be guilty of moving too quickly, I am always moving forward. I attempt to wear my heart on my sleeve at all times, which makes me vulnerable but also allows me to empathize with others. I struggle, as we all do, to find balance in life, but I love the messiness of it all. Rarely do I have my computer open when my kids are awake. Once a month, during my Twitter chat, my kids know that Mama is working on the computer, and every once in a while, Mama has to grade papers. I still strongly believe in keeping the computer shut, except during the busiest of grading seasons (especially during the Junior I-Search). Then, I take out the Bluetooth keyboard that no longer works and allow Willa to cuddle up to me while we "work together." Sometimes I find her playing with it on her own, and when asked what she's doing, she giggles and shouts so proudly, "I working!" She's going to take over the world one day. 😊

While I naturally feel the need to be working on something academic or cleaning, my husband and my children force me to take time to play. The joy that I have gained from opening myself up to the creativity and lightness that comes from play, which is so beautifully described by Shonda Rhimes TED Talk, "My Year To Saying Yes To Everything." When our self-worth and happiness is related to embracing our faults as well as our strengths, our minds remain grateful for every opportunity (even our setbacks), and we allow ourselves to recognize the inspiration in each moment.

We are told that we can't have it all - especially as women. I disagree with that. What "it all" means is defined by the individual. For me, I want to embrace the idea that tomorrow or next year will be the best day or year ever. The best is always yet to come. Believing this mantra, striving to move forward and make every moment count will allow me to provide for my biological children, stretch and challenge my students and laugh at the chaos that ensues during busy grading periods, end of semester final summative assessments, future dance recitals, piano lessons, and maybe even soccer games (whatever my children hope to pursue). As one of my dear friends, Paige, who started out just as a school colleague and now is considered a bonus aunt to my children, our attitude determines everything. If we embrace happiness in each moment and recognize the blessings of each opportunity, we can experience contentment and joy, which to me, is all that matters.

Here's to a memorable and awesome summer full of carting the kids around in the van (which I'm still too scared to drive), teaching a few summer courses, reading as many books as I can obtain, and living in the moment.

#LikeAGirl #GirlBoss

An Open Letter to My Mom's Staff (The Retiring PrinciMom)

Dear Riley Staff,

First and foremost, thank you for the lovely celebration honoring my mom. District 21, Cooper Middle School, and Riley Elementary have served as her home for over two decades. As this chapter in her life comes to a close, I am so grateful that you have been a part of her journey.

A career as an educator is often a thankless job. Hours are long, and it is nearly impossible to leave school work at school. As a principal, my mother's shoulders have been heavy with not only caring for students but also for her colleagues and staff - who are just as dear and precious to her as the students that fill your halls. In addition to advocating for kids, she has spent her hours advocating for her colleagues, filling empty supervision positions, scheduling specials, coordinating special services and programs, and fielding parent phone calls.


Carrie's gift as an educator and a mother has always been the ability to see the greater picture. When we cannot look beyond a given day, she has the innate ability to put the pieces together - to make even the most challenging experiences produce wonderful outcomes as she intuitively anticipates the effects of those outcomes. Because of her ability to vision cast and plan, I have seen Riley grow and change in her tenure as principal, and I have learned that even when life presents unforeseen obstacles, wonderful life lessons and experiences can be acquired as a result. Leadership is a heavy burden, especially for those like my mother, who lead with their hearts, but wearing one's heart on her sleeve also opens the heart up to a significant amount of love, which is why at our cores, we all became educators in the first place.

On early morning and busy afternoons, my phone has frequently buzzed. As the screen lights up with the name "MOM," I often can anticipate the conversation to follow. In some way, it will inevitably be about school, her staff, or the parent phone call that she faced about what happened on the playground again. My mom and I talk nearly every day - sometimes multiple times a day. In those conversations, a few themes have remained prominent in my mind. Not only does she talk about challenging parent phone calls or the youthful spats she had to solve at lunchtime, but she also talks about her staff - teachers she has hired, watched grow in their own careers, and people that she considers to be her school family. If you know only one fact about my mother, it is that family has and always will come first. As such, I have heard about your heartbreaks, struggles, and health issues. She has shared birth announcements, engagements, and new prospects. Just as we pack up our computers and papers to grade, she has packed your joys and heartbreaks carefully in her school bag and brought them home with her. For the last the 14 years, she has carried your feelings and thoughts closely to her. She has spent time reflecting and revising SIP days, meetings, and breakfast menus to best meet the needs of all those at Riley. And while she might not be skilled in the ways of Google, I'm sure we can all agree that she has perfected the chocolate chip cookie in such a way that it can heal any school ache or pain we might experience.

The legacy of an educator is often hard to define. How he or she touches the lives of students and colleagues alike is difficult to quantify, but our family was moved by the video messages that you assembled. Thank you for being a part of her story. Thank you for taking care of her in her home away from home. Thank you for eating all the experimental food that she has cooked for you over the years. Thank you for listening to her talk about her family - specifically her grandchildren. And thank you for sending her off with a splash!

Please note that you have made a significant and lasting impression on her life and mine as a result. I cannot express enough how integral Riley Elementary and the teachers and staff have been in making her years as an educator meaningful and memorable. The memories of your kindness and the sentiments that you have shared will be remembered and cherished by our family for years to come. Please visit Carrie as she turns in her school keys for a chef's hat at Anna's Fire soon. May you continue to pursue a love of learning and may your classrooms be full of eager and inquisitive young minds ready to learn for years to come.

With deep and sincere admiration and love,

Steph (McCulley) Sukow
A daughter, an educator, and a life-long learner