PD That Makes You Think

Have you ever been to a presentation where the speaker said so many interesting things you just wanted to write them ALL down? You try to write it all, but you just can't keep up. So many insightful things said. So many things you want to remember but just can't keyboard fast enough.

This was the case for me tonight. Luckily, I had Twitter, so I just tweeted out as much as I could.

Our speaker was Angela Maiers. She's an educator/speaker and the author of Passion Driven Classroom: a book I read this summer for a group study. Angela spoke about Twitter and its value. I'd heard her speak this summer, but this session was different and I learned more tonight.

But before she spoke to our faculty tonight, she stopped by my classroom this afternoon (accompanied by my principal). Imagine how excited and nervous I was!
My students showed Angela our classroom blog, and she had a GREAT discussion with them about blogging and tweeting (we just started tweeting as a class).

Angela Maiers in my classroom showcasing our blog!

I watched in pride and amazement. My students answered her questions with a brilliance that made me think just how privileged I am to be a teacher. Even though we've just been together for three weeks, my students have learned so much & all the credit goes to them! I realized then just how much we teach when we model in front of our students. Every time we blogged together, every time I modeled my own writing, and every time I shared my thinking with my students, learning was happening! I was so proud I couldn't speak.

At her presentation, Angela said a lot of insightful things about being connected and the value of information. But there's one concept that I am taking hold of tonight. And I'm blogging to share it here:

Our students must be digitally literate, and teachers must model this literacy just as they model reading and writing. (Book recommendation here: THE DIGITAL WRITING WORKSHOP by Troy Hicks. I read this one for my National Writing Project Summer Institute.)

This was my big AHA moment. This made me appreciate the importance of my contribution and participation. Every time I take part in digital forums & spaces, I experience something that prepares me to teach my students to do the same.

Reading, connecting, writing and learning! My students and I are on this journey together, but I'm traveling ahead to be ready!