Moving Beyond Comfort Zones to New Practices

In almost 14 years at Excelsior Springs Middle School, I really thought I knew and understood the staff; but since utilizing EdConnect I have a greater appreciation for the individuals that make the organization run.

Many, whom I have known for 14 years, were able to move out of their comfort zones and experience the growing world of technology, i.e., Twitter, Edmodo, Symboloo, and Hootsuite.  As a member of the Professional Development Committee, an educator, and a lifelong learner these “ah-ha” moments, when an individual surprises themself with their own learning and then applies this information in the classroom, are the most fulfilling.  For example, I watched as Steve Egbert whom I have known for all 14 years and whom I adore, even though we have very different opinions about politics, found an amazing app (which I was unaware of) on Edmodo that could be used for classroom management.  With this app, teachers can assign positive or negative points to students (using their cell phone, tablet or desktop) that can be used by the students to create their own avatars.  In another example, Mary DiGirlamo, whom I have had the honor of knowing for the last six years, found an amazing new way to utilize digital timelines.  In an afternoon session on Thursday, she was able to brainstorm, using a new timeline program, Timetoast, to illustrate for students on the first day(s) of school, which time periods her classes would be focusing on in their sixth and seventh grades. As technology continues to evolve, it’s imperative that we as educators adapt and adopt new skills necessary for this ever changing world.