A Year in Review - 2013

A Year in Review - 2013

In 2013 I did a lot of growing professionally and personally.  My goal was to become a connected educator and not a fade away.  I attended the MACE conference in March which was the spark I needed.   A passion in wanting to learn more came from that conference, that is when I realized I was a life long learner.  I spent a lot of time in 2013 teaching myself how to create Green-Screen effects and then turned around and taught whoever would listen to me.  Augmented Reality become my other passion.  I just had to learn more about what it was and how it worked.  Once I learned what it was I wanted to create my own Augmented Reality pieces.  My classroom is overflowing with AR objects, I've even taken it to the hallway trying to capture as much attention as I can.  I've introduced teachers to AR and watching the ideas fly out of their minds in how they could also use AR in their classroom has been amazing.

I attended my 1st edcampKS and edcampKC were I met a lot of amazing educators from around the mid-west area who just like me have a passion to be a life long learner.  If you get a chance I totally recommend attending an edcamp near you.  I also attended EdmodoCon this year and boy did the ideas start flowing.  From attending Podstock, EdmodoCon, & EdcampKS I became inspired to create a Global Project.  Now I get the opportunity in 2014 to share how I created my Global Project.  I will be presenting how to create a global project at the MACE 2014 conference and at the ISTE 2014 conference.  I just know that my story will spark a project or two.

My Recommendations:

• Learn at least 1 new Tool and use it in your Classroom
• Connect with someone who inspires you
• Embrace your Passion and share it with others
• Sit in on a Twitter Chat - Great way to Connect and Learn
• Attended a SimpleK12 Webinar - Great way to Connect and Learn
• Read a Teacher's Blog
• Read a Student's Blog
• Attend a Edcamp
• Don't be afraid of technology! - You really can't break it!

2013 was a great journey and I am glad a I met some amazing teachers to share that journey with me.   I am not sure what 2014 will hold for me, but I do know it will be even better!