March Musings 24: Celebrate Connecting

Today, I am a learner who firmly believes in the power of positivity and the impact of being connected as a way to advance my learning .

Today, I am  a traveler traveling to the Connected Educators' of Long Island Summit, #CELI18, where I will discover new ideas to impact teaching and leading. 

Today, I am an educator ready to connect with 475 other educators from Long Island and surrounding area at #CELI18. I will reach out to new colleagues and greet familiar faces.

Today, I am a moderator of #NYEDChat hoping to lead a virtual, fast-paced , half hour conversation at #CELI18 among connected educators with my friend Blanca Duarte. We will follow the breakfast chat with three slow chat questions during the morning. 

Today, I am full of hope that many tweeps from our vast #PLN tribe will join the #NYEDChat conversation from all corners of the Twittersphere to share ideas and learn from each other. Below are the questions, if you are interested in participating.

While virtual communications bind us together in unique ways, the aha moments of face-to-face conversations are not to be missed. I am excited to be part of the connected education movement where innovation, positivity, and creativity thrive. Within our tribe of connected educators, trust and support exist as we journey to find our greatness as lifelong learners.

Before connected learning was popular, voices were in silos. People worked alone, trying to navigate their path. One shot professional development did not open doors to enlightened learning unless strategies discussed were implemented, reflected upon, and shared with colleagues. Now with the advent of choice-driven learning, connected educators can engage with others in professional conversations that ignite additional learning and reflective actions, like the ones that I will be experiencing today.  

I leave you with an inspiring thought from  Dr. Bill Brennan, one of the original founders of #NYEDChat and Assistant to the Superintendent for Innovation at Farmingdale School District. "Innovation transcends technology and is more about thought, process, and methods. When actualized it connects with individual and collective purpose and serves as a solution to an identified problem."

Join me  today as I connect with colleagues, lead with #NYEDChat, and  learn at #CELI18.

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I celebrate connected educators of Long Island this week
with Ruth Ayres and the Celebrate This Week writers.

 

Day 24 of Two Writing Teachers' March Slice of Life Story Challenge

March Musings #19: Lucky To:

When growing up, I always heard about the luck of the Irish. Good luck is for everyone and is often developed from positive mindsets. I am fortunate to have been raised in a talented family with strong female role models. From my grandmother and mother, I learned how to be nurtured by my passions. Creativity is a gift and developing it is a lifelong journey of persistent observation, practice, and patience. Below is my digital inspiration on being lucky created with Buncee. 

Close-up of a blackout poem I created based on Wonderopolis' Wonder of the Day, #1649, "Why are Four-Leaf Clovers So Hard To Find?".

 I am lucky to be part of several writing groups and the Connected Educator initiative where positivity is at the foundation. 
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Day 19 of Two Writing Teachers' March Slice of Life Story Challenge.

Connecting With Great Educators

It is amazing how a great, online conversation can broaden your perspective and leave you pondering even after the convo. One day later and I am still thinking about the flow of tweets from last night's #NYEDChat convo on Twitter with Jimmy Casas. During the chat, a connected energy was harnessed as we discussed What Great Educators Do Differently. Today's stream of tweets, encouraged deeper thinking on my part.

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Many tweets went by.

I sit still pondering a reply.

I return from a state of quiet to write.

Connected educators are a mix of spring blossoms,

Positivity, possibilities, and potential-a simple bouquet

Scenting the morning air with fragrant garden freshness. 

Great educators examine their understandings.

A positive spirit of good will and respect fill their talk.

Possibilities (unlimited) frame their mindset and lead their walk.

Potential is what is envisioned to extend their journey of growth.

It is within a thriving, borderless community of shared networking that

Lasting relationships are solidified, collaborative efforts promoted, and 

Engines of the mind ignited to collectively impact teaching and learning.

From these swirling thoughts, 

Digital inspirations previously created 
Swept across my screen as promising mantras.

The journey to connect and grow as a collective body of professionals is one that should not be walked alone. Have you reaped the benefit of a connected network of great educators? If not, it is time to grow your PLN with edufriends who think beyond the box, are risk takers, and understand the wisdom of passing on ownership of learning to their students. 

I am posting this to Two Writing Teachers for Slice of Life Tuesday tonight. With gratitude for this outstanding group of connected educators who honor the practice of writing by honing their craft each week, I share my thoughts. 

Thoughts to Inspire Positivity

Recharge! Reflect! Renew! 
Recharge! Reflect! Renew! 

As the 2015-16 school year draws to a close here in New York State, it is time to reflect on all the positives. Last night, #NYEDChat brought its year to a close while the strawberry moon was floating in the sky (not to be seen by me-oh, well). Connected educators celebrated sharing the pulsebeat of the possible. They gathered as a tribe to move beyond oneness, banding together to strike a balance in a world of dissonance. Why did we come from near and far to gather? It was for the right reasons-to celebrate our professional and personal learning with each other. 

With new and veteran #NYEDChat members, the roar of voices conversing reached beyond our state last night. Educators and even a student leader from New Zealand, James Anderson, connected, despite our distances. We listened, leaned in to learning, and most importantly chatted about the positives of the year. Emily Pascual from the upper part of New York State joined in the conversation with a statement from the heart.

We may have closed the doors for the summer months at #NYEDChat last night but we know we will return at the end of the summer and share new learnings and the positive moments of our summers.

The countdown to summer relaxation begins this week. It is time to direct attention to our summer bucket lists that should recharge our batteries.

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FOR EDUCATORS and CONNECTED COLLEAGUES:

This summer, luxuriate in relaxation, reacquaint yourself with your passions, pick up the book that has been waiting for you, and enjoy downtime, a precious commodity. 

REMINDER FOR CONNECTED EDUCATORS and COLLEAGUES:

Let your mind wander to creative spots to renew your energy for another new year of life and learning.

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Before I close, I would like to give a shout out to the #DareToBe Community led by my Twitter friend, Andrea Sanchez. When I joined the chat midstream tonight I heard the word recharging and knew that I was in the right spot. The conversation recharged my energy and focused my thoughts as I listened to the ideas of others and tweeted along. By the end of the chat, I refueled my energy so that I could wrap up this slice.

If you don't take the time to recharge, you risk the chance to savor the sweet moments of life. Recharging is a necessity of life. It is the spark to reflect and renew our spirits.

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Every Tuesday, Two Writing Teachers call together educators to write Slices of Life. Visit the site here to read this week's posts.

Slicers, may your summer days be filled with relaxation and rejuvenation. 

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Intent

Digital platforms, like Twitter, are used daily by connected colleagues for professional learning. It is the intent of these educators to broaden their reach and cross regional boundaries as a means of communicating on a global scale. Learning becomes a continual cycle through conversations, infographics, and blogs. Digital change happens as we connect and explore educational issues together.

It is my intent to speak my mind,

to be intentional as I act upon my words;

deliberate as I move through the motions .

I am a connected educator,

one of thousands across the globe.

I speak with intentionality.

A growth mindset leads me.

Positivity guides me. 

I listen and hear my colleagues

as I create alongside them,

hoping to impact teaching and learning
on a daily basis.

With intent, I move to the beat,

feeling the sparks of connectivity

letting my voice rise with the collective chorus

for the greater good of learners first!

With whom do you connect and what is your intent for moving education forward in your locale? 

Please visit Digilit Sunday hosted by Margaret Simon to read the viewpoints of other educators on the topic of intent. 

Rocking to a Positive Beat

Last night as the 8:00 hour for #NYEDChat neared, a huge band of positivity champions rallied for a well-advertised Twitter chat. Voices were predicted to rise as high in the skies as the New York City skyscrapers. All were primed and ready to let positivity prevail, dissipating any notion that negativity exists in the world (if only for one hour) and so the dream unfolded. What transpired was a feat of unparallelled magnitude in #NYEDChat history. 

Nineteen positivity champions were scheduled to join the #NYEDChat conversation. Within a week's time, our usual moderating team (Bill Brennan, Victoria Day, Blanca Duarte, Dan McCabe, Lisa Meade, Starr Sackstein, Dennis Schug, Tony Sinanis, and me) plus a special band of #EduFriends (Bobby Dodd, Sean Gaillard, Reed Gillespie, Phil Griffin, Neil Gupta, Jon Harper, Jennifer Hogan, Eoin Lenihan, Craig Vroom, Jennifer Williams) prepared a celebratory event that was sure to rock the Twittersphere. With the true spirit of connected colleagues, the positivity team engaged in backchannel conversations and twitter messages leading up to last night's chat. #vachat and #OHedchat friends were called in and tweets sent across the world to our German colleague. We were ready.

From the first gif, NYEDChat flowed with positivity and a new sense of camaraderie was established. Positive thoughts were shot out in rapid succession by tweeters from across the states. Both newbie and veteran connected educators and friends chimed in. As the sounds of positivity were shouted loud and clear across the Twittersphere, the news of #NYEDChat trending on Twitter was a front page headline for us. 

Like the NYC skyscrapers only 30 miles away, connected colleagues' voices rose high in a collective chorus of positivity while posters and high fives were shared. Many interesting statements, such as those below, flowed from the topic, Positive People Do More. 

•  casehighprinc So thrilled to be a part of this evening!! Rock-star-a-palooza!!! 
•  MrsVandeborne positivity looks like engaged excitement, deeper learning, & real/visible progress, collaborative efforts & LOTS of high fives!
•  ERobbPrincipal #NYEDchat Wow a real convergence of Ed Leaders-- Great to be here!!!
•  MentorTextCentr Positivity is definitely a good-feeling energy making the workplace filled with a 'positive flow' of ideas/ collaboration.
•  iChrisLehman positivity often starts by watching and listening to kids at work. They do wonders to raise our spirits.
•  karenvaites Positivity is often a matter of mind over matter!
•  smgaillard #NowPlaying What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong #NYEdchat #CelebrateMonday ♫https://t.co/mzNiM5hW5C
•  rggillespie As educators, we've been entrusted by parents with most precious possession, their children. How can we not be positive?
•  danieldmccabe Positive people do more because they don't waste their energy complaining, making excuses or pointing fingers. Own it.

Sampling of Positivity Posters:

@mgrosstaylor

MRHS_Principal

OrganicLeaderVB 

ShannonMStark

Sample Call To Action Statements:

• Jennifer Hogan: Call to action: I'm COMPELLED to be a positive force & advocate for educators! Who's with me?!!!
• Greg Richards I'll continue to show #positivity because I'm richly blessed to do the work daily-inspired by & inspiring young people daily. 
• Melanie Meehan I will substitute "get to" for "have to" every chance I get! Such a different spin! 
• The Teaching Factor 
  I will always be positive, share the love, & hang up posters/images from 2 night's chat around my classroom 2 promote positivity.
• Danny Steele 
  "Awesomeness" is not accidental. We will be awesome on purpose!!!

Positivity poems can be read here.

You can review the amazing conversation captured by Participate Learning here.

Debby Call

As a band of positivity champs, participants and the team of nineteen joined together to see new possibilities as we celebrated positivity. 

@lauriemeston 

To round off the amazing experience of being in the company of positivity champions, I found this tweet from Jasper Fox Sr. in my notifications today: "Feeling super positive this AM after the great chat last night on that topic on #NYEDChat." I have to agree with Jasper. Rocking to a positive beat is a high-energy type of feeling. As part of my call to action statement, I spread positivity today and will continue because there is joy in being a positive connected educator. 

Two Writing Teachers
#sol16