The year is winding down, and with it a bit of time to reflect on the journey so far. It was just the change I needed to move from a building level Instructional Coach for six years, to a district level Instructional Specialist with a Technology focus. 




ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• MDE Instructional Coaching 101 training completed-Summer '13
• TechNet formed across district to provide communication & support structure
  
• EdTech Website created
• Google-ified BCPS and beyond
  
• iPads & Chromebook use training
  
• REMC-6 district representative
  
• BAISD Curriculum Council
• Blended Learning In the Classroom student (Fall)
  
• Blended Learning In the Classroom Instructor (Spring)-15 BCPS students!
  
• Learned Moodle
  
• Co-Coordinator of district-wide personalized PD (400 attendees, 70 peer presenters)
  
• MACUL presenter-iPads & Chromebooks & Chaos-OH MY!
  
• School Improvement/Title I process support across all buildings
  
• Twitter!!! I love #miched
  
• Boyne Tech Conference presenter in June
  
• Bay Arenac ISD/REMC-6 Instructional Technology Consultant for 14-15
  
• REMC-RITS region 6 representative
  
• MoodleMoot15 Planning committee
  
• Coordinating Summer EdTech Bootcamp series for BAISD/REMC6
• Built amazing relationships with staff & students across the district and region
• I love what I do!

LESSONS LEARNED:

• Listen well
• Show you care
• My coaching training is invaluable
• Smile, encourage, cheer successes, support struggles
• Challenge users to try something new and support them in doing so
• Be available, be flexible, be prompt
• Respond within 24 hours
• Solve the problem or find someone who can
• Be a lifelong learner
• Admit that you don't know, and then model finding the answer in front of the person who inquired
• Love what you do!

Thank you for those who have taught me so much this year, supported me in trying something new, and keeping me on my toes. I can't wait until next fall!

Peace, Joy & Tech!
Becca :)

A year ago I attended MACUL(Michigan Association for Computer Users for Learning)  for the first time. I had always been a die hard MRA (Michigan Reading Association) attendee. The second I arrived back in my district I tried to convince our Curriculum Director to create a Technology Coach position for the district and to just give me the job. He humored me with kindness.

Fast forward one year and I have moved from a longtime teacher  and Curriculum Specialist to the newly created district Instructional Technology Support Specialist position. In the 8 short months since I started this role in August the learning curve has been beyond steep. 

I took to Twitter immediately upon taking this job to stalk (follow) all EdTech gurus I could possibly find and learn from them as I stumbled my way through Tech Land. I was so very starstruck when I arrived at MACUL and saw so many of those Twitter folks in person, and even had a handful attend MY session. Me, a first time state level, total amateur presenter, just sharing my story and they DIDN'T EVEN LEAVE! Perhaps that was out of kindness and courtesy, but I don't care. It still counts! 

I am still processing but here are some key points that keep rolling their way into my psyche:

• Stuff is not always the answer. It's what you do with the Stuff. I nailed that one in my session and have always posed the questions-How will instruction change? What does that look like? What will we create to demonstrate our understanding? This is the Curriculum side of me rearing it's lovely head.
• Being part of a PLN only makes us better. Hone your craft, learn from others, question practices, demonstrate understanding through processing. Learn to tweet. Seriously.
• 21f. That is all. (Well, there is a lot more, but I have some research to do)
• Blended Learning is BIG. This is good because somehow between being a student in the #remc #blic course last fall and becoming an instructor one week after finishing, I have found a niche that just simply works. Go blended people!
• Balance. There must be a balance between using technology for instruction and implementing higher level thinking skills via the curriculum.
• MACUL14 most definitely "Ignited My Learning." I can't wait to learn more from all of you amazing people!

Peace, Smiles & Tech