One of the most important lessons that I learned a a high school math teacher was that kids could care less about most of the content that I taught if they did not feel a connection to me. The "relatable" content was easy because you could tie that to their real world experiences or conduct simple experiments and they were excited. However, when it came down to learning something that was a bit more abstract, I would lose them without their trust that I actually cared. Relationships mattered. The student:teacher relationship is such an important one. You must be approachable and honest in your actions. I can only describe it as being someone that kids would want to have casual conversations with while still maintaining the balance between the roles of students and teachers. I knew of a few teachers who, in my opinion, went way too far into the "friend zone" as the kids knew more about that teacher’s personal life than they should’ve. To this day, I still hurl at the thought of what those kids knew as it was that bad…and gross. I’ve taught kids from all walks of life and regardless of who they were, they wanted to know that I knew THEM individually. I had a kid who was known for his local skateboard antics as he was banned from skating in most areas of town. Writing a math problem that incorporated skateboarding wasn’t enough to reach him. Teachers tried that often and he was bored with it. I listened to him talk and in his conversations he would make small references to Fall Out Boy (a band). I knew this because I too listened to Fall Out Boy so I made a reference back. His eyes lit up as if he had seen a ghost and he squealed (Yes….squealed)… "Mrs. D. You KNOW Fall Out Boy!!!" Everyday we would spend about 1-2 minutes on various rock bands and rap. Other students became involved. As kids entered the room, I started playing music. In that small action, I not only had him but also the quiet "rockers" in the back and with that…I had them all year. We could talk about math in the sense of what they could relate to but we could also somehow make sense of learning concepts that they would probably never use again. That relationship was easy but not all of them work out that way. Quite a few require more work beyond conversations. Regardless, it is in the relationships that we build with kids that speak to how far we get with them. It’s not about the content alone. You’ve got to first connect with the kid.

My parents talked to me about college before I even entered high school. I was expected to go. I found it alarming, at first, to speak to kids who had never even had the post-high school discussion. It soon became the norm.  College isn’t for everyone. I get that, but to not even present it as an option is wrong especially for children of poverty which statistically meant children of color in my community. Kids saw college and education as something that white kids did. (Their words) They did not see it for themselves unless it was through athletics which was a free education for those that could make the cut. The rest of my kids saw education as something that they could never afford. I had seniors who qualified for pell grants but had no idea about what they were or even how to get them. The day that I knew we had a problem was the day that a senior AP Art student told me that she didn’t even know how to apply for college. She was an AP Student for crying out loud!!! The whole purpose of that course is to earn enough points on the AP exam that earn college credit. Her parents did not speak english and had never talked to her about anything beyond graduation. They blindly relied on the school for that. She arranged to visit with me everyday after graduation practice where we completed her application to community college and did her FAFSA. Within a few weeks, she was enrolled in school and is actually nearing her graduation from the University of Texas at Arlington where she majored in Art. To this day, the piece that she painted for me hangs in my home. That moment was my swift kick that if I could do anything for my kids beyond teach them algebra and geometry, it would be to start talking about college, trade schools, FAFSA, scholarships, resumes, community service and help my kids see that there were options beyond the factory jobs of our town. Within the next year or so, I became our campus sponsor for our UTA Upward Bound Math and Science Program which is a federally funded program that placed qualifying kids in a collegiate environment providing experiences and support in getting into college. I can honestly say that I know of at least 30 kids who would not have gone to college had it not been for this program. Many are nearing graduation. I think that we must question the purpose of high school if we aren’t working towards a higher purpose. Students should not have to walk off that graduation stage and wonder what is next. Education isn’t a "white" thing. Education is for everyone and if students aren’t feeling that, we haven’t served them at all. If parents are relying on schools and schools are relying on parents…and no one is coming together on who is doing what…our kids suffer. The ownership of preparedness lies within those of us that work with children. We need to own that and serve them in every capacity and that includes in post-graduation planning.    

Yesterday, I presented my digital storytelling in math session for the second time and in doing so made some pretty hefty improvements. The gist of the session is to get teachers to place control of learning into the hands of kids. I have to say that I was super impressed with the openness and excitement of each teacher that attended. It was truly inspiring. Digital storytelling isn’t new but for some reason we often negate its value in math. For my students, their ability to connect learning to ideas that held their interest was truly powerful. I cannot speak enough about what students were able to do when I stepped back and allowed them the room to share understanding beyond calculation. When I initially developed this presentation, I did it with the ipad in mind. However, we are a district of multiple devices including chromebooks, macs, PCs, some android tablets and any device that students bring to school. As with any technology integration, the focus should be on purpose and content. What should students be able to do? Why are they doing it? The technology is always secondary to that. With that said, we spent time talking about development and conceptualizing according to their math grade level or content area. I actually watered down applications and shared a few examples so that they could create within the session. I even offered to help with the classroom development and implementation when they were ready. I’m hoping that they contact me as I am eager to support. Below is my google presentation followed by a video that I created to accompany.

The other day I attended my local school district’s student showcase night at our high school. It was an exciting night for our family as my nephew’s solar system was selected for display and we all went to support him. I always find it exciting to walk back into my former place of employment, my alma mater, especially when it’s for such a great reason as celebrating the creative accomplishments of students. The problem is that my current self is much more aware and open to seeing the realities that are no longer perfectly normal but definitely worth questioning. I walked around the school hugging my former students and enjoying the work that students had on display as their work was amazing. As I stopped to look around I noticed that of all of the families present, we were the only black family in attendance and that bothered me. Where was everyone else? I’ll be honest in saying that had we not received the call inviting us because Braeden’s work was on display, we would not have gone. Did no one else receive a call? I continued to walk around and finally counted up to maybe three other families. When I got to the high school portion, I stopped to pay attention to the represented student organizations. There was FFA and their prize winning animals on display. There were kids representing horticulture, a huge K-Nex set completed by the engineering class, a student step team, home economics class…and not one single black child in those groups. I wondered if maybe they were not that into breeding animals or growing plants. Maybe they didn’t want to do the step team. Maybe they didn’t like sewing. Maybe engineering wasn’t an interest. I wondered if anyone bothered asking. I wondered if any organization, beyond athletics, appealed to our black students. Did they not volunteer to "man" a table? Were they even asked? Speaking of athletics, where exactly were the student athletes? That alone would have placed quite a few more non-white faces in the crowd. To be fair, I did count 4 kids and that bothered me even more. As the night concluded, the school cheered on the success of that night. The "community" showed up and experienced the greatness of its students…a portion of its students. I don’t understand how one can even put together an event like that without making sure to have multiple student populations represented. The kids that are selected for everything are the ones that are developing their leadership skills the most. The kids that are never selected…never chosen and never represented are the kids that lose the most. If you’re asking them to be a part and they are replying with "no", maybe the next question needs to be…"why not" Maybe this school needs to ask itself if the clubs and organizations are reflective of the interest of its student population and if not create opportunities for more student leadership by developing platforms for them to shine. Maybe it’s time that we worked within our community of black leadership and found ways to make sure that our families were present, our kids are represented and that no matter what we show up because contrary to that night, we are here too. Let the movement begin… 

 I’ve heard tons of chatter in the last few weeks about alternative certification edu programs. Most of these talks stem from Teach for America, its 5 week training program and its corporate backers. Add to that the point about TFA teachers being hired to take the jobs of experienced teachers as charter schools come in to close public schools. I will admit that I do not have experience with that aspect of TFA but I have plenty of experience in working with alt cert teachers from multiple programs. Let’s just say that at least TFA gets 5 weeks. About that 5 Weeks… It’s insane to think that a first year teacher can possibly have a successful year with only 5 weeks of training. That’s what TFA teachers get. Believe it or not, that number isn’t even the worst of what alt cert programs give. There are quite a few that provide zero development or prior time in a classroom. As a matter of fact, one company iteachtexas has a "paid internship" program that enables a teacher with a degree to be hired by a school district earning "on the job training" while in the job. There is no "5 week" attempt. Development is up to the teacher and/or school district. For the record, almost every high school teacher that I taught with was alt cert with a concentration in a specific content area. I’ve worked with quite a few former engineers who were either laid off in their fields or could not achieve employment. Their only requirement was to take a paid program for alt cert and pass a certification program…typically in math/science. The state of Texas requires as much. There is no experience in working with children, zero pedagogical research and we expect these teachers to either be naturally great or figure it out. New Teacher Training? Whose job is it anyway? When new teachers walk into our buildings, it is our responsibility as administrators, support staff, mentors and even veteran teachers to help accentuate their development. I don’t ask "where were you certified?" I ask, "what can I do to support you?" It’s easy to blame the program and that’s what we do. Heck I used to do it but when you criticize the path that a teacher took into education and do absolutely nothing to add to their development, what are you complaining for? The fact is that new teachers barely last beyond 5 years because we are terrible at mentorship and development. Yes, TFA teachers do "their time" and often walk away but would that happen if we had a system in place to support those teachers? Whether teachers have 5 weeks,0 weeks or 2 years of prior training…the first few years in education are critical. As long as that new teacher is willing to grow, we’ve got to start figuring out how to support them because in the end the real losers here are students.  

For 9 years, I directly taught or worked with teachers in math classrooms. Math education is my area of expertise and will always be my core focus. I still believe that a core content specialist, who is focused on student learning, should also be a technology specialist because truthfully our worlds are kind of married. Yet, I’ve experienced a few moments where my "tech" self is met with looks of pure disproval while my "content" self is welcome into conversations. I find that odd. I have struggled this year with wearing the "tech only" hat especially when working with math teachers. It is almost impossible to not chime in with instructional strategies or methods that I know impact student learning in math. I feel like the kid with the answer to the teacher’s question squirming in the desk because I can’t answer it! I want so bad to help teachers with instructional planning beyond the scope of "just technology" because truthfully nothing makes me happier than helping to find possible moments of impact with math. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my "tech self" but I love my "student centered learning" self more because in reality, as I stated earlier, those two parts of myself are truly one in the same especially when it comes to math. I’m really writing this post to say that we’ve really got to stop boxing the "edtechs" into a "tech only" corner and consider that we are also core content teachers who have passions beyond the scope of shiny tools. I don’t split those parts of myself. As a matter of fact, I’m a stronger technology specialist because I understand how it is merely an enhancer of what kids do…a gateway. The dominant part of what guides how I help teachers is student learning and truthfully, that does not always include technology if we do it right. If we really do it right, the technology isn’t even determined by the teacher but by the student which is how it should be. It’s funny how this sounds different coming from my "math self" versus my "tech self" when in reality it’s always coming directly from my heart…the culmination of both math and tech combined when applicable.    

"Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them." - Orison Swett Marden I have to admit that as much as I like the above quote, I’m a bit at odds with it.  I am all about seizing the moment and creating my own opportunities but I also know what it’s like to work my butt off and never really be given a chance. As amazing as it is to be the architect of your own journey, there are just some things that call for a door to be opened and many are still working to break the barriers that are systemically placed in front of them. Some see those barriers a lot more than others. For me, the difference was that someone told me that my job wasn’t just to be a teacher…not even a good teacher…but a GREAT teacher everyday that I put my feet on the ground. I was told that people would deny my abilities but to make them so loud that their denying would be an afterthought. I was also encouraged to join organizations and be active in them…to continue to grow and learn. I was groomed to share, lead and make my own paths. I knew that opportunities would never be given to me unless I made them. Even when you work like crazy and do great work, sometimes doors are still slammed in your face because there are still people in this world who would much rather not see you succeed.  I learned this too…the hard way. When I read the quote above, I thought of the kids in my own community…the ones who are held to the standards of their upbringing or stereotypes than of who they can potentially become. For these kids, where they live is a place void of opportunities.  Without fitting the societal mold of "articulateness" or having athletic dreams, they have minimal chances at anything within the realm of an opportunity beyond a minimum wage job because someone has to work those jobs…right? I remember sitting near the theater arts teacher as she spoke about the talented black kids that she had who did great playing background roles in her shows but could never be lead characters because her lead parts weren’t written for "their type". I remember having a conversation with another math teacher, who taught AP courses, about the young latino boy in her class who was "actually pretty smart" contrary to what she thought when she read his name. The other day, I heard of frustrated teachers who were angry at changes to the SAT test that would "in theory" allow ANYONE to get into college because clearly a college education isn’t meant to be something for ANYONE. We talk about a changed society yet we still give the DAR (daughters of the american republic) award in school to a brunette or blonde haired girl. That always bothered me. I was different. I grew up different. At some point, someone gave me several platforms (common occasions) and a more powerful weapon than I could have imagined…more powerful than what these kids are getting in school today…the ability to think for myself and choose who I wanted to become. Truthfully, as long as a person can think for himself, choose for himself and have the platform to be who they want…there’s not a door strong enough to hold them back. However, even with an opened door, preparation is still needed and that is where those "common occasions" come in. When we deny those, we are in essence denying future opportunities. To get back to that quote, the weak aren’t those that are waiting on opportunities but those that are denying others to have them. However, we are stronger in our abilities to create the opportunities that we desire in spite of those that hold us back. The problem lies when we are unaware that we can still do so which is an even bigger problem when the unaware are our children. PS, please don’t insult kids by adding "grit" to the conversation because if you knew these kids like I do, you’d know just how much grit that they had.      

When you walk around my sister’s home, you may just miss the added decorative pieces sitting in random places throughout. There are little clay figures, moldings, drawings and small trinkets in specially chosen places. For years, as my nephew created his art pieces, he didn’t lose them or throw them out. Instead, he found places for them to sit in his home. Some of them, especially the shelf sitters, are so specifically placed that I wonder if he made them with their eventual location in mind. I’ll have to ask him that question. What I love about watching Braeden make things is that they almost always have an interesting story behind them. For example, one of his latest, Fozzie Bear was caught in the wind. The wind is so heavy that he has to hold on to his hat. Even his famous tie is created so that it leaves the perception of being blown.  Miss Piggy, on the other had, got all decked out to go on a date with Kermit the Frog. She’s wearing a sparkly dress, a ring and a watch which I found interesting. On her neck is a Kermit necklace that she herself made. What was amazing was hearing Braeden create this story as he was molding. The art that he creates is literally molded to fit the story that he imagines. It’s quite remarkable witnessing each project as it develops from story to final product. Where the Learning Happens  Everything that Braeden knows about art came from trial and error and youtube. He has a specific vision of what he wants but that often changes depending on how his elements fit. For example, Fozzie Bear is holding his hat because he couldn’t get the hand to stay in the right position but placing it on the hat worked and I’m sure that doing so added to the story itself. Creations in Braeden’s head don’t always translate as he wishes and many have been scrapped to either redo or recycle. Sure he gets frustrated, like anyone else, when his pieces don’t come together but as he figures out another way…he is also learning valuable life lessons. When something doesn’t work, you can always try another way. Not every piece has to be perfect. (He taught me that.) Where the Technology Fits Braeden does not attend a school where art is even a focus as it is not a part of the tested curriculum. It’s sad because in his last school, he remembers art and this year he knows nothing but worksheets. He has never taken a formal art class. Any techniques that he has came from watching videos on youtube or through his research. Videos send him to other videos and even websites where artist are sharing their work. Through this he is learning another valuable lesson… Sharing your work not only helps to show what you do but it also helps inspire others to create as well. Someone once alluded to the idea that all student creations needed to be digital. Learning from my nephew has shown me that we have to push back on that idea. There is just as much room for hand created physical products as there is for digital. To eliminate one over the other means that the needs of all students aren’t being met. If anything, this is where choice rears its often misunderstood head. Instead of forcing a ppt or digital poster into the process, let kids choose how they present and what they create. You might just be surprised at the hidden talents that kids have. For Braeden, his talents tend to show when his mind sends him to try something new. Art land is his chosen place. In case you missed it, technology for Braeden is a tool…invisible…necessary…purposeful. As it should be… See Braeden’s process in Haiku Deck Form! Created with Haiku Deck, the free presentation app

Yesterday, we took a trip to the craft store so that my nephew could pick up supplies to make his new puppet. As much as I detest craft stores, I loved watching his face light up as he encountered random pieces of fabric or even fluffy yarn rolls as they triggered more imaginative thoughts. I could literally sit and watch him all day because I am in awe of how his mind works and how it translates into his fingers. Where our other children were passionate about tumbling, dancing, cheering, basketball and singing, Braeden’s passion is art. I watch as he dedicates all of his free time to making whatever is in his head. In a "trance like" state, he molds, paints, scraps, recycles and sews. If you catch him at the right moment, his eyes twinkle as he gives character voices to his creations. When he finishes, he’s so excited as if he’s surprised himself at what he was able to make. As much as we love seeing him happy, it’s not lost on me that if we were not financially able to support him, these moments would not be possible. Heck, there are times when we can’t afford the supplies that he needs and in those moments, he turns his creative juices into his digital arena…minecraft…which isn’t a bad thing at all. As I’ve documented time and again, Braeden’s time in school is spent on test prep. There is no outlet for art. There is no access to supplies at school. There are worksheets…tons of worksheets…zero art. We knew that Braeden could mold through home play with playdoh so we bought him clay. We knew that he could paint because he had home access to a brush and paints. At the age of 8, Braeden wanted to make his own Halloween costume so his dad taught him to use a needle and thread. That skill led him to making stuffed animals and then led him to puppetry. We saw his talent and made investments at home. The kid who would not speak a word in public for the first 5 years of his life began to come alive through his passion…art. Youtube is his classroom. Puppets have been Braeden’s therapy I think as his personality shines through. We taught him to publish what he does and I think that publishing is his favorite part. He’s talking in public now and even suggested that we hold an event this summer so that he can set up creative spaces for other kids to either learn how to do what he does or even teach him through their creations. Socially, art has saved him. Two years ago, this is a suggestion that he would have NEVER made and looking back, we could not have predicted this to be his story. We’re partnering with an organization this summer that has agreed to sponsor Braeden’s creative fair at a junior college in Dallas. We’re moving forward with the notion that it will be accessible to any child that wants to come and create regardless of financial status. Just as a kid who loves to read should have access to books, a kid who wants to create should have access to creative tools. Braeden is lucky as he is surrounded by friends and family who support him. There are too many kids who do not have this. There are too many kids who have hidden abilities but zero access to the tools and space to unlock them. There are too many kids that have no one to see the brilliance within them. We’re tossing around ideas about how we can put artistic tools in the homes of kids who need it. Braeden’s idea is to have "creation starter kits" that can be shipped to any child in need at no cost. Braeden’s Creative Fair is a start.

One of the biggest misconceptions about being a district or even school-based technologist is that we know everything that there is to know about edtech. As a district specialist serving multiple PK-12 campuses, there is also this expectation that I can walk into a PK classroom and assist a teacher just as well as I can a secondary classroom. I will be the first to admit that this is not the case at all. Yes, I understand learning and I can talk the power of creativity with any grade or subject. However, specific age-based or even non-math contextual ideas about student learning are not my forte. This is why collaboration is so important. "Stealing" an idea from the amazing Lisa Johnson, I will start a google doc in a heartbeat and send it to individuals for their input. Collaboration has added a layer to my job that I would be lost without. This is also why a platform such as twitter is critical to my job…but not in the way that you may think. Anytime that I am called to work with teachers at lower grade levels, I always collaborate with others prior to, during and after. It helps that I know quite a few people, like Matt B Gomez, that are not only sharing examples from their classrooms but also indexing ideas. For me, it’s not important for people to think that I have all of the answers. I don’t and I tell them that. I share resources that I found along with the individuals who are publishing. When it comes to finding more subject specific uses of technology, it’s critical that teachers understand that they too can find and evaluate sources. It’s their content area and truthfully, they should. Hopefully by sharing how I learned it, they too will be inspired to do the same. The biggest non-secret of my job has been the use of twitter. Yes, I love connecting and learning but the growth that I have experienced in terms of understanding some key important aspects of learning have been huge. I’m connected to a multitude of my fellow edtech peers but it is in the connections with the "non-edtechs" that have impacted my job the most. There are tools and tech ideas that I’ve definitely gained through twitter. I have even tweeted questions to my collective PLN regarding specific software and have received instant feedback which I was able to immediately pass on. As great as the instant feedback has been, I still don’t consider that game-changing. The parts of twitter that have impacted my job the most are the moments that happened outside of the tech. I am a stronger professional developer because I’ve engaged in conversations about professional learning and how we often get it wrong. I’m able to work with teachers, even in non-math areas, concerning technology integration because I understand that without purpose there is no progress. I also understand that no matter how amazing the latest tool is, if the learning environment benefits better from a non-tech lens…you do that because experience paves the way to understanding. I also get that passion breeds learning and as long as I can convey that and teachers can do the same, our kids will be alright. That, my friends, is called growth through following the right people and reading blogs and books outside of one concentrated area. I may not know everything but I know how to collaborate with those who have the knowledge that is needed. I also understand the value of twitter with and without the context of a tool. I’m empowered to think outside of the tech and part of my job is making sure that teachers can do the same and that is game-changing.