There was a time when I was a worksheet/packet printing teacher who taught from the front of the room while my students sat in their seats…in various room settings copying and regurgitating. I hated that year and I imagine that my students, all adults now, did as well. My students were not engaged but totally complying because of the relationship that we established. Were they successful in my class? Yes. Did they learn math? I think so. Was it fun? Probably not. I knew better. They deserved better and thankfully that period of time was short. My school district invested in SMARTboards in every classroom. That, aside from student computers, was all that we had. Eventually, I would add SMART Response PE, XE and then VE to our learning environment in addition to a Slate. The interesting thing is that my students would still become creators. They created content using SMART Notebook. They were making videos and stories related to math because I demanded that Notebook software be placed on student computers too. I should also add that their videos were not just "instructional" but "informational" and fun. It was important. It’s interesting to me that we tend to discount the power of creating outside of our mobile mediums. My students were creators before creating was a "thing". They did not have ipads, chromebooks or smartphones because at that time, those mediums did not exist. Fast forward 6 more years and now students have the power to be creative at their fingertips. Yet, we are often still not at a place where students are creating or even collaborating. I would love to say that the days of students in rows watching a teacher teach are gone. They are not. Instead, that teacher may be carrying an ipad and even sharing a screen to student devices which means that instead of students staring at a board…they are staring at the small screen on their desk. We still fight daily for creation and innovation yet in most cases, if ipads are in classrooms, they are filled with consumption apps and multiple choice assessment tools. Why is that? Simple…Changing a device isn’t transformation. Changing beliefs is. Removing a board and replacing it with screens does absolutely nothing if pedagogy isn’t addressed. Also, screen writing on pages of pdfs = packets. Sometimes, change isn’t change at all. We will get there once we know the difference.

I spent the last two weeks in two incredible places and I have no complaints as these places, Tennessee and Canada, were amazing experiences. I’ll be honest in saying that even with these experiences there were two places that I desperately wanted to be…the Beyonce concert in Dallas and TMC14 (Twitter Math Camp). Now, I won’t bore you with the details of how I purchased Beyonce tickets before realizing that Canada was "a thing" and how my daughter and niece were able to share this experience which was amazing. But…that’s what happened. Twitter Math Camp, the place that wasn’t, was one that I not only wanted to go…but NEEDED to go. I’m not a part of the Math Teacher Blogosphere (MTBOS) as I do not write from the lens of a reflecting math teacher however, math is and will always be the platform from which I build understanding of the technology that I share. I will never have another math classroom of my own and my "years in math" will forever be stunted at 9. However, my understanding of students, learning and helping them to envision the world as they learn continues. This is because even as a math teacher, I taught "kids" first. This is an important characteristic to note. My personal classroom may be but an empty vessel of ideas but connecting to math teachers through the global math department and reading their blogs #mtbos, keeps my grounded in understanding the importance of what I do as well. I learn from them and it’s even more amazing when through their blogs, I see my own classroom again. I take that back. It’s even more amazing when through their blogs, I see things that I could have done better. This is how I continue to grow. I will always be a math teacher first and even if that means that I technically teach math to an empty room, I’ll take that any day of the week before I relinquish this "super power" that I have at understanding how to help kids connect mathematically and how to support teachers in their understanding of where the technology fits. My life is different now yet it is the same. I teach and support through technology but it is ALWAYS coming from a math perspective. This is where I am different. I like this different. Math is my happy place. As it should be…  

By definition, "making" means constructing, building or putting things together. This isn’t new. Yet, we approach the idea of "making" as an entirely new thing. We even have a "space" for it now which seems to be our own way of creating an "anti-testing" space that somehow correlates nicely with "making" being the anti-testing movement. I am all for creating, as I have a nephew addicted to the idea at home. However, we will no longer try to fit him into the mold of being a "maker". What is that anyway??? Aren’t we all this? My nephew, a puppet creating artistic minecraft builder, doesn’t fit into the current establishment of "making". He could care less about the makey makey. He was bored with it, honestly. He has no desire, right now, to sit in front of a screen to perform angry bird coding. At some point, he may actually want to make robotic eyes for his puppets and for that, he just might buy in to the hummingbird. The 3d printer looks cool but again, he’s not that into it. Trust me..we’ve tried. What he loves to do…sewing, molding and designing fur creatures…is rarely considered in the "edu version" of a makerspace. So, by his lead, we’ve determined that what suits him best is to be absent of definition. Like his classroom, the world…he "creator" space is everywhere. All he needs is access to learn what he wants…when he wants. He’ll make whatever his hands can mold wherever he is. This is his normal anyway. His MakerSpace…Undefined By the way, that mascot suit that he is wearing in the image…THAT HE HAND MADE…was made void of a single space. He prefers it that way.

Back in the day, I used to have kids complete a survey sharing fun facts about themselves. This is how I used to get to know my students. Thankfully, technology offers us different ways of sharing and learning about each other. When I train teachers, I love to challenge them to share stories about themselves when learning how to use new storytelling tools in the classroom. This is especially effective when working with teachers who are still a bit reluctant or afraid to go out on a limb and allow kids to express themselves. For this activity, I am using TACKK which is an amazing social sharing tool like SMORE. The difference is that students can create unlimited posters at no cost. Other Features of TACKK Edmodo sign on as well as instant edmodo sharing Google single sign on Connects to social sharing services like instagram and flickr Utilize internal image search from 500px Embed videos, slides or banners to other websites Users can add comments and links, which extends learning TACKK posters embed anywhere! Are you up for the challenge? Create your TACKK, use the hashtag #tackkchallenge and share via social media!

When I taught middle school, I remember the moment that one of my students angrily walked back to my classroom after a meeting with his counselor. He was upset because she asked him, as an 8th grader, what he wanted to be when he graduated high school. He responded that he wanted to be a doctor. It was his dream. That dream ended with that conversation because her response was that it would be impossible because his science grades were too low. He needed to think of something else. To be clear, she was referring to his middle school science grades. After all that we had been through to build up his belief in himself, her one statement sent us right back to square one. You can call it an "inference" but let’s be real. It was an assumption. This was a kid who struggled to find his way in classrooms that were un-accepting and un-inviting. In one moment, all that we worked toward was in essence undone. It would take three more years before this kid was back to seeing his own potential. A potential dream became less real… In all the years that I have trained teachers, nothing infuriates me more than hearing… "My kids can’t do that."  I mean, did you even try? Do you have a magic elevator connected to their brains that tells you that they cannot? Let’s add to this the SPED teacher that says, "My kids can’t do that. They are special ed kids." Really??? To be clear, these were high performing kids with autism and all that we were learning was how to create a video. Dear teacher, before assuming what your kids cannot do, let’s take a moment and think of all the things that they CAN do. Think of the things that they do that freak you out because you don’t know how to do them yourself. Now…pause, breathe, step away from the "halt" button and learn from the same kids whose barrier YOU have built. Don’t let your fears keep students locked in the cave that you insist on living in. Don’t let your assumptions become their barrier to greatness. While the adults that plan the learning are debating on whether or not kids are capable, the ones with opportunity are creating their own learning outside of the restrictive classroom that many of them have because kids with access know that the world is theirs for the taking. What they want to pursue, they can and a teacher isn’t necessarily needed to get them there…especially one who bases learning decisions on assumptions. When we stop committing these acts of "assumicide", these same beliefs can be felt by the kids who are too often marginalized. This kids with zero opportunity because we give them zero access to it… That is the problem with assumptions.

Dear Edtech Conference Planner, A few months ago, you unveiled your featured speakers and keynotes. I admire quite a few of them but I have to say that looking over that list left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. You see, you nailed the part about including more women but it still seems that you have greatly missed the mark on understanding the need to include innovative people of color. Of all of the edtechs representing various ethnicities, with large social reach, you couldn’t find ONE in which to feature? I can think of at least 20 tech educator speakers/presenters of color right now who are not only known for their great ideas but who have the reach and voice to move crowds too. You would know that too if you simply checked. (Hint…Hint…As long as you employ your featured speakers through speaker firms with limited or no people of color, this will be an issue) I find it quite odd that many of us can be approached behind closed doors through private messages requesting our presence at events, with many being offered at least partial funding to the conference because…wait for it…you NEED our voice. Yet, when you planned who your speakers were, you didn’t even consider the very people who you were begging to attend. From the perspective of a teacher/speaker of color, let me share a personal account of what it means when we are heard and allowed to share our ideas…our brilliance with others. I came from a school where there were no technology leaders of color and when I taught sessions, I was able to bring a certain cultural connection to the materials that others could not. I could speak to teachers from the perspective of someone who not only understood how to reach our kids but one who was just like them and that mattered a great deal. I felt the pride of a community as I encountered teachers of color after the ISTE ignites. Should we still have such pride at being "present"…at seeing ourselves represented? In a community that is mostly white male dominated, that pride is very much still there because our "being there" is still not the norm. W I cannot even express the excitement that I felt at seeing people like Rachelle Wooten, Sarah Thomas, Rodney Turney, Rod Smith, Dr. Will Deyamport, III and Timonious Downing, who was just named one of NSBA’s 20 to watch…speaking on the national stage. Teachers all over the world have learned from LeTia Cooper, a creator and technology specialist who presents webinars for Simple K12. Walter Duncan, an English teacher turned App developer, created Quick Key, an app that many of you are sharing with your teachers back home. What about Nicole Tucker-Smith and her husband Khalid Smith, creators of LessonCast, a platform that is helping current University professors better prepare and assess their pre-service students? Prior to meeting Nicole and Khalid, I had no idea that black edtech developers existed. These are only a small portion of the people who are making it happen in classroom technology…inspiring those that they collaborate with. When will the day come that I can click the link of featured speakers and see them? We need more Ken Sheltons!!! To be clear, I am not saying that conferences should bring in featured speakers just because of their ethnicity but because of what they can and will bring to the table in terms of innovation and perspective. We don’t get up and speak about being of color(unless we must), we speak about how we are changing the face of education and impacting learning. Yes, we can all submit and present concurrent sessions…which we do. However, I have to wonder how many awards must we win, rooms we must fill, collaborative movements we must start, apps we must create and books we must write in order to be seen as viable experts like our chosen peers. I don’t expect you to make any changes this year but I encourage you to reflect on your selection process in the future as you are alienating an audience waiting on the chance to be heard. Sincerely, A Frustrated Conference Presenter/Attendee  

I am a math teacher to my core and will always be so it’s only fitting that if there is a session about math and technology…I am a part of it. Only, I’m probably not the best person for this job and here is why… Most people requesting math/tech sessions want to hear about math specific apps. They want practice apps by standard and that’s not how I roll. As a matter of fact, if you scour my devices, you’ll find exactly three math specific apps…Desmos, Geogebra and the TI Nspire app. Here is why… My own beliefs about math and technology are centered on my beliefs about learning. The application of learning through creativity, collaboration and communication gives kids a chance for real and relevant critical thinking that a "math bot app" won’t give. That’s not to say that I don’t entertain occasional topic specific practice apps such as Sushi Monster, Factor Samurai, Dreambox learning, manga high, Buzzmath and others. I just don’t see them as the end all be all. So, yes…I am going to ask questions like… 1. How are your kids creating in math? 2. How are your kids thinking mathematically about real problems? 3. Have you ever watched a recording of your kids talking aloud through a problem? 4. Are you uploading content online? 5. Are your kids uploading content online? 6. Are you and your students blogging? 7. How are you utilizing technology to help kids with the real experience of math that they sometimes lack? Please forgive me in advance if you are looking for a math content specific list and I start talking pedagogy because the problem with math is not a lack of apps but a lack of understanding the art of connection. In my experience anyway…

Today, I sat down to have a conversation with my 15-year-old son about Mike Brown, the 18 year old that died at the hands of a police officer in St. Louis, Mo. I’ve learned to prepare myself for what my son has to say as I am often left reflecting on my own thoughts. Today was no different. He said… "All the stuff that we talked about when Trayvon Martin died and then again when Jordan Davis died didn’t really matter here. Of course the police are saying one story. Even if Mike had an "altercation" with the policeman, he still put his hands up, begged for his life and tried to surrender. That man shot him anyway and he didn’t just shoot him to restrain him. He shot him to kill him. You can’t do anything but die when someone really wants to kill you. I know that Mike Brown was black but would we be talking about this if he were white? What about the policeman? Was the policeman white or black? Does it matter? The fact is that the boy was gunned down in broad daylight like he was nothing. In death, he’s not black or white. He’s just dead. Is this really about race as much as it is about abuse of power? I would like to think that if Mike Brown were any other race, we would have the same response. I don’t know if that is the case though because we don’t hear about any others. It’s always someone that is young and black. I don’t like that the picture they keep tweeting on twitter is the one that looks like he’s throwing a sign because that’s like trying to say that his death was somehow okay. I mean… how he was posing in a picture is irrelevant at this point. It didn’t matter if he was an honor student, a high school graduate, going to college or a thug, as they painted him to be. He was an unarmed HUMAN BEING killed by the people who were supposed to protect him. They can’t justify that." My son then reminded me that although the police where we live are not the police where Mike Brown lived, it didn’t matter. "All it takes is one bad decision making idiot with a gun to take a life. It could happen anywhere and there is nothing that any of us can do about it." My son ended our discussion with this… "When we have serious conversations, can it not always be when another young black male is killed because at this rate, we’ll be talking everyday. I mean, it is pretty normal now, isn’t it?" We’ll be discussing his points over the next few days, I’m sure.

My young black boys Last night, while watching the situation in Ferguson unfold, I thought of my son, my nephews, my students…my Michael Browns…my young black boys. Today, I challenge you to think of your schools and the brow beating racism that often exist in our hallways. What kinds of opportunities are you providing the black boys in your school so that they feel valued, validated and not just accepted…but accelerated? What will be your discussion on campus in the aftermath of Ferguson? Believe me…Even when you think that you don’t need to have one…YOU DO.     Below is a snippet from my journal…an 8 month study on student motivation A few years ago, a young black boy walked into a classroom of a teacher who didn’t want him. She acted like she did for a while but the whole school knew better. She was one who used to teach upper level courses but in an effort to force her retirement, was placed in his freshman english class.  On most days, she spent her time talking down to him and embarrassing him in front of his peers which made his future of "In School Suspension" during her class period more relief than punishment. At least there, he didn’t have to deal with her calling him "colored". (Yes…this happened) The next class on his schedule was math and although he loved math, he hated this class. This teacher was one that thought he was actually teaching him a lesson by refusing to teach him. As a matter of fact, this kid was so lost in class that each day was a step closer to giving up. He found solace in sleeping because… "Why stay awake when you’re not learning anyway?" Every time he went to this class, he slept which infuriated his teacher so much that he threw him out again and again. One day, as the young man headed out of the room to the office, his teacher yelled…  "One of these days a cop will beat you on the side of the road and I’ll watch with a smile on my face." Moments later, as he stood in the embrace of another teacher…one that he trusted…He whispered, "He’s lucky that I’m trying to graduate…because…man, I would whoop his ass!" Thankfully, he was transferred from that class before it came to that because I have no doubt… Fast forward a few weeks… It’s lunch time…a time when kids get a little freedom. He can use his cell phone and even listen to music. He finds his friends…gets comfortable, jokes around and shares videos from youtube. Standing near them was the campus policeman. He always stood near them…staring…like he was waiting. This happened so much that the boys expected the cop and saved a few of their jokes to secretly laugh at him. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that his lunch table was the only one with boys…eating while black. In advisory, the topic of discussion was about  being involved with school activities. Available to him was athletics, agriculture, auto mechanics, band, choir, foreign language club and not much else. He had things that he liked to do…making beats, writing poetry and graphic design…which he learned through a volunteer at the boys and girls club. He turned in his selections to his advisory teacher with nothing more than his name on the paper. She asked, "Are you sure?" His reply…"I’m good" After school, he spent his time at the boys and girls club teaching what he knew about photoshop and graphic design to kids. With his parents working until 7, being at the "BGC" was better for him than home plus he loved teaching because the kids got so excited. They thought that he was smart. He felt validated by their praise. When his mom picked him up, he walked in the house…ate dinner, played a few PS3 games with friends and prepared to do it all over again the next day.  

As a mother, I have many fears when it comes to my son. I wonder how he’s coping with the absence of his father and I wonder how he is dealing with some of the other struggles of our family. I wonder how he is figuring out his place in the world. We talk but I’m not naive enough to think that he tells me everything. I know that he doesn’t. As someone who has spent a great deal of time working with other people’s kids, I know how certain emotions are often undetectable. Boys, especially boys of color, often carry scars buried deep within and as much as we would love our kids to see us as their confidantes…they often don’t. Sometimes those emotions eventually find themselves as the catalyst for mistakes. It’s not that we don’t do whatever is necessary for our children. In many cases…MY case…we do. It’s that our children, like every other human being, have choices. My son isn’t perfect and at the tender age of 15, he has definitely made some errors in judgement. He’ll make plenty more over the next few years and each day, his choices become more and more critical to determining the man that he will become. Every day, my son has to choose to do what is right. He has to choose not to drink at 15. He has to choose not to smoke weed or take other types of drugs. He has to choose not to hang around in places where those activities are the norm because he has to choose to be where he is supposed to be and not deviate from it. It’s his choice…always his choice. I do not take responsibility for my son’s mistakes because I know that even as a single mother, I am doing all that I can possibly do to steer him in the right direction. That doesn’t mean that I do not worry. That doesn’t mean that I do not have fears. My son has choices and his choosing of the wrong one is my greatest fear. I teach my son that as he makes choices, I won’t always know. He’ll hide quite a few…much like I did from my own parents. Eventually, what is done in the dark comes to the light and I’ll find out…I always do. I did…today. My son is lucky that we live in a community that is the opposite of Ferguson and others like it. Our law enforcement agency goes above and beyond the call of duty to try to help…when they can. It’s not always that easy to do because choices often get in the way. We are lucky that tomorrow brings a new set of challenges…a new set of choices. He is lucky…so very lucky. As much as I fear the finality of my son’s choices, my greatest hope is that he learns something from them. For his sake…I hope that today, he did. One more thing…football coaches deserve special wings in heaven because the work that they do for and with so many of our boys is often buried in conversations surrounding differences in pay or pedagogical practices. Many of our boys would not make it through day to day choices without the additional support and accountability that coaches provide. My son is lucky.