Originally written and published here in 2023 Now that we’re a full step into the new year, it’s time to start making good on our New Year’s resolutions. For many educators, that includes forging new connections and implementing new strategies for making professional learning sustainable all year long. One way you can do both at once is through a professional learning network or PLN. These personalized networks are often made up of numerous educators working together to build professional relationships, share insights, and enhance their professional capacity through mutual learning. Pu ..read more

 Originally written for ISTE's official blog, November 2023.  Over the course of my career, I’ve looked for new opportunities to reflect on my practice and learn from other like-minded individuals. I’ve led study groups, conducted action research and obtained (and renewed) National Board Certification. I’ve sought professional development with the same rigor as those experiences. The ISTE Certification program was the answer I was looking for. ISTE Certification is an internationally recognized credential in which those in education show mastery of the ISTE Standards for E ..read more

  In February 2023 I authored a blog post for ISTE. Below is the piece.  In today’s world, technology is an integral part of education. School districts invest in technology devices to help prepare students for success in future careers, but it takes more than laptops and tablets to harness the power of technology. It’s time to invest in personnel that can bring a return on that investment. Creating an instructional technology coaching program can impact teacher practice by helping educators effectively use technology to improve student learning. Here’s how to build a succe ..read more

 In February 2023 I authored a blog post for ISTE. Below is the piece.  In my three decades in education, I’ve come to learn many things. One is that change moves at a snail’s pace until something steps in to challenge the status quo.  Enter ChatGPT.  As you’ve no doubt heard, since this artificial intelligence program became freely available to the public, ChatGPT has made educators nervous, excited and curious about the impact it will have on our field.  Once resources became available, I curated a list of the pieces I felt educators should engage with to gain an und ..read more

Back in January 2021, I wrote a post about my Professional Learning Network (PLN). In this post, I mapped out who helps me grow professionally and reflected on the contents. Here is what I said then: What I Notice I have an extensive network. This may not come as a surprise to most, as I’ve been in the field for 28 years. What is significant about this, however, is that even though I have been in the field for a long time I am still learning from others, seeking help from others, and giving back to my network.  I contribute as much as I consume. For me, I see this as one of the inter ..read more

If you are in education and/or not currently living under a rock, you most likely have heard of ChatGPT. This Artificial Intelligence program has educators on their toes. The program can complete several tasks in seconds including generating essays, producing job descriptions, writing poetry, and solving coding errors to name a few. For free (at least for now).  As this controversial advancement came onto the scene, I began collecting resources. I knew coaches, fellow adjuncts, and others in education would want to acquire as much information as they could. I shared my document in a small ..read more

This post was originally written for the ISTE Community Leader's July 2022 edition. Happy summer break, coaches! I hope you have had an opportunity to reflect, refresh, and reset. As a director of a coaching program and former technology coach, I know that the work never truly stops; it just looks different for a few summer months each year. As you are reflecting and preparing, here are five tips and things to consider to make this next school year the best. Revisit Coaching Data. Did you conduct an end-of-year survey of your teachers? If so, revisit that data. What do your stakeholders th ..read more

As the world grows ever more digital there are increasingly spaces we have data that needs to be cared for. Back in 2017 I created a list of digital places I have materials. I try to manage this content by tackling one task a month. See my document below. https://bit.ly/TechCheck2022 ..read more

Although Digital Citizenship Week is celebrated in October each year this is a topic that deserves year-round attention. Recently, I crowdsourced recommendations from the coaches I work with and created an infographic of some of our favorite sites and activities to keep the learning going.  ..read more

Last month during my IL Ed Tech Coaches meeting a coach inquired about anyone having a document that reflected when teachers should seek help from them vs. the school's IT help desk. No one recalled having seen such a document so we brainstormed instances where this would occur. I took the responses and made them into an easy-to-read infographic. I also shared the infographic on ISTE's community forum so my PLN could use it. The feedback was lively! It's featured below.  Original ISTE Post: In a recent educational technology coaches meeting one of the participants asked the group if we ..read more