Many educators from North Carolina and beyond are just returning home to their communities this evening.  For the past three days, we have convened our first face to face NCTIES event since prior to the pandemic.  It has been just over two years since educators who believe in digital teaching and learning met and it was a joyful experience for sure.

This event, attended by over 2200 educators, met in downtown Raleigh and heard sessions from fellow classroom educators on a variety of EdTech topics and beyond.  NCTIES, founded in 1971, is an organization that exists to serve our educators.  NCTIES is regularly one of the largest education conferences in the state and was attended by educators from Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, and beyond.  This year’s theme “Better Together” lived up to expectations.  For many of us, this was the first time that we had seen, hugged, and greeted each other in two years.  Needless to say, it was a joyous reunion.  Even educators who did not know each other seemed to embrace strangers. \

For me, as a NCTIES board member, it was exhilarating working to set up the conference ensuring that rooms had the needed audiovisual equipment, making sure that our vendors knew where to set up their exhibits, and working all details to maximize the experience of our attendees.  In the past, NCTIES has always had a positive and upbeat vibe.  But this year, the energy was even more incredible.  I saw educators supporting complete strangers as they presented.  I was educators encouraging their colleagues to dream big.  I heard educators sharing many stories of hope and frustration during the pandemic.  But most importantly, I witnessed educators embracing and supporting each other.  I spoke to many educators that I did not know during the conference and exchanged authentic and supportive words of support.  I saw many educators courageously present for the first time ever.  While some of these educators were a bit nerve out about presenting face to face, audience members helped them feel at ease while offering kind words.  Many sessions involved educators sharing their innovative ideas and solutions on problems such as helping our students develop healthy relationships with technology, engagement practices, and how to deliver effective SEL lessons.  

In the end, what I saw at NCTIES is what is best about educators and humanity in general.  We want others to be successful.  In doing so, we can offer our best thinking  and support to empower and help each other grow.  I saw attendees develop powerful connections though positive relationships.  Collaboration was rampant both inside and outside of sessions.  It was these acts of humanity that really capture the essence of NCTIES - educators uniting and growing together to be better equipped to serve our students and schools.  Attendees left with powerful ideas that will transform their classrooms and schools.  But more importantly, educators will remember how it felt to reconnect with others for the first time in two years and their amazing experience #bettertogether.

Today, I was invited to be part of an extraordinary experience at Forbush High School in Yadkin County Schools.  The event involved the culmination of a unit long thematic study of the book “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park.  This novel had been read and studied by most students in the 10th grade English II classes taught by Becky Dorman and Lori Cave.  I was told that each of these teachers were amazing educators and they definitely lived up to that.  The two had planned a thematic unit to expose their students to the experience of other young people in Africa centered around their constant need for access to clean drinking water.  I found the fact that a duo of teachers at the high school level worked so closely and collaboratively to ensure that their students had exposure to global perspectives that appear to be very far removed from their own experiences to be extraordinary as I know the challenges associated with teachers planning  together.

When we walked into the gymnasium where the event was held, the group was orderly and waiting to begin.  There were several tables set up in the center of the gymnasium where certain groups with a connection to the theme of the book were present.  One group was the local YMCA who had coordinated activities to allow the students to determine how much energy and calories are required for young people to spend eight hours a day walking to collect fresh drinking water.  They also included a nutrition connection.  Another group present was the Boy Scouts who provided survival tips and advice for living in comparable environments similar to those present in the novel.  There were several groups present who also helped with water filtration and related areas.  These educators had spent time really thinking about how to create a culminating experience that would be memorable and impactful to students.  

The highlight of the event involved students walking around the gym with both empty and full jugs of water.  All students were asked to complete one lap around the gym with both the empty and full jugs of water.  The students were challenged, if they wanted, to walk a full mile with both the empty and full jugs of water around the gym.  I was impressed by how many students willingly opted to walk the full mile with both types of jugs.  They truly sought to enhance their understanding of what it is like to have to walk several miles to collect fresh water.  Students were also given a “passport” to ensure that they completed all activities; those who completed all activities could submit their “passport” to enter the drawing for some spectacular door prizes.

These activities were definitely an incredible experience for students.  But the educators pushed their students to go further and they did.  They challenged them to truly move from simply being knowledgeable to creating an impact through collecting donations.  The school had a goal of collecting at least $1000.  This amount would allow for a permanent well to be drilled and constructed in a village in South Sudan, which experiences some of the most challenging access to clean drinking water in the world.  As we were leaving the event, we were informed by the teachers that they had exceeded their goal. Any additional funds will go to support the construction of a school as well.  

During the event, the group heard from Purity who grew up in Kenya.  She had created an organization that works to respond to many of the needs that individuals in East Africa are faced with including access to clean drinking water and food insecurity.  She shared her personal story of growing up in Kenya and the challenges that her family faced as they fought for freedom from colonialism.  Her personal story helped many of the students to develop empathy and understanding of individuals half way across the world.  As a result of this event, these students in Yadkin County now had a connection and understanding to individuals across the world.  This experience allows their students to expand their world view in a way that will forever benefit them.

I had the opportunity to speak with two outstanding students:  Yorland and Chloe.  Yorland shared that he enjoyed reading the book.  He also stated that although he was aware of the issues associated with access to clean water for many around the world, he now fully understood the challenges that they face with water scarcity.  He mentioned that he was happy to know that the work that they had done in class and the donations that they collected would make a difference for those individuals.  Chloe told me that she never realized how much of a struggle that access to clean drinking water was for so many around the world.  She said that reading this book helped a lot and she developed more empathy for those individuals impacted by this issue.  She also realized that there is much that she takes for granted each day and she will be more aware of what she takes for granted.

Seeing the synergy created through the effective and well executed planning of these two teachers and the difference that it made in the lives of their students left me speechless.  I thought about what the students experienced and learned.  At the heart of this is these students learned how to grow their own empathy for individuals that they may never meet.  They also began to realize that the world is much larger than just Yadkin County.  They also develop an appreciation for what they have.  As someone who taught sophomores for over 15 years, I can attest that any learning experiences that results in students realizing that the world is much larger than their immediate surroundings while growing empathy for others is a challenging task for sure.  Fortunately these students met and exceeded these challenges for sure.  Someone shared with me that Yadkin County is “an amazing place where we care about each other.”  They definitely lived up to this mantra today.  My hope is that this event will help encourage additional collaboration among teachers throughout the school as they can begin to realize that their students are eager for experiences that prepare them for life after high school.  These students learned much more than can be measured on a standardized test.  The lessons that these students learned will carry though their life and the educators and school are to be commended for truly making decisions that are the best for their students.  And yes, Yadkin County is an amazing place where people care so much for each other, even those around the world that they may never meet.

If you would like to help with the fundraising efforts, please mail a check to Forbush High School to the attention of either Becky Dorman or Lori Cave.  They would love to have your support to make a difference in South Sudan.

I have just returned from FETC 2022 this weekend and let me say “It was awesome to be back in person.”  After two years of virtual and cancelled conferences, I loved being face to face and learning directly from others.  I also want to acknowledge Jen Womble (@jenwomble) and her incredible team who worked tirelessly to organize an outstanding conference.  Many other attendees also commented how much they enjoyed FETC.  The impact of this year’s conference will benefit many of our schools, educators, and students.

The conference opened up with a stellar keynote from Shawn Achor (@shawnachor).  Shawn is the author of several books with the most recent one being “Big Potential: How Transforming the Pursuit of Success Raises Our Achievement, Happiness, and Well-Being.”  Prior to FETC, I had not heard of Shawn but his opening keynote was just want I needed to hear.  Shawn focuses on the power of positive thinking and shared much research related to how happiness is a social endeavor that leads to success.  While I am still processing much of what he shared and I have his book on my next to read list, I enjoyed his thoughts tremendously.  Some of my key takeaways included this idea he called “the cult of average.”  He indicated that we, often, accept the idea that we want to be average and it causes us to stop believing happiness is possible. He cited that example that schools (and other organizations) often tailor classes and trainings to average.  He insightfully indicated that if we “study what is average, then we stay average.”  He discussed how this idea of “the cult of average” eliminates the outliers or “weirdos-” those who fall outside of the average paradigm.  He stressed that these outliers are good as they break the “tyranny of genes and environments” to become more positive.  He indicated that statisticians often look for ways to exclude outliers since they cause data to be less relational and causes more questions to be asked.  Shawn also shared that we can change our mindsets to create a more positive, engaged brain which he stressed is the “best asset for the modern economy.”  One thing that really resonated with me is that we experience joy when we move to live into our potential.  That was powerful.  When I think about moments in my life when I experienced joy, they definitely connected to opportunities where I could grow into my potential and being challenged to grow.

He stressed that we need a interconnected approach to happiness.  He said that we have a myth that “we believe that if we worked hard, we will be more happy.  We tell ourselves that we will be happy when …”. Shawn stressed we must consider how we pursue happiness.  He reminded us that success is a moving target and then when we experience success, the bar for the next success is raised.  He shared that “productivity rises when the brain is more positive.” If this is true, then employers should be working to ensure that their employees experience the conditions necessary for brain positivity.  He reminded us that we need to prioritize creating happiness first as this will help us deal with and process negatives.  We must see happiness as a precursor to success.  Happiness is a collaborative effort between individuals.  Collectively we create better outcomes for all when we all pull together.  A few months, we hosted a statewide face to face conference and I along with several members of our team were tasked with problem solving and filling in where needed to ensure that the conference was a success.  As I think about the challenges that we faced internally, I know that the collaboration played a tremendous role in ensuring that the conference ended up being successful.  However, we could not have been as a successful without believing that we could do this and supporting each other.  We had a shared vision and helped to pull each other up when discouraged.  Shawn indicated that research shows the greatest predictor of happiness is tied to our social connections.  By having an entire system of individuals like we did for the conference, we created better outcomes for all.  This interconnected approach was paramount.  We could not have accomplished what we did with the collective effort of others.

As if this was not transformative enough, Shawn ended his keynote stressing the importance of gratitude.  He reminded us that our brains scan our environment.  We must work to train our brains to scan for things that bring us joy and determine what we truly appreciate.  He challenged us to determine three things each day that we are happy or grateful for the next seven days.  This will help us to begin to train our brains to scan for gratitude as we complete this challenge. He then challenged us to continue this for 14 more days.  He said that we would initially begin to run out of things that we are grateful around day 7 and then the transformative would begin with day 8.  He concluded by reminding us to “let people in” and that “happiness is contagious in ecosystems.”  I can’t wait to read his book and reflect even more.

While the opening keynote set the bar high, I was able to find several sessions that stimulated my thinking and truly inspired me.  One of those sessions was “Dynamic Dashboard Using Google Data Studio” by Jennifer Judkins and Jonathan Schmid.  These two were incredible presenters with many tips and tricks learned from hard work, mistakes, and willingness to find a better way to solve problems.  They presented a great introduction on how to use Google Data Studio in a way that was easy to follow but challenged me to think of new and creative ways to use this tool to solve problems.  Many schools and districts are challenged with how to analyze and make sense of the many data that is collected.  Jennifer and Jonathan both stressed that we need tools that will display data in a way that is understandable for teachers to use to make strategic decisions that best support all students.  They also shared the importance of having a system that protects student privacy.  I can’t wait to explore using this tool and try out some of their suggestions.  I also appreciated their candor and willingness to be vulnerable by sharing their failures as well.

My colleague CA Chauncey and I presented “Design Thinking + Makerspaces:  Creating Authentic Learning Experiences.”  While we have presented this presentation several times in the past, we always find that each audience creates an experience with various different outcomes.  We have over 50 individuals attend our system.  One of those was my Twitter colleague, Debbie Tannebaum (@TannenbaumTech) from Northern Virginia.  Already an accomplished author (check out her book “TRANSFORM - Techy Notes to Make Learning Sticky”), she was in search of ways to further support students and staff in her school.  She shared that she was inspired by our session and got several new ideas of how to connect Design Thinking to literacy.  We hope others had similar ideas that would help them apply Design Thinking in a way to support students and generate better learning outcomes.

FETC is always a great experience for me to grow and this year lived up to that.  I was able to connect with other like minded educators who truly seek to create the best possible learning experience for students.  I look forward to working on creating a better mindset tied to gratitude and happiness.  I am so grateful for FETC and look forward to continuing to learn with this amazing PLC throughout the coming year.  I look forward to implementing gratitude throughout this year and exploring Google Data Studio.

Last week I received an email from one of my colleagues at Catawba College about the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday as being “not a day off, but a day on of service.”  This spoke very deeply to me as an educator and person.  For many of us, we get a holiday in mid January in honor of Dr. King but I am not sure how many of us really think about the difference that Dr. King made in our country and continues to make.  There is still much work to do and we cannot deny that.  The past couple of years have shown that individuals with different skin colors definitely have different experiences living in the same country.  Some individuals are fortunate enough to encounter less barriers to overcome than others based on where they live, who their parents, and other factors.  We have to believe that a better world can exist where there are less barriers and obstacles for all of us, regardless of background and circumstance, to live a life that is incredible and transformative.

As I continue to live into my resolution of being more faithful, I see service as a way to build trust in others as well as within myself.  Through service, we provide hope to others even though our service may not often be seen.  I truly believe that if each of us took some time to serve others, we could create transforms the lives of many others.  Hebrews 11.3 explains that “by faith we understand ..what was seen was made from things not visible.”  Though serving others, we can create better outcomes not only for them but for ourselves,  This is where the not visible part comes in.  I currently serve as youth group leader at my church and often share my times and talents in other ways in both my church and community.  In my current job, I also support educators from across the region and state and beyond.

I would encourage you to think about how you can serve others if you are not currently doing so.  Or perhaps, you are serving others and do not necessarily realize the impact that you are making when serving others.  Think about the talents, times, and resources that you have and how you could use those to make life better for someone else.  Maybe this involves you helping out at your local homeless shelter, volunteering your time to help at your house of worship, or maybe even checking to see if the local neighborhood school needs assistance.  Serving others can be as small or as large you are able to accommodate.  For many of us, time is a limiting factor.  Perhaps instead you can donate items as well or make financial contributions that you feel comfortable making.

Regardless of how you serve, the act of giving yourself, time, and resources creates a relationship between you and those who you serve.  By giving to others, we create stronger outcomes for many.  We also impact ourselves in ways that we often do not realize.  In October, my son and I helped with a canned food drive collection at our local homeless shelter.  It was amazing to see him give so freely of himself and ensure that others would be able to eat despite any food insecurities.  As a father, this brought me a sense of pride that I cannot adequately express.  I also benefitted from knowing that I was helping to make a difference.

Sometimes, we worry that our service won’t make any difference.  I would argue that any service that helps another makes a difference.  We don’t necessarily have to do something on a grandiose scale.  Instead, little things add up - “the power of addition.”  I encourage you to think about what you can do to serve others and commit to be “on” for serving others.  Begin small.  Realize that the power of serving others is that we create a powerful connection between ourselves and those we serve that connects us while humanizing our relationships.  Dr. King is quoted as as asking “What are you doing for others?”  I encourage you to thoughtfully explore this question and find a response that supports serving others with the gifts that you have.

I have spent the past two days attending the Adobe Education Summit.  This experience has solidified my belief in the importance of CREATIVITY in the classroom for students.  The Summit was attended by nearly 8000 educators from around the world.  During these two days, we heard from incredible speakers, master educators who innovate with creativity in their work with students.  I also met some extraordinary educators who are truly "CREATIVITY INSTIGATORS" (courtesy of Michael Cohen, the Teach Rabbi).  We need more of creativity instigators who will ensure that all students have the opportunity to experience and grow their creativity.  Creativity is a necessary life skill for our students and we must actively infuse it into our work with students. 

Below are my top take aways from this year's Adobe Education Summit:

• Creativity is both a mindset and a skill set.
• Skills can be taught but creative mindsets must be nurtured and developed.
• When using technology, we must ensure that tools can be learned quickly so creativity is the focal point of the work, not the technology.
• Schools and systems should develop policies and processes that promote and prioritize creativity in the classroom.
• All individuals should have the ability to grow their individual creativity through opportunities and practice regardless of location, background, and access to resources.
• Creativity does NOT exist in isolation; instead, it coexists in many contexts and flourishes with collaboration, communication, and problem solving.
• Creativity is a unique experience for each individual and we must recognize and respect each person for their own creative efforts.

As this year's Adobe Education Summit ends, let us not forget many of the things that we learned and may we use our inspiration from this experience to support our students and ourselves in practicing and expanding on creativity.  Continue to be a CREATIVITY INSTIGATOR!

Two weeks ago, I attended an event called “The Convening” where recipients of the North Carolina Digital Learning Initiative Grants (DLI) shared the work that they have been doing this past year. I was totally blown away by the incredible work that so many of our PSUs are doing. As I reflect on what the PSUs shared, I noted a couple of commonalities and best practices that we can use going forward. Earlier in the day, Dr. David Stegall, the Deputy State Superintendent for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, shared that the “legacy that the DLI is creating is a gift” for future generations. His words really resonated with me throughout The Convening as I saw amazing ideas put into action and innovative practices being implemented. Here are some of the key takeaways that I noted:

1. Teacher Leadership Is Important - Many of the recipients shared that teacher leadership was a key focus of each of their implementation models. According to the New Teacher Center report “School Leadership Counts,” “students perform better in schools with the highest levels of instructional and teacher leadership” (“Why Teacher Leadership Matters and How To Build It In Your School, National Institute for Excellence in Teaching).  The recipients of the grant have definitely maximized teacher leadership in their grant execution. Many of the recipients shared that their teachers have transformed and grown in their leadership during this experience.  While the importance of teacher leadership has been known for some time, the grant recipients reaffirmed the emphasis that must be put on teacher leadership as a way to improve student learning outcomes.
2. “An Inside to Outside Model” - Recipients referenced that a focus on working with teachers directly was transforming outcomes and many of their schools.  I believe that this goes hand in hand with the emphasis on teacher leadership in many cases.  Too often, teachers receive professional development that works from the outside to inside or top-down.  In my experiences, these models are temporary, often year to year, until a new initiative is launched by the school or school system.  The outside to inside model lacks sustainability and, more importantly, teacher "buy in."  Many teachers are weary of the latest initiative since many feel “that this too will pass” if they just outlast it.  However with the Digital Learning Initiative Grants, the focus is on starting with a model that transforms from the inside by investing in teachers who see value and purpose.  This also leads to more sustained levels of investment over time by the teachers targeted in the grant.  They learn together and invest in each other.  I would offer that this approach of “Inside to Outside” will benefit teachers and students for many years even after the grant has run out.
3. Invest In Professional Learning - the grants have allowed many systems to invest in professional learning opportunities for their staff that honor educators through personalization.  Too often, professional learning is not personalized in a way that targets the needs of educators.  Additionally, it often does not inspire educators to be innovative and develop more ambitious learning goals for their students.  A common theme that was reported by recipients involved an enthusiasm by teachers to seek out innovative uses for digital learning.  Additionally many recipients reported that teachers included in their grants were beginning to share with other teachers and connecting with educators outside of their buildings.
4. The Need for Common Language and Vision - Almost all recipients reported that one of their earliest activities involved developing common language for teachers.  The use of language is important and offers clarity.  This common language ensures that everyone is clear on the purposes and processes associated with the grant.  Common language also leads to the development of vision which provides a roadmap for progress.  Many PSUs reported developing a common language and vision created interest and “buy in” from school principals and other administrators.  Many of the recipients also reported that many school level principals were won over by the progress observed by teachers in the grant.  
5. Learn From Others - As each of the PSUs shared, other PSUs were taking notes, asking questions, and learning.  This is a keystone to the DLI grants.  There are many extraordinary practices occurring and each PSU was sharing their best practices and lessons learned.  I also learned a lot and was compelled to write this blog as a result.

Based on my experience, I see much value emerging from the DLI grants. Many best practices are being developed. Recipients are pushing their teachers and educators to change paradigms by investing in personalized professional learning and creating a culture where innovation is valued by stakeholders. We must continue to share the lessons learned from these grants and replicate them moving forward. This is the legacy that Dr. Stegall referenced as we continue to create learning opportunities that inspire teaching leadership, innovation, and student success.

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It is difficult to believe that just one year ago, we had what would become the last major face to face conference at NCTIES 20.  It was a wonderful experience just like other NCTIES conferences.  I remember that concern was growing with increasing spread of the Coronavirus and the first few cases in North Carolina were just being reported in North Carolina at NCTIES20.  Little did we know that when we drove home that weekend from NCTIES 20, our world would change drastically in just a week.  Governor Cooper closed schools to minimize the spread of Covid-19.  As we neared the planning for NCTIES 21, the board of directors made the decision to host the conference virtually.  While we would have preferred a face to face conference, we instantly set in place processes to create an online conference with very few models available.

But in the true essence of collaboration, the board of directors proved that we are “better together than when apart.”  The collective wisdom of the group synergized to create plans and procedures that resulted in an amazing conference experience for all.  A big appreciation to all on the all-volunteer board of directors and especially to Jeannie Timken, Meredith Bates, Andrew Smith, and Erin Wolfhope who all really went above and beyond to deliver a conference experience that was second to none.

For me, this conference showed the importance of how and why we must humanize our relationships with others.  Below are some of my key takeaways from this year’s conference:

1). Educators are amazing!  We had educators join us during their planning period for sessions.  As is always the case, many educators are often immersed in multiple worlds ranging from teaching students in person and virtually as well as expanding their professional learning.  My hat is off to those who joined in between classes and during their planning.  You are amazing.  I am glad that our virtual format will allow educators to view recorded sessions for the next few weeks at their leisure as well so they do not miss out on any sessions of interest.

2). Virtual conferences provide amazing resources.  I saw our presenters give so freely and share their best practices.  Many presenters remarked that they often worry that they may not live up to the “NCTIES” expectations as what they share may be stuff everyone already knows.  There is no “NCTIES” expectation other than to share and learn.  I reassured many presenters that what they know will be valuable to other educators.  We can learn so much more together.

3). Given that we have been in some variation of remote / hybrid learning, I saw huge shifts in digital teaching and learning at this year’s conference.  The necessity to deliver instruction digitally has been a worthy challenge for us in education.  First, we still realize that the basis of digital instruction is a knowledgeable teacher designer who realizes technology is simply a tool to support learning.  Technology should never be the star in the classroom; it should always be a supporting actor or actress.  Second, many of our presenters shared tips rooted in sound pedagogy and instruction.  This was the driving force for much of what was shared in the sessions I attended.  References to research and best practices supporting instructional decisions made in the classroom served as a keystone for many presentations.  Our presenters collectively engaged participants to share ideas and feedback creating a rich and engaging learning experience for all.  Many attendees jumped into chat and shared supporting resources and ideas.  Seeing this occur in the virtual conference was extraordinary and something that I have not have seen at such a high level in a face to face conference.

4).  I also saw many amazing educators share their experience and craft to help others.  This act of humanity confirmed what I realized during the conference and shared earlier - “We are better together.”  Below are some attendees and presenters that I want to give a special shout out.  I encourage you to connect with them as they have much to share to help us grow and become better and stronger for our students:

• Marsha Sirkin - (@MarshaSirkin) Marsha is a long time NCTIES attendee and an instructional technology facilitator at White Oak Elementary in Carteret County.  Marsha is so encouraging and can really help shift your mindset.  She has brilliant ideas and always leaves things better than when she found them.  She is a strong networker and a lover of all people.
• Mariel Gomez de la Torre-Cerfontaine - (@MGomezdelaTorre) in addition to having the best name ever, Mariel is a strong advocate for EL students.  I have regularly presented with Mariel for the past 9 months with “The Power of WE:  How Technology Helps ELs.”  Mariel also delivered a “Learn and Learn” talk with a former student of hers turned teacher, Jessica (@JessicaYauriCr1).  Jessica joined NCTIES from Peru to help Mariel share about virtual field trips.  Mariel has taken her students in Rowan County all over the world including Egypt, India, Germany, and Tanzania.  In her session “Let’s Go .. Virtual or NOT Virtual .. That’s the Question,” Mariel and Jessica describe how they use the power of technology to transport students from their homes to places around the world with the help of a local guide.  Be sure to check out this session.
• Sarah R Lasseter (@SarahRLasseter) - Sarah delivered an amazing session titled “Videos That Slap” where she connected brain science research and multimedia design to create videos that engage students and help them learn.  Her tips and strategies are based on cognitive science and I encourage you to check this one out if you are interested in making videos that support student learning. Plus, she is highly energetic and engaging.
• Jessica Wolf and Laura Bernhard - (wolfkhscd) & (bernhard254).  Jessica and Laura delivered “Using Breakout Rooms for Everyday Engagement, Intervention, & Enrichment.”  They focused incredible strategies and ideas on how to use breakout rooms to maximize virtual learning with their students.  The ideas that they shared will work on any video conferencing app whether zoom, google meets, or other app.  I was also inspired by their approach to focusing on the students individually  and humanizing the relationship between learner and teacher.  Don’t miss this one.

There are a number of other attendees that I would recommend that you follow as they had some incredible insights:

• Adam Cobb (@ACobb1991) - Adam is an digital integration specialist in Anderson District 5 in South Carolina.
• Aaron Steele - (@smARTwitSteele) - Aaron is an art teacher at Knightdale High School in Wake County.  He presented a “Lunch and Learn” session on gamification.  Be sure to check him and his session out.
• Check out the dream team from Durham Public Schools - Willow Alston-Socha (@Williow_STEM), Heide Perez (@DPS912English), Kelly Stevens (@KellyStevensDPS), and Liz Moffitt (@MsLizMoffitt).  They were assisted by Tamika Henry (@Tamika_B_Henry).  This dynamic team of curriculum specialists shared how they worked collectively with their technology department to integrate the TPACK model with teachers with a focus on equity and ensuring that the tools and apps available represented the educators and students in Durham Public Schools.  Each has amazing ideas on their twitter feeds as well.

These are just a few of the amazing sessions and educators who attended NCTIES21.  I encourage to follow the #ncties21 to continue connect and learn from many amazing educators.

Earlier this week, I attended a webinar where the speaker focused on the importance of the mental wellness of teachers.  This topic was part of a larger topic related to teacher burnout.  She mentioned the importance of schools and districts allocating resources to support the mental well being of teachers especially those who who are teaching face to face currently.  Her point really resonated with me and I have spent time thinking about this much today.  I am compelled to write this post to being attention to the mental well being of teachers and all educators who are working to deliver quality instruction to our students during this pandemic.

Earlier this year, the system where I taught opted to bring half of our students back on Monday/Tuesday with the other half being brought back on Thursday/Friday.  On Wednesdays, all staff work from home.  Days when students are not physically at school, students are expected to be engaged in remote learning.  Last spring, there was much focus on supporting the social emotional wellness of students.  I experienced and lived this first hand.  Our students needed this and they still need it.  For students, it was challenging.  They are growing up in an uncertain world.  Navigating this ever changing landscape is challenging especially for students who may have not yet matured enough to develop the necessary coping skills and resilience to adapt and thrive in our world.  Our schools and district with support from the federal and state government has invested in resources and personnel to support students.  We need to continue to do this and ensure that we do our absolute best to make sure that all students are supported, encouraged, and included.
As previously stated, supporting students is a nonnegotiable.  However, we must also extend our focus on mental wellness to include teachers and all educators who support those same students.  We must acknowledge the trauma caused by the pandemic on our educators.  As last semester drew to a close, our teachers were concerned and troubled by the high number of students who either failed courses or did not experience high levels of success.  Our teachers absorbed much of that stress.  Teachers want their students to be successful.  When students are not successful, this creates a dilemma for teachers who want their students to be successful.  This in turn perpetuates a cycle of additional stress and challenge.  We cannot ignore that educators are subject to enormous levels for stress; in fact, we must acknowledge and seek to actively support them in positive and productive ways.
We must actively share strategies and opportunities that help educators focus on their mental wellness.  One such strategy involves the use of mindfulness practices. Often providing educators with the opportunity to learn deep breathing techniques where they focus on their self can be extremely useful and liberating.  Additionally engaging in regular physical activity such as walking, running, or swimming can great ways to deter stress.  Another sometimes overlooked practice is simply listening to educators.  Many educators fell ignored and neglected.  Coupled with this, often educators are focused on helping others and don’t focus on their own self care and wellness.  We need to change the narrative of educators sacrificing their own wellness for their students and profession.

We must also ensure that our schools and districts make teacher wellness a priority in much the same way that they do for student social emotional wellness.  We cannot neglect them.  For the district where I teach, our community spread is covid is classified as critical.  Our local health department ran out of their allotted covid vaccines earlier today.  Just a few hours ago, I received an emailed where we told to discontinue any PLCs immediately and no two adults can be in the same room at the same time.  Our governor and health secretary share daily reports imploring citizens to stay in their homes and limit their trips outside of their home.  With all these indicators, it is easy to understand why educators are stressed.  The mental wellness of educators should be a focus of all schools and districts.  Many educators feel that they are, in some ways, sacrificial lambs with limited voice and influence.  For our school and government leaders, we must step up and ensure that we are fully supporting the mental well being of our teachers.  If they do not feel safe or are not at their best, they cannot give their best to support our students.  Let us remember the importance of teachers during this pandemic. 
May our actions and commitments ensure that our educators see that their mental wellness is valued and a focus as our leaders make future decisions.