Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Virtual Connections & IRL Relationships

In early 2015, I attended an educational technology conference in Las Vegas at a school not far from where I was teaching at the time.  It was a great opportunity to learn about some new educational tools and how to use them and also to network with some educators that I didn't get to see and/or talk to very often.  What I didn't realize going in was that something was going to happen at this conference that was going to change my life.  

At one point during the lead up to a keynote, the person speaking asked how many people in the room were on Twitter.  Of the 200+ people in the room, I was one of maybe 3(!) that did not raise my hand.  At this point in my life, I was still under the impression that Twitter was for celebrity gossip and feuding with people, something that I saw enough of on Facebook.  What I did not realize was how powerful a tool for professional development that Twitter was, but even with all of those people as proof of its power, I still did not sign up; I needed something else to convince me, convincing from a trusted source.  

This was my first tweet back in February 2015! I think
the Facebook post below sums it up even better!
Perhaps it was 140 character limit? 
A couple of days after the conference, I spoke with a colleague that I saw at the event.  He was one of those that raised his hand stating that he had a Twitter account and I knew that he would be a great source of information and would be able to give it to me straight.  After a conversation with him, I decided that I would give Twitter a try and if I didn't like it, I could always deactivate the account.  It was certainly a 180 since I was one that had sworn that I would never create a Twitter account, I would never use hashtags, and I had enough going on with a Facebook account.  And if you are interested in finding your first tweet, I found a tutorial on a blog that walks you through the whole process, step-by-step.  Check out this post from Technology Hint at https://www.technologyhint.com/find-first-tweet/.  

As you can see, I have changed my username on Twitter
since I created it, and my shift to more professional
development is apparent as well.  
Since taking the plunge back in February 2015, I have followed over 1600 people, I am followed by over 2900 people, and I have tweeted over 10,000 times.  And with the exception of a few tweets to a few sports teams, such as the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, and Vegas Golden Knights, a comedy podcast called Taggart & Torrens that I listen to, and a rant a few years ago during the Super Bowl about how I felt the NFL had become a joke and Roger Goodell is mostly to blame (I still feel that way, to the point that I don't watch the NFL at all anymore, let the players play, hit one another, and let defenses play defense rather than trying to make it easier for offenses to score points and up the "entertainment" factor for the casual fans), I have kept it professional in the name of interacting with great educators and students, sharing my expertise, learning, blog, and podcasts, and building relationships with people in a virtual environment.  

Over the course of the past few years, I have developed a strong online presence, one that includes a Twitter account, this blog, and more recently, the start of The BeerEDU Podcast with Ben Dickson, the AndersonEdTech Vlog on YouTube, and the Sons of Technology Podcast, the brainchild of Joe Marquez, a fantastic educator and human from Clovis, CA.  I can honestly attribute everything to taking that leap and creating my Twitter account.  

I cannot even begin to identify all of the people that I have met over the years that started as a follow on Twitter.  The follows became reading tweets, blogs, listening to podcasts, watching videos, and so much more.  Profile pictures put a face to all of the great information that I was getting from Twitter.  Then came the real-life interactions.  I started to meet many of those that I followed on Twitter at conferences, at workshops, and at leadership institutes.  The "awkward" meetings with people did not exist because it seemed as if we had already known each other for years and rather than handshakes, many first meetings have resulted in hugs instead!  

To reduce echo and because my kids were making a ruckus, Ben and I
like to record outside, which means sometimes we break out Carhartts...
At least our beers for this episode stayed cold!
My podcast partner, Ben, is a great friend of mine now.  He and I met on Twitter a few years ago, interacting over Twitter chats and our mutual passion for improving education in the State of Nevada.  Because I traveled to Reno from Las Vegas several times a year, it was easy for us to finally meet in person after interacting with him online and through Voxer for a year or so.  When the idea of The BeerEDU Podcast was born, I still lived in Las Vegas and the idea was that we were going to record remotely over the 430-mile difference.  However, it was made easier when I made the move from Las Vegas to Reno, now we can record in person and interact on a level much higher than a Twitter account.  You can find our podcast on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts!  

I must say that a podcast most likely would have never been on my plate had it not been for Twitter.  Prior to Twitter, I knew what a podcast was, but I didn't know anything about how to go about listening to one, which ones I should listen to, or especially, how to create and publish one myself.  My earliest memory of a podcast was after the CUE-NV State Conference that we hosted in January 2016.  Our keynote speaker for that event was Brian Briggs and he talked a little bit about his show, Check This Out, that he hosts with Ryan O'Donnell.  After the conference, he published an episode that reviewed his time at the conference and from that point forward, I became a subscriber/fan/inquisitive mind that every now and then, I could contact Brian and Ryan about things on the show.  Over the course of several months, I can across other shows as well, many by people that I already followed on Twitter, people like Tom Covington, Michael Jephcott, John Eick, Ben Cogswell, and many others.  

Joe Marquez was another one that met through Twitter.  Between his personal/professional account, @JoeMarquez70, and his brand, Sons of Technology, @SonsofTechEDU.  Over the course of a couple of years of admiration from afar and interaction, I met Joe for the first time in person at the Tech Rodeo in Visalia, CA in January 2018.  Over the next few months, we interacted more online and saw each other at a few events, trading various ideas, debating others, and a lot more.  When the opportunity to present at the Tech Rodeo in 2019 presented itself, I contacted Joe and asked him if he'd be interested in a collaboration presentation where we would plan remotely and present together in person.  Not only was he interested, but once we started throwing out some ideas on the focus of our presentation, an idea for the Sons of Technology podcast was born.  

Thank you to Abe Rivera for creating this awesome shot of
Joe and I presenting at the Tech Rodeo!
Joe has used his Sons of Technology brand for many years, just like AndersonEdTech has been mine.  His idea was to expand his brand by presenting an audience with topics where he and another host could civilly debate the merits of a topic.  While planning our session, he asked me to be his co-host and how we should record an episode as part of a session on building a brand.  At this time, we are two episodes deep into the journey, with the podcast available on most platforms, including Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and many more (we are still waiting for approval from Apple Podcasts as of this writing).  

I have Twitter to thank for the learning, the connections, and the endeavors in which I have made over the past few years.  Every time I meet an educator that has not jumped into the Twitterverse, I take a moment to explain what it has done for me and, like we like to say on The Sons of Technology Podcast, to take a risk and ditch their fear, if that is what is holding them back.  As always, thank you for reading my blog, and please check out both of the podcasts that I have the pleasure of creating with friends, and also check out my video blog on my YouTube channel.  

Until next time... 



Sunday, January 6, 2019

Goals & #OneWord2019

When the calendar turns over to a new year, lots of people set out to declare resolutions, things that they are going to do in the upcoming year, such as lose weight, clear out some clutter from the house, find a new job, so on and so forth.  I am no different, but I don't like to refer to them as resolutions, I prefer the term "goal".

To me, a resolution is something that only describes the endgame, what must be done to consider the resolution accomplished.  Goals have more measurable steps or at least should have measurable steps.  If you set a goal of losing weight, say 30 pounds, you may be likely to give up on a resolution if you haven't made any progress after a few weeks.  However, if you decide that you want to lose 30 pounds and set a goal of losing 5 pounds a month for 6 months, you may be more likely to stick to your goal.


Bitmoji ImageI have really struggled to think of goals for this year.  Part of the struggle is because I accomplished so much in 2018.  I moved to a new city, I moved to a new school and district, I moved into a completely new position, shifting from general education to special education.  I presented for the first time at a national event, FallCUE.  I started a podcast, The BeerEDU Podcast, with my friend, Ben.  And at the very end of 2018, I started a video blog on YouTube.  A lot of what I accomplished were things that just had to be done for mere survival.  Many more was because I put my mind to it and get it done, abiding by my one word for 2018, technically two words, fully, completely.  While inspired by a song by The Tragically Hip and more of a breakup song, I felt that the words applied to my personal and professional life, putting forth full and complete effort to accomplish tasks and goals.

I put a lot of thought into my #OneWord2019.  I saw a handful of individuals' selections on social media.  I even saw a quiz that would help you select a word.  Nothing I was seeing was inspiring me, so I turned to music.  I listened to all sorts of songs, but still, nothing.  I also watched a lot of college football, college basketball, pro hockey, and the world junior hockey tournament.  Inspiration began to come my way, and it finally dawned me; I had my word!

I'm not sure where I first saw the quote, and I may be paraphrasing here, but, "The strength of the wolf is the pack, the strength of the pack is the wolf."  Wolves work together for protection, for survival, for food, and so much more.  A similar quote states that the chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, or in relation to wolves, the pack is only as strong as the weakest one. How does this relate to a word for 2019?  After watching the Nevada Wolfpack start out their season 14-0 and ranked #6 in the country, the thought of that quote, the school's mascot, and the team's play during their undefeated start really began to resonate with me personally and professionally.

Since completing this post, Nevada was blown out by New Mexico for their first loss of the season, dropping their record to 14-1; their #6 ranking is sure to drop as well.

I most certainly have never thought of myself this way, but it certainly cracks
me up when I think of this scene from The Hangover!
A school is only as strong as it's teachers and leaders.  Leaders and teacher are only as strong as their school.  The same goes for an individual and their family, circle of friends, etc.  In 2019, the word "wolfpack" is going to define me.  I am going to work to be the strongest individual, father, husband, brother, son,  and educator that I can be to strengthen my packs, because like the quote says, the strength of the pack is the wolf, and I will strive to be the strongest wolf that I can be!

My word, wolfpack, also goes hand in hand with goals for 2019, two professional and one personal.

Professionally, I want to finally earn my Google Certified Trainer endorsement.  I have applied a couple of times in the past, with rejections coming through for various reasons.  I believe that I now have the tools to complete the requirements and finally become certified.  I have already completed Level 1 and Level 2 certifications, as well as the trainer exam.  Now I need to produce my trainer video and submit it.   The video has two parts, a one-minute introduction and why, and a two-minute demonstration of a skill.  By the end of February, I want to have my introduction completed and by the end of April, I want to have the whole video done so I can submit the application.

By the end of May, I also am going to be finished with my Master's in Special Education.  For the next few months, I have 240 hours of various activities to complete to meet the requirements of the practicum, as well as pass three Praxis exams for the degree program and licensure in the State of Nevada.

Image result for trek marlin 6 red
Much like this stock photo from trekbikes.com, I want to
get outdoors more often in 2019! And yes, this is my make
and model bike, a Trek Marlin 6 in Viper Red!
Personally, I want to make sure that my new bike gets some miles on the tires.  Over the winter holiday, I was out nearly every day with it, some days on longer rides, some days riding around my parents' neighborhood with my kids on their new bikes, some days riding about a mile and a half to the store to pick up a couple of things rather than getting in the car.  To track mileage, map out rides, etc., I created an account on the UnderArmour Map My Ride app for my phone.  My goal is to ride 1200 miles over the course of 2019, or 100 miles a month.  Some rides may be longer, as I plan to get out on the road for longer rides once I build my endurance (I haven't really ridden a bike since college), but some rides may be shorter, but more difficult, as I will take it off-road and onto the trails of my locals parks and mountains.  I am seriously considering bringing my bike to Spring CUE to get around the city and various hotels for the conference and maybe partake in a ride or two while there.  If you are on the Map My Ride app and would like to be friends to push each other, please find me!  I would also love to find a group to ride with at Palm Springs if anyone else is thinking about taking their bike.

I hope you have grand plans for 2019 and have selected a #oneword to get you there!  I also look forward to revisiting my goals and #oneword, wolfpack, throughout the year!

Until next time... you can also check out my latest video blog as well, where I talk about #OneWord2019!


Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Au Revoir 2018, Bonjour 2019!

bye 2018
This is by no means how I feel about 2018, but I do find
it funny! And I got a toque like the one on my head for
Christmas (or beanie, or winter hat, whichever you prefer)!
So here we are, the beginning of another new year, which will be my 38th on this planet by the time September rolls around.  I always like to take time to reflect on the previous year, revisit my goals from the previous year, and set some goals for 2019.  2018 had its tough moments, but overall, this was one of the best years of my life, personally and professionally!

Throughout the fall of 2017, my wife, Mary, submitted applications to various universities to enter a graduate program for speech and language pathology.  Early in 2018, she received notifications of acceptance into two programs, accepting the University of Nevada's offer.  That being said, that meant a move from Las Vegas, the city that we had called home for 13 years, the city in which both of our children were born and all that they knew, the city that I watched grow, suffer in sorrow after the events of 1 October, then heal as the Vegas Golden Knights went on to become the most successful expansion team in NHL history.  It meant leaving the only district in which I ever taught.  It meant having to be flexible in searching for work, as Mary would not be able to work while pursuing her degree.  On July 26, 2018, I watched the City of Las Vegas disappear in my rearview mirror as I motored a 26-foot U-Haul truck towing my car out of the valley northwest along US-95 toward The Biggest Little City in the World, Reno.
See, I told you that I got a similar one to my Bitmoji!
And yes, the beard is different and really grey!

A new city comes with a new job.  In my case, a new job in more ways than just a change of schools.  While searching for jobs, there wasn't anything available within my teaching license, so I had to be willing to accept a position that may not have been ideal.  In the application process, I was accepted into a program that would allow for me to teach special education without a provision on my license so long as I completed the requirements to add it to my license within three years.  I applied for numerous positions, elementary and secondary, ultimately interviewing and accepting a position at Carson High School in Carson City, NV.

When I interviewed for my job, I was asked if I would be willing to work a special program held after school designed for students with behavioral issues and/or a need for an alternative approach to courses and credit retrieval.  With my experience working at a behavioral school for a year and my short stint as a dean of students, I was certainly intrigued by the program and expressed such in my interview.  After accepting the offer of employment, I was informed that one of the main reasons why I was offered the position was because of my experience and my willingness to work with students that many deemed to be tough.  While it certainly has it's tough days (what position in education, or any career, doesn't?), it is certainly rewarding to see students that were not successful in a traditional school setting begin to make strides academically or behaviorally.

Because my wife is going to school full time and is not bringing in an income, it is up to me to cover our expenses until she is done in the summer of 2020.  I knew that my teaching salary alone would not be able to cover everything, so I had to find something to earn a few extra dollars.  I was approached within the first week of starting my new position about teaching adult education government.  I taught government for several years, and while I never taught adult education, I taught the course as a credit retrieval on Saturday mornings for a couple of years.  Not only did my district need a teacher for one night, but they also wanted to offer it for two nights, so I accepted their offer to teach it on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-9 PM.  It certainly makes for a long day, but like my work with the behavior and credit retrieval program, it's definitely rewarding to see students make progress toward a diploma through my class and the others offered through adult education.

Great view of Lassen Volcanic National Park from my
parents' street when I was out on the new bike! 
When I look back on my goals for 2018, one could say that I was a failure.  In the post that I published in December 2017, I outlined that I wanted to lose some weight, get started on writing a book, and while I was vague about it, wanted to make a shift in my career.  I certainly did not lose weight, in fact, I gained a little more.  While not trying to make excuses, it has been tough to focus on weight loss and an exercise routine after the move and the extra hours that I am working to support my family.  Hopefully, the bike that I received for Christmas will make it easier to get into an exercise routine.  I also did not get anything going on a book, and I am going to go with the lack of time with the move and my new job as my explanation (not an excuse).  However, I did make the move to a new city and a new school in a whole new position, which is something that I set out to do based on my wife's acceptance to graduate school.

I am still working on my goals for 2019, as well as my #oneword2019.  I will highlight those in a later post.  In the meantime, Ben and I published a 2018 Year in Review episode of The BeerEDU Podcast, found wherever you get your podcasts (and we also have a website now, check it out here!).  I also started a video blog that can be found on my YouTube channel.  My first episode is available now, I hope to publish one a little more frequently than I do my written blog, as I tend to put more time and thought into this, whereas my video blog is going to be much more informal.  And lastly, I have two events coming up in which I am presenting.  I will be at the Tulare County Tech Rodeo in Orosi, CA on January 19, then I will be in Las Vegas on January 26 & 27 for the EdTechTeam Google Summit!  The Tech Rodeo will be especially significant, as it will be the first time that I will be presenting with a partner where we planned everything remotely, and in the plans for that presentation, something very special is coming out of that; stay tuned!

Until next time... May 2019 be your best year yet!

Bitmoji Image