Connecting, Learning, Growing

   The past few weeks have been such a whirlwind!  I have had the opportunity to meet amazing people, share some of my favorite tools, as well as get my feet wet in a new position.  It is an exciting time in my life!  Throughout the many changes and new faces, one thing has remained constant- the support of my PLN -Personal Learning Network on Twitter.  As I make transitions, my PLN has been there for me every step of the way.  They are my personalized cheering section and coaches that provide sites and tips. They encourage me to take risks and grow as a learner.
    During Connected Educator month, I want to recognize my wonderful PLN , which includes many #maet and #4thchat friends.  Each day they inspire me to grow as an educator and share these amazing tools with others.  I truly would not be where I am today without them.  I also want to thank Dan and Brad, two educators in my PLN that I now have the pleasure to work with on a daily basis in my dream job!  So excited to be connecting, learning, and growing each day!

A New Journey

As learners we are always seeking out new goals and opportunities to help us grow. Along the way, we find something that sparks our passion that completely changes us. This was my experience when I discovered all of the possibilities that are presented when you begin to integrate technology into the classroom. With every step our class took in educational technology, a new opportunity emerged to extend our learning that would never have been possible without it! Students were exploring, collaborating, and creating meaningful connections in their learning. Student conversations about what was going on in our classroom were taking place at the dinner table, and showcased on our class blog for them to share at home. Parents knew exactly what we were doing in the classroom and loved the opportunity to see their child's growth every step of the way! I enjoyed sharing our classroom adventures in my previous blog, http://powell4thgrade.blogspot.com/. Students were using a variety of digital tools to enhance and expand their learning. Each exciting discovery led to a new pursuit to grow and connect as a learner.

 As an educator, I was also sparked to grow and pursue other opportunities to follow my passions. This passion has led me to a new journey as an educational technology consultant. I am very excited to learn and share amazing tools, resources, and other wonderful ideas in educational technology with colleagues and fellow educators. I also look forward to witnessing amazing transformations taking place in many classrooms as students become 21st century learners.

 I hope you will take this journey with me as I blog about the Tidbits in Tech I discover along the way...