 I am not much of a television viewer, but I do love a good reality show! Couple that with a singing competition and this girl is all in! I'll let you all in on a little secret. I can't sing to save my life, and I have always thought it would be so cool to be able to sing my heart out on stage. Shhhh! So, when I learned recently that there was a new show on Fox called The Masked Singer, I was extra intrigued. Singing + Game + Mystery….this is bound to be my new fav! Just as expected, I love it! Let me explain this new reality show that has captured my attention and viewers from around the world. Over the course of 10 episodes, 12 celebrities anonymously compete in a singing competition by concealing themselves in a costume from head to toe. Each episode, the celebrities are paired off to compete against each other, by singing a song of his/her choice. After a panelist and live audience vote, the lowest scoring celebrity is put up for elimination. Throughout the competition, clues to each masked celebrities’ identity are given. The panelists are given time to solve the puzzle and are able to ask them a single question to try to guess their identity. At the end of the episode, the eliminated singer takes off their mask and reveals their identity to all. Reality television shows have become a fundamental part of my gamified classrooms, so I can’t help but see them through the eyes of an educator and game designer. As I was watching an episode of The Masked Singer tonight with my husband, I began deconstructing the elements of this intriguing show and thought about how it could be brought into learning. Most reality shows have some key elements that draw us in. Challenge. Choice. Authentic Audience. Chance. When used effectively, they hook us and keep the viewer wanting to watch week after week. However, I am a distracted television watcher. It is rare that I sit through any show with my eyes glued to the screen. Often times, I’ll be on my computer or working on something else while watching. Tonight was different. I noticed I wasn’t working on my computer or anything else for that matter. I was immersed in the show. Why was this show different? One word... CURIOSITYFrom the beginning of the show to the end, I was drawn into the mystery of who was hiding behind the mask. I didn’t want to miss out on any of the celebrities mannerisms or clues that may possibly reveal their identity. I wanted to figure out the clues and solve the mystery! As I thought about this, I began thinking about the parallels between this show and a new favorite in my life...BreakoutEDU. BreakoutEDU is like an escape room game for the classroom. Within the BreakoutEDU platform, there is an extensive collection of immersive learning games for all ages and content areas that require problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity to solve. In teams, students are working together to solve a series of clues that will reveal the code to break into a small and large box that is closed shut with various locks. I have loved this immersive game ever since I entered the BreakoutEDU bus a few years back at the ISTE conference in Denver, Colorado. However, there was something about it that I had always found a little intimidating to facilitate on my own. That all changed when my friend Ann Brucker, a game designer and community manager from BreakoutEDU, designed a game for my book, Make Learning Magical, that she facilitated at the SOPTV Teacher Summit this past Fall. (It's incredibly magical, check it out HERE!) Assisting her in setting the locks and facilitating this game, took the fear away and I knew it was time to take a leap. I needed more BreakoutEDU in my life. In my new role as Tech Integration Specialist, I had the opportunity to purchase a set of 6 BreakoutEDU boxes for our district. They came in just in time to reveal them to our innovation team before our holiday break, and they were a hit! When everyone returned in the new year, they were all fired up and ready to bring these immersive games into their classroom. There was no turning back. Any trepidation I had about getting started was short lived, because before long I was feeling like a BreakoutEDU rockstar and was setting locks and facilitating games like I’d been doing it for years. Well, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration… But seriously, why I had I waited so long to take this leap?! Each time I facilitated a game, I became more confident and the immersive and rich learning experience that I was witnessing blew my mind! Talk about the 4 C’s amplified….WOW! These kids were collaborating, communicating, critically, and creatively thinking at a high octane level! In an intense moment in one of the games I facilitated in a 5th grade classroom, a student exclaimed, “You guys! We have to be smarter than we normally are if we are going to figure this out.” It cracked me up! They were thinking really hard and they wanted to! That’s pretty flippin’ amazing! During reflection time after the game was over a struggling learner said, “Today was the first time in this class that I didn’t give up.” When the teacher asked what was different about this experience he said, “Because, I saw how hard the other students in class were working and it made me want to work hard too.” Wow! A true testament to something I believe strongly….learning can and should be fun and play is powerful! What is the common denominator between what hooks kids into a game like BreakoutEDU and what hooks me into a show like The Masked Singer? CURIOSITY!!!! Whether it’s behind a mask or hidden in a box, we want to solve the mystery! As I thought about this connection, my mind began swirling with ideas. How could I weave curiosity into the gamified classroom with these new BreakoutEDU boxes in a similar way that The Masked Singer weaves it into a season of episodes? Then it hit me! Each unit could kick off with a new mystery and throughout the unit students would search for clues that would unlock the BreakoutEDU box that held the mystery inside! Clues would be hidden in the classroom or around campus, in invisible ink or digital text on their assignments, or randomly throughout the unit in daily activities. The clues would connect to the content being learned and would require students to dive deeper to discover the mystery within! In the gamified classroom, the opportunities are endless. You could give special badges or incentives to students or teams that opened the box first. You could even have a different badge for each lock figured out and a badge for the entire class if collectively they could open the box before the test at the end of the unit. In social studies, a historical figure, event, or secret location could be hidden in the box. In science, it may be a famous scientist, rare gem or invention. In math, it could be a famous engineer or mathematician. In culinary, it may be a rare ingredient, recipe, or chef that connects to the content being taught. The point is, it could work in any grade level or subject area. When we bring mystery, wonder, and curiosity into learning, magical things happen. Our students want to be challenged. They want to explore. They are starving for a little mystery and excitement in learning. They are craving curiosity. As educators, we have an amazing mission to bring that magic to our classrooms. Whether it’s behind a mask or locked in a box, curiosity is magical! Let’s find a way to bring it into learning!
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 I love reality television shows. They have been a source of inspiration over the years as I have gamified classroom learning. In fact, MasterChef, The Great Food Truck Race, and The Amazing Race inspired the game frameworks that I layered over my 3 semester long culinary classes. Watching from an EDUperspective, there is a lot to be learned about rich and immersive lesson design from these shows. When we are intentional about weaving the elements together in a cohesive way, our students become empowered learners and our classrooms become places where joy and passion reside. Winter break is a perfect time for binge watching, so I decided to spend a day in my pajamas catching up on the best of reality television. I had heard quite a bit about the Netflix global cooking competition series, The Final Table, so decided to give it a watch. Right from the start, my mind started spinning with ideas. As in other reality shows that I have enjoyed, I immediately drew a parallel between the show's elements and that of the magical classroom. "The Final Table" pairs up 12 chefs from around the world to prepare global dishes. Each episode includes two challenges that highlight a specific country's cuisine. In the first challenge, each duo prepares a national dish selected by three of the countries' most celebrated ambassadors. After a short video describing the dish, the teams are given one hour to conceive, create, and plate their own version of the national delicacy. When time runs out, the three judges select their favorite of the prepared dishes and send the three lowest scoring teams to fight for their life in The Final Plate Challenge. In this second elimination round, a surprise renown chef from the highlighted country selects an ingredient native to the land. Teams must create an incredible dish from an assortment of regional ingredients and make the chosen ingredient the star. At the end of the challenge, the guest chef selects his/her favorite and determines which team’s dish is the "Final Plate" that will send them home. Let’s look at the elements in this reality television show that we can bring into classroom learning: DRAMATIC OPENING As the Final Table begins, you are drawn in by the lighting, music, and exciting introduction. Anticipation builds as the contestants are brought in and the judging panel is announced. Just as the music crescendos, the country and dish is revealed. The energy, enthusiasm, and passion of the contestants is tangible. You sense that something extraordinary is going to take place and you want to be a part of it. How you set the stage and capture an audience is important, and The Final Table does it well. They had my full attention, and I am not easily hooked! “Standing out from the crowd is the only way to guarantee your message is received in a culture that is increasingly distracted and where attention spans are plummeting.” This is no different in the classroom. As educators we are competing with many distractions that our students are bringing in to school each day. We must create an environment that students are drawn to. How can we create anticipation in our classrooms? Playing dramatic music can create the mood you are wanting to achieve. Dimming the lights and focusing a spotlight on a mystery box or object of focus builds anticipation for what is to come. Creating a teaser video to draw them in, rearranging the furniture, or adding special props can add elements of curiosity and wonder. Recently reading Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess, I was again reminded of the many ways we can “hook” our students to create magic in the classroom. The possibilities are truly endless! CLEAR, CONCISE EXPECTATIONS Each challenge on The Final Table starts out with clear, concise expectations. The judges are celebrated as the best chefs in the world. They have high standards and they clearly articulate what they are looking for in the executed dishes. As educators we are masters of our content. It is important that we set high standards, but also clearly articulate what we are expecting from our students. I love incorporating mystery into learning, but the standards and expectations shouldn’t be the part that is making them wonder. How are we delivering our expectations? How do we know that they understand? Both important questions to ask before the adventures in learning begin. COLLABORATION Skilled collaboration and communication are vital to the team’s success. To be able to create dishes of the highest caliber within 60 minutes, teams must work as a well-oiled machine. They must operate as a cohesive unit and clearly articulate to each other what they are doing if they are going to prepare a quality dish. I noticed contestants in The Final Table were continuously communicating and asking questions to make sure they were on the same page and working fluidly as a team. It was apparent that they knew each other’s strengths and capitalized on them. They brought out the best in each other. Without this component, disaster would surely ensue. Clearly, these teams were not just thrown together. These chefs had worked together for years. They had built a relationship and they trusted each other. As educators it is extremely important that we are creating classroom environments where relationships and trust are built. When this foundation is laid from the beginning, our students thrive. How do you build relationships and trust in your classroom? What opportunities do you give students to collaborate and communicate? These 21st century skills are essential and we must find ways to incorporate them into our classroom experiences. CRITICAL THINKING To be able to execute an outstanding dish within an hour, critical thinking is paramount. Teams have to think about how to use the ingredients to create a dish within a timeframe they are not used to operating in. They may have to adapt the methods and skills they know to be able to produce a dish with the qualities desired. Operating in a new kitchen with unfamiliar equipment and the pressure of cameras and an audience is a challenge they are not familiar with. Contestants must tap into their past experience and knowledge to meet the high standards of the judging panel. How can we create learning experiences in our classrooms that require students to think at a deeper level and reach into the recesses of their brain to solve problems? Additionally, how can we frame the learning in an exciting way where student's don’t even realize how hard they are thinking. CREATIVITY WITH CONSTRAINTS The dishes that these chefs made within a limited time frame was outstanding. Each team came with a unique set of skills and experiences that made them unique. When given the freedom to create within the constraints of time and a focused objective, they thrived. It was fascinating to watch the chefs as they quickly formulated their ideas, iterated as needed, and created beautiful masterpieces that captured the style and personality of each team. Having a focused objective and a time constraint allowed them to hone in on what they wanted to do. The most magical moments have happened in my classroom when I have created opportunities for students to create within a set of constraints. It is amazing what happens when we let their imaginations take what they know and craft in ways that express their individuality. All you have to do is look at the sparkle in their eyes to know they owned their learning and have created a memory that will remain. CALCULATED RISKS As soon as the clock started ticking, chefs began to calculate the number of risks that they needed to take to miraculously turn a combination of ingredients into something that would set their dish above the rest. They were calculating what skills & techniques they would use to produce predictable results and what risks they would take that could hopefully yield a winning outcome. The judges are evaluating the chefs for their skill, but also for their ability to innovate and create something out of the ordinary. They want to be amazed! It is important that as educators we also take calculated risks and allow our students to as well. We are continually weighing what we know works and will yield success with what is new that could improve the learning experience for our students. If we remain in our comfort zone and always go with the “sure thing” we are not only limiting ourselves, but our students as well. Magic happens when we step away from the comfort of the guaranteed and step into the realm of the unknown. The same happens for our students. If we don’t give them opportunities to take risks, they will never truly know what they are capable of. The confidence that is developed when we venture into the unknown is indescribable. Each victory gives us the courage to take another risk, and each fail gives us the fortitude to iterate and try again. What risks are you taking as an educator? Do your students feel safe to take risks and what opportunities are you giving them to take them? AUTHENTIC AUDIENCE From the very beginning, contestants know that they are going to be showcasing their skills in front of an audience of highly respected judges and a worldwide audience. This audience is not only observing the contestants throughout the challenge, they are also evaluating their finished product. When their dishes are complete, teams are explaining in detail what they created and how they prepared it. They have to be knowledgeable, articulate, and poised as they interact with the judging panel. The judge’s feedback was detailed, meaningful, and thoughtful. It was also laced with questions that would provide further clarity to the dishes’ flavors and the methods that were used to prepare it. The contestants hung on every word that was said because it was of value. They were given feedback from people they highly respected that not only indicated how well they did, but what they could improve on. That’s meaningful reflection! Something powerful happens when we are given the opportunity to share our learning with others. You could see the look of admiration on their faces when the judging panel was revealed. They were not just producing a dish for a challenge, they were creating a masterpiece for people that they revered. They had been given an opportunity to shine, and they were going to put their heart and soul into leaving a positive impression on the judges. I have found the same to be true in my own classroom. Every time we wrap up a unit, students demonstrate their learning in front of an authentic audience of staff, district employees, and local chefs. It truly is my favorite part of every unit, because students are given the opportunity to take what they learned and turn it into something extraordinary that reflects their uniqueness. Learning becomes relevant extending beyond the walls of the classroom. Not only are students given the opportunity to shine, they are receiving real and meaningful feedback from people that they respect. They are invested! They are empowered! Next time you have the control of your television remote and some time to do a little binge watching, I recommend you watch some reality television with an educational lens. I am already thinking of new challenges for the culinary classroom and how to weave this theme into another game framework. What other elements could be brought into classroom learning? How could you create similar challenges in your classroom that focuses on the content you teach? What lessons can you learn from the comfort of your couch? Tune in and be inspired! There is a lot we can learn from reality TV.  Yes. That is me in all my awkward glory as a Junior High kid. Perm, feathered bangs, braces and all the insecurity that comes with being a 13 year old girl trying to make sense of the world. I’m so glad that I grew out of that phase eventually. As a woman in my 40's, I have discovered my passion, my purpose, and every day I am becoming a better version of myself as I become more fully me. However, this life is a roller coaster. Sometimes I’m holding my hands straight up in the air and experiencing the thrill and momentum of the adventure and other times I am in the climb and fearful of what’s on the other side. In fact there are moments, when I feel all the insecurity and awkwardness of that 13 year old girl. There is a vulnerability that comes with sharing your passion and journey with others. You are living at risk that others may not agree or believe in what you have to say. The tranquil space between Christmas and New Year’s is a time of reflection for me. I love spending time reading, writing, and thinking about the year ahead. This year, an insecurity settled into my tranquility when I had too much time sitting with my own thoughts. As #OneWord declarations and positivity flooded social media when the New Year approached, our gloomy Southern Oregon winter fog settled into my soul and I knew I had to get above the clouds and refocus on my why if I was going to start this year out truly being the “spark” that I wanted to be in 2019. (Read my blog post #OneWord19) I woke up on an icy New Year’s morning and decided it was the perfect day to stay in my pajamas with a good book to hopefully boost my spirits. As I looked at my bookshelf overflowing with an assortment of books begging to be read, my eyes fell upon Teach Like a Pirate, by Dave Burgess. I remember the very first time I listened to a Dave on a podcast five years ago. I was on a morning run and I remember immediately telling my husband he had to listen to this guy. He was the most enthusiastic, passionate educator I had ever heard and what he was saying echoed everything in my heart that I knew education should be. It wasn’t long before I purchased Teach Like a Pirate and started reading. A spark definitely was ignited that day and has since grown into a blazing fire. Though I’ve read Teach Like a Pirate more than once and have referenced various chapters numerous times, I decided today was a day I needed my fire to be rekindled. I needed to read it straight through. As I was reading I realized how greatly this book has shaped me as an educator. The PIRATE philosophy is something I agree with wholeheartedly and has undoubtedly fueled my passion for making learning magical. I highlighted and starred various sections as I read. Then, I came to the chapter “The Awkward Question”. I had read this chapter before, more than once. Why was I crying? Maybe because this was the chapter my heart needed to hear today; the one that reminded me of my why. My purpose. My calling. To share the power of creating magical learning spaces that are filled with joy and passion; Dave begins the chapter asking, “Do you want to be great?” He goes on to share how this question is often met with nervous gazes and an awkward silence when asked at conferences he speaks at. Because, let’s face it...though many educators secretly want to be great, it feels awkward or even egotistical and selfish to voice it. To share our ideas, successes, and innovations feels like bragging so all too often we keep to our EDUsilos; making magic happen in our classroom while celebrating our victories towards greatness in silence. I love this quote by Dave Burgess; “Ultimately, the world becomes a better place because of your greatness. Therefore, in our profession, striving for greatness is the ultimate act of unselfishness! We are in a service profession and there is nothing egotistical or selfish about wanting to provide world-class service to our clients”. I agree with this 100% as I have benefited 10-fold from the educators I’ve learned from over the years, filling my social media feed, podcast channels, and the conference sessions I’ve attended with amazing ideas, resources, and inspiration. Their passion and enthusiasm fuels the flame that keeps me chasing after greatness for the profession of education. If it were not for these “greatness seekers” I may have remained a burnt out teacher buried in the sand of mediocrity that is all too prevalent in our schools. Seeking greatness, as Dave says, “is a journey that can ignite, stoke, and continuously fuel a raging inferno. That journey begins the instant a teacher chooses to shift his or her mindset and says, 'Yes, I want to be great!'” I have totally found that to be true over the course of the past five years. You see, I never planned on sharing my passion through public speaking, blog writing, or in the pages of a book. Yet, I found that when your life is profoundly transformed and you know that what you experience could possibly help transform others’ lives too, you can’t keep it in. You are compelled to share because it becomes your purpose, your heartbeat. It’s what gets you up in the morning. It brings you joy. However in our humanity, we can let the negativity that surrounds us steal that joy. We begin listening to the naysayers, we start doubting our abilities, we start losing sight of our why. Sometimes the people who once supported and encouraged us, disappear and leave us wondering what happened. Sometimes people doubt our intentions, or our philosophy. Sometimes we just feel straight up awkward. Dave said something mid-chapter that stung a little, “Stop seeking external validation”. Ouch! Watch it, Dave. Now you’re getting personal. But darn it, it’s true. Too often my emotions are swayed due to seeking validation for what I do. Why? It’s not only stealing my joy, but it’s keeping me from my mighty purpose. As Dave says, “I don’t want to play small--I want to be larger than life”. This chapter ends with Dave’s story about the Little Drummer Boy. If you haven’t read it, do yourself a favor and read this blog post where he shares the story. (Click HERE) It touches my heart every time, because I feel like I am the little drummer girl who has found my personal “drum” and am just trying to play it the best that I can. “Forget about all of the things you can’t control and play your drum to the best of your abilities. Play with all the passion, enthusiasm and heart you can muster. Nothing else really matters. You can offer no finer gift or higher honor to the world than to find out what your “drum” is and then play it for all it’s worth.” So this year I am embracing the awkward question with a big fat, YES! I want to be great and I want you to be great too. Because that’s what education needs. An army of little drummers playing their drums with all the passion they can muster! Play your music loud, because only then will we drown out mediocrity and fill our schools with joy, passion and greatness.   I’ve always had a curious mind. I have an unquenchable thirst for learning and understanding the world around me. In fact, I can get overwhelmed by how much I don't know. So much to learn; so little time. Yet, lately I’ve been wondering how much more I would learn if I just looked a little more curiously at the world around me. What if I began to ask more questions about the things I experience? What if I engaged in more conversations with the people in my world? In the book A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life, author Brian Grazer shares the many curiosity conversations he’s had throughout his lifetime in the movie industry. From the onset of his career he was intentional about reaching out to people that he was curious about and setting up a time to chat. Sometimes the conversations lasted 20 minutes, other times they were over an hour. I find this idea fascinating. What if I became more intentional about scheduling curiosity conversations with people? How much would I learn about them and the world around me? Recently I went to a conference in San Antonio by myself. That is not unusual as I often go to conferences alone, but what made this conference different was that my tribe was not there when I arrived; not one familiar face. It was a stark contrast to the year before at ISTE 2017 in San Antonio where so many of my PLN had gathered. I enjoyed making new connections, but it felt strange. As I left the convention center at noon on the last day, I realized I had the entire afternoon and evening to be a tourist in San Antonio. I changed into my comfy clothes and hit the streets to see all that I missed when I had been there the previous year. I strolled the River Walk, took a river boat ride, and toured The Alamo. I kept thinking of how fun it would have been to have my family or tribe with me, but there was something interesting that happened in the solitude. I let curiosity be my guide. I ventured down streets that looked interesting, walked into stores and restaurants that captured my attention, asked questions of people I encountered, people watched, and let my mind wander and wonder. When was the last time that I didn’t fill my itinerary with an agenda or a list of things to accomplish. There was something strangely freeing about this time I had in solitude. After an afternoon walking around downtown San Antonio I decided to eat dinner in The Pearl district; an area that an Uber driver from the airport had suggested earlier that week. There were quaint little shops and an eclectic mix of restaurants and food kiosks that opened up to an outdoor seating area. I had just settled down with my food at the only open table I could find when a lady approached me and asked if she could sit with me. I said, “of course” and awkwardly tried to ascertain whether this lady wanted to engage in conversation or just eat in quiet. The thoughts that I was processing were similar to those I experience when settling into my seat on an airline flight. Should I strike up a conversation, or just put on my noise-cancelling headphones and fly in solitude? Just as I was weighing my options, she introduced herself and began to ask why I was in San Antonio on a Saturday night alone. It wasn’t long before I learned this lady’s extraordinary story. She was battling stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer and was in San Antonio to attend a breast cancer symposium on a scholarship. Just a few days prior her doctor had discovered a brain tumor and she was still reeling from the news and what this would mean in her fight against this disease that had invaded her body. As she opened up about her brave and inspiring journey, I felt an immediate connection to this amazing human being and all she was doing to provide support, encouragement, and strength to others on a similar journey as her own. We chatted for over an hour when I discovered she had been a teacher prior to her diagnosis four years earlier. We talked about the importance of joy and passion in teaching and learning and about my heart for making learning magical. As we parted ways, I embraced her in a tight hug as if I was saying goodbye to a dear friend. Because of her willingness to engage a stranger in a curious conversation, my life became richer that day. What if I had not been alone that night in San Antonio? What if I had appeared to be too preoccupied to engage in conversation and the lady hadn’t felt comfortable to begin a conversation with me? As I think about my curious adventures that afternoon in San Antonio, I wonder how many curious conversations have I missed? How much richer would my life be if I was more intentional about sparking conversations with strangers. What would I learn? How would I grow? What may others learn from me? In Make Learning Magical, I share the magic of curiosity. When we tap into curiosity, we experience the sheer joy of discovery. Creating an atmosphere of curiosity where students feel safe to explore and play is vital to building confidence and ownership of learning. There are so many ways we can bring curiosity into our classrooms, in fact the possibilities are endless. However, I wonder how often we avoid cultivating curiosity because it could disrupt the lesson plan, or cause the classroom conversation to go in an unintended direction. How often do we avoid our students’ questions in fear that we may not know the answers or, feed students the answers without even giving them the opportunity to ask them? In A Curious Mind, Brian Grazer states, “Curiosity is itself a form of power, and also a form of courage”. If we gave our students more opportunities to be curious, wouldn’t this lead them to empowered learning? How can we create classrooms where questions are cultivated? How can we create safe spaces where students feel empowered to not only ask the questions, but to find the answers? Curiosity lights a fire within us to to pursue our passions and chase our dreams. Curiosity sparks ideas. Ideas spark creativity. Creativity sparks innovation. In this coming year I want to spark curiosity in my own life and the lives of those I serve. More curious conversations. More wandering. More wondering. More questioning. Something magical happens when curiosity is unleashed.
 As my Twitter feed has begun to fill with “one words” of focus for the year, I’ve quietly pondered what my word would be or if I would even choose one. I’ve never been one for making New Year’s resolutions or at least keeping them, but I love the idea of choosing a word to focus on as a driving force for the year. My 2018 word was “AMPLIFY”. Tonight I read a blog post I wrote a year ago, and was struck by this line, “I don't want to waste one single chance to make a difference; to amplify my impact!” This past year has been full of exciting opportunities and change. I became a DBC, Inc author of my manifesto, Make Learning Magical. I became a Tech Integration Specialist. I accepted opportunities to share my story globally. The word “amplify" truly was a focus of each decision I made. With each opportunity I asked myself, with this choice will I amplify my impact? Looking back, I am so glad I said “yes” to the opportunities that came my way because by doing so, I do feel that I took every chance I could to make a difference. As I look forward to the year ahead, I wonder how 2018 could be topped. It truly was a year full of magic; one that I won’t ever forget. To have been given the opportunity to share my heart and passion for making learning magical with the world with a publishing company I highly respect; there are not enough words to express my gratitude. Additionally, leaving the culinary classroom to begin a new role as the first Tech Integration Specialist in my district, is an incredible honor that I don't take lightly! In this position I support K-12 teachers in 19 schools throughout our district in the integration of technology and innovation in their classrooms. Super exciting, but no easy feat! I knew that to ignite a flame for innovation in a district of 14,000 we would need sparks. I enlisted 1-2 educators, with the title of “Spark Starters”, from each of our 19 schools to be part of an Innovation Team. I told them from the start that we don’t need an innovation team made up of the super tech savvy, we need: The Sunshine Spreaders; spreading joy and positivity everywhere they go. The Courageous; stepping out of their comfort zone without fear of failure. The Encouragers; inspiring with courage, spirit, and confidence. The Innovators; always seeking new and better ideas. When you combine those qualities together, it ignites a spark that shines bright with enthusiasm and passion. As Bruce Springsteen says, “You can’t start a fire without a spark.” It’s true. We can have the techiest tools and most innovative ideas in the world, but the fire for innovation won’t start without a spark. The enthusiasm and passion that sparkly people radiate is contagious. It's not just felt, it's experienced. It's like magical pixie dust has been sprinkled and others want a part of the magic too. It’s been amazing to see the sparks flying in our Medford schools and the joy and passion for teaching and learning beginning to spread. A fire is starting, and it’s a beautiful sight to see. As I continue to amplify my impact in my various roles as author, tech integration specialist, and educator, I want to be the starter of sparks. Which leads me to my 2019 word....{drum roll}.... SPARK Spark joy. Spark courage. Spark encouragement. Spark curiosity. Spark inspiration Spark innovation. A fire can’t start without a spark, and I want to help start a blazing fire! Thanks, Bruce, for my 2019 anthem.... Dancing in the Dark. |
Tisha RichmondTech Integration Specialist in Southern Oregon and author of Make Learning Magical. I'm passionate about finding innovative ways to transform teaching and create unforgettable experiences in the classroom. Archives
January 2019
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