a SMART conference
March 4, 2008
Last week, I attended one of the best conferences I have attended in a long time. The term conference is taking on a new definition in my world. This was not your normal hundreds of people herding through a conference hall wondering if the room they were walking in to is going to be worth the time. NO, this was a conference with 30 technology specialists from across the country sitting in the SMART sales office in Chicago, Il. talking, sharing, and learning with the guidance of the SMART education team.
It was the first time I felt as if the presenters were talking to me, not the teachers I service but me. The technology educator who tries to figure out how she can best meet the needs of the 400 teachers and tries to build a relationship. My
district just finished the first phase of a technology infusion plan focused on the installation of SMART boards, projectors, and sound systems. There were many bumps throughout this phase and after attending the conference I feel more confident about approaching principals on how to implement the board installs in their school. I feel as if I am now qualified to say, “OK, let’s look at how you chose who received the boards last year. What worked? What didn’t?” “Why not try this?”
One thing I learned from all of our discussion is no matter how large or small the district or what country/state we all have similar challenges with teachers, funding, and leadership. The really great thing is now that I am home in South Carolina I have a network of people across North America I can lean on for advise or help.
Of course, it wasn’t all work … we played a little and I managed to make a name for myself with my 80’s rock star flash back… You’ll have to ask someone who was there for the whole story… but I will forever evoke thoughts of twirling flash drives as if I was at a rock concert screaming for the band on the stage. By the way, if you were there… I want copies of the pictures!
Day 2 was full of top secret information about what is up and coming with SMART… I could tell you but then… you know the rest of the saying… Well, all I have to say is if you are attending NECC … head to the SMART booth.
Thank you to everyone at SMART … Shannon, Laura, Khoi, Chris, Giselle, Andrew, Coralie, and any other SMART person I forgot. You have recharged my inspiration in learning/teaching.
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Entry Filed under: Reflections. .
a SMART conference
March 4, 2008
Last week, I attended one of the best conferences I have attended in a long time. The term conference is taking on a new definition in my world. This was not your normal hundreds of people herding through a conference hall wondering if the room they were walking in to is going to be worth the time. NO, this was a conference with 30 technology specialists from across the country sitting in the SMART sales office in Chicago, Il. talking, sharing, and learning with the guidance of the SMART education team.
It was the first time I felt as if the presenters were talking to me, not the teachers I service but me. The technology educator who tries to figure out how she can best meet the needs of the 400 teachers and tries to build a relationship. My district just finished the first phase of a technology infusion plan focused on the installation of SMART boards, projectors, and sound systems. There were many bumps throughout this phase and after attending the conference I feel more confident about approaching principals on how to implement the board installs in their school. I feel as if I am now qualified to say, “OK, let’s look at how you chose who received the boards last year. What worked? What didn’t?” “Why not try this?”
One thing I learned from all of our discussion is no matter how large or small the district or what country/state we all have similar challenges with teachers, funding, and leadership. The really great thing is now that I am home in South Carolina I have a network of people across North America I can lean on for advise or help.
Of course, it wasn’t all work … we played a little and I managed to make a name for myself with my 80’s rock star flash back… You’ll have to ask someone who was there for the whole story… but I will forever evoke thoughts of twirling flash drives as if I was at a rock concert screaming for the band on the stage. By the way, if you were there… I want copies of the pictures!
Day 2 was full of top secret information about what is up and coming with SMART… I could tell you but then… you know the rest of the saying… Well, all I have to say is if you are attending NECC … head to the SMART booth.
Thank you to everyone at SMART … Shannon, Laura, Khoi, Chris, Giselle, Andrew, Coralie, and any other SMART person I forgot. You have recharged my inspiration in learning/teaching.
Technorati Tags: SMARTConference SMARTExemplaryEducator Chicago sansonetti intructionaltechnology
Entry Filed under: Reflections. .
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1.
Danuta | March 4th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
There isn’t much to add to your post,MaryAnn. As you said, no matter where we are and how big/small our district is, we have the same challenges, well maybe with the exception of Joey:)The key is to “celebrate what’s right with the world to have energy to fix what is wrong” ( Dewitt Jones, National Geographic).
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2.
Charity | March 5th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Great blog! I wonder what happened to the infamous “spoon on nose” photo. Your comments are right on the mark. Wish we could all meet on a regular basis. Guess will have to settle for the virtual world for now. If you’re ever up Maryland DC way be sure to look me up.
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3.
Sense of urgency… w&hellip | March 11th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
[...] Ok, so I am sitting here trying to prepare for my second presentation for this week’s SCASL conference and the sense of urgency is growing… after all I am going to be busy from morning until that night through Friday with the conference and I present Friday at 8:00am. (Our district is in charge of the “local programming.”) My first session is a part of the pre-conference day. I am presenting about blogging. That is done and I am very excited about it because I made the presentation using some neat tricks in SMART Notebook software that I learned last week in Chicago. [...]