So I figured what better way to end 2012, then to write a blog about the many things I learned in 2012, and to share what I look forward to the most in 2013! So, here goes...
#1
and the
Sophia.org and the Flipped Classroom were two of the first great things I learned about in late February of 2012. I had started hearing more and more about the Flipped Classroom. I was getting tired of what I was doing in my class, and had begun to feel like all I was doing was worksheets or "teaching a test". I was burning out, and fast. Then my friend, and co-worker, Stacey Huffine (@TechNinjaStacey) told me about the flipped classroom idea and that Sophia.org was doing a FREE Webinar with someone called Crystal Kirch. I later came to learn that Crystal Kirch (@CrystalKirch) is one of the "Flipping" Geniuses! I signed up, and watched the webinar and fell in love with the idea of Flipping the Classroom. I then learned that Sophia offers FREE Flipped Classroom Certification programs. I went through their program immediately, got certified, and headed off from there. Little did I know that 11 months later I would be flipping my entire math curriculum (and to great results! You can read about it weekly here http://nesloneyflipped.blogspot.com). Through my work on Twitter I got to really know a lot of the "faces" behind Sophia (@tpettis and @cfruin) and this past December I was asked to lead my OWN Flipped Class webinar for Sophia (you can check it out here... (http://www.sophia.org/flipped-class-webinar-with-todd-nesloney-121212-tutorial/?cid=eventwebinar12.12.12). Sophia is an amazing online tool that offers "learning paths" for students and adults. I use Sophia DAILY in my Flipped Classroom, and every one of my students has an account with them. They are an amazing FREE resource and they have some great people that work there to help you along your way!! I've even been asked to lead other Webinars and create my own version of a Flipped Classroom Certification learning path for Sophia, so look for that soon!
#2
Mooney Changes Everything
After learning about Sophia and The Flipped Classroom, I then got what I consider to be my biggest "lesson learned" from my friend Troy Mooney (@TroyMooney). Troy met with Stacey Huffine and all (also seen in the picture above) and talked with us about the amazing things he said we were doing with tech, and about how we should begin "branding" ourselves and branching out more. He taught us about the power of Twitter, Scoopit, LinkedIn, Blogging, and more. He encouraged us to take our brand "global" and share what we know and learn with other from around the world. Through the talks with Troy, Stacey and I formed "The 3 Tech Ninjas" (www.the3techninjas.org). We now have a "fully functioning" company that not only seeks to teach and train teachers and school districts across the state of Texas, but we also created a website for teachers to use when looking for great online tools, we have a heavy presence on Twitter, and we've spoken all over the state at different conferences (TCEA, Waller ISD, EdCampDallas, and more). I can honestly say that my biggest lesson learned this year was learned from Troy Mooney. He encouraged me to think outside the box and think "global". And because of his pushing and encouragement I have had experiences and opportunities like no other this year.
#3
Twitter!
So like I mentioned before Troy Mooney introduced me to Twitter, or better yet taught me how to use it to my professional advantage. I had previously just thought Twitter was a tool to talk about random things you were doing throughout your day. Little did I realize the power there was to be harnessed by using Twitter. I know have an online PLN group of over 800 educators from around the world who follow me on Twitter. I have a group of people I can go to for advice, teaching ideas, or just to vent. The amount of knowledge I have gained from Twitter is immeasurable and I have had so many opportunities open up because of it. You can read more about my learning from Twitter at my first Blog Post I did for Texas Principal (which has been seen by almost 10,000 people. Are you kidding??!?!) http://www.texasprincipal.org/index.php/texas-principals-education-help-support-team/entry/twitter-a-necessity-for-educators-in-2012
#4
In July I was attending CAMT (Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teachers) and in one of my sessions I heard about this program called Remind101. Remind101 is a FREE online tool that allows you text students and parents without ever needing their phone number, and they never needing yours. This has made communication SO much easier now. I have presented on Remind101 at every single training I do, and I can say that Waller ISD has fully implemented using it because it really is that great! I've even gotten to speak with the co-founder of Remind101, Brett Kopf (@BrettKopf) when he called me to ask me some things about what I thought. Talk about feeling famous and important when the co-founder of a company calls you! Now I work often with the people of Remind101, writing blog posts, spreading the word, and was asked by Christine Garland (@CAGarland) to be on their "Evangelist Team". I was honored. So definitely check out Remind101 if you haven't already.
#5
Ed what?
Ed Camps. Something I had never heard of until this year. I was following a guy on Twitter named Matt Gomez (@mattBgomez) and saw him tweet one day about EdCamps, and more specifically EdCampDallas. I learned that EdCamps are FREE conferences, that are vendor free, and where sessions aren't formed until the day OF the conference. I thought it was a genius idea. So Stacey Huffine and I signed up right away to attend EdCampDallas......it was INCREDIBLE. I learned so much at the conference. And it was FUN! I also got to meet several of the people I follow in Twitter and Stacey and I were able to lead to training sessions (one over Flipped Classroom and one over Web 2.0 Tools). We were so inspired by the ideas of EdCamps and how great EdCampDallas was that we KNEW we had to bring EdCamps back to our "neck of the woods". So when we returned in September we immediately began planning EdCampWaller! With full support from our district we now have EdCampWaller planned for April 27th, 2013 at Waller High School! YOU can sign up and get more info here edcamp.wikispaces.com/edcampwaller We already have almost 200 people signed up and over 40 companies who have committed door prizes. We are really excited about it, so sign up today before all the spots are filled, and help us spread the word to all educators!!
#6
What's Next?
So, what's next for 2013? I have no idea what the future may hold. All I know is that 2012 completely changed the way I view my career. I now interact with people from all over the world, I run a technology training company for teachers, I write blogs and help education companies with spread their word, and best of all I'm teaching kids in a new and exciting way that is not only fun for me, but is even more importantly fun for THEM. I can honestly say that 2012 was the best year of my career yet and I can't wait to see what I'm going to accomplish in 2013. You can join me on my crazy ride by following me on Twitter (@TechNinjaTodd), following my Flipped Class Blog (http://nesloneyflipped.blogspot.com) or keeping up with The 3 Tech Ninjas (http://www.the3techninjas.org) or please plan to join me and catch up with me in person at EdCampWaller in April (http://edcamp.wikispaces.com/edcampwaller)
