This week I had the pleasure to speak on a panel to career-minded students at the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation's annual conference. Our panel consisted of four experts familiar with social media who shared advice about what to do when it comes to how to best use Facebook, Twitter and other digital platforms. The main message as reported in the Staten Island Advance: Think before you post, tweet ... and curse.Below are the 10 statements the Staten Island Advance selected as the best. Take a look. There are some new considerations. For example: What does it say about a person who constantly posts selfies? Does having less friends mean that you are more discerning about who you associate with and having more mean you are trying to win some silly popularity contest? See what the panelists said. What do you agree with? What ideas are new to you?  Is there anything you disagree with?I want more »

If you know and love the power of social media, then someone who doesn't get it may have sent you the "Look Up" video below. Video creator Gary Turk is a privileged white guy who features his privileged circle of buddies using the social media platform YouTube to whine that social media is making them feel lonely.Boohoo Gary and friends.  Could it be you just picked the wrong friends?You see unlike the physical world where you happen to be grouped by geography that often does not cut through barriers of poverty, race, or religion, social media breaks down those barriers and provides opportunities to connect with others regardless of where you happen to have been born. Innovative educators know that social media gives our children opportunities and experiences never before possible. Young people who can't afford to visit other countries can connect and learn with people around the world. Social media gives teachers like Courtney Woods the opportunity to bring experts into the lives of her students. Gary ends his video telling viewers to stop watching YouTube, but our students have discovered that they can teach and learn anything they can imagine on the resource that Turk and friends waste their time on. Innovative educators support and empower their students to use social media for social action like social media based and founded groups such as Student Voice are doing. The problem with Gary Turk, and those like him who share videos like this, is that they simply don't appreciate the vast opportunities and connections afforded to social media savvy students. Perhaps Gary Turk was born with these connections, but not everyone was born into Gary Turk's world. Innovative educators have students who are living in the real world, A world where we recognize that if you want to run for office, run a business, or change how things are run where you live, work, or play then it is necessary to be savvy users of social media.The Gary Turks of the world don't understand the value of having friends and followers whose minds may have connected even though they have not shared the same physical space. They don't get that you don't need to see someone face-to-face to admire and share ideas. And really Gary and friends...Is it social media's fault you're disconnected or is technology the scapegoat for how you'd be regardless?Whatever the answer, the most important thing Gary Turk is missing is this:I want more »

Cross posted at Smartblogs for EducationHave you ever been inspired by a great conference keynote speech?  A workshop presenter that your school or district hired?  Do you want to share your ideas, be useful to others, and make some extra money?. Have you ever wondered how that could be you some day? Well, it can, but it takes time to position yourself to take your show on the road. Below are some suggestions taken from what I’ve seen work for successful speakers and professional development providers. 1 - Know what you want to be known forPick your focus. There should be just be one or two things you are known for as the go-to person.  This should guide your identity in all your profiles/bios and there should be keywords that you use that become tied to who you are and what you stand for. 2 - Engage on TwitterFind other people doing your work and who are the audience that would invite you to speak.  Know popular hashtags and chats. There is a big community of education thinkers and doers out there who might help you brainstorm. Put the topics you are passionate about in your bio using the hashtags you care about most.  This way when someone searches a hashtag, they’ll find you. For example, if #BYOD (bring your own device) ) is your thing, use that in your bio.  People can find you when they search for those knowledgeable in your area. You can see what that looks like here.I want more »

Some people think I’m lucky because I have always loved my work in education. As a result, I’m often asked for advice on how to get a job you love in education. Because this has come up so often, I decided it was time to share. Below are seven strategies that have worked for me. Perhaps some of this will be helpful for others.  I want more »

I have had the pleasure to be involved with creating partnerships between innovative educators and the companies that provide them with resources. This currently includes companies like PBS, Common Sense Media, Google, and, Microsoft, SMART, and Edmodo. Unfortunately, for some, when the word corporation comes up, there is immediate distrust. This is a big PR problem that corporations need to take seriously. Fortunately, many corporations are excited about the opportunity to provide support to those who use their products and the teachers are benefiting in many ways.  Innovative educator Chris Casal, who has participated in some of these programs, provides this insight into the value of partnering with corporations. This was initially posted in response to some members of The Innovative Educator group who were skeptical about such opportunities: I want more »

When I was a student, I had a problem staying awake in class. I felt bad and teachers were mad. Today, as a teacher myself, I discovered the blame was misplaced. I was sleeping because of boring lesson delivery. When I teach a class or an auditorium with hundreds, there is never any sleeping going on because I have an interactive and engaging delivery. Whether delivering a lesson to school children or providing professional development to adults, in today’s fast-paced, digital world, your audience deserves to have an interactive presentation where they are engaged. Incorporate some of the strategies below and leave behind the days of sit and git lectures or presentations. I want more »

As the school year begins there are numerous resources to ease and enrich the lives of innovative educators and their students that will facilitate effective teaching and learning. Here are my top picks for 2014/15.I want more »

Editor's note: If you're an innovative educator in secondary school, you are likely to have parents ask for your expert advice on teens and social media. You can give them this article directly or use it to get some ideas about how to best approach the conversation. If you are a parent of a teen, you already have a lot of experience working with your child(ren) to help them figure out how to engage safely and responsibly in the world. You've thought about which (or if) school is the best, which clubs they should join, which friends they should hang out with, which groups they should be a part of, and when and where they can go and hang out safely.When your child becomes a teen there will be some new places for you to think about your child being a part of. That is because at 13 your child legally old enough to join popular social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and more. The good news is you are prepared to do this. You have experience in making sure your child is engaging safely and responsibly in environments that are beneficial. What you've done in the physical world is exactly what you should do online. When the time comes, be prepared to "discuss" not "tell" your child how to remain safe and responsible online. It is likely they already know what to do if someone writes something that makes them, or someone they know, feel uncomfortable.  For example, you can block or report them to the space. Also discuss what to do if they find someone is making someone else uncomfortable. Here are some things to think about when, or ideally before, that day comes.I want more »

Innovative educators know that teaching and learning is shifting. Today students can watch lessons on their devices and progress at their own pace and teachers don’t have to waste time giving the same lecture multiple times a day. While watching lessons automates what is done in the traditional classroom, there is a new tool called Microsoft Office Mixwhich brings lectures and lessons to life by turning PowerPoints into interactive lessons called "Mixes" that are very simple to create. All you need to do is record lectures while you write and draw on your slides, and add audio, video, assessments or labs, and also the stuff that really makes lessons pop, like as animations, live links, or quizzes.Fitting into teacher’s lifestyle is analytics, and OfficeMix has built that in so you can track every student, quiz, and slide to see how they’re performing. OfficeMix is free if you have PowerPoint 2013 for Windows.  Or if you have a Mac, then you can run Windows on it, and still use Office Mix with PowerPoint 2013 on your Mac.I want more »

It's hard to believe that one of the top tools for learning as recognized by the Center for Learning &Performance Technologies is blocked in many schools today. Fortunately, innovative educators are resilient souls. If they can't get the learning to their students, the old fashioned way, they'll find another. In this case, the tool we're talking about is YouTube. As pointed out in Edudemic's 50 Education Tools Every Teacher Should Know About, "Not all schools allow YouTube, but they are missing out as the site contains a wealth of great learning materials for the classroom. There’s even a special education-focused channel just for teachers and students."So, what's an innovative educator to do if their school is one that blocks YouTube? Here are some ideas to access YouTube videos.I want more »