It's the journey that counts.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Getting it done is HARD! Going for a goal and making it happen takes grit, determination, and plain old fashioned effort. I should know, having just come out of the last few years working toward my Master’s in Education with an emphasis in educational technology at Loyola University Maryland.

I’d say that the onset of my tenure as a Loyola grad student wasn’t ideal. Mom was dying of multiple myeloma a few states away, and I spent most of my free time traveling back and forth to help her and my sister, my mother’s primary care-taker. Still, I had a desire to get this degree with Loyola. The cohort with our school system was beginning, so I jumped into the river of academia with both feet and no waders to protect me. After the first semester with Loyola, Mom passed, just twenty-one days shy of her seventy-first birthday. To say I was grief-stricken is an understatement. To be able to study, and to study well during this time of sorrow, took everything that I had within me, and then some.

I remember orientation day in August and thinking to myself, I can do this. Visions of a 4.0 grade point average floated before my eyes as I watched all of the young recruits in the audience. I had experience behind me, and confidence coursed through my veins. Even though I had studied Spanish, creative writing, and leadership over the years, going back to grad school, while working full time and caring for Mom, brought me back to reality.

You see, it had been forever since I had done academic research myself, even though I taught the same skills to middle schoolers. Learning APA, even though I was well-versed in MLA, was also a challenge. The hardest part, though, was bringing forth the extrovert in me during collaborative projects, even though the introvert on the Myers-Briggs scale was a stronger force within my outwardly shy exterior. However, I knew being the first person in my family to get a Master’s degree was something to be proud of, so I forged ahead.

Countless nights studying until the wee hours of the morning brought me my first A-minus. There went the 4.0, and my heart wilted a little. I so wanted the 4.0 descriptor on my resume. Not one to be easily swayed, I carried on and plowed deeper into my studies, skipping meals, reading and rereading difficult texts, and creating papers and digital projects, all the while citing everything in the elusive APA. Takeout became my new normal, as time for cooking and cleaning went to the wayside. Reading for pleasure and watching TV became non-existent past times, as did hanging out with dear friends. I had a goal, and it required all of my attention.

I was in the midst of an eight-week course when Mom died and my world as I knew it split apart. For anyone who has ever taken grad-level classes, eight weeks is an unforgiving schedule. Not one assignment can be done haphazardly, nor a class missed. With a solid A and an A-minus behind me, I needed to continue on and to do so with fidelity and vigilance, but my heart wasn’t in it. Still, I kept going, studying, doing, breathing, being. While my life as I knew it had changed irrevocably, I was trying my best to live my new normal without my mother. Then came the D grade for a project I had completed wrong and not well at that. I knew I wasn’t a D student. I knew I could do better, but how do I do so when emotions are high and spirit is not? The best way I could, one step, one day, one hour, one moment at a time.

I contacted the professor and pleaded my case. She compassionately allowed me to redo my project for resubmission. In the end, I earned a B+ for the course, my only grade below an A- for my entire degree. In the end, my cumulative GPA was a 3.897, not the 4.0 I had envisioned at the onset. However, sometimes life hits, and a goal is refashioned, for we are not perfect beings, no matter how hard we may try to be. We are fallible, yet strong. We can reach our goals, but sometimes our goals alter and new lessons are learned from the things that change us.

I know now that I can do anything I set my mind to do. However, I also have more insight into my struggling students, those who turn in D work, when I know that they can do better. I also have more empathy for my professors, who are giving grades to students whose lives have gotten in the way of their intentions. It’s a delicate balance, this dance of academia. You have to keep stepping to the music, even when the discord of life surrounds you. The lessons learned by doing something, be it done well, or poorly, are invaluable. For it is the journey of life that gives the most meaning. The goal can be reached with all the muster inside you bring forth. Remember, though, that along with the vision you hold in your heart is the one the Universe gives to you, and that may play by a very different tune with an even sweeter melody.

Leveraging Social Media to Cultivate Student Agency

According to EdWords^™, “student agency refers to learning through activities that are meaningful and relevant to learners, driven by their interests, and often self-initiated with appropriate guidance from teachers. To put it simply, student agency gives students voice and often, choice, in how they learn.”

Most teenagers live for social media. It is how they communicate with their peers and the world. Therefore, leveraging the power of social media has a direct impact upon cultivating student agency. Educators can do various things within and without the classroom, so that students are given a voice and a choice in how, when, and why they learn. Social media is a great tool to facilitate voice and choice because it is all about connecting and communicating.

First, educators may start by using various apps to give students more of a voice in their learning experiences. Take Flipgrid, for instance, when considering apps that promote student voice. Students comment in video clips of their own creation on whatever is the focus in the classroom, but they have the power to do this at their own pace and, often, in their own space, too. Flipgrid is genius for the introverted student who does not like to speak up in class, but who may desire to still comment and participate. Leaving a Flipgrid assignment for students to do at home allows for the wait and reflection time that all students, not just introverts, need.

Next, the segue from Flipgrid to Instagram, or Snapchat, will be much smoother. While students are more adept at using both social media platforms than I am (understatement), they may not have ever brought them into the classroom for academic purposes before. Therefore, starting with Flipgrid is a great idea, since the Flipgrid classrooms are password protected for safety reasons.

Once students get savvy to the fact that you want to hear what they have to say, that their voice is an important part of your classroom, the focus may be shifted to student choice in selection of response mediums. Allow students to reflect upon course content via social media in ways that give students choices that speak to them. What teenager wouldn’t rather post a digital response on Instagram on a book reading, as opposed to writing a regular paragraph? Not many, as far as I can tell.

Now that you’ve established that student voice is essential, and that choice is integral, to the learning taking place, it is time to talk about the why behind the assignments and how social media facilitates this, as well. Often, teachers give assignments that will turn into a grade, since most classes need to assess student progress, and grades are a way to do that. However, assigning a written paragraph, when a social media post has more attraction for most students in your class, leaves the why behind. What I mean is that most students would rather post a reflection on social media, than write a reflection on paper, or on a computer. There is no reasoning behind that other than that is what students are used to doing when they communicate. They post, they text, they snap, etc.

The why behind an assignment can be a bit tricky. It can make or break an assignment. If students don’t understand why an assignment is given, then they are less likely to complete it. Even worse, if students don’t understand why the medium used is necessary, then they most certainly won’t attempt the assignment,

All in all, student agency is augmented by utilizing social media purposefully. It allows students to use their voices in ways that provide choices they find interesting and relevant to them, making the why behind assignments all the more clear.

Empathy, the Key to Transformative Teaching

The key to transformative teaching is empathy. Focusing on empathy for our students, parents, colleagues, and community members empowers us to educate and lead with a heart, rather than a curriculum. Seeing how others experience life and walking in their shoes enables us to make the authentic connections that lead to meaningful, lifelong growth. Without empathy, we may as well be talking heads with books in hand. With empathy, we ignite a spark within one another to learn and grow together, while taking risks in a mutually safe environment.

The first step toward empathy is leading with love. By allowing ourselves to lead with love, educators are more able to see everyone within and without the classroom for who they are as individuals. This open heart translates to acceptance of others’ life stories, cultures, and personal experiences. Leading with love promotes respect for all people and the messages they give and receive. Not only can do we hear what our students and parents have to say, we truly listen to the how and why behind the communications when we listen with an open heart. Yes, the first step toward building empathy is leading with love.

Next, to be an empathetic educator, one must allow for an open dialogue with all stakeholders within the community. This ability to communicate without judgement allows for thoughtful praise and gentle criticism occur, while simultaneously leaving blame and finger-pointing behind. The give and take is real and always leads to stronger relationships. Giving others the opportunity to express themselves, without jumping in to comment in return, is important toward building an open dialogue. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. An empathetic teacher knows that student and parent voices are powerful. Silencing these voices is counter-productive to the building of empathy, the cornerstone of community. Instead, letting others speak from their hearts builds trust and unity.

Open communication connects individuals to one another and leads to a safe place where all may grow, fail, and succeed. Once students and parents know that you truly want to hear what they have to say, respect builds, until a safe place to take risks is created. Within this safe place, teachers, students, and parents alike are infinitely more willing to try new things. Here, failure may occur without reproach. And failure is a stepping-stone toward authentic learning. Without our failures, we may as well be static, but with them, and the support of a compassionate community, we can reach new horizons together in a mutually shared, safe place.

When a student is truly heard, and looked upon with love, she, or he, is often willing to attempt what may have been previously thought as impossible. I know that I am more likely to try something new when my professor, or instructor, gets me. Who doesn’t want to learn from someone who cheers you on? By paving the way with empathy, educators are really building a road that leads to a limitless future for all involved. I know that my students far exceed expectations when they know that I care, that I listen, and when all of the exchanges between us take place in a safe, open environment.

All in all, empathy is the key for transformative teaching and learning. By allowing ourselves to lead with an open heart, dialogue honestly with students and all stakeholders in education, in a shared safe place, real life growth occurs for all involved, be it in a formal classroom setting, or beyond.

Free, Virtual PD

Free, virtual PD is a gift to struggling educators who often spend their own money on their students, let alone on PD. As professional educators, we shouldn’t have to shell out funds to get pencils for our students, but I know that I am preaching to the choir here. Still, we do it because the students need it. PD should be as high a priority for educators as purchasing student supplies because we need it, too. And as everyone who knows anyone in education, a successful teacher is one who takes care of herself, as well, and not just her students. We need the camaraderie that comes from interacting positively with our colleagues during PD sessions. We need the intellectual boost that we get from learning new concepts, techniques, and methods. We need the support and good feels that we get from growing our PLN, our tribe, our pack. Yet, the buck often stops at supplies for educators everywhere because PD and conference expenses add up.

First, free, virtual PD allows for educators to interact with other professionals in real-time from all over the globe. Be it via Twitter using #ISTE or #NotatISTE, participating in chats like #MasteryChat, or by using Voxer to communicate about important educational topics at EdCamp Voice, free virtual PD allows us as teachers to still experience the growth and support we need to be all that we can be in the classroom, without having to break the bank in the process. How cool is it that teachers can Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangout with educators from different cultures who have valuable perspectives on education without having to hop on a plane? How important is it for us to continue to expand our worldview, so that it encompasses more than what we see within our classrooms and schools. Free virtual PD allows for this to happen every day with the touch of our fingertips on our own personal devices, and, often without having to leave the comfort of our own homes.

Second, free and virtual often means that resources are shared at these PD sessions by educators who are experts in their own right and passionate about helping out their colleagues, peers, and contemporaries. For example, while not always virtual, EdCamps are always free, which means that educators can attend for nothing and usually expect to walk away with something in hand when the day is done. This is an added bonus. I’ve always said that teachers are scavengers because we glean off the meat of what others create and share. We need to be, for many reasons, the least of which is for cost-saving measures. There’s no shame in gleaning, and EdCamps and free, virtual PD sessions allow for educators to glean without shame.

How can you find free, virtual PD sessions? Start with Twitter and search hashtags with various combinations. Follow individuals and organizations who you know are putting together PD and conferences virtually. Follow local universities and their educational departments. Twitter is an invaluable resource for finding meaningful PD at little to no cost to you, the teacher. Next, look at who professional educators on Twitter follow, then follow these people and companies and organizations, as well. Finally, search EdCamps online. There are hundreds of them all over the globe. Once you get your feet wet with these simple suggestions, you would be surprised at how easy it is to participate in free, virtual PD regularly.