I often get asked how I got started presenting, especially at such a young age. And as much I’d like to pretend it was this long and beautifully thought-out process, it wasn’t. I just went for it.
My first awakening to all things ed tech came in the summer of 2011, after my first full year of teaching. A few of my coworkers and I attended one of the Ed Tech Team’s summits featuring Google Apps for Education. I was blown away by the possibilities. Our school made the transition the next week, and I was young and naive enough to try anything. At the end of the year one of my colleagues and I decided to submit our first session proposal about the things we’d done with Google in our classrooms that year.
At first, I was mortified. Teaching people older (and in some cases way older) than me was intimidating. I get middle schoolers, but adults… scary. It helped going into it with a partner. I had someone to plan and practice with and to reassure me by standing alongside me.
But if you’re looking to present, this is all you need to do: find something you’re passionate about and share it. I believe that passion is contagious, and I can’t help but gush about the cool things my students do in my class. Choose something you love that’s worked for you and find an avenue to share it.
I want to know what you do in your class, and I want to steal it. My favorite thing about educational technology is that it tears down the walls of isolation. I need you and your ideas. They help me be better. So whether it’s in a blog or on Twitter or signing up to share your ideas face-to-face, just do it. Your ideas are so worth sharing.