A little help and support go a long way...

Several great and interesting things happened to me this week:

1) - On Wednesday I attended my 2nd #ecosys chat: If you have
never taken part in the #ecosys chat, I strongly urge you to check it
out. The #ecosys chat has a new topic every week similar to other
Twitter chats, however this chat centers around education reform and the
interconnectedness of society and its impact on education. As the chat
continued to develop, we started to discuss the dilemma of lack of
educator sharing and collaboration. Ironically enough, I have found the
Twitter chats to be extremely supportive and helpful as I look to grow
and develop as an educator. I have received a ton of support and help
from my Tweeps, and I believe the #ecosys chat will be a Wednesday night
staple in my house.

2) - On Thursday I completed my first CSIP mock presentation in front of my classmates and teacher:
As you might know, I am currently a high school German teacher. This
means I know a lot about German and how to teach German to high school
students, but I don't know a lot about Comprehensive School Improvement
Plans (CSIP). I spent most of Thursday worrying about my presentation
and trying to figure out how I was going to respond to the BOE (my
classmates and teacher). As it turns out, I didn't really have anything
to worry about...my CSIP team was very helpful and supportive, and they
really helped me to understand the process while fielding the questions
I was unable to answer. A little guidance, help, and support from my
more experienced team members went a long way on Thursday.

3) - On Friday I was approved to attend the 2011 METC conference with @JPPrezz:
What a great way to end the week! After attending the EdcampKC
unconference a few weeks ago, I was hooked to the idea of trying to meet
some of the great educators I have been learning from through Twitter.
The METC conference is one of the best technology conferences around,
and with the great reputation comes a hefty price tag. I approached my
building principal @MrGrimshaw about getting the available PD funding so @JPPrezz
and I could attend. After discussing this with the assistant principal
at my high school the decision was made to allow us to attend. We were
both ecstatic upon hearing the news, and because of the administrative
support and encouragement, we have been given the opportunity to further
our own growth and development. In turn, we will hopefully bring back
some great ideas to share with our fellow educators.

There is so much we can do as individuals...but remember with the help
and support of others we can accomplish so much more. Help and
encourage others to grow and develop, while giving praise to those who
have helped and encouraged you.