ISTE 2018: Energized, Excited and Hopeful

Learning with 25,000+ educators and change agents!
Chicago ISTE 2018 is in the books. It is always exciting to connect and be in the same physical space as some of my heroes and role models. Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach's energy is so contagious, Alan November always stretches my thinking and makes me smile, Future Ready's Tom Murray constant modeling of servant leadership and approachability is inspiring, and of course being with Shannon Miller and Eric Fitzgerald is always an adventure! 

I am so thankful to have bumped into #edchat co-creator Tom Whitby and very much appreciate his "double dog dare" to join Twitter back in the day. His challenge, along with Shannon Millers encouragement, pushed me "through the looking glass".  

Getting a hug from Angela Maiers, sharing a meal with my Australia "brother from a different mother" Brett Salakas, connecting with Illinois Computing Educators Executive Director Amber Heffner and Science Leadership Academy (SLA) creator Chris Leman  = PRICELESS!

ISTE 2018 was extra special to share and have opportunity to present with Maury County Public School elementary principal Micheal Ford. He is a ROCK STAR!

Reconnecting with original Future Ready leaders Devin Vodicka (now Alt school Chief Impact Officer) Joseph South (now ISTE Chief Learning Officer) and Richard Culatta (ISTE CEO) was off the hook!  All this plus making new friends, excited and energized about serving and empower kids, ISTE 2018 was a HAPPENING!

ISTE: What's next?
ISTE U is an exciting positive step forward in providing professional learning to teachers. ISTE's new relationship with TED and the capacity to  create TED talks will accelerate the creation of content and amply the sharing of thinking. Momentum for change is building.  

As cool as everything was at ISTE 2018, I keep replaying in my head a conversation I had with a teacher.  She shared she paid for ISTE out of her own pocket and that "coming to ISTE each year is what keeps her going and hopeful", She indicated she was heading back to a district that was still traditional in structure and practice. I talked with another inspired and fired up teacher from Oklahoma who was committed to change but shared that fear, financial concerns and leadership was keeping his district from moving forward. 

The "tipping point"
ISTE and its membership has unlimited potential and power to inspire change.  You can feel momentum for change building.  That being said the thing to keep in mind is that schools are non-profit, tax support businesses charged with educating young people.  They are governed by an elected Board of Directors and answerable to patrons (taxpayers).  This means those of us "in education" need to convince and sell those "outside of education" to see the need for systemic change.  This is THE heavy lift.

The next 12 months will be very interesting.....looking forward to Philly ISTE 2019!