The Process of Self-Publishing Using Kindle Direct Publishing

Lady Lightning Fingers with some students that
actually graduated high school this year

For many years when I was an elementary technology teacher, my alter-ego "Lady Lightning Fingers" would show up to challenge students in their timed typing tests. The kids loved the persona and would look forward to her showing up occasionally. It has been a few years since I've had the opportunity to become this make-shift superhero due to moving out of the classroom and into more of an edtech coaching role. Every year I still go into the elementary classrooms and do lessons on the 9 elements of digital citizenship with concepts based on grade level appropriateness. While this may sound odd, I always make sure I teach about digital citizenship in "unplugged" ways because no matter what age, I focus on the importance of students finding their balance between real life and their online presence.
Two years ago I was in the shower (where most of my great ideas start) and a book series concept came to mind that would support teaching our students about digital citizenship in an unplugged way. I actually got out of the shower without finishing because some great rhymes were "washing over me" (see what I did there?) and the concept of the first book began! In a week I had the rough draft of 3 books created that all supported different aspects of digital citizenship with "Lady Lightning Fingers" as the superhero that makes cameo appearances in them all.
Because this concept was directly tied to the students at my school, I wanted it to run with that idea. I sought out students to create the illustrations but had a hard time finding what I needed. One day I was discussing the concept with a fellow educator at our school and she said "Have you seen Daniel Grissom's Instagram? I think he could do it." At first glance, I immediately knew he could take my ho-hum idea and make it spectacular. Thankfully, he said "yes!"

Over the last few months, Mr. Grissom worked to create amazingly vivid and compelling graphics for what has now become the first book, But What if it Wasn't a Sardine Delivery Man? (The Digital Citizenship Adventures of Lady Lightning Fingers). Most authors would say that he has created splendid artwork to support the writing but I would be remiss if I didn't admit that I think Daniel's characters actually are what makes this book worth it!
From the beginning, it was my desire to self-publish. I felt like this would be a great opportunity for the newly appointed Director of Instructional Technology and INNOVATION to model innovative practices to teachers, students, school families, and beyond. I chose to create every step of this book with the tools that our students have access to all the time. I created high-resolution scans of Mr. Grissom's artwork on our school's multi-functional printer. I imported them into Google Drive. I opened a Google Doc and anywhere I wanted an illustration, I would pull it into Google Draw to add it. As time went on, I got more creative and started realizing I could place text boxes anywhere on the scans and little by little the book started feeling creative and worthy of the being called "a picture book."
Little did I know that Kindle Direct Publishing actually has free tools that would have allowed me to do these same things a bit easier (I ended up downloading the free Kindle Kid's Book Creator software to create the e-book version of But What if it Wasn't a Sardine Delivery Man? (The Digital Citizenship Adventures of Lady Lightning Fingers). I do love knowing that I created the entire book using Google Suite for Education products and that this could be done on our student's Chromebooks as well.
I know that if Mr. Daniel Grissom will take on the concept again for the next book in the series, it will be better. I learned so much in this process! I hope I can now share the "how" with our teachers and students to empower them to be self-published authors as well. My definition of innovation has always been "the intersection of need and passion under an umbrella of creativity." As an educator, I felt I had a need for quality unplugged resources to teach the 9 elements of digital citizenship to our students. I had a passion to see those resources come to fruition; with the help of Daniel Grissom's creativity, we have innovatively created our first published Digital Citizenship resource for our school (and anyone else that might find it's value).
This particular book looks at the importance of students being mindful of digital security and privacy. At the end of the book are possible discussion questions to spark critical thinking on the concept. It is my desire to place a book in each of our k-5th-grade classrooms this year. It is also my desire that my alter-ego, "Lady Lightning Fingers", might be asked to read the book occasionally. If you are interested, you can get your paperback or Kindle version from Amazon.

Creative Communicator: Unpacking ISTE Standard for Students #6

Creative Communicator: Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals. (ISTE Standard for Students)

So this may seem like a hard standard to pull off in a non-techie classroom but bear with me. This one is important! Some of the other standards are much more technical and forward thinking but the basic skill of communication is one that so many people face with emotional struggle. Adults often choose the wrong platform or format to share our grievances or we don't take advantage of the potential audiences we have for the worthy things we want to share. Or worse yet, we don't have the verbalization skills to share the great work that is being done. In this case, I'm talking about adults but it definitely transfers over to our students seven-fold!

I know we have already discussed digital citizenship in a prior blog post in this series but I believe communication is one of the most critical parts of being a good steward in the world of technology. I also believe that in today's society, we are losing our ability to have face to face conversations that are hard. (I'm preaching to myself here.) I hate conflict and would much rather broach a hard subject via email and then follow up face to face. Technology can make us lazy communicators and sadly it can also give us courage that we shouldn't always take advantage of.  

My husband makes fun of my girls and me because we will read a text and say, "Oh, she's mad!" He will then say, "How do you know? Did she tell you she was mad?" and my answer might be "Because she wrote in ALL CAPS" or "I can just tell." or "She used the angry face emoji." It drives him crazy. Communicating through technology often loses the nuances that face to face communication brings. That being said, to say we should strive to equip our students to be creative communicators is a vital skill for their future. There is not a single job I can think of in today's mainstream society that doesn't require the ability to communicate with others. So cheer up non-techie friends, even though you might not have the technology to support this, you will be aiding your students' ability to function in a face to face world even better if you make this standard a priority. 

• So what does a low tech or unplugged version of "creative communicator" look like? This year, one of our Bible teachers challenged his students to create memes after they finished the unit of the life of St. Paul. He told them to think of it like creating an Instagram post, but since social media is closed to students at our school, they created their posts using a slide deck. Their captions were full of written nuances that they gleaned from their studying. How brilliant was this lesson? He took a platform that students use every day and assessed their learning based on a current fad in society- memes. I love this idea! Did it have to be done on a slide deck? No. They could have done it with markers and papers just as easily. Or what if they had taken an actual photo and put the words right on top of it. Guys, that would be no different than app-smashing on an iPad (combining one or more platforms to create an original work).
• Remember oral reports? Hands sweaty, waiting for your name to be called so you can do your at least 3-minute speech on some topic. Sometimes you have a posterboard sitting next to you as a visual when you talk, sometimes you don't. Next time this opportunity arises in your classroom, stretch your students a bit. Tell them they have 3 minutes to be creative communicators instead of 3 minutes to give a book report. See what happens! Encourage them to build models, have visuals, and think about their intended audience. Open the door to increased connectivity and creativity. Give them a bigger audience than just you and their classmates. Ask in other classes, parents, or any visitor that would make the moment more special. Spend time beforehand teaching them skills of voice control, inflection, eye contact, and body language. You might not be teaching them digital skills but you sure will be teaching them the importance of being a creative communicator. Talk to them about what subject matters might benefit most from certain types of visuals. One day when they have the opportunity to use technology to enhance their already amazing communication skills, think about what they might do! Last week I had the honor of attending the Chattanooga Fab Institute and the keynote speaker for the first day was Shinjini Das, CEO and founder of Das Media Group (see her story here). Her charisma and ability to engage with the crowd is unique for a 27-year-old engineer. She has the face to face communication skills that don't necessarily fit with the stereotypical STEM field. She's a unicorn in her industry and we need to develop more unicorns in the STEM field. There is value in growing students that can not only DO but also SAY!
• Own it! Yeah, you the teacher. Your students may not have access to social media but you do. Find out your school district's stance on sharing student information/faces online and make sure you follow those guidelines. Then start using social media to show students when and how it can be a good platform for communication. Create a class blog and share the things happening in your classroom. Contact the author of a book with questions your students have curated while they read the author's book and send them to the author. Have your students create "how to" videos to relate to your curriculum and add to them yourself. Create a website using Google Sites templates and add poetry, photos, or well-written work. Seem like too much work? You don't have to retype everything they have turned in, take a photo and upload it! It is true, it does become a bit of extra work for you as a whole but you are modeling for your students how to be a creative communicator and adding value to the hard work they do in your classroom by showcasing to a broader audience. You are also showing your students how to add value to the digital world they live in. So much of digital citizenship focuses on a list of dangers and safeguards to be aware of but as a citizen, we also want to bring value to that world. Sharing learning and creating pathways for others to learn from our students does just that. 
• Be a trailblazer. Show students the value of communicating with new tools. Adopt the concept of using voice speakers in the classroom or for communicating with students and families. Create communication means meeting needs in effective ways. Why not choose the fastest growing platform since the iPhone to show students what it means to stay on the edge of learning? 

More ideas for no tech, low tech, and high tech teaching of this standard:

Check out the previous blog posts from the "Unpacking ISTE Standards for Students Techknowledge Gee" here:

• Standard #1 Empowered Learner

• Standard #2 Digital Citizen

• Standard #3 Knowledge Constructor

• Standard #4 Innovative Designer

• Standard #5 Computational Thinker

Digital Citizenship Toolbox

Digital Citizenship Toolbox

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to talk with third graders about
digital citizenship. I love talking about this topic with elementary
students because it is an easy age to influence them to

be good digital citizens. This year I changed my

"Digital Citizenship Toolbox" to have items that compliment 
the 9 Elements of Digital Citizenship. I want to reiterate the 
importance of all of these elements throughout our students time 
at our prek-12 school but third grade is when all 9 are introduced 
(instead of focusing on one or two at a time.)

Respect

Digital Access: Advocating for equal digital rights and access

is where digital citizenship starts.
*Object Lesson: Padlock and Equity/Equality Poster- 
I explain the difference between equality and equity and how some 
people in the world don't have access to things likewater or education
 but also the internet. The padlock represents those of us who have 
access but lock it down for our own use instead of sharing it with others. 
My example was how our school recently invited another school over to
 attend STEM lab time with a mix of fifth-grade students from both 
schools so that the other school could have an experience with robotics 
for the first time because those students do not have access to what our 
students have access to.


Digital Etiquette: Rules and policies aren't enough- we need
to teach everyone about appropriate conduct online.

*Object Lesson: Toothpaste- I squirt out some toothpaste as
I'm talking about saying rude things to others. I then ask what
happens when you say "I'm sorry and I take it back?" Students
talk about how you forgive and I ask them "Do you forget?" I then
use my finger to try to get the toothpaste back into the tube that I
squeezed out. I talk about when we say rude things and try to take
them back that they never really ever go all the way back. The
toothpaste represents those rude things and the messiness of me
trying to get it back in the tube represents the repercussions of saying
things we can't really take back online.

Digital Law: It's critical that users understand it is a crime to steal

or damage another's digital work, identity, or property.

*Object Lesson: Bagel Spreader- I talk about the role of a spreader

is to saturate a bagel. I talk about how digital law is part of all aspects

of digital identity or property. How we have a responsibility to respect

the work of others on the internet and not claim it as our own. I explain

how a photograph my sister took was on the internet and a company

took her photo without her permission and now uses it for their

advertisements. She received no payment or credit for her beautiful

photography but now the whole world can see it but no one knows

it belonged to her.

"How would that make you feel?"

Educate

Digital Communication: With so many communication options
available, users need to learn how to make appropriate decisions.
*Object Lesson: Permanent Marker- I talk about our digital
footprint and how the things we say have a long-lasting impact but
I also discuss how choosing the right method to communicate is
important because of the concept of permanence. Perhaps the
things you are saying are true but would it be better shared through
a direct message instead of a tweet for everyone to see?


Digital Literacy: We need to teach students how to learn
in a digital society.
*Object Lesson: Teacher ID Card- I show my school ID card
and talk about how technology can be integrated into learning. We
talk about the 4 C's- creation, consumption,curation, and connection
and how each of those can help them as learners. I also discuss
how each teacher has a responsibility to teach students how to
use technology wisely for educational purposes.

Digital Commerce: As users make more purchases online, they
must understand how to be effective consumers in a digital
economy.
*Object Lesson: Credit Card- I show the credit card and explain to
them that it is fast and easy to order things online. It is a great way
to get the exact things you want quickly but you also have to be aware
that the easiness of buying online can sometimes get people in trouble
with overspending. I then talk about how students shouldn't buy
anything online without their parents' permission- including
gaming upgrades.



Protect

Digital Rights and Responsibilities: We must inform people of
their basic digital rights to privacy, freedom of speech, etc.
*Object Lesson: Passport- I show the passport and ask them what
it is. Once someone says a "United States" passport, I talk about the
rights and responsibilities I have as a U.S. citizen and then we connect
that to the rights and responsibilities they have as digital citizens. I also
explain that every single time they go online, they become a digital
citizen.


Digital Safety and Security: Digital citizens need to know how to protect 
their information from outside forces that might cause harm.
*Object Lesson: Toothbrush- Would you use a toothbrush that
someone else just used? No, because their "slobber and germs" are all
over it- it's personal. Passwords and personal information should be
treated the same way. Protect yourself online so that others won't have
access to your "slobber, germs, address, etc." because once they have it,
it will never be the same.


Digital Health and Wellness: From physical issues, such as repetitive
stress syndrome, to psychological issues, such as internet addiction,
users should understand the health risks of technology.
*Object Lesson: Ball of String- I ask for 3 volunteers and I ask each
to hold onto a portion of the string. As they grab it, I wrap it around them
once and talk about how connected we can become on the internet due
 to social media and it can cause both good and bad feelings. While talking, 
I wrap the end of the string around myself multiple times until I am 
"trapped" and I talk about internet addiction and how it can control us.
 I also talk to them about creating boundaries to prevent this from happening.

This idea was adapted from “Essential Elements of Digital Citizenship” https://www.iste.org/explore/ISTE-blog/Essential-elements-of-digital-citizenship and Craig Badura’s blog post on Digital Citizenship Toolbox http://www.craigbadura.com/2013/02/the-digital-citizenship-survival-kit.html

Viral Messaging: Putting Digital Citizenship to the Test

The following post is by Alex Podchaski, and while I have never met him in person, we are part of each other's professional learning network. When the MOMO Challenge reared its ugly head last week, I reached out on Twitter to other technologists to find out what they were hearing and what their thoughts were. Alex's thoughts were spot on with mine and I asked him if he would guest blog on the subject for me. I'm thankful for his insights and for being a sounding board. This is his post and the original can be found here.

Turning A Viral Hoax Into A Lesson on Internet Safety

Over the last week, you have probably seen some reference to the “Momo Challenge,”
hidden messages in Youtube videos, and calls for technology companies to police their
systems to protect kids. You have probably also seen a number of reports of things being
a hoax that should be ignored. As always, the truth lies somewhere in between, and we
wanted to help you sort things out along with giving you some practical advice on how to
deal with these types of reports in the future.

As educators, we spend a great deal of time trying to figure out the best way to prepare

our students for the challenges they will face, both in the real and the digital worlds.

Many times we have to deal with the theoretical, as we can’t always create the proper

real-world scenarios to take all the aspects of instruction into account during a given

situation. For many of us, we have embraced the concepts of digital citizenship,

trying to help our communities navigate the difference between behaviors and

actions online and in real life. We have created great models, listed out recommended

behavior, taught interesting lessons, and sometimes even given badges when we

have been successful. But the real test of what we are teaching is not how we respond

to the manufactured situation, but how we then address something that happens for real.

Case Study: What is the #MoMoChallenge?

There have been reports for the last 18 months about the #MomoChallenge. It started

with reports of someone or something luring students via social media accounts on

Facebook and WhatsApp to do harm to themselves and others under threat of public

humiliation and physical intimidation. Reports were made that students had harmed

themselves. Over the last week, it became a video that was being embedded in

popular children's videos on YouTube. Over the weekend, the media has picked

up on what has really happened and gotten to the real part of the story - it’s not real.

Here are a few sources we find credible on the topic:

• Vox
• The Atlantic
• NPR
• CNN
• New York Times
• Snopes

Unfortunately, these reports come after many local news organizations and school districts
had already bought into the fear, uncertainty and doubt caused by reports on social media,
encouraged by media celebrities posting and reposting without knowing all the facts.
Part of the challenge of being an educator is taking the time to evaluate what we discover,

and then choosing the appropriate response. It is not always easy, and we have a lot to

learn as well. A friend posted the following article online after a long discussion by a
number of us on twitter regarding the whole situation.

Those who choose actions that attempt to negatively influence children are truly
despicable. The various challenges and stories that appear online about suggestions being
made to kids about trying to disappear, or cause harm to themselves, or to act out in foolish
ways make me mad. But as horrible as those behaviors are, are we really doing what we
need to in order to minimize their influence on our students and children? Whenever one
of these stories makes the news or makes it around the rumor mill from parents,
other teachers, or social media, I try to apply the same rules we teach our students about
how to determine what is really going on and how to appropriately respond.

Questions to Ask Yourself

• Is the source authentic?

When we search for those items to watch or use, are we paying attention to where they

come from? I love Marvel movies, and I love watching the trailers and shorts as they are

released online. But each time I go looking for them, I have to choose between those who

are copying the material for their own benefit and the official sources of the clips and
trailers. I know I can trust the official versions to be appropriate and only have
trusted content. I cannot make the same claim for the random account that copies or
changes the video for their own purposes.

• Is the content appropriate?

The classic definition of, “I know it when I see it … ,” applies here. We are all tempted to

watch that video that reveals the secret about someone or something. Or maybe we can’t

wait for that movie to come out on DVD/streaming so we find that copy out there online.

Sometimes, we just need that child to be quiet, so we let them watch something (anything)

to get five minutes of peace and quiet. We may all do this, but we know that it is not
always appropriate, and we need to take a moment to determine what our real motivation
and response should be. There is an internet phenomenon called the Rick Roll.
You can check out the whole story on Wikipedia, but it was all about includingRick Astley’s
“Never Gonna Give You Up” video, lyrics, images or music in any type of internet post.
Videos were posted that purported to reveal one thing, but the viewer was faced with the
video of Rick Astley shortly after starting. There are people who will post anything just to
get the views and increase their income potential. We need to be discerning when choosing which videos we watch.

• Do I really need to share?

Just by being on social media, I receive all kinds of warning, updates, stories, breaking
news, and other notifications that demand that I share them with my connections.
It ranges from outbreaks of illnesses to political messages to online petitions that
demand that I repost them. I ignore almost all of it. Why? In most cases, if I have followed
the previous two steps, the originating organization, or the intent of the poster, almost
always is something that I deem appropriate, and most of the time the primary source
of the original message is not from anyone or any group I would recognize as an authority
on the message they are posting. I value my online community, both personally and 
professionally. If I post something, it becomes part of my online reputation. I am not willing
to risk my reputation for just anyone or anything. It is hard enough to maintain credibility in
face to face relationships. Online is harder. We should always think before we post.
In most cases, it will save us from a world of grief.

• Walking the Walk

As adults, it’s important to understand that we need to be as responsible online as we

expect our children and our technology companies to be. We need to stay aware of the

potential threats and dangers, but we also need to know when to react, and when to be
patient and dig deeper. By sitting and talking with your children about internet safety
and the rules you’ve established as parents, it will help guide them toward appropriate
content online. Give them limits, but also make sure you are aware of what is out there
and what they are watching. By modeling good behavior, it may even help you
remain accountable, as well.

Alex Podchaski, a Certified Education Technology Leader, has been Oak Knoll’s Chief Technology Officer since 2008. In 2015, he was named to Huffington Post’s inaugural list of the Top Social Tech Leaders in K-12 education as someone who has embraced social media to exchange ideas and solutions in the ever-evolving educational landscape. He earned bachelor’s degrees in physics and mechanical engineering from Rutgers University, where he would also earn a master’s in strategic management. Mr. Podchaski also taught as an adjunct faculty member at the university, where he built Rutgers’ first network operations center. You can follow him on Twitter at @ajpodchaski.

What This Instructional Technologist Learned from the MOMO Challenge

Yesterday I spent hours researching a sinister mother bird known as MOMO. This is time I can never get back but the time I felt needed to be spent to best support the families of our school. Trying to discern whether the MOMO Suicide Challenge was real or not. Trying to discern how pervasive the issue really was. Trying to answer emails from concerned parents. Trying to decide how best to communicate with our stakeholders regarding it all. Wavering between "it isn't something to be concerned about" to "yes, it is something to be concerned about" over and over throughout the day.

The frustration over all this is high but it has also been a huge eye-opening learning experience for me. Today, our school sent out this email to families regarding this hot topic. As someone that has lived with suicidal thoughts during a time in my life, I don't take this lightly. That being said, I also believe that social media can cause this to be blown out of proportion and it becomes glamorized. That's my concern.

Here are some interesting thoughts I have had while researching this:

• This is a direct hit to adult responsibility because MOMO is now showing up randomly inside what would be considered kid-friendly videos on YouTube (Peppa the Pig and Fortnite, for instance). When I look around I see adults oftentimes unaware of what children are actually doing on devices. There is a false sense of security and complacency that some adults have accepted that is getting a huge slap in the face.
• I spent hours researching MOMO and I'm still not sure of its initial pervasiveness and impact on society and this worries me as an instructional technologist. 
• Adults seem to be propagating the issue and it's mainly on Facebook. I get it, parents are scared. The MOMO character and it's message should not be heard by anyone but when I ask students what they know about it, most know very little. Facebook is now an adult heavy platform and the fear we are seeing there is not translating into actual issues- at least at our school. The concern is a breeding frenzy. The more we repost and share, the more likely that bad people continue to create bad things. We feed their need to think what they are doing is worthwhile.  
• This is a digital citizenship issue at every level. Yes, there are videos on YouTube that have been created in what I feel is a copycat manner based on the original concept of what purportedly was happing in the WhatsApp messaging app. But if you are allowing your students/children to watch any video of Peppa Pig uploaded by any person, these are pirated videos and the chance of them containing inappropriate information is there. Adults should use this time to model and teach children about looking for ways to view things that take copyright laws into account. If you want to watch a video on YouTube, look for an official owner of that video to see if it exists. If it doesn't, YouTube isn't where you should be going to watch someone's version of a video recording of that streaming TV program. 
•  We are in an era where we cannot just repost and retweet what we see on social media without looking a little deeper. Snopes.com is a great place to check for validity. What we are seeing this week regarding MOMO is lightyears away from what was originally being suggested was happening. It is still horrifying that people are trying to trick small children to watch self-harm videos but we need to be vigilant in knowing we have a responsibility on the information that is actually being shared. 
• Fear causes people to shut down good things. With every good gift that God has given us, there will always be people that use it for sinister plans. YouTube and WhatsApp aren't inherently bad, they just need to be used in appropriate ways. Don't allow evil to win. This is a reminder of the "Blue Whale Challenge." We must be both discerning and vigilant in the way we both address and ignore these type of things within our community.
• This is a great opportunity to talk to children about self-harm and self-awareness. Creating a sense of open communication is important in all aspects of a child's life, not just technology.  
• Lastly, there will be something else. When I was young it was listening to Ozzy Osborn records backward. Recently it was the "Tide Pods Challenge" and the "Blue Whale." As adults, we need to look at the last few days and not immediately repost what we are seeing or assume it is real. This is why it took me days to figure out if this problem was actually immersive or not. Help the world by not feeding the frenzy. 

Top 10 Blog Posts of 2018

One of the things I love about posting my "Top 10" posts every year is seeing how much I've learned since they were posted. It allows me to see my growth educationally. It also allows me to see what others find interesting regarding what I do day in and day out. Without further delay here are my top 10 most read posts of 2018:

1.  Changing the Conversation about Technology: A Teenager's Attempt - This is by far my favorite post ever. This post was guest blogged by a student at my school sharing his concerns about the impact technology is having on his generation. My most read post for 2018 actually became part of the curriculum in some of the English classes at our school this year. I'm thankful for Daniel's well-written attempt at being transparent about his journey with social media. 
2. Authentic Embedded Professional Development? It's Possible - As an instructional technologist, I know that in-service days are limited. This post shows multiple ways I have created learning opportunities for our teachers in unique ways. From embedded into the day of all the students to supporting students hard work and learning from them. 
3. Navigating Social Media as a Parent  - Being an e-parent is no joke. This post targeted parents by giving them some ideas to help them navigate the social media world for their children. I'm a firm believer that modeling appropriate digital citizenship using social media as a parent is one of the best ways to teach your child how to do likewise. 
4. Embracing Myself as an Educator- like it or not.  - This seems to be a yearly blog post idea for me. Standing firm in my role as an instructional technologist when I feel like giving up. Transparency as an educator is important for teachers to both trust you and consider what you might be sharing. 
5. Are Your Children Playing Fortnite Battle Royale? - Fortnite is one of the most popular digital games out there right now. This post was to help parents decide what boundaries (if any) they wanted to create for their children regarding the information shared. 
6. Talking Social Media with Your Children -There was a time when I didn't believe any students should use social media. I don't believe that anymore. I think it is important to lead our children to use it in God-honoring ways. This is a blueprint to share with children to help them think about what they are doing digitally through a discerning lens.
7. Why an LMS? Why Canvas? - This blog post comes from our school moving forward in using the learning management system, Canvas, robustly. The concept of this post is to understand the pedagogy in using an LMS and why I feel Canvas is a good choice for our school- an LMS we can grow into.
8. The Value of Literature - This blog post is more of a personal journey post. After reading the book Wonder, I share my thoughts on its impact on me due to my own personal situations. The book reminded me of the beauty of literature and its far-reaching possibility of connecting authentic moments of our lives to our learning. 
9. Lesson Revamps for High Agency Learning - As our teachers diligently started inputting their lessons and information into Canvas this year, I found myself thinking about how this timing could be used to better instruction. Technology can be used to digitize things as we have always done or it can be used to change things forward. This blog post suggests ideas for revamping lessons for the better.
10. Alexa Blueprints- The Possibilities for Education are Growing  - Alexa in the classroom can bring up a myriad of feelings from different sides. As an educator that believes that there are some real benefits in voice user interface, I have hesitantly looked into these possibilities. Seeing this post reminds me it is time for an update on using Alexa in the classroom. Blog post coming soon!