My first memory of hearing the "One singular sensation" song comes from, like many people, Sesame Street. Counting, that was the way to go, learning what each number was and a little rhyme to go after it. My second memory of "One" is hearing it in a dance recital as a kid and standing in awe as the kids older than me danced in a kick-line and just wowed the audience.
As we come away from the inaugural ONE Conference this past Friday, can't help but think of this song, and define for myself what "One singular sensation" truly was throughout the conference. I loved Molly Schroeder's speech about living in beta and making connections with my learners. I enjoyed passing by the Rock Star Stage and was motivated by those speakers to try something new.
Even more, I was inspired by my students that came with me - the kids that gave up a day off to come help me out with a presentation. Through their eyes, their words, the magic of using technology and learning with it came alive. This truly helped ground me and see that it matters, it makes a difference. Those moments of on-the-spot learning where they had the courage to talk with an educator in Waukesha that they didn't know, or their initiative to fight through nerves to say why Notability "works for them best" or that Explain Everything is the "way to go." That's what it's all about - when our learners can articulate how the technology is helping to learn and understand better, and make instruction and assessment and more, more meaningful.
Yesterday, we had some professional development about strategies to impact behaviors and keep the flow of our classroom going, and the term "grit" was brought up - what is it, how would we define it? Not only do I believe each of my students' has grit, the power to overcome obstacles that are in our path, but especially each one of us as educators. It's that passion to work one-on-one with a student who needs that additional support; it's a perseverance to keep going when something tough happens in our personal lives and put a smile on for our students; it's the presence of mind to take a risk with technology even after all devices have seemed to shut down and not work on the same day when you had the coolest lesson planned!
All of the presentations were excellent - from learning about QR Codes, to Thoughtful Logs, to Aurasma, to our Core Apps - so many good resources to find and look at and try in the classroom. Each of these strategies and tools and more can be our ONE Commitment, our ONE singular sensation, to take a risk and try something new!
Yet remember ultimately, for us, as teachers, grit is coming into work and knowing, we are going to give some kid a safe place to be, to make some kid's day, some kid smile. That's grit. That's passion. That is who we are. We are educators and teachers.
Check Out our Waukesha BB9 Instructional Strategies Course for handouts on sessions!
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