Why am I writing this personal entry? Well, it is not an attempt to gain any sympathy. It attempts to show what is possible if a clear intention and goal serve the learner's needs. In May of 2022 just near the end of another fantastic school year, I do not remember what happened. But, I was unable to finish the school year and was unable to teach the following year. Why? On May 21st, 2022, I fell down a flight of 16 stairs (luckily carpeted) from the 2nd to 1st story of our home. I was found at the bottom of the stairs. I was found foaming at the mouth. This would lead to a 2-month hospital stay which included an induced coma because my seizures would not stop, several rounds of lumbar punctures, and relearning basic physical movements like something as simple as being able to roll in the hospital bed. Simply put, when I was admitted to the hospital, I was diagnosed as being “critically ill.” Please take a moment and read those words: critically ill. They are not terms...
In 2013, I attended my first EdCamp. It was EdCamp Milwaukee organized by Chad Kafka, Tammy Lind, and Beth Lisowski. At that first EdCamp, I met a lot of new faces that I would soon realize were great innovators in education. It was the day I realized the power of a personal learning network. I learned about gamification from Michael Matera, Google tips and tricks from Jennie Magiera, fantastic tech toys from Tricia Louis, innovative PD design from Jason Bretzmann, and met essential people in my PLN like Brian Durst. The great thing about this network was that it was not grade level or subject specific. We all had something to contribute to the conversation and something to learn from each other. All the unconferences I have attended have been great experiences. That is why we have a team that is organizing an EdCamp in own district. It will be held on March 25, 2017, at Brookfield Central High School in Brookfield, WI. All are welcome and...