From ISTE2014 to ISTE2015: A Year of Change and Gratitude

One year ago, I prepared to attend the annual International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference for the first time. Registration? Check. Hotel and plane reservations? Check. Bags packed and tech gear stashed? Check. 

I thought I was prepared. I mean, it's just a conference, right? You've seen one, you've seen them all. (Yes, ISTE veterans, go ahead and giggle. Laughter is good for the soul.)

Wow, was I wrong. What I experienced at ISTE2014 injected me with a dose of inspiration and energy that lasted almost the entire school year. Because of the amazing people and ideas I encountered at ISTE2014, I started this website, developed new connections on Twitter, became a Pinterest nut, advocated for more time and resources to serve my colleagues as an instructional tech coach, and drummed up the nerve to get more involved in local conferences and tech organizations. 

Did everything go as I hoped? Certainly not. In fact, for the past two months I've been so inundated with the daily chaos of completing a school year that my Twitter and Pinterest accounts have cobwebs and this blog had almost forgotten I existed.

The famous statue of Mother Marie Rose Durocher that stands in front of SMA demonstrates her excitement for the future by holding an iPad. Photo by Alyssa Tormala.

But progress was definitely made. And I am grateful to work for a school that supports innovative teaching and collaboration, and that is striving to redesign itself for the future while maintaining the foundational values and culture that makes it unique. Just consider SMA's recent forum, "The Future of Learning, Leading and Innovating" that boasted a keynote by Renee James, President of Intel, as well as panels of leading Portland educators, business owners, and community leaders. 

Such pioneer efforts should not come as a surprise, of course, since SMA was founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names, a group of incredible women who were created to overcome challenges, not the least of which was their fight all the way to the US Supreme Court 90 years ago to protect the existence of private school education. (See the recent "Past Tense" Oregonian article for a brief history of the school and it's role in Pierce v. Society of Sisters.)

As the year circles back to ISTE2015, and I once again pack my tech gear and check my reservations, I find myself grateful for my school, my colleagues, and for everything I've experienced in the past 12 months--even the frustrations and heartaches that inevitably arose. I cannot wait to receive another dose of inspiration and energy in Philadelphia next week!