A Reflection on Legendary Memories

This summer I had the esteemed pleasure of going with 75 SMART Exemplary Educators (SEEs) to SMART headquarters in Calgary, Canada.  Educators were brought together from around the globe to experience professional development that is hands down one of the best in the world!  However, this experience quickly moved beyond the showcasing of SMART products to the golden opportunity to interact with some of the best minds responsible for creating the products changing the technology platform within the classroom. They are creating products that prove classrooms do not have walls or doors and teachable moments can occur when we empower our students to take risks and go beyond the traditional setting. 

Relationships are crucial in education.  We do it on a daily basis with students, family members, and friends; we live it each and everyday.   Yet, the surprising part of this summit came from connections  made with educators from across the globe.  Some of us knew each other from previous summits, twitter follows, face book friends, and the Kevin Bacon factor of social media.  These relationships at this summit created roots, deeper connections, and risk taking by all because the personalities of each individual brought something that was legendary.  The desire to know each other was exciting and the energy was contagious.  Could you honestly be in the room with people from all over the world and not reach out?

I was surrounded by talented and passionate educators, who believed in what they do but felt equally empowered knowing that SMART listens.  They have found their genius also.   Who would have thought listening to educators could revolutionize a product!  It was surreal.  I was among the SMART folks and the SMART employees wondering....

• What do I offer my students/colleagues?

• Where do I fit in this technological area?

• Should I be here?

• What is my genius?

A lot of laughter, tears, and smiles were encountered on a daily basis and on the last day during the celebration (During this trip, I broke my foot and was unable to move around too much--if you know me it is hard for me to sit still--always on the go) I had to be still.  It was this moment I realized the discussions, sharing, and collaboration from the week came together at a perfect moment at just the right time. It hit me...

"Not all who wonder are lost...they just need a compass to point them in the right direction and get them back on track!"  SMART was the glue that brought us together forming lifelong friendships across states and continents but they were also key in me finding my genius by providing a teachable moment that empowered me to look deeper to find my genius!