mortiz093

7 Reasons to Attend an ASCD Conference ·          You get too meet some of your eduheroes in person! People like Todd Whitaker, Baruti Kafele, Lavonna Roth, Neil Gupta, Alice Keeler, Danny Steele--and very special to me, my co-presenters: Jen Hogan, Lisa Dabbs and Deb Campbell. Incredible energy right there folks; harness it!! ·          You learn how to create a team and leverage their gifts to collectively strive for greatness in your school and in your classroom. ·          You are reminded of your "WHY", and you are challenged to hold it close to your heart EVERY day. We are educators; our "WHY" is our students-- and what is best for them. Don't ever lose sight of that! ·          You grow your PLN even more. Everyone knows something that you don't, connect with them, be inspired by them, be challenged by them. Continue lear...

Next weekend kicks off the ASCD National Conference in Anaheim California-- and I for one, am really excited to attend an educator and a presenter. I will participate as a panelist in "Leadership is a TeamSport" with some truly amazing women--all of whom I have never met in person.This fact is poignant; it demonstrates the power of a Professional Learning Network. Pinch me! I feel so fortunate to have crossed paths with Lisa Dabbs @teachwithsoul, Jen Hogan @Jennifer_Hogan and Deb Campbell @debralcamp through Twitter. These ladies, along with other incredible women, have been a sounding board, cheerleader and an inspiration to me through our WEL Voxer group.  We talk about how important it is to reach beyond the walls of your school and create a network of progressive, enthusiastic and positive educators who can collaborate, inspire and challenge one another to remain relevant. #Empower17 is giving us the opportunity to showcase just that! The topic of leadership and the chall...

I am a firm believer that all parents/guardians love their children and want the absolute best for them. The desire for them to succeed in life is honorable and self-less; they will sacrifice to no end to ensure that their child have the best opportunities afforded to them. But for so many children, their family's demographics limit possibilities and and shrink the pool of opportunities--particularly in education. Public education is a far cry from perfect. There is great disparity amongst all public schools. Suburban schools far much better than inter-city schools in terms of resources and achievement.There is still much work to be done--but don't throw the baby out with the bath water!! Education is still the best neutralizer to poverty. Our public school educate ALL students, regardless of race, economic status, handicaps, religion or language. We don't get to suggest that they would be better suited elsewhere or that we cannot offer the service or resources necessary fo...