Last week I was honored to present at the Martin Institute Conference 2015: The Heart and Soul of Teaching with my friend Greg Smedley-Warren from The Kindergarten Smorgasboard. This was my first time presenting at a conference and to say that I was nervous would be an understatement. We were told to expect about 30 attendees, but the 50 handouts we prepared were gone in a flash, space filled up, and the highly accommodating micon staff had to Ustream us into another room! This should have been intimidating, but call me crazy, the closer we got to beginning our presentation the more excited and relaxed I became. So, as it turns out, I LOVE presenting and I can't wait for a chance to do it again! This entire experience has just confirmed two basic facts that I have always known: 1. We teachers comprise a POSITIVE, SUPPORTIVE, and ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY. 2. No matter how experienced we are as educators, we all have something to share and we all have something to learn.
Highlights from #Micon15:
1. Obviously, presenting on how to Kick Start Your Centers!
2. Listening to Dave Burgess, the author of Teach Like a Pirate. (If you don't have this book already, go buy it! Dave is down to earth and full of wisdom that is applicable regardless of grade level. Motivating, inspirational read!)
3. Connecting with and listening to so many exemplary teachers.
4. Dinner and drinks with the Davis Academy teachers! Love them!
5. Rocking my awesome new t-shirt that was custom made by A+ Images, Inc.! I was so excited when my shirt arrived in time for the conference. A+ Images is a company that truly loves supporting teachers. They are great with custom orders, class shirts, and also have really great teacher apparel. Be sure to come back and check them out after you download your slides.
4. Dinner and drinks with the Davis Academy teachers! Love them!
5. Rocking my awesome new t-shirt that was custom made by A+ Images, Inc.! I was so excited when my shirt arrived in time for the conference. A+ Images is a company that truly loves supporting teachers. They are great with custom orders, class shirts, and also have really great teacher apparel. Be sure to come back and check them out after you download your slides.
6. BLESSING! You may already know, but I am moving to Nashville this summer where I will be teaching K in a Metro Nashville Public School. I am excited about this new adventure, but leaving my sweet school is painfully difficult. Since the time I began considering a move I have been prayerfully petitioning the Lord to choose a passionate new K teacher for BCA, someone who would love our sweet littles, help them achieve their full potential, and MOST IMPORTANTLY glorify God by helping them know, love, obey and exalt Jesus! Well a teacher at Micon came to my session, heard about BCA for the first time, and decided to look into the school. WOW, God DOES work in the details! One week later and God has provided BCA with a new K teacher. I absolutely adore Callie Nichols and am having a wonderful time teaching summer school with her now!
If you were in our Kick Start Your Centers session at Micon15 then I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Hopefully it wasn't too painfully obvious that I was new at this! I am so sorry that we did not have enough hand outs prepared (not to mention space), but I am so thankful that so many of you joined us anyway. Ya'll were the highlight of my summer!
If you missed the session, or just want to review, click below to access all of our slides!
And be sure to visit Greg's blog and show him some love! So thankful to have such a sweet friend who inspires courage in me and many others regularly. (He had to drive 3.5 hours just to get to Micon, so seriously, show him some love!)
