WOW. And I call myself a blogger? Really? Shame shame.

So my last post was back in May, and a LOT has happened since then! Not only was June spent wrapping up another wonderful school year at TechBoston Academy, but the summer was spent making some big personal and professional changes! I went on vacation in July (so you probably only saw me on Facebook then!), and moved and changed jobs in August…and returned my 2 laptops (sigh!) to BPS in September. So I hope you can forgive me…but yeah yeah I know, I couldve just mobile blogged. ( ;

Ill make the long story super short and far less personal than the decision-making process actually was, but I left the Boston Public School system and packed up my 7 years of teaching at TechBoston to become the Director of Instructional Technology at the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School…sort of. I mean once you have committed yourself to public education, the friends you make, the students you teach (I remember my first class!), the lessons you learn, the mistakes you make…they go everywhere with you. I am so very grateful to TechBoston for every one of these experiences. I am very excited to move forward and learn new things and apply my experiences to my new role here.

BRCPS is an amaaaazing place! I have spent most of my first 2 months here listening, observing, troubleshooting, putting the already successful tech programs in place, and asking LOTS of questions (maybe too many??). Everyone here has been welcoming and informative and understanding and – most excitingly – curious about and supportive of educational technology. BRCPS boasts 3 computer labs, 2 mobile labs, and an assortment of A/V equipment, software, and accessories to integrate into the classroom and administration here in an effort to meet our assessment goals and curriculum standards. My goal is to look at how it is currently being used and if it can and then how it can be used more effectively and creatively – and then which innovations can we add into the mix? There are a LOT of ideas bobbing around in my head (and the staff here too have so much to offer!) and there are definitely opportunities to explore them (with a budget in mind of course!).

Soooo…stay tuned, folks! Ill continue to post what I can publicly of the things going on at work (there have been some super sweet moments and funny conversations with these K-6 kids already!), but mostly I will continue to explore current topics in educational technologies here that interest me…on deck is the topic of e-bokos and the role of the library in the digital age…Im off to a soccer game (yes, to play in this frigid weather)!

- Lisa

(oh yes the title of this post IS my favorite Counting Crows album)