SMART Technologies SEE Summit – Inspiring Greatness 2018

July 30, 2018

Imagine being invited to spend five days learning and celebrating with like-minded professionals in a stimulating setting. Imagine that your every need was considered, transportation arranged, and worthwhile activities planned without cease. Consider long-range mountain views and architectural splendor in a picturesque downtown. Street art, public transportation, and gracious citizens. This was the reality for thirty-four educators and six high school students last week in Calgary Canada at the SMART Exemplary Educator Summit.

Teachers from around the World. Erin from Minnesota, Elisabeth from Austria, myself from North Carolina, Anvi a student from New York, Kevin from Virginia and Carla from South Africa, took on the challenge to reimagine the technology solutions for the processes in education.

SMART Technologies assembled this group to give back to the people who use and help improve their products – educators. The entire organization welcomed us and let us know that they valued our expertise and understanding of their technology. Treated like equal professionals every moment of the day we chatted with marketing and development folks, support staff, and leaders in education from the United States and Canada.

We were graced with a fireside chat hosted by the five top executives at SMART. They answered all of our questions.

We were organized in various groups alternating activities between testing new products, hacking current solutions to improve their functionality, or working through the design process to create technology solutions that would improve the student outcomes of either curriculum, space, processes, or schools. These activities were peppered with speakers on topics ranging from Growth Mindset to Global Education Insights and virtually everything in between. We learned about the Conrad Foundation from their chairman, Nancy Conrad, and heard from this years’ student winners in The Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge. I worked closely with two of these promising young people, Anvi and Philip, and was in awe of their potential. Our learning was practical and immediate, visionary and research based, and non-stop. The best type of professional development ever.

The Developers from our Hackathon Team. There were visible thought clouds above their heads as we worked. Truth.

SMART Technologies covered all bases, met every learning need, and rewarded us tenfold. The relationships that bloomed wove our shared passions with personal interests and once germinated have created opportunities for collaborations for classrooms across the world. SMART demonstrated that they are a company poised for the long haul in educational technology. They stand behind their solutions with evidence that what their products claim to do has been done and is deliverable elsewhere with careful training and both face-to-face and digital support.

SEE Stars Philip Pan, the future and myself, the present and future of global technology innovations to inspire outcomes in every classroom and continent.

Thank you SMART Technologies, Kelly Miksch our talented class mom, Greg Estell, Nicholas Svensson, Jeff Lowe, Christine McGregor, Debra Milmaka Miles and all the other key players who continue to push SMART towards greatness and delivered this opportunity to a group of amazing educators who will take this inspiration into a new year. Onward.

The reception held at Telus Spark‘s, Science center was the perfect final celebration of a great week. Table mates, Concern, South Africa, Nicholas Svensson of SMART, Stella, UK, and Carla, South Africa enjoyed lively conversation regarding what is next for all of us.

International Sketchnote Camp 2017, Hamburg Germany

April 4, 2018

Up early and out of the hotel to walk to the venue at the historic Dialoghaus in Hamburg. It felt like a mecca for creatives as the closer I came to the building the more folks I saw heading in the same direction. In recognition we stopped together at the entrance and captured this photo. The day had begun.

New Friends and Seasoned Twitter Friends Arrive – Dialoghaus is there in the backgrougnd.

Think of your fondest memory of any sort of reunion. One you could not wait to attend. Family, work, school, or club – combine them all into one event and you have it. Fantastic energy, everyone is family, and all are welcome, amidst organized chaos and joy. The Keynote began and Mike Rohde @rohdesign humbly spoke of the revolution and community that has burgeoned since his book, The Sketchnote Handbook, was published.

We meet again! It is always a pleasure chatting in person with Mike Rohde.

It was astounding that you could not predict the livelihood of anyone directly. Yes, there were many graphic artists and professional visual notetakers, but there were also just as many folks from other fields. The fact that all came together with one intent: to learn, share, and grow, was evident in every session and conversation. In Ed-camp style, folks interested in sharing an idea pitched the sessions and then the whole room was asked to show their hands in interest. If accepted, and most were, someone met these folks off stage, wrote the title on a sticky note, and found an appropriate room and time frame for the idea. The atmosphere was that of a really exciting auction of interesting and unique objects only the offerings were ideas that were ready to sprout and grow (within us) before our eyes. It went surprisingly fast and within a short period of time the crowd parted and found their way to one of the many meeting rooms.

The final board takes shape. Look at all of those topics for one day.

Each of the Kaleidoscopic sessions sparkled. They merged seamlessly into each other as ideas flowed like the water outside. Sketching with Caroline Chappel during her session: From Sketchnoting to Graphic Recording was a highlight. Meeting Caroline, @chappelcartoons in person was a delight (especially since her event the night before was cancelled due to a travel delay) and learning from her in that session is something that stays with me today. Personal mindset and an open expectation for learning (wherever it occurs) were key players for all. The Speicherstadt District of port warehouses and the views of the network of short canals from the open windows of our building displayed a historic industrial setting begging to be studied and burgeoning with new businesses. Repurposed and vibrant. The Enesco site offered the perfect setting for this event filled with magic and possibility. Even while taking a break to have a light lunch a gathering sprouted up around me and I soon found myself in rich discussion around how you teach sketchnoting and the path others were taking to spread that practice both in business and in education. Seeds there were planted for all.

Group Sketch – the visual notes saved and shared during the event. We were all invited to make our mark on the day.

Before the sessions began I met Luis Gonzaga @LuisGonzagacom and we talked about peace. The closing announcements identified that Luis and his historic city of Lisboa, Portugal would be the host for the next event, ISC18LX, and the room erupted in cheers. Knowing that the camaraderie and creativity that had bridged cultures, continents, careers and ideologies would have another opportunity to spread inspiration gave everyone closure. Peace can be spread through Doodles. The International Sketchnoting Camp proved that. PeaceDoodle is coming your way soon. Let’s create Peace through Doodling, shall we?

Friends gather to celebrate the day. Karen Forkish, Luis Gonzaga, and I conversed at the dinner party that followed the event.

Sketching a Community – International Sketchnote Camp 2017

January 30, 2018

Perhaps you can imagine entry into another culture? Languages serenade you with lilting accents and harmonious tones. Friends from Social Media look once, then twice as we recognize one another from our avatars. Everyone is there to learn and be inspired and we were not to be disappointed. The evening began with a welcome from the four organizers. Their smiles were contagious as the standing room only group of attendees applauded in congratulations. ISC 17 was really happening and everyone was ready to jump in. We were introduced to the topics and organization for the evening. The options were fantastic but when I realized that the Urban Sketching & Perspective session would actually take a walk through Hamburg’s famous Schanzenviertel my choice was made.

Marianne, Diana, Katharina, and Andrea, our enthusiastic and extremely talented hosts kept the atmosphere alive all weekend.

Thorsten Kleier and Fabian Bartz did not disappoint. We started with an introduction to the use of perspective, one that was both practical and technical. Perspective, an elusive skill, is something I am eager to add to my tool kt. Each of us was gifted with a sketchbook from airship notebooks and some colored pencils. We had a tutorial, which was invaluable as a starting point and were off.

An introduction to the use of perspective inspired many.

We walked a few blocks to a famous location. There, with a corner pub offering sidewalk seating, we proceeded to overtake the street and attempt to draw what we were looking at. Passerby and participant alike, blended into the landscape and became one in the sea of activity. Concentrating, I lost touch with the city around me, then, looking up for a rolling pencil I realized that I was focused too much on the intricate details of the building. The mesmerizing cornices and doorframes. At this rate, my urban sketch would be simply a series of disconnected edges. Fellow sketchers, propped on top of metal newspaper stands, chatted with me over the need to let go of the detail to see the larger lines, and diminishing streetscape. Perspective indeed, it was unforgettable.

The group spread out to every open spot on this busy street corner to sketch the scene.

My friend, Mario Foglio had joined our group after the lecture portion had begun. Mario had facilitated an International Sketchnote hangout in September of 2016 on Sketchnote travelogues. At that time he shared with the group that he had taken a class on perspective to enhance his travel journals. He said he was renewed by the course and that he had joined a generous group of sketchers as part of a sketch mob in Milan. I have never forgotten that. Mauro sat propped against a street lamp in Hamburg concentrating on the buildings in front of him. There was majesty in the street shadowed by the setting sun, majesty in his reclining, and in his concentration. He amassed quite an audience. This event was breathtaking for me and when the time came to gather back together and return to the group I was reluctant to leave its magic behind.

Mario makes it look easy; sketching the buildings as if their lines flow only from his pen.

Mario shared his finished sketch with me. The master of perspective choosing just the essential details.

The rest of the evening held reunions and laughter. Fascinating conversations and shared journeys. ISC 17 would set sail the next morning with a magic all its own, but for this evening friends and acquaintances from far and wide shared the united energy of generous creativity with open arms and ready hearts.

Fantastic gathering of long time Twitter friends.

This connection is timeless and priceless. Treasured conversations and laughter.

Finding my way to say hello to one of our hosts. A fantastic and fun event.

My Brave Got a Little Bigger

December 3, 2017

In July I filled in the blank: “If my brave got a little bigger, I’d probably ________________.” I surprised myself by my boldness, as I actually did not know how much I was hoping to join my friends in the International Sketchnote Community at the first International Sketchnote Camp in Hamburg, Germany. See my response below.

The event would be held in September, a lovely time to travel, but an inconvenient time for my role in education. Seeing it pop up in my response on Facebook (a platform I visit infrequently) made me ponder: “Could I actually make it happen?” (The community nurtured by Mary Anne Radmacher encourages an intentional life and taking the risks necessary in remembering to do what matters.) Over the last several years this global community of Sketchnoting friends has mattered to me. Our work spreading the love and efficacy of sketchnoting “one shape at a time” has created a family of sorts. I call it the United Nations of Sketchnoting, and my brave got a whole lot bigger when I made my first visit to Germany.

Each segment of that trip deserves an individual blog post; consider this part 1 of 3.

Mike Clayton, Franziska W. Schwarz, DianaSoriat, Katharina TheisBröhl, Lorraine Kasyan, and Marianne Rady share a moment during a break.

A satellite event was held at the University of Applied Sciences in Bremerhaven where Sketchnote enthusiast, Professor Katharina Theis Bröhl, is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. Katharina organized The Wonderful World of Sketchnotes for the faculty, staff and students of the University. Their coastal location supports such topics as maritime technologies and renewable energies. It was an honor to be asked to step in for Mike Rohde and begin the workshop with an introduction to sketchnotes. Katharina was our moderator and the other panelists: Marianne Rady, Mike Clayton, Andreas Teufel, Franziska W. Schwarz, Diana Meier-Soriat would focus on the nuts and bolts and process of Sketchnoting. I set the stage for the what and why including the brain based benefits of sketchnoting for education. Coming off of planes, trains, and shuttles from a 36-hour travel itinerary from the states made me dubious. Could I pull this off? Looking out at the audience, a group of eager, interested, and accomplished faces gave me the energy I needed to articulate my reverence for the skill while also sharing the research based benefits in education. You could have heard a pin drop in that room, but it was not until intermission that I realized the magnitude of our efforts.

Working on jetlag, in a new country, amidst international Twitter friends, many of whom I had never met, it was exciting for me to mingle amidst the crowd. Of course I was drawn to the students. Scientists, and engineers, they were eagerly paying attention and seemed to want more. I was not disappointed when in halting English one described his dilemma when during long, formal lectures his ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder, but, he used another term) kicked in and prevented him from paying attention. He was intent on finding a way to stay tuned into his lectures and engage with the content in a new way. Katharina had done an amazing job spreading the efficacy of Sketchnoting in her classes. Several spoke of an upcoming trip where they would immerse themselves in an island habitat and wanted a better way to capture all that they would be experiencing. Instead of leaving at the break, each and every one of the students stayed for the second half of the program and actively participated in the question and answer segment at the end. I left with such hopefulness that this university was inspiring students to listen well and remember wisely through new and creative methods.

After the event we gathered to share an authentic meal with many of the attendees. The gracious hospitality of my host and her coastal town took my breathe away and I slept that night eager to embark the next day on the official first day of the International Sketchnote Camp. More to come.

Sketchnoting, by Definition – Accessible to All

June 23, 2017

Is there a hurdle being constructed that novice sketchnoters feel they have to jump in order to share their work? Spalton, Chris (ChrisSpalton) “Now #Sketchnotes are becoming more popular there’s also a lean towards becoming more ‘academic, … adding barriers to what should be accessible to all.” 5 May 2017. Tweet.

Sketchnoting, by my friend, Mike Rohde’s definition, is all about ideas, not art. My adoption of the (movement) concept is focused on remembering those golden moments where a speaker (book/talk/event) opens your mind and your heart and changes you in an unforgettable way. In those moments, I: the learner whose life is enhanced by the occasion, want a sketch to help visceralize the event in my memory.

When I experienced the power of sketchnoting I realized that I wanted to spread it outward for students. That avenue was the logical next step but how was I going to prove the necessity? Mike and Sunni started that for me, but there was still the time spent in the classroom that took away from the all too familiar ‘testing’ fear. Wendi’s book helped a great deal. With a research based focus for educators she proved that instead of being time wasted – the energy and time spent familiarizing our students with sketchnoting and modeling visual vocabulary and connected ideas is crucial for every learner. Deepening comprehension and engendering connections that standard drill and kill tactics overlook.

First time sketching – teachers show the students their sketches.

If shaping your thoughts through image is a way to unleash creativity, unlock new ideas, and retain knowledge, then why don’t we all do it more? To unlearn the “I can’t draw” mantra and relearn the doodle mindset is not that difficult. Once the benefits are established the end results supply the proof. Not to mention it is fun to do and sharing with others is a win/win. I found some of my favorite TED Talks through other people’s sketchnotes, learning deeply about things that I probably would not have seen. Perception that I internalized enhancing my day to day. Win/win.

Everyone has something to share and everyone has a doodler within.

Not all of us are equally talented when it comes to art and metaphor.

The same goes for sports, cooking, reading comprehension, and fashion. But that difference doesn’t stop us from playing kickball or trying a new spring roll recipe. The reason it is important to keep #Sketchnoting accessible is because the learning gains for both the practitioner and the rest of us are infinite. If you curb your sketches because you are not going to be the best in show then you have missed the point. Some of the most visually appealing sketchnotes have the least amount of information in them. Often used for self-marketing, these are all fluff and flair with no substance. Those don’t enrich my life. But, they weren’t meant for me right? Dimeo, Rob. (RobDimeo)”Sketchnoting skill should be accessible to all. The sketchnote content need not be accessible to anyone but the sketchnoter.” 5 May 2017. Tweet. I want the sloppy, edgy, risk taking, infographics from an intentional learner.

#Sketchnotes may actually be so academic that the content is not accessible to all viewers, but the act of #Sketchnoting is and must stay accessible to all, because as @ChrisSpalton and @SunniBrown contend, “The more thoughts and ideas are documented (however roughly) the better the world becomes.”

Bettering the world through doodles – see you there.

Neutron Scatterers

March 16, 2017

We’re not in Kansas anymore.

When one of the participants began his question with; “If I’m giving a talk to a bunch of neutron scatterers…” I knew I was breathing different air. The opportunity to meet my Sketchnoting community in person, facilitated by Rob Dimeo with Mike Rohde and Professor Michael Clayton as participants, was one extended to me by a surprising invite and I was still in disbelief of my good fortune.

I was arriving at Reagan International Airport Friday evening to spend the next few days at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD (NIST), with a group of Sketchnoting friends and enthusiasts. An incongruous group of global Twitter friends – collected from far and wide all gathered together to share our styles and passion with a team of scientists, chemists, engineers, librarians, physicists and yes, neutron scatterers. It was a mind opening experience.

But first, a stop at a panel discussion held by six of these folks and given at AIGA Blueridge which walked an eager design community through the basics of sketchnoting. My Lyft driver dropped me (and my luggage) at the door exactly on time. The audience was packed, but I got to say hello to my Sketchnoting tribe right before taking my seat and sitting in awe of the expertise of the panel. And then the journey began.

The next day we met at NIST to deposit our passports to the guards and receive official clearance and a nametag to the facilities. Wow. Cleared, we drove together in a caravan through the campus and to the building that would be home for the next few days. Introductions and coffee aside – we crowd-sourced the topics European style, with what Marianne called a bar camp. (Edcamps here in US education.) Basically all attendees posted sticky notes with their preferred topics, things they wanted to learn about, and things they were willing to ‘share’. Marianne Rady and Steve Silbert (our resident Scrum Masters) categorized our notes and created the schedule. It was the picture of democratic diplomacy as topics were announced and facilitators beckoned. Really. It was seamless.

Mike Rohde – Sketchnote – State of the Union

That first day started with a Visual Vocabulary warm-up where we quickly drew ten objects without pause (a traditional opening activity for us) and then an exploration of ideas that were more difficult to capture. The two Mikes responded to this live – it was dubbed: Stump the Mikes and we all drew together as the audience suggested difficult terms: open mindedness, project, empathy, teamwork, impact and illusion were our mix and the results were fascinating! For me, the images for impact were the most transforming. The Mike’s portrayed different scientific images (Newton’s cradle and a meteor cascading towards Earth) while I was busy trying to depict a can drive for a local food pantry. Our symposium had begun and already my mind had expanded.

Rather than sharing a play-by-play, let me share an anecdote. Our host was discussing the nuances of saved pens in Procreate for the iPad. Rob Dimeo had shared Procreate layers and pens with all of us, but here he was talking to the group about designing a brush that would have a different thickness based on the pressure of the pen stroke. A brush that would resemble a true cartoonist’s ink pen. Rob began to speak to the scientists and instinctively created an analogy for them. He called the brush shape anisotropic – or he attempted to. We laughed at the pronunciation as he answered a question from one of the non-scientists among us, explaining the electromagnetic concept of particles that are not equally dispersed in a substance. Luckily, I understood the brush, ink, and result in Procreate, but I had to know more about anisotropy.

Touring the NIST facility with Rob Dimeo

When we broke for lunch I scooted my chair back to ask for clarification of the NIST employees. I had to add something understandable to my sketchnote after all. Their explanation was fascinating. Bob explained that Isotropic had to do with the disbursement of particles in a substance and Anisotropic meant that they were unevenly distributed. Eric, sitting beside him, clarified. He thought of it like a brick. “The difference of one end appearing like a square and the other side like an elongated rectangle.” That, I could understand – it was actually brilliant, but Bob needed to clarify that the concept talked about the distribution of particles within the makeup of the brick. There is no way that I can explain this discourse intelligently. Their conversation was as fascinating as the analogy was to begin with. It worked for me. I understood that electromagnetic elements of a substance are sometimes unevenly distributed which changes the appearance or density. The concept as it applied to their work escaped me. My delight as an educator was the opportunity to hear the analogy, to share in the understanding, and then to witness colleagues discussing their own definitions to each other through me – a liberal arts, sketchnoting friend.

Twitter Friends

Changing the way we see things gets harder and harder as we age. The reason for this seems to be the lack of opportunity to hear from and share conversation with others outside of our training, vocation, profession, or even geographic residence. The NIST Sketchnote Community Symposium, gave that opportunity to all who attended. My Twitter friends could not wait to meet each other in person to celebrate our community and our good fortune. Our new NIST acquaintances gave us a refreshing benediction to #Sketchnoting.

I am infinitely thankful for this opportunity, one that revealed diverse viewpoints and backgrounds in a transcendent way. We were introduced to entire fields of research and science of which I personally had no prior understanding. Sketchnoting leveled the playing field if only for one weekend. We learned, stretched, shared, evolved, and grew at NIST.

“Doing the Right Thing” The Inspiration in Teaching

January 15, 2017

Stepping out of the classroom in a support role for teachers and students felt right for me in my professional journey. The allure of new challenges and continued advanced learning was the obvious next step in my career. Mostly, it has been truth. Time away from grading papers affords me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of new technologies and how they fit into sound Instructional Design to benefit all learners. Helping plan and deliver robust professional development to hundreds of teachers as they prepare to embrace instruction in a 1:1 environment has been an honor.

Classroom teaching continues to mesmerize me. I have watched for over 22 years as policy changed, methods came in and out of favor, silver bullets morphed in name and color, the only constant being the human component. That essential element of teacher and student, and the trusting supportive relationship that must be established for learning to occur.

Increasingly in my role as technology facilitator I encounter teachers who endeavor, with everything in them, to meaningfully engage their students. Lamenting often that they have simply run out of time. Early adopters of tech are the hardest on themselves. These educators are also consummate learners. Invigorated by their content and eager to learn new technology both for themselves and for their students. This year, with my bullet journal ready to go and a working plan for each of my ten schools I visited one of these educators to relay the availability of an enhanced whiteboard platform. We had explored the tool together, but I cautioned him to wait till the district had populated his classes with students before building a workspace to share. The time had come and we were both excited to test it out when he said something that has really resonated with me.

“This year I am really trying to do the right thing. The magic is to make sure there are meaningful tasks, you know, inquiry based learning. But there isn’t enough time to do it all.”

He clarified to let me know that he always tries to do the right thing, but this year seemed different. This year with his content firmly under his belt, and Canvas, our learning management system clearly helping him reach his students and their parents both in school and at home, he wants to shift the in class experience to something even more vibrant. This teacher, always eager and interested, creating wonder all around the room with circuits, lights, convection currents, and buzzers, always offers to help his peers. He is kind, polite, inclusive, genuine and consistent with his students.

He did not have to clarify his intentions to me. In this new year of continued cuts and insults to the world of education that we both hold so dear, it is I who will reaffirm that yes, I too, am really trying to do the right thing. There is no one size fits all in education, for students or for teachers in professional development. To be the change we must inspire.

Education: A Collaborative Treasure Hunt

August 14, 2016

Inspiration in the everyday – teachers, caring for their students, collaborating with one another, sharing ideas, brainstorming solutions, giving back and growing too. The best of education can give me the kind of goose bumps that last a while. Working with Mrs. Jackie Dirscherl is that kind of good. Let me tell you a story.

First, quite a few months ago I was working at the office when one of my colleagues, Pam Johnson shared an iPad app she was exploring with me. She was looking at it for a K-3 elementary school that had a 3D printer and needed an entry level program to start building with kindergartners. The app was called PrintShop and it worked with the Makerbot machine. Students draw simple line drawings to tell a story, take a picture in the app and save to the library in a Makerbot account. As I had not been working with that age level yet it was immediately intriguing to me. I downloaded the app and vowed to remember it.

Fast forward several months further into the year and in one of my regular visits to classrooms I asked Jackie Dirscherl if there were any projects coming up that would allow for collaboration. She told me about a presentation she had seen at NCTIES and her hope to incorporate the project idea with the study of the Trail of Tears in her American History course. She wanted students to research tribes involved in the Trail of Tears, find out about their cultures and roles in the event, look at artifacts and photographs from the time and come up with a symbol that would represent the tribe and their role in history. She wanted the students to learn the Makerbot software and Tinkercad to transfer the drawings to 3D print designs to print replicas of the symbols as stamps. Jackie wondered if I could help with the 3D printing aspect? Jackie is a special education teacher and I had worked in her room several times before. I knew the complexities of the Tinkercad program and decided to tell her about the Printshop app. I told her I had an idea and would show her something later that day.

I found a book on Native Americans in the media center, looked at images and found one of a Blackfoot eagle head worn as protection. I drew a rudimentary line drawing and took a picture in Printshop. I saved the photo in the app and created a 3D design. The first attempt printed in a little over four hours and gleaned important lessons. Lesson 1: my features (eyes and nostrils) did print, but because they were not attached to the outer lines they did not stay connected when the build was removed from the raft. Lesson 2: I had drawn the lines too thin causing the shape to flex out of shape when held. Both issues needed to be remedied for the painting and stamping activity to be a success.

I redrew the eagle head with a Sharpie this time. I changed the design slightly for the detail to connect to the edge. I took another picture, saved again and printed. This build took only one hour forty-five minutes to print and to my knowledge none of the settings were changed. (I printed at another location though.) Success! You can see in the image that the second build was much thicker and sturdier. My next step was to share the process with the classroom.

During my next visit I downloaded the app on the iPad for Jackie. She made a Makerbot account and we installed the desktop version of Makerbot on her computer. Her students were finishing up their study of the Westward Expansion and she and I brainstormed ways to move forward. Partnering in classrooms with innovative, risk-taking, and compassionate teachers is one of the most significant benefits of my work. The open sharing of ideas, content, and strategies for the needs of these particular learners, was an ongoing process. Coordinating access to the iPads and 3D printer was also part of the logistics. Jackie and I remained flexible in our contacts and created moments to meet where seemingly none existed. All while the students experienced their day-to-day lessons and marched forward in the acquisition of content standards.

The Treasure in Education

This project will take me moving into next year. The collaboration, sharing, idea swapping, and flexibility of interested professionals make teaching an honor. Believing that there are other projects out there in my schools waiting for me to discover makes the new school year a perpetual treasure hunt.

Enjoy an album showcasing the process of this project linked here on Flickr.

I Liked the Poem Too

March 23, 2016

I sent my son a picture of the light streaming through the windows yesterday afternoon. We’ve had a cold snap and the time change and cold crisp air made the moment pristine. I had harvested the daffodils because of sub 20 temps the night before. They were placed next to my reading chair. He and I share a love of reading and the photo begged to be sent. I wrote a few lines to him explaining the capture. I penned them quickly in my usual cryptic style. The text and image did not send. It was hours before I could get them to go (the signal in the mountains, especially on a windy night, is finicky). Living on two different coasts meant a 3-hour time difference and I was asleep long before he finally saw the message.

This home

An hour ago

So lovely

Chimes ringing

I cut the daffodils from a field before a hard frost.

They are like pure kindness.

This morning I woke to the sweetest note.

“That picture and poetry is so cool! Looks so peaceful. Wish I was sitting there.”

Poetry? I didn’t send a poem. I reread the note and realized it was my method of communication to loved ones and friends. People who know me get sound bites. Once I called it stream of consciousness. Now I think of it as my decades, intuitions and ponderings. But poem? That would have taken much more deliberation. More precision. Exactness. Thought.

This creates a dialogue in me. I love to understand others not only by the words they say, but also by those that they do not say. Nuanced emotion and pauses giving hints equal to the spoken words. My intuition for meaning demonstrates that I am deeply listening to another person’s story and manner. I treasure the fact that those in my life understand the same in me. That I don’t have to always use complete sentences or spell out every connection to the chain of ideas spilling forth for my friends and family to comprehend. You can ask a question if you don’t understand, right?

Stay with me here. Now I come to the fact that there is always a lot going on in my head. This is true of most of us when we are not meditating. Stories of my day, emotions, nature, images that strike me, connections to other situations, extensions to new learning, memories. Calm and sunlight. Depending on the day and situation there can be multiple narratives weaving their way to my awareness. I carry a notebook to fill up with ideas. To keep track of to do’s. To remember whom I have helped and what I have done. But, am I careful enough with my own speech patterns to be sure that I am explaining, clearly, to those who do not know my path and my personality? Do I make an unfair assumption that others love the excavation of the knowing as much as I do? That they will ask clarifying questions when necessary. That they will listen to all that I say with my eyes, hands, mouth, and stance? If my desire is to be clear and understood then perhaps the answer is not yes.

Poetry.

It is like birdsong, and the music of wind chimes. It sustains and connects us to beauty. Love. Life. Can it lend wisdom to communication? Or, does it hinder understanding for those who do not recognize the cadence?

Embracing Creativity – World Sketchnote Day 2016

January 10, 2016

Do you have that voice in your head reminding you that you are not an artist? Yes, you may be hard working, literate, tech savvy, and infinitely curious – but no, not an artist. A few years ago I realized that I was increasingly envious of those visual notes I was seeing on Twitter and at conferences. Brad Ovenell-Carter @Braddo rocked it for BLC attendees and I think that was 2008. It took me to 2013 to actually start exploring the idea that maybe I could join the revolution. But how? Again, I am not an artist. I love words. I listen intently and when I take notes they are lengthy, detailed and formal. Drawing takes time, distracting me from the words being shared. What if I miss something? And, how would I ever draw fast enough? Not to mention that my animals are kind of homogenous, and my trees, people, and machines eerily similar. Stick figures, stop signs, cat whiskers, an apple, light bulb, thought bubble, etc. You get the picture. What would I ever be able to draw that would capture the message of a keynote speaker or anything else for that matter?

Bring on a little inspiration from Rachel Smith @ninmah recommended by Wesley Fryer @wfryer another great motivator. Slow and steady I watched several TED talks, started exploring iPad apps and finding new connections on Twitter. I branched out after buying my first Sketchnote book and now it is history.

Sketchnoting allowed me to become a learner again. To let go of being in control, of trying to do it perfectly, of having an answer, or knowing the outcome in advance. It has allowed me to exercise a different part of my brain and open myself up to new ways of thinking that are not even connected to education or technology. Well, at least not in an obvious way. The sketchnoting community is generous and inviting; the creativity and application of the extended or purposeful doodle is endless, and the crossover for students everywhere is extremely important. How wonderful if we can help students listen with purpose, connect with images of their own creation, and share with others their visual path of making meaning. Sketchnoting helps the visual, auditory, literal, and tactile learner. Some can share more images than words, others the opposite.

I am excited to be a novice in this movement. The live sketchnoters at conferences now captivate me. I want to exclaim – yes, Doodle in class! But then be willing to share. I will be joining the Sketchnote Army and sharing my notes tomorrow, January 11, 2016 for the first annual World Sketchnote Day and I cannot wait.

So, let the day of Sketchnoting begin! and use the hashtag #WDSketchnote2016 to share with the rest of us.

LorraineKasyan.com

Humanizing our Digital Imprint