As I was sitting in the Bloggers Cafe and listening to the hubub around me I was empowered by the conversation.  Why do people come to ISTE? Why do they convene here in this space with few chairs and even fewer tables?

To find solutions.

We all come across struggles and dilemmas in our daily teaching experiences, and what better place than this to find solutions?

Next year I will be at a new school, starting a technology program from the ground up. My school wants Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) and technology to be integrated into every aspect of teaching and learning.  Right now, we don't even have a lab or any up-to-date technology in any of the classrooms aside from one Dell desktop as a teacher station.

I have been sitting here picking the brains of some wonderful educators for whom I have a lot of respect about 1:1 programs and IWBs and how they use them in their schools and districts. I have been learning about different brands, what they offer and the good and the bad about each one. I have been getting feedback about how to implement 1:1 programs and learning about the pitfalls to avoid when implementing a program.

I was talking with my friend, Cory Plough about some conversations he had last night that helped him solve some struggles and dilemmas that he has been facing in his teaching.  He felt that he had learned more in that conversation outside the Hard Rock Cafe than he could have in any session.

Conversation is empowering. Use it here at ISTE to learn and grow!