Thank you Bill Sullivan  for his recent #caisct post:

Use the #CAISCT to Connect with other CAIS Educators

This past week, I attended “Too Many Tools, Too Little Time” hosted by the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS).  It is a wonderful event where educators from a range of schools and subject areas come together to connect and hear a few 15-20 minute presentations on technology tools that might be of interest.  The evening includes a half-hour pre-session chat, and a break with yummy New Haven pizza, thus time to meet and greet with other educators.

What I love about this annual event is the mix of educators in attendance and presenting.  Culturally, independent schools have functioned in their own bubbles, partly due to different missions, partly due to competition.  However, we need each other in my opinion.  I love meeting other #caisct educators from schools that I might never interact with if it were not for this kind of event, that while tech focused is geared toward the non-tech educator.  With time built in to just chat, educators can relax and enjoy conversation, which I think is key to the event to build connections.

Public schools have a culture all their own, that connects them in a school, district, state, and nationwide.  Having taught in public school, I experienced this.  When I ended up in an independent school, I felt I was entering a smaller world, not necessarily a bad thing.  However, in today’s fast paced learning world, I find that I crave greater connections.  I need people to challenge my thinking, and to not just accept what exists on the current campus, but expands ideas to consider more global concepts to enhance student learning. Independent school educators need to find the greater world of connection.

Lorri Carroll , a great #caisct educator from Hamden Hall,  founded  #isedchat.  This chat is for independent school educators nationwide.  While I sadly miss this chat live due to it’s time, the archives are poignant for me to review.  It is connecting indy school educators each week to discuss key topics. I encourage all independent school educators to check out this chat and/or it’s archives each week. Shouldn’t we all become better together?

What I love about now being part of the #caisct community through the CAIS Commission on Technology, is that I am connecting with other Connecticut independent school educators to share and grow.  We use each other as resources, since usually on our campuses we may be one of few, or like myself the only technology resource.  The commission seeks ideas and advice from each other to support the technology integration in each of our schools.  We collaborate and connect continously to benefit our programs.

So why should it just be tech people?  Shouldn’t all independent school educators seek out others that teach like subject areas to collaborate and grow?  This would seemingly benefit not only the teacher, but the students they work with on a daily basis.

So with Bill’s recent post on the use of the #caisct hashtag to connect Connecticut independent school educators, I would also empower these educators to seek that connectivity, in and out of the state.  There is so much that we can learn from each other to enhance ourselves as educators which can only have a positive impact on student learning.