This is a guest post from Jenny McNew, Media Specialist at Talahi Community School. Need a scholarship to attend a conference or participate in Professional Development? Apply today! 

I would like to thank CMLE for the scholarship to attend the TIES 2017 Conference: What’s Your Story! Both Keynote speakers Ken Shelton and Jennie Magiera delivered great keynotes on the how and why of sharing your voice.

In the past I have attended many TIES conferences and each year it gets better. As a Media Specialist in a working school library of very diverse learners this year’s title of “What’s your Story” really spoke to me. We have so many staff and students that really need the opportunity to share their voice. We need to believe that each person has an important voice, and we need to be a listening ear in order to create a community where everyone is welcome, seen, and heard. It really made me think of all the opportunities I can help provide so those I come in contact with have the knowledge and technology to share their all important voice while being mindful of the implications of sharing that voice on a digital platform. Ken Shelton referred to it as a digital tattoo which is so true.

What I love about TIES is it isn’t just about the newest and coolest technologies but it has embraced the application of those technologies in learning situations. I attended several sessions where again Leslie Fisher saved the day by showing me some cool new tools that will make my everyday job easier, or the presentation by Shelly Sanchez which gave me insight on putting together digital citizenship activities.  

This year I presented in the “coding playground” giving me the opportunity to share some of our story using Blue and Bee Bots, Lego robotics, and Edison robots. It was evident that even though I am not sure we are doing anything “exceptional” to someone else it is worthy and cool, once again proving that we all have a story to tell.

Thank you CMLE for providing the opportunity to attend this amazing conference. The ability to attend professional development is priceless!