5 Blogs I can't stop reading!

 It's been a minute since I posted, and I won't deny it. I will try to get back on the posting to help pass the word on all the good tech I've come across these past few weeks.  

I would be amiss if I didn't start by passing along the blogs that get me through my job.  Although there are many, these are the Top 5 Education Blogs I wouldn't be able to do my job without!

 Control Alt Achieve by Eric Curts

 If you have been paying attention to any sort of EdTech anything, you will know who Eric Curts is. Not only is he a speaker, trainer, and all-around good guy (I have met him, twice!), but he is also a Google Certified Trainer and Google Innovator.   The information he produces is friendly and usable by all levels of tech users.  I especially look forward to his email newsletters which are full of quick tips and easy tricks to make your classroom more fun.

 Cult of Pedagogy by Jennifer Gonzalez 

I absolutely love everything about the Cult of Pedagogy blog. So much so, that I often use the articles in my Education Innovator trainings and other professional learning opportunities I create and share.  The articles are authentic and speak to teachers because they are written BY teachers.  That's right, although Jennifer is amazing, she also has an amazing group of writers on staff that help her write blog posts and create activities that span across all grade levels and age levels.  They are a diverse group with a wealth of knowledge from many types of teaching backgrounds.  Please check it out as I know you will not be disappointed.

 Ditch that Textbook by Matt Miller

Although I believe reading text (especially on paper, NOT on screens), is very important, I really love this site.  Matt Miller is all about making students interested in the content we teach by doing fun, innovative things.  He does encourage educators to "ditch" their textbooks and replace them with more fun and current type of learning which takes place online.  He also has published many books, my favorite being Tech Like a Pirate.  He talks about using Dave Burgess's method to Teach Like a PIRATE:  Passon, Immersion, Rapport, Ask/Analyze, Transformation, and Enthusiasm.  My favorite quote is "Don't just teach a lesson.  Create an experience!"  Matt's website is filled with tons of free, ready-to-use lesson resources.  One of my favorite new sections of his site is called TeachFlix, which is filled with categorized, teacher and student friendly videos. He makes it easy to add tech to any lesson.

 EdSurge

If you're interested in the news of education technology, I would definitely recommend subscribing to EdSurge.  Edsurge was founded in 2011 to connect the emerging community of education technology entrepreneurs and educators. Starting from a single newsletter, EdSurge grew into a newsroom, with a research division, a podcast, a jobs board, and an index of education technology tools.  In 2019, EdSurge was acquired by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a nonprofit membership organization for educators. EdSurge operates as an independent news and research initiative of ISTE.  Personally, ISTE is important to me because I find much value in its programs, research, and information.  I enjoy getting the Edsurge newsletter because it keeps me abreast of the most popular technology news of the day.  The articles are categorized by PK-12, Higher Ed, & EdTech Business and by news, research, and products.  The weekly email I receive sends out the 5 most-read articles which keeps me informed of the climate of technology today. 

Divergent EDU:  Supporting educators so they can best support students by Mandy Froehlich

I met Mandy a few years ago at my first NYSCATE (New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education) conference.  She was introduced to me by another educator who knew I was stressed about my new job as a technology coach.  The job was new to me and also to the district; I wanted to make sure I was doing the best job I could.  Not only is Mandy a down-to-earth human, but she gives real strategies to help those of us in education.  Her blogs are thoughtfully written and easy to read.  If you are feeling burnt out, please take some time to read her blog posts to see that you are not alone.