#Nurture1314

Reflection:

I guess it’s somewhat fitting that in what may have been one of my most successful (professionally) to date, this is my 251st post on my blog and that since starting counting in April my blog has had more than 126,000 unique visitors. Reflecting upon what I’ve managed to achieve this year, I think it’s fair to say I’ve been pretty busy and that’s not including having a young family to contend with.

Here are some of my highlights:

1. Talking at events:

To think that I was able this year to be talking at events that previously I had been attending to see / hear others talk at – here I was now talking at them myself!

Osiris Education training days, Apple Leadership Summits, Apple training days, BETT13, Teaching, Learning & Assessment Conference, Teaching & Learning Takeover, DigIT13, talking at a whole host of TeachMeets (I’m up to more than 30 now) and keynoting at a few too, such as TMSoton and TMP16. Thank you to everyone who has had faith in me being able to stand up in front of others and having something worthwhile to say. It’s a real honour.

2. Launching iPads

The researching and planning took an awful long time, as you’ll have seen documented on this blog and elsewhere – was it worth it? Goodness yes, but there’s still so much to learn.

3. Becoming an ADE

Apple Distinguished Educator status – now that was special, as was the ADE Institute in Cork in the summer holidays. Best CPD I’ve ever received. Thank you!

4. Friends and colleagues

Making lots of both over the course of the year. Thank you all for your help, encouragement and support.

5. Getting a post as an Assistant Head

A great step forward in my career and proud of the legacy I left at the awesome Clevedon School although sad to have left so many amazing people.

6. TeachMeet Clevedon

This was just simply ridiculously brilliant. Only at Clevedon could something like this have happened and all in the name of learning. Thank you to the many people who came so far to make it such a special night of learning. Love Learning indeed! And a massive thanks again to Hywel Roberts for keynoting and Jim Smith & Jamie Williams for co-masterminding everything else.

7. Award nominations

I was nominated and shortlisted for some awards this year. Nominations and shortlisting for the Eddies blog awards for a lifetime achievement award and also a nomination for the Naace Secondary Impact Award too. I don’t do what I do for recognition; in fact for those of you that know me will know that I’m not the most confident of people despite having a fair amount of bravado upfront. To be nominated for these things is truly humbling. Thank you.

8. Working abroad

I have been lucky to have had some work with other schools this year, one of which was with a school in Oman. This was simply amazing and a superb experience. Thank you to everyone there who made me feel so very welcome.

9. Panel for the Guardian

The Guardian held a discussion panel on ICT & Computing which I was involved with. Me. Bonkers.

10. UKEdChat

In addition to hosting a few UKEdChats on Twitter,  I also wrote a piece featured in the UKEdChat magazine.

11. Times Education Festival

I mentioned speaking at events earlier but this was really special. Having attended every year so far it was a real honour to be involved on the other side of the table. Thank you.

12. My book, my own ISBN number and my book launch in a yurt

That’s right – the book launch at the Labour party conference fringe event with a TeachMeet featuring many of my education heroes (although not Stephen Twigg!) – this was simply amazing. Thank you to Crown House Publishing and the amazing team, in particular Ty Goddard at the Education Foundation. With 15/16 ratings on Amazon being 5/5 and one which is 4/5 and all of the lovely feedback I keep receiving; I couldn’t be happier about my book. Thank you to everyone who has purchased it.

13. Everything else…

This has been a simply manic year. Keeping the list to 13 has been real hard and remembering everything I’ve been involved in and with hasn’t been to simple either. Here are some that I missed out that are equally as important as the rest: Becoming an Independent Thinking Author Associate, ADESpreak, iPad training at Clevedon, Digital Leaders, Launching apps on the App Store, presenting in Kuwait whilst presenting too at TMEssex and many many more. All of which too couldn’t have happened with the help of many others who have had a massive impact on me this year. You know who you are. Thank you. I couldn’t have done any of this without all of your help. One final one too…. finally kicking smoking. Four months and counting!

 

Looking forward:

1. Teaching & Learning – I’d like to organise a free (to educators) weekend Teaching & Learning event. Something that mashes up the ideas of TeachMeet, Pedagoo and more, probably with its own radio station for the day too. If you’re interested – get in touch.

2. Write a new book. Something which doesn’t have anything to do with technology too. I get my kicks from helping move people on in a positive way. ‘Back to Basics’ was a legendary club in Leeds – there’s a lot to be said about getting it right with every class, all of the time. Consistently good is….

3. Start a new way of getting people collaborating on Twitter in order to collaborate and share ideas. Not too sure how this would work, but I’m open to ideas.

4. Become an Ofsted inspector. Yes. You read correctly. Tribal here we come! (thanks @judeenright!)

5. Continue to help people with simple problems they could probably Google but give them the confidence to try things out themselves too as a side effect of their interaction with me. I just like to help people out. More #AskICTEvangelist sessions!

6. Find confidence that lasts and isn’t dependent on anything aside from my own values.

7. Get back on my decks – I miss having a spin! http://www.mixcloud.com/DJMarkAnderson/

8. Support colleagues in ways which empowers them to achieve greatness in what they do.

9. Become published in an academic journal.

10. Complete more training sessions, sharing my practice, ideas and expertise to help have a wider impact.

11. Be a lead speaker at an education event.

12. To make sure I’m still able to read a story to my boys before they go to bed (most nights).

13. Continue to make a difference.

14. To continue learning. One of the most exciting things about teaching a technology related subject is that I’m always learning. If I can’t carry on learning new things and developing and honing my pedagogy further – what’s the point? We should all adopt a growth mindset. It should be a given. It should be a tick box on our Performance Management.