5 Things I Learned This Summer

In an effort to get out of my blogging rut and reflect on some of my summer journeys I thought it would be easiest if I compiled a list of things I learned...

• Realizing that I LOVE presenting at all day workshops. Sidwell Friends School and Educational Collaborators hosted The Connections Conference June 18-20. I led the Creative Collaboration with iPads session. It was an all day, hands-on workshop where teachers really got to explore and reflect upon using iPads in a creative way.

• Discovering The Dot by Peter Reynolds and learning to make my mark and seeing where it takes me. Using The Dot in my Creative Collaboration with iPads Session. Participants also made their mark. 

• Appreciating the simplicity of life in Panama while living with the Embera in the rainforest and Kuna Yala natives in the San Blas Islands. 





Embera Living






Kuna Yala Living...island style



• Experiencing the beautiful Mayan culture in the Western Highlands of Guatemala while doing service with HSP /AMA and Parters in Service. I really missed being in South East Asia this year, but living and working with these three indigenous groups fed my soul in a different way.

Participating in a Mayan Ceremony

Our first family we helped build a stove for.

Our second family we helped build a stove for.

• Understanding that I DO REALLY NEED to allow myself some down time. The tweets, blog posts and emails can all be put on hold. Turning my "tech" self off for 2 weeks was hard, but much needed. 

I feel energized for the new year and am looking forward to what the 2012 - 2013 school year will bring!