[Inspiring Educator Summit] Teaching Is HEART Work

We’ve said it before: education can be an isolating experience from a professional standpoint. That is quite unfair because the connections educators make every day with their students are so deep, so meaningful, and often, truly life changing. Educators are the keepers of a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and creativity, but they must work hard to share their ideas with their peers.

This year, we returned to the Edmentum Inspiring Educator Summit in a new instructional world and finally face-to-face again. We continue to be blown away by the magic that happens when you bring educators together. At our 2022 Summit, 19 teachers, principals, special education professionals, and technology coaches met at Edmentum’s Richardson, Texas, office for two jam-packed days of presentations, conversations, brainstorming sessions, and activities to get acquainted. Ideas were developed, challenges were shared, perspectives were challenged, and new relationships were built.

For Edmentum, having the opportunity to be part of these educator-led discussions is not only eye-opening but also incredibly helpful to our mission of developing technology that saves educators time and supports positive student outcomes. But, Edmentum wasn’t the focus of the Inspiring Educator Summit—the educators were. So, before everyone packed their bags to head home, we wanted to learn a little more about what they learned, what their takeaways were, and what they planned to do in the next few months.

We asked participants of the Summit to write down anything they heard that strongly resonated with them on a sticky note and share it on a poster mounted on the wall. The notes included dropped concepts, overheard observations, and presentation remarks, but strung together, they tell a story of learning, sharing, and hope. Here are some of those takeaways:

• Sometimes a student just needs to pause; then, they can regroup and go on to be successful
   
• You are all on the same page, not necessarily the same line, but working from a common place
   
• There is a big difference between “this is the school I work at” and “this is my school”
   
• Learning isn’t bounded in time
   
• Promote curiosity; that is what is going to make the change
   
• Making changes in education is like turning a whale; it takes time, patience, and effort
   
• When you know better, you have a responsibility to do better
   
• In virtual education, every child has the opportunity to be in the front row, middle seat
   
• Time will go by regardless; what will you do with it?
   

Dr. Shuanta Broadway McDaniel, area director at Salt Lake City School District, Utah, tied all of the sentiments in a bow with the statements: “Teaching is HEART work. Educators teach because it is important and makes a difference. Learning isn’t bounded in time.”

At Edmentum, we feel truly grateful to support educators in this very difficult, yet very rewarding profession. We want to extend a huge thank-you to all of the educators who attended our most recent Inspiring Educator Summit and participated in our Educator Network. We’re so appreciative of your tireless hard work and dedication!

Interested in learning more about the Edmentum Educator Network? Get the details, and join our community today!