September 28, 1997
I fell in love with an advertisement. It was simple. Pure, but powerful.
The ad told me to Think different.
That was pretty easy for me to do. How could I not? I was a high school dropout who didn't fit in to her small town. Different didn't even begin to describe me.
The ad was an Apple spot. I thought Apple was the coolest company in the world as a kid. My first computer was a Macintosh my grandmother gave me and I loved that machine. Typing on it made me feel like I was a part of something great.
Today, I still think that way. Apple has never been just a company, or a product to me. It's been a part of me my entire life. They say that a person is defined by whether or not they are a Mac or a PC person. For me, there was never an option. I've always been a Mac gal.
I wish I could say it was because I have always been extremely tech-savvy, which is partially true, but the truth is, Apple always found a way to connect with me on a personal level. Call it great marketing. Call it Genius.
I think it's a little bit of both. No matter how you label it, it makes you Think differently.
Wrapping up my final reflection for the Apple Community Education Initiative feels a little bittersweet. It has been such an amazing experience. From the very first time we stepped into the Teacher Coding Academy at Austin Community College, to walking into our first session at the Lead and Learn event in Arizona, it has been a wild and crazy ride.
I have learned so much from so many different people. Mike Yakubovsky was one of the first Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) to take me under his wing. He showed my how to break down logic in a way I never had before. Douglas Kiang was our cohort ADE and he provided so many awesome tech tips, lesson supplements, and just overall phenomenal leadership and support. They were both there for us from day one and I cannot say enough about these two guys.
There are too many amazing people to name from Apple. Just too many, but each of them are truly remarkable people and they are the epitome of what it means to serve others. Learning from them has definitely pushed me to pursue becoming an ADE. I want to help others the way they helped me.
Working with Lamar University's Center for Educational Innovation and Digital Learning department has been a really wonderful experience. The teachings of Dr. Dwayne Haraphuik and Dr. Tilisa Thibodeaux completely exceeded my expectations. Their work on COVA + CSLE is remarkable and highly recommended. The whole team is fantastic. Special shout-out to Tammy Comeaux for always being on her A-game, and to George Saltzman for being so supportive of all the teachers.
They even showed some of my students work on a Facebook live feed!
My students will be able to work with Lamar this summer and fall as we collaborate with Hip Hop Public Health to create multimedia around improving public health through cool hip hop music.
Check out this celeb packed video created by HHPH, Doug E. Fresh, Artue Gunn, and a bunch of other really cool people. I cannot wait to see what my kids create when I see them again. We already have a few tricks up our sleeves!
Of course, of all the people I met throughout this journey, nothing compares to meeting Sady Paulson. You can read more about our meeting in my Growth Mindset blog.
She is responsible for editing one of the most inspiring Apple Ads of all time.
Which brings me back around to where this all started.
May 15th, 2020
Think different.
It's simple. Pure, but powerful. It's a way of saying - have a growth mindset, which is how I will finish my journey with Apple, Lamar, and ACC. I think differently now. My head is prepared to bring more creativity and coding into the classroom to create a significant learning environment (CSLE) that focuses on choice, ownership, voice, and authentic learning experiences (COVA). I know that regardless of the technology we have, my students and I will continue to find a way to create until the day that my Innovation Plan comes to life. How do I know the plan will work?
Because I, I am one of the crazy ones.