Malchow's Tech Bytes! 👩🏻‍💻 Jan 27th

Malchow's Tech Bytes~ January 13th 👩🏻‍💻

Happy New Year!!! I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday break and found some time to relax and rejuvenate! This week's Tech Bytes has resources for Martin Luther King Jr Day which is next week Monday.

EpicPals- January 📚🌎❄️

The January EpicPals collections are ready and waiting for you. Sorry for the late start this month as we work to get students back into the swing of things. 🙂
(Please see important note below re: student posts)

Are you new to EpicPals? If so, head over to the #EpicPals page at the top of the blog for additional information to get you started!

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** Important Information re: Student Posts **
PLEASE have conversations with your students on what makes a good post and how to be a good digital citizen when working online. We had several issues in November of students leaving inappropriate content in their posts.  If you come across inappropriate content, please feel free to reach out to Bobbi or I to review/remove the content. Although we do moderate, we do miss things as we are not on the boards every day. You can find several resources to help you with these conversations on this previous blog post.

As always, please encourage your students to read others' posts and if they like their post, have them click on the heart at the bottom of the sticky note or leave a comment if comments are turned on. Being reflective and having an authentic reason to like something is a great first step towards leaving meaningful and authentic feedback. 

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If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Bobbi or myself. You can find both of us on Twitter- @smalchow (primary boards) and @bhopteacher (intermediate boards)

#OneWord2020

Another year and the beginning of a new decade which means it's time again to reflect on where I've been and where I want to go. Last year I chose the word CONQUER and it was a tough one. I may have even bit off more than I could chew as they say. Conquering comes in many layers and some are easier than others like projects, but conquering obstacles and fears isn't always easy.

I typically print my image off and post it in various locations (my offices, by my treadmill, etc) and also make it the screensaver on my laptop to help keep my word at the forefront of my thinking, but I didn't do that last year for various reasons, and I think it made a difference, and not for the better. So here's to a new year, a new goal and back to printing off my image to help me focus on my goal throughout the year. 

This year's word is SIMPLIFY. I've learned that I love to have my hands in a little bit of this and a little bit of that and my plate is usually heaping full and spilling over the edges which quite honestly, stresses me out a bit. So this year, I need to simplify. I need to come to grips with how much I can put on my plate and when and know that it is ok to say, No or I can help you with that, but I won't be able to get to it for a week or two.  

A good friend of mine told me a couple of years ago, 

As a people person I'm always willing to help others, even when it means putting my projects and obligations on the back burner. Unfortunately this means that I stress myself out to get my things done at the expense of my family and my "me time". I haven't gotten on the treadmill in longer than I can remember, I haven't blogged for the sake of blogging and I haven't connected with friends, played outside or just had a good laugh in quite some time. So all said and done, I need to simplify my life and bring back the joy, laughter and time for myself that will make me a better person.

Signing off to print my images so I can put them in my office first thing tomorrow!!!