The Twitter edu-world has seen ISTE chatter pick up over the past few days and I have to say that I'm excited about it. I started blogging and tweeting 6 months ago and have learned so much in that that short period of time. I never would have guessed that I would be attending a huge conference in Denver. I'm very excited about the different parts of the conference I will be attending and the new ideas I will be bringing back to my district. To be surrounded by so many like minded people is very exciting. It will be the best PD I could ever imagine attending. Despite the excitement that ISTE brings, I cannot pretend that it is the part I'm looking forward to most.
My PLN is awesome! I am so excited for all of the tweet-ups I have scheduled and will be scheduling. I'm meeting with some #edcamp Tweeps to talk about all things #edcamp and #nerd related. I have an 80's Movie Crew Tweet-up that plans to be epic! I will finally get to meet face to face with so many of the amazing people I have been learning from day to day. I learn so much when I go through my Reader and see the thoughts and ideas of other amazing educators. Seeing these Tweeps face to face will be weird for a moment, but it will solidify a connection formed miles away. I will admit that I do have some questions about meeting these people though.
Isn't weird that I will have to tell everyone my name is Nick and not @TheNerdyTeacher?
Do you hug, guy hug, half hug, high-five, handshake etc. when you meet a Twitter friend?
What will these people look like from the chin down?
What if their head is actually proportional to their Avatar?
Should I tweet the people that are standing next to me?
How long into ISTE is it OK to refer to people as, "My brother from another mother?"
Is it weird to say that to a girl?
What if I blank on the name of the show Mario Lopez was on before he starred as Albert Clifford on Saved By The Bell? (P.S. It's Kids Incorporated)
What if I am not all of the Nerd that I have built myself up to be?
Despite all of this anxiety, I know that the members of my PLN will be awesome and help me through what nerdy lapses I might have. If you are attending ISTE, please send me a tweet because I would love to meet you and say hi and put a real body to that Twitter ID.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
OMG, Nick, you are too funny! But I know what you mean. When I went to MRA back in March, one of the highlights was finally getting to meet @mom2preteens and @hickstro plus seeing @kchichester and @jimwenz again. I look forward to meeting you sometime soon. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff!
ReplyDeleteThe answer to the neck down question is that I'm actually pregnant. DUN DUN DUNNNNNN
Hope you have an awesome time! I met a few Tweeps in April at a conference and it was kind of weird, but good.
ReplyDeletelooking forward to meeting you.. i've been very curious about the authenticity of your nerd status.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is that I had an absolutely unforgettable time at ISTEK conf in Istanbul and IATEFL Harrogate earlier this year and I have the feeling it's going to be very similar for you!
ReplyDeleteThe neck-down sounds funny here - it bears no significance at all to the actual contact; big guy and gal hugs all around, and not just cos we're but Yurop!!!!
Hope you have the same feelings of joy, happiness and get the same wonderful memories...
Will be looking forward to your tweets from ISTE
Marisa Constantinides
P.S. Your form won't let me link to my English blog, so have a look at my Greek one :-)
Nick - I am sure that you will have a great time at ISTE. I always enjoyed going to and presenting at conferences. It tends to energize you and you get great ideas to bring back to your school.
ReplyDeleteWish I could be there and meet you and the other great members of my PLN.
Have fun.
LOL! Love it! Best part of that post is I
ReplyDeletekeep having same questions. What if I don't recognize someone I talk to (well tweet with) everyday? Or
what if everyone thinks I'm so boring in person? And im ok being the airhead in the bunch online but it might suck in person. And by the way, the ISTE workouts & diets are
being bc I know everyone knows what my face looks like, little nervous of below the avatar!!
Look man I'm feeling ya! I can't wait to meet everyone in person!! Can't wait to meet you, do I have to call you nerdy teacher to your face?!
@amandacdykes
How funny would it be to see avatar heads on everyone's body. @MsBisOnline is going to ISTE and hope that I get a chance to meet you. I love your blog and I do stop by often.
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ReplyDeleteI'll warn you ahead of time, I look just like my avatar.....seriously, I'm a cartoon character. 2D all the way. It's a little weird at first but you get used to it!
ReplyDeleteI'm so jealous of everyone who's going to ISTE Denver! I really do need to amp up my job search so I can get a district to reimburse my plane ticket... :X Your comment about wondering how everyone will look like from the neck down had me rolling!
ReplyDeleteMary Beth asked earlier this week if she should put her photo on her networking/business card. What if Tweeps printed out their Twitter avatar/handle or wore it as a button during ISTE? That's something I'd do! It might help others recognize each other more easily. Just a thought! Have fun!!