I had the honour of keynoting the #iEngageMidWest conference this past weekend in Chicago. It was a wonderful day co-organized by Berwyn South & West 40 ISC.
AND it was at Hamburger University. Not too many people know this, but when I graduated from university, at the at of 22, I was at a crossroads. I was offered a full time managerial position at the McDonalds where I was a shift manager. This would have meant a company car, access to the corporate cottage, a handsome salary, and training at Hamburger University. I loved working there and when I saw many people who had graduated from university come to our store to make McDonalds a career, I seriously considered it. On the other hand, I had the impact of a passionat teacher in my life and thought I would be happy as a teacher.
Well, you know what choice I made. But I often think about how different my life would be now if I had made a different choice. I thought about all of the people in my professional life whom I have met who have made a positive impact on my life. I guess it’s thinking about this that made me challenge the iEngage Midwest participants. I invited them to share their learning on social media and celebrate someone who made an impact on them this weekend. There was lots of great sharing. This was one of my favourites:
We were challenged by @JCasaTodd to thank someone for their impact. I thank @jbagus59 for sitting next to me at #IEngageMidwest, a month from retirement, still learning and growing. You have impacted so many people, Jane. Thank you. 💚#d100pride pic.twitter.com/W1aHLhhIev
— Leah O’Donnell 📖📝 (@leahod) April 29, 2018
It was so heartening to see people celebrate each other!
Everywhere I look these days, teachers and students are stressed and tired. I think that an attitude of gratitude won’t diminish our stress level or our work pile, but it can help lift people up. I am mindful to do this every day in some form or another: on and offline.
Some people are rich with material things, I am rich in blessings: people who inspire me, support me, and lift me up when I need a boost.
So this week, I challenge YOU. Celebrate one (or more) people who have made an impact on you. Do it openly on Twitter or Instagram or in your blog. Let’s flood the internet with gratitude and awesome!
Here’s my gratitude list:
My family. Always.
My school community at Cardinal Carter which feels more and more like my extended family each passing day.
Thank you to Jordan Garett for inviting me to Chicago and the iEngage Midwest team and participants for being so very awesome (and Jordan’s fiance, Matt for driving us at 6 am and even giving me a yummy all-natural protein bar to tide me over).
I am grateful to Jim Stewart for inspiring me to choose teaching and for encouraging me to be a leader.
I am so thankful for Lori Lisi, Cathie Furfaro, and the 21C team for helping me to develop and hone those leadership skills.
I am grateful to George Couros for pushing and pulling and for supporting and mentoring and for a thousand other things.
I am grateful to Robert Cannone, Stephanie Viveiros, Stephanie Corvese, Fran Siracusa, Olivia Van Ledtje, Joshua Williams, Braeden Mannering Quinn, Aidan Aird, Timmy Sullivan, and all of the other teachers and students who have inspired me and allowed me to share their stories in Social LEADia.
I am grateful to the ONEDSschat team led by Leigh Cassell, the GEG Ontario leaders, Edumatch, the 53s, my Sing-off peeps, and the Dig Cit Summit Canada team for doing and being awesome.
And I am thankful that because of so many the people with whom I interact on social media (all of you with whom I have had several DM conversations–too many to list separately), I feel the positive impact that connection with a PLF brings…and with that comes bringing new passiona and learning into my building.
