Fely García López

Fely García López

2023 Ditch Summit
Demystifying AIFely García López View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits Sketchnote by Jen Giffen @VirtualGiffAbout FelyTwitter: @FelyTeachnologyFely is a passionate educator who loves to help others. She spent more than 15 years as an ELAR and ESL teacher, 2 years as ESL and Educational Technology Integration Strategist, and is currently an Educator Innovation Lead at team Flipgrid-Microsoft. Fely is an advocate for equity and inclusion in every classroom or learning community. She believes in “relationships before curriculum” and loves being her learners’ loudest cheerleader. Most importantly, Fely is dedicated to empowering every teacher and student to reach his or her fullest potential.{tcb_current_year} Thrive Landing Pages. All rights Reserved | Disclaimer
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Yaritza Villalba

Yaritza Villalba

2023 Ditch Summit
Memorable, Relevant Project-Based LearningYariza Villalba View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits Sketchnote by Jen Giffen @VirtualGiffAbout Yaritza Website: Mckenziesadventures.comBooks: McKenzie's Time Machine, McKenzie's Bisabuela, La Bisabuela De McKenzieTwitter: @inc_yv Instagram: Yaritza.V__Yaritza Villalba is an Education Consultant, currently working as an Educator Innovation Lead with Microsoft Flip. She leads professional learning opportunities, centered on culturally responsive sustaining education (CRSE) and project-based learning, to an international network of educators. With thirteen years of experience in urban education, Yaritza supplies many effective strategies and resources for educating and supporting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous. and people of color) students and families. After graduating from the State University of New York at Albany, she began her career teaching Social Studies to overaged, under credited high school students in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. Later, she earned…
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Joe and Kristin Merrill

Joe and Kristin Merrill

2023 Ditch Summit
10 InterACTIVE, Engaging EdTech Classroom IdeasJoe & Kristin Merrill View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits Sketchnote by Jen Giffen @VirtualGiffAbout Joe and KristinWebsite: themerrillsedu.comBooks: The InterACTIVE Class and Flipgrid in The InterACTIVE ClassTwitter: @themerrillseduFacebook: @TheMerrillsEduInstagram: @TheMerrillsEduTikTok: @themerrillseduKristin is a fourth grade teacher, certified Microsoft Innovative Educator, and Certified Microsoft Innovative Educator. She is an ambassador for: Flipgrid, Seesaw, Classkick, and Buncee. Kristin has co-hosted events like Ed Camp Flipgrid, and is also one of the moderators of the #FlipgridFever chat. She has been teaching for over 13 years and works hard to engage students in learning by reaching them in ways that are responsive, relevant and interACTIVE through the intentional infusion of technology in the classroom.Joe is a first grade teacher and certified Microsoft Innovative Educator. He is…
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Andre Daughty

Andre Daughty

2023 Ditch Summit
Student Engagement, Projects, and Classroom CultureAndre Daughty View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits About AndreWebsite: AndreDaughty.orgYouTube: @AndreDaughtyTikTok: @AndreDaughtyLinkedin: @AndreDaughtyTwitter/X: @AndreDaughtyFacebook: @TheAndreDaughty Instagram: @TheAndreDaughty Threads: @TheAndreDaughtyAndre Daughty's educational journey truly began after hearing Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu state, "If you observe children, they will teach you how to teach them." That phrase shifted Andre's philosophy of education. By observing the students in his own classroom at the elementary, secondary and post-graduate level, he differentiated curriculum and projects based on his students' interests. His workshops and professional development seminars involve high energy, practical ways to use today’s strategies, collaboration and fun stories to help connect the content to attender’s lives. He enjoys inspiring all through workshops, speaking engagements, seminars and embedded coaching experiences.{tcb_current_year} Thrive Landing Pages. All rights Reserved | Disclaimer
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Matt Miller 2023

Matt Miller 2023

2023 Ditch Summit
AI in the Classroom: Today, Tomorrow and BeyondMatt Miller View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits Sketchnote by Jen Giffen @VirtualGiffAbout MattWebsite: DitchThatTextbook.comBooks:  Ditch That Textbook, Ditch That Homework, Don’t Ditch That Tech, Tech Like a PIRATE,  Do More with Google Classroom, and AI for EducatorsPodcast: The Ditch That Textbook Podcast and The Digital Learning PodcastTwitter: @jmattmillerFacebook: DitchThatTextbookYouTube: youtube.com/@ditchthattextbookMatt Miller taught in public schools for more than 10 years, teaching all levels of high school Spanish. In his career, he planned nearly 12,000 class lessons. He taught more than half a million instructional minutes. And he graded work for nearly 2,000 days of class. He’s an award-winning author with five books to his name. Matt is a Google Certified Innovator, PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator and two-time Bammy! Awards nominee. His Ditch That…
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Karly Moura

Karly Moura

2023 Ditch Summit
Our Best Ditch That Textbook Resources: 8 Ideas You Can Use in Class Tomorrow!Karly Moura and Matt Miller View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits Sketchnote by Jen Giffen @VirtualGiffAbout Karly Website: VirtualEscapeRooms.orgPodcast: The Ditch That Textbook PodcastTwitter: @KarlyMoura and @EscapeRms Karly Moura is the social media and blog editor at Ditch That Textbook, where she contributes to the website and creates educational resources that reach tens of thousands of educators all over the world. Prior to her role at Ditch That Textbook Karly taught in the elementary school classroom for more than 15 years, teaching students about computer science, coding, and other subjects. In her role as an instructional coach, Karly worked with teachers in person and remotely to integrate technology into the classroom in new and exciting ways. She is…
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Student-Led Classrooms with Paul Solarz

Student-Led Classrooms with Paul Solarz

2016 Ditch Summit
Student-Led ClassroomsPaul Solarz View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits About Paul Twitter: http://twitter.com/PaulSolarzWebsite/blog: http://www.learnlikeapirate.com/Book: Learn Like a PIRATE Paul Solarz has been teaching at Westgate Elementary School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, since 1999. He advocates for student-centered teaching practices and a focus on 21st Century skills attainment. Fortunately for Paul, his school and district administration have given him plenty of autonomy to take risks and be innovative over the years. This has led to his unique style of teaching and the motivation to share his strategies with the broader education community. In 2015, Paul was named a Top 50 Finalist for the Varkey GEMS Global Teacher Prize. The Global Teacher Award seeks to do for education what the Nobel Prize has done for science, literature, and peace. He was also…
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How to Build Students’ Creative Bandwidth with Al Thomas

How to Build Students’ Creative Bandwidth with Al Thomas

2022 Ditch Summit
How to Build Students' Creative BandwidthAl Thomas View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits About AlWebsite: educopilot.comTwitter: @educopilot Facebook: @educopilot YouTube: YouTube ChannelAl Thomas is an educational leader passionate about creativity and the opportunities it can provide for students. He has more than twenty years in education as a teacher, principal, district-level director, and consultant.His passion is to develop and curate unique and innovative solutions that improve learning for all and to inspire educators by sharing inspirational stories through various forms of visual storytelling.He believes that if we are to prepare students for future success, we must equip them with creative problem-solving skills that harness their talents and abilities.{tcb_current_year} Thrive Landing Pages. All rights Reserved | Disclaimer
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Building Classroom Culture and Healthy Student Relationships withHedreich Nichols

Building Classroom Culture and Healthy Student Relationships withHedreich Nichols

2022 Ditch Summit
Building Classroom Culture and Healthy Student RelationshipsHedreich Nichols View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits About  Website: hedreich.com Instagram: @HedreichNichols Twitter: @Hedreich Facebook: facebook.com/hedreich.nichols LinkedIn: @Hedreich Hedreich Nichols is an author and educational consultant helping teachers and districts amplify the voices of all students. With her award winning Solution Tree title, Finding Your Blind Spots: 8 Guiding Principles to Overcome Implicit Bias in Teaching, Hedreich combines her experience as a “One Black Friend” and educator with academic research and pedagogical strategies to ensure that educators have the skills and knowledge they need to create more equitable classrooms and campuses. Her 5 social justice titles with Cherry Lake Publishing further support these goals in the classroom. Her workshops and courses are highly sought after because she sees it as her mission to promote…
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Designing Tech-Infused Learning for Your Students with Amanda Sandoval

Designing Tech-Infused Learning for Your Students with Amanda Sandoval

2022 Ditch Summit
Designing Tech-Infused Learning for Your StudentsAmanda Sandoval View/Record Flip Videos from illinois? Get official PD credits About AmandaWebsite: linktr.ee/sandovalhistoryTwitter: @historysandoval Amanda Sandoval has been a high school teacher for 15 years and currently teaches 11th-grade US History. She supports her colleagues and educators across the country to integrate technology with the focus of pedagogy first. She believes in creating a learning environment that puts students at the center of the curriculum by engaging in real-world connections and exploring relevance in their lives through community and the wider world today. Amanda was honored as her county’s teacher of the year and was named a California State Semi-Finalist for Teacher of the Year. She holds an M.A. in education with a specialization in Educational Multimedia.{tcb_current_year} Thrive Landing Pages. All rights Reserved | Disclaimer
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