ADE Institute Hochimin City - Thinking about Personal Branding

I feel very honoured to be a member of the ADE Asia Advisory Board. There are nine of us on the board and we have been a part of the running of the Class of 2011 ADE Institute. Currently we are half way through the Institute for 2011 and I feel that I must write about the experience - even though it is not over yet.

The first day was intense. Each member of the board was asked to present their personal branding. I did not attend the Class of 2010 Institute where personal branding was introduced to the ADEs there. I have struggled to get a video made in time. I knew that if I didn't push myself to get something done - that the process to get it ready could go on for some time. As a part of the Apple Institute, all of the ADEs were given a book as a guide about personal branding. I was sent a copy and it was a helpful start but I ended up abandoning it and found it much easier to talk to my husband who knows me both as my artistic self and as my teacher self. I know that these shouldn't be separate but I don't associate the artwork that I do with my teaching practice. My husband helped me to focus on the 'now' and not so much on the past. Indeed as I sit here typing this post - I am already thinking about my version 2 video and how that will look. I already have the concept and how I can make better use of 2 minutes. Less is more ....

I am really interested in how technology can be best used in Kindergarten and younger. In fact I am interested in how it can be used with Toddlers (18 months). I have developed a way to make the iMacs in the Toddlers classroom more accessible for that age group by using programs designed for very young children (such as keyboard bangers) and by making those programs easy to click on through use of big picture icons. These young children cannot talk but they are very comfortable using computers as they are often introduced to them by their parents. My goal is to set up the computers for the teachers so that the students can use them independently. I have started to notice a pattern as these young children develop quickly and soon grow out of using the keyboard banger programs to progress onto more mouse directed games. From this the kids are introduced to creating content and so the progression continues.

And because of this ...

I would love to share what I have developed over the past year in my position as Tech Integrator for Toddlers-Gr5 at JWA and SWA.

Looks like I need to get back to Jakarta so that I can begin making PB video #2