Technology is a Tool, Not a Learning Outcome

Washington Weekly

9/19/2024

Apparently I am destined to forget it is Wednesday and I am supposed to blog...and that's okay.

This is has been a hopping week! Last Thursday and Friday I had two costumed activities back to back! First was the Library of Congress Costume Ball with a Movies Theme. I dressed up as Mirabel because my great niece Macie said I should, and Adalynn agreed. Then we had the 1924 Speakeasy night a the Academy of Science. I wore my flapper dress and accessories...and my tennis shoes because I don't have fancy shoes. Both were excellent and great opportunities to get to know my fellow Fellows.

I had a low key weekend doing laundry and went to baseball Sunday. I love baseball and it was a perfect breezy day for it, not so great outcome for my home team the Marlins. But I had BBQ nachos and teared up at the Dipping Dots thanks to memories of my nephews, cousins and little Micmac who is now all grown up.

Work has been busy as well. I have researched AI, watched countless webinars, attended a training on Amendments, met with the education team in New Mexico, attended the Congressional Hispanic Causcus Institute K12 Disparities in Tech panel. My Congresswoman gave the opening statement. The panel had members from ExxonMobil, NEA, Salesforce, and NASA. They discussed how to help kids see themselves as leaders in Tech, how to support families and communities, and how technology can help open doors.

I presented two webinars this week as well. I hosted one for teachers on how to write conference proposals, prepare, and present. I also presented a session at the AI Salsa Slam about Padlet. You can see both under the 2024 tab of my website. I will be doing a webinar next month on Writing Grants. One of my goals for this year is to mentor other teachers and help them meet their goals of presenting, writing, and getting materials needed for their classrooms.

Well that is all for this week. Enjoy the pictures and let me know if you have questions!

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Wednesday 9/11...on 9/12 because I forgot

9/12/2024

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It has been a busy and fun week here in DC. So busy I forgot to post!

Last Thursday I was so excited to sit in on a few different virtual meetings. I attended Building Computational Literacy and learned about research and work toward helping learners understand how to use technology in thoughtful and safe ways. The best example was about a bus driver who takes continuing education classes online, does practice skills using computers, volunteers to participate in AI assisted training and eventually becomes a mentor and helps others learn using the AI programs. The bus driver understands how to take technology and apply it to their work, and then gain more understanding and expands their job skills even further.

I met with my mentor Lauren and Maura who will step in while Lauren has a baby soon. We discussed my goals and what I can do to help the Congresswoman whose office is hosting me.I am going to visit New Mexico in October and will be meeting with educators and organizations across the area. I am SOOOO excited.

Then that afternoon I sat in on a conversation with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland as she talked about telling the American story on our public lands. It was a beautiful conversation of what we are doing and what we still need to do in order to save the language and customs of Indigenous people.

Saturday I made my way along the Metro to attend an exhibit opening called Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond. We learned about Asian culture, food, and customs through panel discussions, martial arts exhibitions, maker projects, and more. I was excited to learn along with fellow Fellows Selene and Judy.

Sunday I went to a concert at the Hill Center, riht down the street from my house. My cousin Dixie met me there with her friend and Dara, another Fellow in the neighborhood came too. We heard a great Zydeco musician and then watch football at a place on Battery Row.

Monday we had training at the Department of Energy with the Einstein team. We learned all the steps needed for travel stuff, we shared about our first few weeks, and worked on how to tell people about what we do. They had a really cool 3D printed car in the lobby! And of course the best part was hanging out together afterwards with a few of the Fellows and continuing to get to know each other. Monday night I joined NatGeo Classroom to learn about their programs and WOW teachers you should really check it out.

Tuesday was my first day on the Hill where EVERYONE was in the office and votes were happening. It is a constant state of go, go, go, with literal bells and whistles. There were so many votes happening and meeting new people. Several fellows met up in the Capitol meeting rooms to hear a panel of experts discuss AI and Education. We heard about the benefits, challenges, and how we haven't even scratched the surface. My favorite quote was from Dr Punya Misha from Arizona State. He said "ChatGPT is a smart, drunk, somewhat biased intern." What you get could be good, or bad, or really bad.

Wednesday was more hearings and votes and bells. I attended a webinar from the Congressional Research Service to know how to look up information and what to look for when searching. It is a lot...like a lot. But luckily much of it is similar to the work I did while searching in my Grad programs. I got to meet my Congresswoman, Rep Melanie Stansbury. She was a STEM teacher, so we shared our passions for building students voice and helping them discover passions. I was nervous to meet her, but she was very nice and we had a great conversation. I met with a few Fellows Wednesday night at my favorite local food hall to discuss conference presentations, how to write the proposal, how to prepare, and how to present. I am hoping to help them, as well as other teachers and admin, to start and continue sharing their work with the world. Because everyone has something to share. If you are an educator who wants to present, write for ed blogs, and work on grant writing I want to help! I (and some Fellows) will be sharing ideas in a Zoom webinar soon. Watch this blog and @penchevable on Threads, Instagram, and Nancy Stone Penchev on Facebook for announcements.

I have been continuing my goal of understanding the legislative process through attending trainings, researching bills, utilizing the Library of Congress, and watching the process in person makes it real, real. I have shared the sidewalks, halls, and tunnels with people who are always in the News, people who lead decision making, and regular folks who are in town to ask for help for their communities. It is surreal and I appreciate every single moment! Last year Konstantin and I toured the Capitol Building on a visit to DC and this year I work here. Mind blown.

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Washington

9/4/2024

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So another week has come and gone in Washington, DC. I have learned more about the legislative process. I am working now on a personal project comparing different legislative areas, like the difference between bills, resolutions, and letters.

For my work in the Longworth Building I am researching education policy and bills. I have located two bills that have been introduced about my heart, otherwise known as STEM! One deals with Girls and STEM and the other is about Early Childhood STEM. I wrote proposals today about supporting those bills. Well my version of that anyway.

I have also been working on my personal professional development plan for the fellowship. We have to have three areas: leadership, STEM education, and a grand challenge in STEM Education. The plan now is to focus on mentoring/coaching for leadership, expanding on what I do already with helping teachers locate resources, write grants, and present. For STEM education I am looking at Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence. The grand challenge is going to be curating and creating resources for teachers to teach STEM using local resources, parks, museums, and stuff like that.

To get ready for all of this I am collecting resources from conferences, to books, to webinars, and so much more. Feel free to peruse and if you have more to add, let me know. Being organized makes me feel like I am getting ahead of the work! If you have more to add, please send it to me! [email protected]

My hubby came in Saturday for our 16th wedding anniversary! We explored DC more, saw a couple of shows, and walked through Eastern Market. We got an amazing pecan pie, a delicious peach, and saw beautiful crafts. It was really great. We also spent some time at the National Art Gallery. I have always loved William H Johnson's work. He is an artist from Florence, SC who painted African American life. I spent a while at the museum watching a movie and learning more about Vietnam.

Then we took a trek to Pennsylvania to pick up a car for my mom. Man she better be glad we love her! ;) It was a fun and exciting time with hubby and I am so glad we had some time together.

This year is supposed to be the year of YES. So I have accepted any and all invitations and opportunities for learning and fun, from the Library of Congress Costume Ball to Smithsonian teacher events. My great niece Macie agreed I should be Mirabel from Encanto so we can match. The costume comes in tomorrow!

It is going to be a busy and fun year!

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Wednesday 8/28

8/28/2024

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What a week it has been!

Last Thursday we had a session with Capitol Hill staffers and Lobbyists to learn about how all of this whole thing works. My government class with Mr Gilstrap back at Pickens Middle School didn't quite cover all of these details.
Then Friday I started work in my office. I got to meet some of the staff, met with my mentor Lauren, and got to shop in the office supplies to set my desk up. So many pretty notebooks and post it notes and stuff! I also got a phone, laptop, and my official email. I told mom I am not adult enough for all this.

Had a low key weekend, washed clothes, swept and mopped, and hung out with Dixie and Winston a bit. Then back to work. I have completed the trainings for working in the House. Learned all about ethics, cyber security, and how legislation works. Well not all of it, but I'm getting there!

One of the things we do during the fellowship is a personal Professional Development plan. We pick three ways to grow and make a plan for how to manage it. Our areas of growth are leadership, teaching STEM, and helping grow the field of STEM. I'm still working all of it out, but I have a good start. I'm also planning a trip to Mew Mexico to visit the district. I will attend the New Mexico Science Teachers Conference, visit White Sands National Park, and hopefully meet teachers and do a listening session to help connect Washington with the area. I am excited!

Tonight some of the Fellows visited Nationals Park for a game against the Yankees. I forgot how much I love baseball. I only knew 2 Yankee players, Jazz and Stanton because they are former Marlins guys. And Aaron Judge because...he is Aaron Judge. It was a hot night, but a good time to relax with new friends.

My husband Konstantin is coming Saturday. It's our anniversary and I have Monday off. We have big plans for the Library of Congress, Drunk Shakespeare, and a few surprises!

It's past my bedtime so I will sign off. I'm excited to learn more about the inner working of government and maybe help make something useful happen for the future of education.

Teacher friends if you are learning about our national monuments and want to zoom with me for a live or recorded visit...let me know! I would love to do STEM from the Capitol building!

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Washington Wednesday 8/21

8/21/2024

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Hello friends!
Welcome to the first Washington Wednesday. Each week I will post an uodate of my adventures/misadventures in Washington as I explore, work, learn, and grow through my experience with the Albert Einstein Fellowship.
I have settled into my amazing apartment in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. I am in what they call an English Garden Apartment, also known as a basement. It is small but just perfect for me. upstairs is a barber shop and Loc studio. They have been kind and helpful as I settle in.

Monday 8/19 we started training with the Department of Energy and ORISE. There is so much information it becomes overwhelming at times. A cool thing we did today (8/21) was take our official photos with the Albert Einstein statue. I iwll post those official pictures when they are released, in the meantime enjoy these snapshots from Kelly Day from the Department of Energy and former Einstein Fellow. In the afternoon we spent time diving into our DiSC assessment results. I am an i which means I am energetic, expressive, loud, and enjoy being with people. I pull people in with my enthusiasm and can sometimes be over the top. I dont know where they got that...I am so quiet and demure....yea right. Check out the image with more information on DiSC.

Tomorrow (8/22) I have training on Capitol Hill. I am excited to hear from longtime Hill staffers as they share the Do's and Don'ts, the Who, How, What, and When and so much more.

On a personal note I have a theme for this year "I can do hard things". That was supposed to be my classroom theme, but became my personal mantra. I have managed to take out my own trash, walk to the grocery store alone, hang up art around the apartment, and navigate the metro all by myself and with my Fellow friends as well. As brave as I can be, this has been a challenge. I am still pushing myself to try new activities, foods, and travel opportunities.

This weekend the plan is visiting the National Book Festival. (https://www.loc.gov/events/2024-national-book-festival/). There is also a cultural festivql I may try to hit up if the books don't keep me too busy! Next week I will be in the office and officially working! We have a baseball outing with the Fellows as well, so another crazy week!

If you are planning a trip to DC, let me know and we can meet up! If you need STEM ideas, reports from the monuments, government info, and more...reach out! We can do a live from DC it's Mrs. P time!

Follow me at @penchevable on Instagrams, Threads, Twitter/X for more updates!

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Mrs. P Goes to Washington!

5/14/2024

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I am excited...and nervous...to head off to Washingon, DC on a new adventure! Check in here for weekly updates and see where I visit and what I am doing !

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Washington Weekly

Wednesday 9/11...on 9/12 because I forgot

Washington

Wednesday 8/28

Washington Wednesday 8/21

Mrs. P Goes to Washington!

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