CUE Rockstar Vista Reflection

CUE Rockstar Vista

The Allure of a CUE Rockstar Experience

Until last week, my experience with CUE Rockstar existed exclusively via my social media feed. I understood the allure - why not learn about innovative practices from other educators and gain a better understanding of how best to utilize technology in the classroom? - but I was never able to make it to an event (location, travel, money, scheduling...you get the idea). Fortunately though, the stars aligned and I was able to attend CUE Rockstar Vista and experience what others had often raved about.

You Need A Hero?

Let’s talk about the Hero’s Journey. See here and here (this diagram would serve as the anchor that would undergird our work over the course of our two days together).  Not familiar with it? I wasn’t either and honestly I’m not sure if the moniker of Hero is one that I’m totally comfortable with; not because it didn’t inspire, rather, it didn’t align with the reasons why I continue to pay out-of-pocket for professional development opportunities - which is to come away with innovative approaches that could best serve my students - and in that regard, CUE Rockstar Vista didn’t disappoint.

On Repeat

The beauty of this particular experience was that there wasn’t any FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) regarding breakout sessions because they repeated three times throughout the day - a huge relief because I could enjoy sessions and not feel like something better was happening elsewhere. There were many sessions to choose from, but ultimately, I chose sessions based on two criteria: what could I learn more about and where could I strengthen and expand my knowledge-base. In both instances this approach worked out well because not only were presenters willing to share their expertise, but attendees in all sessions were able - and actually encouraged - to follow suit.

My Playlist

In retrospect, the thing I’m most grateful for is that there are educators who have spent time honing their craft and willing to share their expertise with others. I came away from the CUE Vista experience energized by what I had learned and enthusiastic about sharing this knowledge with my students and colleagues (a small sampling of that learning here: the versatility of Google Slides, how not to make the study of geography a snooze-fest and allowing students to become agents of their own learning with screencasting).

The Remix

There is something to be said for connecting with others around shared passions and interests and the CUE Rockstar Vista experience is exactly what I needed to cap off my school year and prepare for the next one.

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Nina Mauricia

Nina Mauricia is an elementary school educator. She’s a Certified BrainPOP Educator and a SXSWedu Advisory Board Member. A newbie to the CUE Rockstar experience, she enjoys any opportunity to expand her skill-set and learn from others. You can find her here on Twitter.