From ISTE Live 26 to Your Library and Classrooms....My New BenQ Creator Collections Are Here!

 

What a week I had at ISTE Live 26! 

I love attending ISTE every year as there are so many opportunities for learning, sharing, connecting, and bringing amazing things back to our classrooms, libraries, and school communities.  

This year, I had the honor of being part of the BenQ Education booth.  

I had a wonderful time being part of two special events. 

First, Andrew Davies, from MagicSchool AI, and I were part of an engaging conversation about how AI and technology can move students from passive consumers to active creators. Our discussion explored the importance of student voice, creativity, storytelling, and authentic learning while highlighting my with Hagan Proudly Present, Sonia's Digital World, and the ISTE Digital Explorers series. We also shared practical classroom examples using tools such as MagicSchool AI, Book Creator, Adobe Express, MergeEDU, and interactive displays to demonstrate AI-assisted brainstorming, digital storytelling, student presentations, and immersive learning experiences. 

I also shared that everyone would receive my two new BenQ Creator Collections after the conference.  For the Creator Collections, I designed d two new project plans for my new books, Our Global Recipe Book and The Butterfly Garden Design Challenge.  

On Tuesday, I was thrilled to come back for a book signing of one of my newest books, Nabil Goes Global.  I wrote this series with my friends at Capstone and ISTE.  It was fun seeing everyone and signing lots of books.  

I am very thankful for the incredible team at BenQ Education for the opportunity to be part of such meaningful conversations and experiences throughout ISTE Live 26. I always leave ISTE inspired by the amazing educators, innovative ideas, and new possibilities for teaching and learning. 

And guess what, friends?  Today, I have two special things to share with you!  

My two new BenQ Creator Collections are now available.  You can find them here.

I hope you enjoy using these with your students during the new school year in the fall.  Let me know if you have any questions. I am always happy to help. 

Join Us For The 2026 Michigan AI & Media Literacy Conference On July 29-30th, Friends.

 

Join educators from across Michigan for the 2026 Michigan AI & Media Literacy Conference, a two-day professional learning event designed to help educators navigate the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence and media literacy in today's classrooms.

📅 July 29–30, 2026
📍 Lansing Community College West Campus – Lansing, MI

This unique conference features nationally recognized speakers, classroom practitioners, and hands-on learning experiences focused on responsible AI use, media literacy, digital citizenship, critical thinking, content creation, instructional strategies, and emerging technologies.

• July 29: Focus on Grades K–5

• July 30: Focus on Grades 6–12

Whether you are a classroom teacher, instructional coach, media specialist, technology leader, administrator, or curriculum specialist, you'll leave with practical resources, strategies, and ideas you can implement immediately.

I will kick off each day with my new keynote, Remember the Wonder: Finding Joy (and Ourselves) in the Digital World, and two more breakout sessions, Beyond the Prompt: Exploring AI Tools That Save Time, Speak Creativity, and Support Learning, and The AI and Media Playground.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn, collaborate, and prepare students for a future shaped by AI and digital media. Just $29 per day

Learn more and register here today, friends. I hope to see you there.

Be Part of the Inaugural State of Book Fairs Report, Friends! Take a Short Survey & Be Entered to Win $250!

 

Hi, friends!

I hope you're having a wonderful week and enjoying your summer. ☀️

Our friends at Literati are creating the inaugural State of Book Fairs Report, and they'd love your help by completing a short survey. 

Your response will help stitch together the full story of what it's like to run school book fairs in 2026—from the biggest challenges to the greatest successes and everything in between. Whether you've hosted one book fair or many, your experiences matter.

The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete. As a thank-you, you'll be entered to win one of five $250 Visa gift cards, and you'll receive a complimentary copy of the full report when it's released.

📚 Take the survey here: https://form.typeform.com/to/N7QNWxAI

I love that we all have the opportunity to contribute to this important report and help tell the story of school book fairs across the country. The more voices they hear from, the more meaningful and helpful the results will be for all of us.

Please feel free to share this with others too. Thank you for being part of this exciting project.