The Top 10 Reasons to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert

Are you looking for a fantastic opportunity to learn all about digital collaboration, innovative thinking, and amazing student engagement tools?  This past year at ISTE, I had the opportunity to participate in my first Microsoft Innovative Educator Summit and had one of the best experiences of my professional career.  MIE's, are highly energetic, digitally engaging, and warm and fuzzy visionaries, and applications are now open for you to apply to be a part of this fantastic group of educators. Learn why YOU should consider applying to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator.

”The Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert program is an exclusive program created to recognize global educator visionaries who are using technology to pave the way for their peers in the effective use of technology for better learning and student outcomes.

MIE Experts help Microsoft to lead innovation in education. They advocate and share their thoughts on the effective use of technology in education with peers and policymakers. They provide insight for Microsoft on new products and tools for education, and they exchange best practices as they work together to promote innovation in teaching and learning.”

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To Grow Your Professional Learning Network

You are part of an amazing digital faculty of talented, enthusiastic and generous educators who are the best PLN ever! They support you when you need lifting up, they cheer you when you find success and they love to collaborate virtually anytime to craft something that will excite and engage our students to learn to love learning!

Tammy Brecht Dunbar, M.Ed., S.T.E.M. Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, Certified Educator & Master Trainer

#MIEExpert Class of 2014
@TammyDunbar

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To Find your tribe

Becoming an MIEE immediately placed me in close contact with a network of educators who, like I, value the contributions technology can make to student growth.  Between monthly Skype calls, daily posts to our social network, and opportunities to attend/ present at conferences, networking with the other MIEE’s across the country (and world) has contributed more to my professional growth and personal confidence than has any other affiliation in my 19-year career as a teacher.  These people are devoted to asking questions, sharing ideas, and pushing each other further in their exploration of technology use in the classroom.  I look forward to continuing to learn from this group of experts and think everyone who is interested in the purposeful use of technology in education should check out such an opportunity.

Danielle Edmunds MIEE- 2015-16
Digital Innovations Coach
@MrsEinRoom406

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To experience many terrific opportunities to learn, grow, and connect.

Joining the Microsoft Educator Community makes you a Microsoft Innovative Expert (MIE). You are on your way! I encourage you to continue on your path and apply for the MIE Expert position. You’ll learn a lot, you’ll meet many educators from around the world, and you’ll open yourself to new exciting opportunities. Becoming an MIE Expert is stepping through a gateway to many terrific opportunities to learn, grow, and connect.

Craig McBain
Director of Technology
Chippewa Valley Schools
@craigmcb

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To inspire your students to achieve worldwide success

I'm an MIE because my students can be part of a worldwide educational community. Through the contacts I have made in the MIE program, my students have learned that they can inspire students in other countries to find the joy of reading. They have talked and shared ideas with students 10,000 miles away via Skype. The MIE program makes learning borderless.

To be included in a Professional Learning FAMILY

Sometimes it feels like I'm a wolf pack of one being the only one in my district that has my job title. It's a blessing having a group to share ideas, successes, and challenges. I'm encouraged by this group of stellar educators to learn more so that student learning can be amplified in my district. I love to learn and I love that I have a group of individuals to learn from and share ideas with.

Another great reason to become a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert is for the global connections one has with other MIEEXPERTs around the world. Not only do I have a group to chat with any time in my country, but others around the world are eager to share how they are enhancing student learning in their classrooms. My students love to meet their students through Skype. The MIEExpert program is one way to break down cultural barriers that may exist between people groups. It's important for teachers to share learning experiences with students from a variety of different backgrounds. My students especially love meeting other students from different countries. I'm thankful for the global connections that I've been able to provide for my school community through MIEE connections.

Karey Killian

@CoLIBRAtoRY

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To help you find your genius as an educator!

Joining the MIEE organization helped me find my genius as an educator. As teachers, we are often not taught or encouraged to share what we’ve been doing in our classrooms and schools.  At times, education can be a very isolating profession, which makes it equally more daunting of a task to break into the realm of becoming an education speaker and presenter.   Having an instantly supportive and knowledgeable educator network like the MIEE group allowed me to take my first steps as a technology coach and public speaker in an environment which would applaud my efforts and coach me on how to become better.  This allowed me to find my calling of sharing and educating other teachers.  Without the MIEE network, I may have missed out on my calling altogether.

Christina Hansen

@singinaurora

To learn to be a risk taker

The MIE cohort is a group of risk-takers. These are educators who are willing to try something new, something untested, something that they think will help them out in their classroom. Being an innovative educator means that you are open to trying something new, and it is so much easier to try that when you know you have a group of teachers who will help you problem solve something before the problems even present themselves. What makes this group of risk-takers more amazing is that they will help anyone else who is taking risks for their classrooms, too. From risks that involve technology to the risks that help our students understand their place in the global world, this group is always up for a challenge.

Richard Snyder
@mr_snyderman

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To find the support you need … when you need it

1. You have an education family who understands and supports you – Some of us work in environments where we may feel like the lone wolf of innovation.  As an MIE, we don’t feel lonely anymore because we have a network of like-minded educators who understand us and support us. We can call on them whenever we need help with a question or project.
2. You have built-in Skype and project connections – If you or a colleague at your school wants to work on a collaborative project or Skype calls, you have a built-in network of educators to connect you to their classrooms or their colleagues’ classrooms
3. You are continuously inspired – Every MIE brings his/her unique talents to the table that make you a better educator.  I am continuously inspired by the ideas, projects, stories, hacks that MIEs share.  Their stories inspire me to do more and help me when I work with my colleagues at different grade levels and content areas.
4. You have a voice – Being an MIE allows me to share my thoughts, ideas, and opinions with Microsoft engineers and executives and they LISTEN.  It is incredibly empowering to feel heard.
5. You have opportunities to grow and develop as an educator – Thanks to the MIE program, I have been interviewed by education leaders, written blogs for Microsoft and other education entities, and presented at numerous conferences. With every opportunity, I further develop my skills and abilities as an educator and as a leader.

Kelli Etheredge
@ketheredge

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To learn how to share your passions with others

One of my favorite things about being an MIE Expert is the contagious passion of all my fellow Experts.  I'm in constant awe of the amazing things these educators are doing, and the energy that drives them is felt and shared by the whole community.  These people love what they do, and being connected to them has a rejuvenating effect on my own passion for teaching.

Jeremy Tucker
@IceManTuck

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To participate in amazing events and activities

1. Early preview of Microsoft tools
2. Opportunities to work in Microsoft booth at ISTE – this was so much fun to me 🙂
3. General inspiration – it's hard to be lethargic when there's so much inspiration all around the MIE program
4. Training – I have a better understanding of Office 365 because of training on the education site (https://education.microsoft.com) 

Melanie LeJeune
@maclejeune

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To put yourself in a position to impact so many educators and students

The MIE expert program has been transformational for me. I am able to share the knowledge and insights gained from my fellow peers and experts in this program with local teachers who do not have the opportunity and often the time to engage in informal or formal learning exchanges where they are able to connect and share ideas for transforming their own teaching practice. The MIE Expert program impacts many educators, directly and indirectly.

Tiffany Thompson
@etcllc1

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Share your stories today!

Are you looking to take the next step and become a Microsoft Innovative Expert?  Check out all of the amazing resources on the Microsoft Education website and leave us a comment below to share your favorite MIE Experience.