Andy Losik "The STEM Guy" Announces Professional Development Offerings for the 2025-2026 School

Bring fresh energy to your staff development with Andy Losik’s engaging STEM and EdTech workshops! With 30 years of classroom experience and national-level recognition, Andy delivers hands-on, practical PD that leaves teachers inspired and ready to innovate. From makerspaces to low-tech STEM to design thinking, each session is packed with real-world strategies. Reach out today to book a workshop and empower your team for the school year ahead! 

25-26 PD Offerings by Andy Losik

Email Andy at AndyLosik72@gmail.com • or call (616) 294-8436.

Everything we need to know about teaching is in an 80s movie

On a Saturday way back in 2014 I was honored to present the keynote address at the Michigan Connected Educators Un/Conference. Here are my thoughts I shared with the group. The message is pretty timeless in the sense that six years later I believe this message even more. I have now updated my original post from what I shared with the conference back in '14. It's all still true today.

I started teaching in January of 1995. Who I thought I needed to be in the classroom was a combination of Michigan's legendary football coach Bo Schembechler and Sgt. Hulka from Stripes...and to some extent it was required. I took over a fourth grade classroom for a retiring teacher who had taken every Monday and Friday off the entire first semester. When I had been there eight days, it was the longest stretch of consistency these kids had had all year.

I had high expectations. I was loud with very low tolerance. I expected my students to be exactly like I had been as a student, compliant. Do what I ask when I ask it with few questions...It wasn’t very fun for any of us. I wondered how I would ever endure 30 more years of this.

In 1998 I faced what I figured would be a “make or break” task. I would be teaching a 5-6 split.  I would have six 6th graders who all were academically gifted in one way or another and seventeen fifth graders who hadn’t been selected for the previous year’s 4-5 split, primarily due to academics. How was I going to tackle this?

What got me through it was the power of using project based learning with the sixth graders....primarily to keep them occupied while I tried to get my 5th graders ready for the state assessment....MEAP test. That approach overtook my teaching that year and by June all kids were working on all kinds of projects and learning together in so many ways. It also became one of my favorite years of my career. You can smile and cheer instead of bark and gripe when your kids are constantly engaged.

That small group of sixth graders always reminded of the kids in My Science Project (watch the whole thing on YouTube) and from there I discovered that everything we need to know about engaging kids can be learned somewhere in an 80s movie.

Lesson 1: What makes tech useful in the classroom. I present to you the ultimate piece of educational technology. Just watch this trailer and think about how this phone booth  from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure does exactly what we want our technology to do.  These guys have incredible access to primary sources and get to witness history.  It is total immersion in content. 

If you remember how the film ends, these two put on an amazing rock concert-like oral report. They had the tools to gather information and then presented in a way that expressed the learning through their skills as rock and rollers.

The next lesson is to value the time together. We can not monopolize the time.  Jeff Spicoli actually makes a great point in the following clip from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  Mr. Hand shouldn’t be the only one having all of the fun...if we can call it that.

There is probably a better way to set up a "feast on our time" though...but to Mr. Hand's credit, he cared enough about Jeff that he even went to Spicoli's house to make sure his surfing student completed enough work to graduate. Time called Mr. Hand the "original No Child Left Behind Teacher".

Lesson 3: Kids love to the make stuff but it’s our job though to channel that energy into the right opportunities. Gary and Wyatt learned the hard way about being  responsible with technology. Okay....this 3d printer might trump the phone booth for top tech honors but we are still talking about technology being used educationally!  Weird Science brings one more thought to mind. Did these "two guys" grow up to be Brian Briggs and Ryan O'Donnell, the Bedley Brothers, Brad Waid and Drew Minock, or Kyle Anderson and Joe Marquez?

Somewhat related to #3 is that kids just love to mess with stuff. Even back in 1983 before anyone knew what hacking was, War Games featured some random teens monkeying with North American Aerospace Command (NORAD) and its super sophisticated computer the WOPR. Then in 1986 a kid who looked a lot like the War Games kid was hacking his high school attendance computer so he could go to the museum and a Cubs game. Poor Ferris. He asked for a car and got a computer. Talk about being born under a bad sign. But....he had Internet in 1986. That's not all bad. I wonder if David Jakes ever bumped into Ferris' principal Ed Rooney in any Suburban Chicago educational circles. Rooney could have learned a lot from Jakes. 

#5 is a concept that took me a long time to get my head around. That inconvenient truth is that in the classroom you cannot use the same approach or lesson design for every kid. You have to diversify your instruction according to each kid's needs. No 80's film better exemplifies this than The Breakfast Club. The principal in the film, Mr. Vernon,  required them to each write a 1000 word essay about who they thought they were. Here is the essay Brian ended up writing for all of them.

He is exactly right. Let us never forget that every student is a complex human being and we need to foster development of their whole being.

Final lesson: It's not about you. It's about creating the right environment where kids can thrive. But, that doesn't mean you still can't be right in the middle of the learning fun. Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society comes immediately to mind but I also give a big nod  to Bill and Ted's guide Rufus and quite possibly the coolest teacher ever captured n film, Mark Harmon's character Freddy Shoop from Summer School. 

Get in there and dig around with the kids just like Dean Shareski told us at MACUL back in 2014,

"It's not good enough to be the guide on the side anymore. Be the meddler in the middle."

It's been 25 years in the making for me but along the way teaching has become a lot more of an excellent adventure and a lot of a less bogus journey. All I needed to know about teaching is in the movies of the 80's. 

Opportunities Abound in Relationships with Educational Vendors | MACUL Community

One late summer evening I was enjoying the company of several other educators who were all presenters at the next day’s large edtech conference. Somehow a little friendly razzing found its way in my direction. The other teachers in the group were giving me a hard time about all of the “corporate” ties I have.

Check out the whole article at the new MACUL Community: Opportunities Abound in Relationships with Educational Vendors | MACUL Community

#MiGoogleFest Returns in August

It was a smashing success last Fall and it is coming back for its second year. MACUL presents Google Fest 2016 at the Amway Grand in Grand Rapids on August 9 and 10.Tuesday the 9th will feature a series of specialized "camps" for administrators and users with varying skill levels.  Incredible educator and all-around good dude Kyle Pace will keynote the conference portion on Wednesday the 10th.

GoogleFEST   

#migooglefest

August 9 & 10, 2016

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

Grand Rapids, MI

Registration Cost: 

• One day: $89


• Two days: $169

Keynote Speaker: Kyle Pace is an Instructional Technology Specialist and Google for Education Certified Innovator that has worked with K-12 teachers in his current school district to provide instructional technology professional development since 2004. For more information about Kyle, visit googlefest.macul.org.

#CUERockStar Admin Camp - An Inside Look

 

There is #CUERockStar Teacher Camp, but what is #CUERockStar Admin Camp? Check out this great look inside as shared by camp founder Jon Corippo.

Visit cuerockstar.org for camp dates and more information.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdvvG6AUosw&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

The CUE Rock Star Admin Hero's Journey is all about providing new, hands-on skills for administrators who desire to create a positive, disruptive process of change in their organizations. These will be three full, hard-working, challenging and rewarding days. The faculty and curriculum will deliver administrators (Assistant Principals, Principals, Curriculum Coordinators, Directors, Assistant Superintendents and Superintendents) the skills they need to lead their districts in more agile and adaptable ways.

55 Tips from Google for Teaching and Learning

As the United States trickles back to school, Google is offering up some great tips for both educators and students.

All kinds of things from staying better organized with calendars to understanding how work is stored are covered in these quick hitting tutorials.

One of my biggest personal initiatives is to dig deeper into working with Google Classroom. A handful of the tips will help with that from both the teacher side of it and from the learner's perspective.

55 Google Tips for Teaching and Learning.

Boiling Down What Makes #CUERockStar Rock

Check out Jon Corippo explaining why the CUE Rock Star model has proven so effective when it is so different from the typical educational conference or PD.

Jon Corippo - CUE Rock Star #BLC15 - YouTube.

Education on Air- Keynote from Jennie Magiera: "Power to the pupil" - YouTube

The definite high point for me of the recent Google Education on Air conference my friend Jennie Magiera's great presentation. She really nails the power of empowering students has on the educational process.

Education on Air- Keynote from Jennie Magiera: "Power to the pupil" - YouTube.

Michigan New Teacher Conference | SAGA Educators

This is a great event for new teachers hosted by Gary Abud Jr. and Andrew Steinman of SAGA Educators. I had a chance to talk to both in Detroit at MACUL and wanted to pass along information on it.

The Michigan New Teacher Conference is a free event for early career and aspiring teachers to network and learn with and alongside experienced educators.

New and experienced educators are invited to join us for a morning of conversations about teaching, leading, and learning. This conference has something for educators with all levels of experience.

Support for Michigan’s newest teachers

Insight from accomplished career educators

Networking opportunities for all participants

All conference attendees to walk away with strategies, skills, and tools that can be used the very next day.

Check out Michigan New Teacher Conference | SAGA Educators.

I'm Speaking at #MACUL15

The 2015 MACUL Conference is three weeks away and my excitement for what I often call my most inspiring teaching week of the year is starting to build.

I will be sharing and engaging during three different sessions this year.

Thursday - March 19
•Google Certified Teacher/Trainer Panel  Discussion, 10:00 AM, Room 111 A/B
•These ARE the Droids you're looking for, 2:30 PM, Room 110 A/B

Friday - March 20
•If you can't make it in Keynote, You don't need it, 8:00 AM, Room 259 - This two hour hands-on session requires additional payment at registration.

Please stop by and be part of the conversations. I always leave MACUL amped for the remainder of the year primarily because of the great people with whom I get to spend the time.

Pharrell Williams, the essence of professional development, and #cuerockstar

"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest places if you look at it right." ~ The Grateful Dead "Scarlet Begonias"

Last night while watching The Voice on NBC, I witnessed a couple of special minutes. After 17 year-old Bryce Sherlow's audition didn't make the cut, she graciously accepted the feedback and encouragement from the celebrity judges. When Bryce mentioned to Pharrell Williams that she had sung his hit "Happy" at the a cappella nationals, he asked her to sing a little.

"Get up there and sing it with her," instructed fellow judge Christina Aguilera...and he did.



This is the essence of what professional learning should be. Pharrell the mega star gave this young start-up a thrill of a lifetime by leaving his pedestal and putting himself on the same level as her. By him taking a step down so to speak, he lifted her up. The good educational presenters do that. They may have tens of thousands or Twitter followers and receive thousands per day from school districts to present, but to have lasting impact they have to meet their workshop attendees on a common level. That is how you move the craft of teaching forward. That is how you inspire the next wave to join you in moving the craft of teaching forward. That is also how any teacher inspires and moves their students forward.

The "Faculty members aren't the rock stars. Attendees are the rock stars." mantra of the CUE Rock Star Teacher Camps is the core value that has made them so impactful and why people attend multiple camps each year. It is why I have gotten so involved with them. When I watched Pharrell get on stage, I told my wife, "That is Rock Star to a tee. That is exactly what it is all about."

 

MACUL 2015: Get to the MichShift Idea Slam!

Check out this great event for Thursday March 18 at MACUL in Detroit.

ShiftMich Idea Slam

What better place than here? What better time than now?

A unique event during MACUL week

Are you a Michigan educator who is....

creative/inspired/adventurous?

Are you ready to...

connect with others/start something/tell your story?

If you are passionate about innovation in education...

Meet in Detroit!

The Idea Slam is a fast paced "pitch fest" and networking event for educators. Selected projects will be presented and attendees will vote on their favorite ideas. Winning projects will receive up to $1,000 towards their innovative educational idea. The rest of the evening is an informal meet-up with fun conversations and delicious offerings from Detroit Beer Company.

The concept of the Idea Slam was inspired by the Detroit Soup and TED Conference formats.

GET YOUR TICKET

200 tickets available- Sellout anticipated

All proceeds given back to the winning educators who pitch their impactful idea!

---

Detroit Beer Company

WHEN

Thursday, March 19th, 7:30-11pm

WHERE

1529 Broadway Street - Detroit

MORE INFORMATION

Detroit Beer Co. is located just a few steps off of the Detroit People Mover! Exit at the Broadway Street Station.

Driving? Your best bet is the Opera House Garage located at

1426 Broadway St

Detroit, MI 48226

Get Directions

Great city	Great space	Great people  7:30pm- Doors open

8:00pm- Opening remarks

8:15pm- Idea Slam pitches

9:00pm- Voting

9:15pm- Winners announced

9:15-11:00pm: Networking and idea sharing

Have an innovative Idea that could make a positive Shift in your school or education in general? Pitch it and you could walk away with money to get it off the ground! (Use the above link to apply for one of five pitch spots at the event. Organizers want to ensure presenters are organized and ready to SLAM. Only the top five selected will get a chance to pitch.)

Event flier on SMORE

Learn to Love Google Drive with Rob Lowe

Here is the slide deck for Wednesday Morning's session on embracing Google Drive.SHAREit For PC Windows WhatsApp Video Calling Apk We'll have a little help from Rob Lowe who uses Google Drive and from Creepy Rob Lowe, Meathead Rob Lowe, and Peaked in High School Rob Lowe as well.

Check out all of the #cuerockstar Saugatuck awesomeness presenting at #MACUL15

We said last year that Rock Star Saugatuck Teacher Camp was all about launching the awesomeness within all of our attendees. On Day 1 last summer many were quietly questioning themselves as to whether they had bitten off more than they could chew. By the end of Day 3 we all were listening to and witnessing amazing transformations in so many of them. It wasn't that they had attended some magical session. They realized that they do indeed have a lot of insight into powerful teaching and a lot to share. Now six months later, 1/6 of Saugatuck campers are presenting at this year's big MACUL conference in Detroit from March 18-20.

Check out the great list of sessions below from last year's attendees and faculty. Then visit cuerockstar.org to register for this summer's July 7-9 camp presented by MACUL and Saugatuck Public Schools.

Thursday

8:00-10:00
Explore the Power of iPhoto - Dave Tchozewski (hands-on session, additional charge)

10:00-11:00
Blogging, It's Elementary - Heidi Gascon
Make a Presentation that will Wow your Students - Nicole Bauman, AnnMarie Willette

10:30-12:30
Creating Digital Books with iTunes Author - Dave Tchozewski (hands-on session, additional charge)

1:00-2:00
If you're Appy and you Know it, Come Smash with Us - Kristen Gavlas, Johnna Kline
Collaborate and Connect with Google Apps and Drive - Heidi Gascon
Inquiring Minds want to Know - Erin Mastin

2:30-3:30
These ARE the Droids you are Looking For - Andy Losik
Bring a new Dimension to Learning with Augmented Reality - Drew Minock
Going Paperless with Google - Kevin Kacel, Sam Sicilia

3:30-5:30
Create and Innovate with iTunes U - Rebecca Wildman (hands-on session, additional charge)

4:00-5:00
Beyond Paper and Pencil: Supporting Writing with Technology - Heidi Gascon, Stacey Schuh
No Tech to Lots of Tech - Keith Tramper
Student Data and Information Privacy in the App Era: A Panel Conversation - featuring Ben Rimes

Friday

8:00-10:00
If you can't Build it in Keynote, you don't Need It - Andy Losik (hands-on session, additional charge)

8:30-9:30
Needle in a Haystack: Internet Search Tips and Tricks - Colleen Robison
It Takes just a S.E.C. - Leveraging Schoology, Edmodo, or Classroom to Engage Learning - Nicole Bauman, AnnMarie Willette

10:00-11:00
Inspire Innovation by Fostering Collaboration and Creativity - Drew Minock
Teach Like a Transformer - Keith Tramper

10:30-12:30
Engage English Language Learners through Technology - Cheryl Prindle (hands-on session, additional charge)

11:30-12:30
Revitalizing Research in the Digital Age - Katie Aquino
The iPad's Killer App - Ben Rimes

1:00-2:00
Why Connect as an Educator? - Erin Mastin
Engage your Students with Free Web Tools - Dave Tchozewski
I've got a Brain to Pick with You - Jennifer Gwilt
The Battle for your Class: Google Classroom vs. Edmodo - Josh Hubbard

2:30-3:30
Closing Keynote: Culture, Innovation, and Learning: A 21st Century Paradigm Shift - Drew Minock

Wow! After the opening keynote you can do the whole conference front to back and you've got Rock Stars leading every time slot.

See you in Detroit. See you in Saugatuck this summer.

Blowing the Doors off Google Apps for Education

Here is the slide deck I will be using today in Caledonia as we dig deeper into the cool stuff Google Apps can provide.

 

Hey Michigan, #cuerockstar's Back!

Last year was so awesome, we couldn't not do it again this year!

CUE and MACUL are two of the premiere organizations in the US for promoting the integration of technology in the classroom and are teaming up for Act II of the Rock Star Teacher Camp experience.

For these three days, the attendees are the Rock Stars and the presenters are just the lucky folks who get to help facilitate amazing collaboration and learning.

​

CUE Rock Star Saugatuck presented by MACUL will take place this summer at Saugatuck Middle School from July 7th to the 9th.

Check out cuerockstar.org to register or apply for a faculty spot. Deadline for faculty applications is on Feb. 22. Faculty receive complimentary registration and lodging. If you are applying, please do not register. We will save room for you if you are not selected and you may pay your registration later.

This year's camp will follow much of the same format that last year's did. Lots of learning. Lots of fun. Treating teachers like they've never been treated.

We really hope you'll consider being a part of this experience and will bring lots of friends.

Connected Educator Un/Conference returns

It's back! Jackson ISD hosts its annual Connected Educator Un/Conference April 18th, 2015.

A mashup of educational technology & conversation, this is an opportunity to get you moving with an innovative classroom! The #ConnectedEDU Un/Conference features active learning experiences alongside and led by innovative Michigan educators!

via Connected Educator Un/Conference - EDTECH TEAM.

Check out the Session Listings for #CUERockStar Camp Melbourne, FL

Get yourself some sun this winter and soak up some amazing professional development as well.

Check out the sessions now listed for Rock Star Florida

January 17-19, 2015

Stone Magnet Middle School, 1101 E University Boulevard, Melbourne, FL 32901

Day 1 - Microsoft, Google, and Apple

Day 2 - STEAM

Day 3 - Digital Pedagogies

All CUE Rock Star Teacher Camps are purposely designed and focused small group events that have three items in common:

Hands-On Learning

All three days consist of two, two-hour sessions allowing attendees to "dig in deep" and really get to know their topic and build resources to use next year.  Morning sessions are repeated in the afternoon so that attendees have two different opportunities to attend a workshop.

Small Presenter to Attendee Ratios

CUE Rock Star events are built so that there is one presenter for every ten attendees and the events sell out at 60-70 attendees.  This allows participants to get hands-on support and learn directly from knowledgeable educators. The amazing Faculty is there to support YOU, the real rock stars. CUE Rock Star Melbourne has an all-star cast of presenters, but the staff isn't who these events are about. The attendees are the real rock stars and contribute to the magic these camps produce. These three days focus on bringing out the best of all in attendance and launching a new crop of edtech leaders.

Time for Collaboration and Networking

We purposely start late, end early, and take extended lunches so that all attendees have ample opportunities to collaborate and network as part of learning community.

Lodging Information:

View this map for several hotels in the area. CUE is not endorsing or recommending any particular hotel; this is intended for informational purposes only.

Daily Schedule:

9:00      Coffee

9:30      Shred Sessions

10:00    Session 1

12:00    Lunch/Networking

2:00      Session 2

4:00      Closing

Registration and more details at  CUE Rock Star Camp Melbourne, FL.

Power to the pupil | Jennifer Magiera | TEDxBurnsvilleED - YouTube

Jennie Magiera folks.......As good as it gets! A great friend and great inspiration.

via Power to the pupil | Jennifer Magiera | TEDxBurnsvilleED - YouTube.

Catch my MiGoogle Conference sessions on live streaming

The Michigan Google Conference will live stream my two featured sessions Become a SAMR-ai with Android Devices and These ARE the Droids you are looking for via live stream beginning at 1:10 EST on Tuesday November 4.The conference will also stream the keynote from Cyrus Mistry, head of Chromebooks at Google, as well as Kelly Kermode's featured morning  sessions.

The action kicks off at 8:30 EST.

Live-Stream - migoogle14.