We know how mind-numbing it can be to search and apply for grants and funding for your classroom. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get gadgets into your classroom without actually taking money out of your own pocket. We decided to make it a little bit easier by showing you some opportunities that you can take advantage of. Here is a short list of ways to receive funding for technology in your classroom:

The Boxlight Mimio team has settled back into their daily routines after FETC (January 24–27) in Orlando, Florida and TCEA (February 6–10) in Austin, Texas. As always, both events were exciting and enlightening, and reminded us how our tech-savvy educators know they must stay on top of education trends in order to learn how teaching and learning can best benefit from technology’s near-constant changes.

Bob Dylan’s lyrics, “The times, they are a-changin’,” have never been more relevant as educators face new mandates for preparing students for the future. And what’s more, I think the single biggest trend for this year can be summed up in just a few letters—AR/VR—and maybe one word: makerspaces.

It’s time to get ready for one of the “must-attend” events for innovative educators: TCEA Annual Convention and Exposition. Held in Austin, Texas from February 6–10, this yearly convention brings together campus- and district-level educators (administrators, teachers, tech directors, media specialists, etc.) to explore educational technology integration and best practices that enhance productivity and build engaging teaching methods. Plus, the event offers stellar networking opportunities!

Classroom Connections: Trade Shows and Conferences Not to Be Missed

In our busy, social media crazy world, we often forget the importance of being in a live face-to-face setting with others from the education community. Being active in both your industry trade association of choice or other key conferences can bring with it many benefits. 

FETC 2017 is just around the corner! This four-day event, held on January 24–27, is a fantastic opportunity to greet old colleagues, meet prospective collaborators, and learn from the pros—including hands-on explorations of the latest hardware, software, and successful strategies for integrating technology across the K-20 curriculum. As always, the conference will be held in The City Beautiful: Orlando, FL. From city attractions to workshops and the booths (don’t miss Boxlight at booth 114!), here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect:

We thought it might be interesting to step back before we jump into a new year and see what numbers and statistics are indicating about various aspects of K-12 education. There’s no lack of resources in which to gather intelligence on the current state of everything K-12 from the National Assessment of Educational Progress—the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas to State Education Reform results.

But by no means do the numbers tell the entire story. Share your thoughts below on what these resources and reports mean to you!

Workplace stress can be hard on employees in all industries, but dealing with increasing class sizes, budget cuts, and the lengthy hours spent planning and grading coursework can leave educators feeling like they’re spread too thin. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays and end of year demands added on top of all that, we need some tips and techniques to bring back our spirit!

The challenge in every classroom is to keep each student moving steadily toward proficiency in his or her learning. We have all witnessed how personalized learning—with the teacher, alone, or in small groups—can meet this challenge, but I think we can also agree that some learning is best accomplished with everyone working together.

We all have our favorite go-to sources for professional information—those specific education technology magazines, in-the-know influential bloggers, or even “hottest of the hot” social media sites. Each has their own unique take on the latest teaching trends and methodologies across all subject areas and instructional levels. They may review new products and services for everything from literacy to professional development. Or, they may publish the latest research studies on everything from the social-emotional factors influencing student learning to whether devices are engaging students effectively. All, in one way or another, can help us do what we do in our particular corner of the education world.