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| Bridge by Mariano Martel, from Flickr CC BY NC |
It was one of those huge conference parties. The kind where the free drink tickets draw the cost-conscious and the alcohol-minded. It was an effort in networking. One of those torturous skills that, if you aren't born knowing how to do it, the only way to get better is by doing more of it. Which basically meant my fake smile did not disguise the eyes of a cornered badger.
One person took pity on me. Either he recognized the look of barely concealed terror or he was just being polite, I'm not sure. He introduced himself as Steve, a game-design teacher at a middle school in New Jersey. Steve never came off as creepy, the way I often do when I introduce myself for the first time. He seemed genuinely interested in what I did and the company I worked for. And when the conversation naturally lulled, we exchanged business cards and went our separate ways like it was no big deal.
Two years, many Twitter chats and in-person hugs later, I realize now that Steve doesn't know a stranger. He makes everyone feel welcome. Whether he's moderating a discussion on Twitter or leading introductions in a meet-up he coordinated, Steve is sincere and friendly. He is having fun learning from the people he has surrounded himself with.
At that same conference where I stood against the wall, equally wishing someone would talk to me while hoping no one would notice me, Steve and a friend of his, Katya, came up with the idea of #EdTechBridge, a Twitter chat connecting educators with EdTech developers. They saw a need for there to be more conversation between the two groups to create the tools that classrooms really needed, and not just what a software developer thought was needed. It also allowed EdTech companies to find teachers who would be willing to try out platforms and give feedback.
This is what Steve does. He facilitates the conversation. He brings people in to the group. He creates the space for introductions. He adds his perspective and copious amounts of experience in beta testing, design and good teaching. But most importantly, he becomes the bridge that connects us.
The world needs more people like Steve.
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