With the first day of ISTE behind us, I’m thinking about all the people I was thrilled to meet today. I also encountered a bunch of people that I actively avoid yet still somehow show up at every event. You know who I’m talking about, you’ve met them too. They’re the 12 people you have to deal with at every conference you’ve ever attended. Don’t remember them? Let me re-introduce you to some of your favorite colleagues:

1. I’m amazing. Let me share with you 25 reasons why. 
2. I’ve been through hell and back, and now I’m a rock star. 
3. Everything stinks in education these days, so why bother? 
4. I can’t do anything fun. My principal is mean to me. 
5. Let’s go back and talk about me again (refer back to 1). 
6. It’s the “insert political party’s” fault. 
7. I’ve been teaching for 127 years and back in my day… 
8. The students in my school are ok, but let me tell you about my amazing children at home. 
9. I’m going to talk over the speaker the whole time to give you my brilliant color commentary. That’s what you came here for, right? 
10. I’m asking a question just to talk about me one more time (again, 1). 
11. I’ve been teaching for five minutes, so let me tell you how to fix that problem. 
12. I’ve been Instagramming and grading papers the whole time, what are we talking about? 

If you didn’t immediately recognize one of more of these people, I’m sorry to say that you’re one of them. So, on behalf of everyone else in the room, let me just say-please stop.