Fluid Conversations

So, another year begins and as usual, I find myself with a list far too grand for mere mortals. Let’s see…

• Leading Year Four of our T.A.B.L.E.T. Project
-Keeping it fresh and constantly reflecting on how to improve this innovative pd opportunity. A blended PD program, we spend the year becoming more comfortable with technology, so we can focus on the really important work…learning.

• PLP-A second chance to work with Sheryl Nussbaum Beach and Will Richardson. This time our district is the host district and we’re fortunate to have three teams participating plus an administrator piece embedded in the process. This go around, I’ll wear at least three different hats: Organizer/Fellow/Year Two Participant. This is some of the most important work of my career.

• Moodle Administrator-We are slowly expanding the use of Moodle in our district. I am a huge fan of Moodle and hope to see more teachers using it with their students.

• Elluminate Administrator-Another fine tool. We are currently rolling it out to administrators to use as virtual offices and for pd purposes. I look forward to considering the implications for using it as a tool for students to communicate and collaborate globally.

• Access 21-Our district plan for increasing access to technology. A cornerstone of this initiative is creating professional development to assist teachers in re-imagining what it means to learn in the 21st Century. Soliciting proposals from high school teachers to spend the year exploring how to create authentic, meaningful learning environments that look nothing like a 20th Century classroom.

• Placing myself BACK in the classroom to work with teachers and students. I will have the opportunity to work with two sixth grade teachers as they explore the use of blogs in the writing classroom. I’ll also continue the work I started with my seven “tribesmates” (think Seth Godin) this past summer. After articulating what it means to learn in the 21st Century, we began the challenging task of rewriting units to reflect our beliefs of how children learn best. We’ll attempt to create a “picture” of what this looks like in the classroom. Oh, and there is my new work with our District Math Coordinator. We haven’t yet articulated what our work will look like but I imagine we’ll begin to wrap our brains around the ways in which technology can enhance and support learning math.

• I am also the person responsible for Gifted Accelerations in our district. Having been a gifted specialist for 10 years, finding alternative learning environments for children is rewarding and a constant challenge.

Finally, a personal goal is to expand my digital footprint. I find my connections to my PLN to be my number one source of inspiration as I look for ways to grow professionally.

Well, there you have it. A rather lengthy list of “Big Rocks”. I am excited by the infinite possibilities. As I navigate my way through these swiftly moving waters, I’ll allow Dewitt Jones’ inspiring words to light my way:

Four keys to an extraordinary vision…
~focus the vision
~train your technique
~put yourself in the place of most potential
~be open to the possibilities

What are your plans this year? How do you want to grow? How can I help?

So, I got caught…finally. It was only a matter of time before someone discovered the truth. It actually feels good to be “found out”. It’s probably just the impetus I needed to situate my “walk” and my “talk” on the same straight line. Mahatma Gandi said, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in complete harmony”. In other words, walking your talk. Confused?

If you spend any time with me, you will inevitably hear me say that reflection and transparency are essential to deep learning. Blah. Blah. Blah. What good are those words if I don’t practice them myself? When was the last time I posted to this blog? January 2009. Evidently I haven’t learned anything since then because you’re not going to find too many places or spaces where I’ve shared my learning. I continue to lurk…lurk…lurk. Why? Because…I just don’t believe I have anything more to add to the conversation. There. I said it.

I must admit the pull to perseverate over the “why” behind my resistance to being transparent is large and tempting; a better question…a more productive question is “what am I going to do about it?” Because quite honestly, I no longer care to be out of sync with what I say, do and am. I want to trade in the straight jacket I’ve clung to for so many years (it doesn’t fit anymore) and find my rhythm…the place where my walk and my talk are in perfect, precise syncopation. I want to erase the imaginary line of not being “good enough” and re-discover the me I was before I became less than I was meant to be.

So, to Sheryl Nussbaum Beach, thank you for calling me out…for refusing to let me be small. In the spirit of transparency, I think I owe you (and everyone else) a post. (Or two.) Stay tuned…