Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.
Because we are so limited by time constraints at my school, I decided to invite teachers to "conversations" every Thursday and Friday during lunch.
I envisioned a time to discuss broad topics such as: how do we learn? what role does technology play? what can we do to prepare our students for the future?
Thursday’s group seemed to go well. Because the network was down, I couldn’t show the video I wanted. Instead, we chatted about middle-schoolers who can’t seem to focus for more than 5 minutes. On Friday, I had prepared an article and the network was back up, so I wanted to show the video, too. Instead of leading into the discussion, I tried to force a discussion about the article,which no one had had time to read. And then, I played the vid (Michael Wesch’s latest). With barely 3 minutes, left, I tried to get feedback.
Arrrgghhh. Why do I feel the need to control? I want this to be a relaxing time, a few moments in the day for teachers to just talk, share ideas, learn something new.
Thanks to my friend Jennifer, who reminded me of my original intent for the group, I realized what had happened.
We’ll start again next week.
I need to practice
Last night we had Anastasia Goodstein, author of Totally Wired, What Your Teens and Tweens are Really Doing Online, speak at our school. Her message was right on target, and we loved hearing her validate what we have been saying to our parents and teachers. However, it was raining–for the first time in what, months? I suppose everyone decided to stay home, as we had fewer than 25 (including administrators and teachers) in the audience. Too bad. They missed a good session.
At the last minute, I realized I could try to capture her speech using Ustream, so I plugged in the webcam minutes before she started, and clicked Go Live.
Well, I thought I was. But I wasn’t.
I’m not sure what I did, but nothing recorded, unfortunately. I shouldn’t try to wing these things! Next time, I"ll be more prepared.
And next time, I hope we have a better turnout.
His words, not mine
Somehow David Warlick always manages to say what is in my brain. Before I can even begin to articulate it, he’s blogging about it.
So, I think that if we can simplify the question of staff development
by saying that, “It’s part of the job of the teacher to continue to
grow,” then we can get on with the far more interesting question, “What
does the school and classroom look like where learning is what you see happening, not teaching — where learning stops being a job, and, instead, becomes a lifestyle.”
Read the whole post here.
Watching Together, Learning Together
After reading Kim’s blog about watching the K12 Online presentations with her colleagues, I was inspired. I want to talk about the ideas, roll them around in my head, hear what others have to say. How about it? After school? During lunch? I’ll bring snacks:)
Let’s begin here:
More than cool tools K12-Online
Have you heard this?
Deschool, Reboot, Real School
What do you think about this??
This fascinates me….
Tonight I watched/listened to two different online professional development events. From my kitchen table. One was a live audio interview, and the second, a video (not live, but I picked it up after I got home tonight). I couldn’t figure out how to get to the archives of the third event online. It’s probably a good thing, since my head is full of ideas, and I am trying to figure out how to find the time to use any or all of this with the kids.
Will Richardson shows us how the video works here. Ustream.tv allows the user to have his/her own tv show, live, with added effects. And, yeah, it’s hard to get our heads around watching, chatting, thinking, and blogging, all at the same time. But I can’t wait to try it.