Did I ask a good question today?

As an educator, one needs to always be prepared with a good question. As a student, one needs to always be prepared with an answer...be it right, wrong or indifferent. (saying "I don't know" can be interpreted as a response, too) As a youngster in the classroom, the questions asked of me were usually literal in nature...simply answer yes or no, true or false, provide a date, name two individuals, identify the country, etc, etc.... Never did the teacher say "tell me about whether you believe our country is right or wrong about fighting in Vietnam," or "explain to me why 18-year-olds should be allowed to vote." That would have opened the door to controversy....and a lively discussion of feelings, attitudes, perceptions, and justifying of choices. You never want to let that genie out of the bottle! (...or do you?)
We've come a long ways in the past fifty years, and the process of good questioning does promote good literacy amongst people of all ages. Good questioning results in students learning how to think, relect and in turn, inquire further with more questions. And once the flood gates are opened up, look out below....
Perhaps some of the problems we're dealing with today are the direct result of when past generations asked questions with that narrow perspective which too often required the lowest level of basic skills in their response and autonomous learning. So tomorrow, and everyday hereafter, I'll begin every good conversation with a good question. One which will provoke thought and deepen my understanding for others.

Notebooking versus Blogging...Or both?

I spent the fall of 2011 in the committed relationship of 'blogging'. It was a unique experience, and while few needed to notice, I was energized in my writings. It required a weekly discipline, reflecting on weekly assigned readings and tech lab discussions. Being a committed educator (and learner) in the 21st century, this was THE 'new' technology to embrace, communicating thoughts and actions in a means which demonstrated skill sets for today's social media.
No sooner had I become acclimated to this regimentation than I am introduced to the concept of 'the writer's notebook'. This concept requires daily contemplation about one's life; not in the style of a diary, rather a personal reflection for any number of topics. The intent is to continually write....a flow of ongoing thoughts without stopping....to never let your mind pause to lose where its place is....to feel the undercurrent of the moment....pulling words from the deepest part of the soul and not to break the ongoing current that transposes the imagination as when we were back in grade school sitting in front of the teacher, listening to her ramblings about good penmanship....and knowing mine was not at the top of her list..... (get my gist here?)
The writer's notebook has a valuable stake in classroom education as it provides insight on WHAT my students are thinking about. One recent reading compared it to opening all the doors and windows of a house so the winds could pass through and all obstacles would be transparent. It generates creativity on the part of my students, and sheds new light on mindful ponderings of young people. Having personally put this practice to use over the first two weeks of class, I am amazed at what avenues my mind wrestles with. Yes, I can see benefit in this concept....but I still like my blog for what it is. Therefore, I see great value in doing both!

Respect for Teachers

While I avoid making political commentary in my blog, I'm most attuned to the overtone associated with the world of politics and education. I applaud our President's words about parental responsibility when it comes to developing their children's love for learning. Yes, we often need to turn off the TV and eliminate the many distractions in order to cultivate a more nurturing climate for learning. Yes, teachers are entitled to respect by everyone in society....but from a young age I was always taught that respect is earned and not automatically dispensed. Looking back to my days in high school, I always respected good teachers; and to those who were great, I not only respected, but held in high regard. The same held true in the workplace for which I involved myself for 37 years. If I worked with an individual who showed desire to not only do their job, but raised the level of expectations for everyone around them, they were provided respect and appreciation. It didn't matter whether they were at level-entry or a seasoned veteran. Respect is earned by one's actions and regards for others, not a commodity to be given out to others as a result of a directive from a leader.

I make these comments in respect and admiration for the outstanding educators found throughout society...be it in the classroom, assembly line, boardroom, or halls of Congress. But I also recognize that there are individuals who refer to themselves as teachers that are not in the right profession. Having secured the title of "teacher" does not earn respect in itself; rather it is proving oneself in the classroom by instilling a yearning to learn and delve deeper. Witness the basketball court when a referee makes a horrifically bad call, not just a judgement call, but one which is clearly a lack of knowing the rules or showing outright bias. Is he or she shown respect or disdain for their actions? Good refs will occasionally blow a call, but in the long run they are highly toted and respected for their work on the hardwood.

Let the discussion about respect continue so there is a greater understanding for the magnitude which this word so worthily reserves.

Back to Learning Again

I love the holidays! They provide an opportunity to celebrate the true reason for the season; but also time to reflect on where we've been the past year and contemplate on the necessary changes for the New Year. As much as I enjoy all of this, I consider Epiphany to be the true day of transition. Now that I've paused and pondered, I'm ready to rev my engine in 2011. Knowing that the next twelve months will carry all the more uncertainty for many friends and former associates, I know it holds many challenges and exciting opportunities for myself in the way of academia.
This past weekend I enjoyed the movie "The Ron Clark Story", very much inspired by his determination and perseverance. His website www.ronclarkacademy.com displays creative teaching at its best. We should also remember that not everyone should attempt to duplicate his work, but retain their originality and true self. I've picked up a copy of his book "The Essential 55" and can't wait to dive deeper into his classroom environment. Meanwhile, the journey continues....

Life on the other side

The acquisition of knowledge is a wonderful thing, but it can also be scary. When one is totally immersed in thought-provoking ideas, you sense there is something on the other side of that wall. The initial images of a new thought is right there at the cusp of your brain, but you can't quite find the right words to communicate it, either to yourself or to someone else. I think of it as the total opposite of walking on thin ice, waiting for the crack to happen and then the opening to swallow me whole. Only this time I am the water beneath that sheet of ice and I just can't find the means to break through to the outside world.

Upon completing my first full semester as a full-time student since December 1974, I am in awe of where my life path has taken me. There is a profound amount of people, places, and ideas which I've experienced, yet nothing compares to the feeling I am experiencing here and now in December 2010. I haven't been away from the classroom for the past 36 years; rather, I've been entrenched in real living. This is not the final chapter, but the beginning of a unique climax in plot development. There are several more roads to travel: some rough and winding, some straight and narrow, some with pitfalls, others with great rewards. My backpack is firmly in place and the compass points me on my way. Let's do it........

Reading Reflection BWP Ch. 4-5

Prior to enrolling in this class, I knew little to nothing about wikis aside from being warned by other professors about their credibility and authenticity. Didn't the folks at Wiki 'control' each wiki? Why would someone put misinformation on the Internet? Why should I believe everything I read and hear? Absolutely not! That's just one reason we've got a brain to process information and make informed decisions. After taking a good look at all the examples provided in chapter 4, I am optimistic about the future of education and the distribution of information via Wiki, Google docs, and all the other read/write applications. It's not simply about my information, but all of the contributions provided by my students. This allows them to not only share, but to institute new ways of thought via a wiki.

RSS applications are also a huge time-saver. Again, I never made use of this tool before the semester began, but now I'm using them all the time. Thanks for places like Pageflakes and Symbaloo, I can crunch time and scan headlines prior to drilling deeper into each individual website. If my class is working on a specific project, I can set up a convenient source page to limit or expand their research. Sometimes I don't need to be the person who identifies the pool, for the class might want to take responsibility for identifying resources. This creates a sense of ownership, too. The wave of "killer apps" is only just beginning, and over the next few years there will be an explosion of new tools to work with. As much as I'd love to get comfortable with one or two, I know they're all going to continue to evolve in scope and design. Change is inevitable and always something to always expect.

Reading Reflection BWP Ch. 1-3

Here I am at the end of the semester and I'm reflecting on the first three chapters of a book I read back in September. Time to reflect on a reflection I thought about three months ago, and the candle is now a roaring flame...but that is not a problem.

I remember those early days of the Internet. As s-l-o-w as it was (in today's standard), it was fast as we knew it for that time. I recall demonstrating a download to my father-in-law, and his amazement in watching it appear (at least little by little). Yet today we web has progressed into a new generation of read/write capabilities. This opens the door for social learning and networking, not just between machines but amongst people and ideas. Suddenly you can "connect" with individuals with similar interests, similar lifestyles, similar cultural backgrounds.How we respond in manner and etiquette is still being debated and defined, but our world has suddenly been turned upside down....or right side up. As teachers we have a much bigger (and deeper) toolbox to draw from...as well as so much more to stay abreast of. As simple as the Internet is, it's a complex maize of things you need to not only learn but remember, too. With freedom comes responsibility, not only for yourself, but knowing where you're steering your students. Their safety should always be our concern, so it is important that my assignments be clear and concise, free of any void and confusion.

I love the idea of maintaining a classroom blog! It allows our class the opportunity to look outward, and it provides parents and community the ability to look inside. It's more than two-dimensional as it can freeze time to the present, look back on the past, and jump ahead into the future. I love it! And while school websites are nice, they don't provide an end-all solution. They often take too much time to update and everything funnels through the office of one individual. Meanwhile a blog is updated instantly...real time stuff! Looking at some of the examples in the textbook which are already in use in various classrooms, it clearly demonstrates a "best practice" which I look forward to using in years to come.