But... some positive points of the day.
- helped unpack and prepare document cameras for library cataloging... a step closer to getting them in classrooms (seemed like my old job, but was requested to help with this...)
- saw a snippet of a great manipulative lesson in 4th on concept of value, and changing values (I love learning and watching teachers as a peer...)
- demo-ed a jing (screencast) to the new library media teacher and then helped her produce a tutorial video on Alexandria, the new electronic card catalog program... and then shared Yammer, and invited her to join and encouraged her possibly share her tutorial to the greater learning community of ACPS... and (I noticed tonight) She DID!!
- invited music teacher colleague to Yammer if interested
- gave cool cardboard scraps to art teacher and brainstormed cool possibilities (the best compliment today was when he said to me, "Now you're thinking like an artist!!"
- had discussions on assessing and grouping for math in 2nd grade. I'm pretty sure I just listened here...
- visited familar classrooms only... :(
- offered to support a classroom teacher with garageband during afterschool hours next week, using the small EDEP group as a test run for what possibilities can be used in the classroom. Teacher was very grateful that I would consider the late work. :)
- arranged a QRI assessment for a K student. (this is the request that I bumbled so on...) I offered to take class for teacher to assess... but she wanted an outside assessor. Consulted with Lead on this... this is where it gets hard. Are we working to support teachers or working with kids? Do I want to send the message that I give assessments to children for teachers? Don't I believe that teachers should do their own assessments? of course I do. What's the underlying purpose of the request? Why didn't I ask "what's the purpose of this assessment?" "why do you feel you need to give this assessment?" More thoughts... The assessment? the second opinion from outside? why? who needs to learn more about the child?? I did not ask the purpose questions here. I NEEDED to PAUSE. Brain gets cloudy... I love working with kids... so it gets murky here. End result.... SUPPORT the teachers' needs, especially RIGHT now. First weeks of school are the relationship building time!
I reflected about the day on the drive home. It is such a messy year with so many school-based roles lost and no clear communications across the division. I am on the frontline of this now. People are judging, watching, asking, confused. And I am needing to be slow, thoughtful and influential. On the drive home... I stopped to see a dear friend to just talk in my usual frenetic ADD way. I needed to talk as I was feeling the stress of losing my autonomy in my former job and constantly second guessing everything I say and do now. I'm use to putting out brushfires, use to running urgently to attend to folks. It's just not the same now. But... after the talk and a beer... I feel better about it all. I need to learn to enjoy the slow. And we all need to realize it's messy out there.
Paula, This is my blink response. I’ll add more thoughts later. I do worry about overwhelming folks… but as I share with folks face 2 face or via emails about tools, I always say… find what works for you. Feel free to experiment and learn by playing with some folks that you are comfortable with. I tried doing just that in my school last year and got shut down… (not going into details here) Now.. having said that, I am guilty of being impulsive. Yes, I may share out of excitement… it’s a major flaw I suffer from. “the blurt factor”. I try to model risk-taking and I always say, I’m testing the waters for others to swim… with the hopes that someone will jump in the water!!! The river of knowledge is always flowing and at our fingertips. (love the river of knowledge analogy for twitter)
So… it’s a new school year and I see movement. I see people willing to play with tools and branch out slowly…they are in familiar waters and paddling gently. Not necessarily to the wide world, but beyond their classroom and hallways. Some are connecting with folks across the division that have never done this before. This I perceive is a good forward step. Yeah.. I’m transparent on the http://WWW... but many folks aren’t like me. Some folks think I’m over the top with twitter, facebook, wikis, etc. But… as needs arise in their lives, I see them slowly gravitating toward collaborative tools. They have to have a purpose. In our school district, I see movement toward some things that I’ve been doing and appreciating and learning for a while now. It’s great to have colleagues participating in new tools and sharing in new ways. So… how do we settle on a tool? How do we know what is the right tool? When we commit to something, can we change without overwhelming and confusing everyone? I don’t know. So… maybe mistakes and impulsive behaviors have happened… but we are all thinking adults that need to choose what works for us. I agree that we must explore our tools that we’ve committed to as a district, but we must also not stop looking at all of the possibilities it can offer us a dynamic learning community which is constantly changing. Again… we must model the capabilities of this tool and I believe we have just started ! so much for a “blink”. Wow… school is starting tomorrow. I can’t wait to see how the school climates feel as I move into new buildings as a coach. Thanks, Paula, for asking hard questions.
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