So summer has arrived at last and I finally have some time for the reflecting that we as teachers, never seem to get enough of during the school year. I am reading blog posts often delivered through my Twitter account and I am finding new meaning in some of the more simple aspects of learning.
Andrew Marcinek has facilitated reading good blog posts by creating the One Comment a Day Project. This one tool alone can help teachers find and read great posts on blogs we might not see otherwise. I learned about it from Kevin Hodgson through a post on his personal blog. Thanks, Kevin. I have signed up for the ning and will continue commenting on the blogs I follow.
Twitter is a tremendous vehicle for me for learning more about good teaching and learning. Since I joined in October 2008, I have taken my own learning, and therefore my teaching, into some exciting new areas. I have developed a great PLN (personal learning network) to share ideas with. People in any business or interest can develop their own network of people so they can expand their own enjoyment and knowledge base in any area of their lives. I’ve seen people using arts &crafts, medical conditions, hobbies, or humor as the foundation of their network. Because each of us is complex, we are given insight into other things as well. The people I follow also have interests in sailing, hockey, television, and spirituality so I get tweets on a variety of topics. Recently I learned about the Chuck Norris phenomenon and spent a good hour chuckling over that.
Blogging was once a high stakes endeavor. That has lessened considerably for the simple reason that I blog. With practice and regular communication on line with others, I have learned that a dialogue is vitally important, not because I have all the answers but because there are an endless number of topics where ideas can and should be shared. I help other teachers when I share my ideas through my examples on this blog as well as through my on-line professional development and discussions. I receive many messages from teachers all around the world and I comment on their ideas as well. I recognize how rich the learning environment has become through blogging and following blogs in my Google Reader.
Writing is an essential part of communication and not just for students. Typos and syntax errors are much less important than we have been led to believe. In a perfect world (not the one I live in) everyone would be able to get it right the first time. People are much more accepting of errors in both writing mechanics and our thinking once they understand that it’s the message and dialogue that matter most. I read with interest what they have to say – whether or not the message is going to be embossed on a page at the printers. Our thoughts are important and we need to share them, at least some of them.
It is our responsibility as teachers to dive right in and explore the world of technology. Our students are digital natives and can use the tools with far greater ease because they are willing to dive in and take a shot at it. We may not be able to use all the tools as quickly as we would like but allowing ourselves a good period of exploration will create a new level of comfort. Our Art teacher shared her thoughts with me this year as she explored several new tools and created a revised blog for her classroom. She said that now, when she runs into some trouble using the tools, she has a new attitude, a can-do attitude. She arrived at that by trying, failing, asking questions, and learning from it. Eventually you will find a way to accomplish what you want to do but you need to go through the trial and error period. Once you’ve found your way through a sticky problem, you have a change in thinking, almost like solving a puzzle. Speaking of failure, failure has taken on a new image in the 21st century. We use heuristic failure as a vehicle for formative assessment and changing direction, not just for branding a project or idea.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~ Winston Churchill.
“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” ~ Bill Cosby.
“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” ~ Dale Carnegie.
“…actively and purposefully applauding and rewarding effort and even failure as a learning experience” ~ Malcolm Gladwell. (Thanks, Liz B Davis)
I will add more thoughts to this post as I spend more time reflecting this summer, so stay tuned. Please consider sharing your own comments. I appreciate the opportunity for dialogue.
What an absolutely interesting post! Your blog has grown and changed so much this year, I so enjoy following it. I have learned so much from your blogging and twitter has changed my teaching and excited me about all the possiblities out there. Mrs. Poulin, I think we would be fabulous friends if we didn’t live on opposite sides of North America!
Thanks, Mrs. McMahon
Together we make a good team and thanks for the comments on this blog this year. I am trying out threaded comments here. Have a wonderful summer. Has hockey started up again in Alberta? Oh wait, I bet it never ends!
I think you’re so right about the potential in failure. I struggle with some of the new technologies, particularly because I want to do a project instantly, rather than take the time to learn it in sensible steps. But often my jumping in and failing teaches me a lot too – not least, what NOT to do.
Yes Susan,
Failure is taking on a whole new, and more positive, face now. I see it in more simple terms. We have not mastered something or figured out how to do it. Few failures need to be permanent. A new approach and more time dedicated will often take away the failure and move things up to the transitional categories.
Gail,
I have finally reached the point where I also have time to reflect and enjoyed reading your blog post today. I am looking forward to collaborating on the One Comment A Day project as well and appreciate your comment today! I am exploring new tools this summer and can relate to another commenter about being impatient with myself at times with the learning process. I appreciate the quotes about “failure” especially since I seem to tell my students all about the benefits of making mistakes but seem to be so tough on myself when feeling like I have “failed”. Thanks for inspiring me today.
Yes indeed, Joan
We are constantly learning new things but don’t get time during the year to look at the big picture. Between balancing an intense classroom experience, assorted duties, a number of mtgs, answering parent notes and emails, and then trying to maintain a healthy body and family life, it marvels me that we don’t burn out before the end of the school year. And that time is crazy with placement decisions and progress reports, etc. We must love our work very much
Gail, great point about heuristic failure; also, couldn’t agree with you more about Twitter. What strikes me the most about it is the speed with which you can explore and create a PLN that crosses all areas of education from Web 2.0 to policy to classrom blogs. Keep writing and helping us with #AE!
July 14th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
What an absolutely interesting post! Your blog has grown and changed so much this year, I so enjoy following it. I have learned so much from your blogging and twitter has changed my teaching and excited me about all the possiblities out there. Mrs. Poulin, I think we would be fabulous friends if we didn’t live on opposite sides of North America!
[Reply]
poulingail Reply:
July 20th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Thanks, Mrs. McMahon
Together we make a good team and thanks for the comments on this blog this year. I am trying out threaded comments here. Have a wonderful summer. Has hockey started up again in Alberta? Oh wait, I bet it never ends!
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July 15th, 2009 at 7:01 am
Great post!
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July 17th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Blogs are great for sharing ideas. I’m only now starting to discover how great Twitter can be, too.
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July 19th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I think you’re so right about the potential in failure. I struggle with some of the new technologies, particularly because I want to do a project instantly, rather than take the time to learn it in sensible steps. But often my jumping in and failing teaches me a lot too – not least, what NOT to do.
[Reply]
poulingail Reply:
July 20th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Yes Susan,
Failure is taking on a whole new, and more positive, face now. I see it in more simple terms. We have not mastered something or figured out how to do it. Few failures need to be permanent. A new approach and more time dedicated will often take away the failure and move things up to the transitional categories.
[Reply]
July 20th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Gail,
I have finally reached the point where I also have time to reflect and enjoyed reading your blog post today. I am looking forward to collaborating on the One Comment A Day project as well and appreciate your comment today! I am exploring new tools this summer and can relate to another commenter about being impatient with myself at times with the learning process. I appreciate the quotes about “failure” especially since I seem to tell my students all about the benefits of making mistakes but seem to be so tough on myself when feeling like I have “failed”. Thanks for inspiring me today.
[Reply]
poulingail Reply:
July 20th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Yes indeed, Joan
We are constantly learning new things but don’t get time during the year to look at the big picture. Between balancing an intense classroom experience, assorted duties, a number of mtgs, answering parent notes and emails, and then trying to maintain a healthy body and family life, it marvels me that we don’t burn out before the end of the school year. And that time is crazy with placement decisions and progress reports, etc. We must love our work very much
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July 24th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Interesting reading about failure in the July 4 2009 Science News Comment column, “Nobelists to students: Being wrong may just be right”.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/44816/title/Intel_ISEF_Discussion_Panel
I think fear of being wrong sometimes holds teachers back from doing more science.
[Reply]
July 25th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Gail, great point about heuristic failure; also, couldn’t agree with you more about Twitter. What strikes me the most about it is the speed with which you can explore and create a PLN that crosses all areas of education from Web 2.0 to policy to classrom blogs. Keep writing and helping us with #AE!
[Reply]