processing the day

When looked at from afar, I’m not that bad. It’s up close, after getting to know me, and really looking at me, that people most often realize that I’m not all that special. Like the shiny new technology or the cool new toy, at first, I’m appealing. But then the novelty wears off.

This is how I feel today.

This morning, at the SPS district Communication Arts Curriculum Institute—fancy name for 4 hours worth of workshops—I presented twice. First, I shared about Twitter to a small, but very engaging group of teachers. I was told by those in the building (Central High School) that Twitter was available and “open” for use, and that it would be for the workshop, but it wasn’t. This meant that “getting our hands dirty” by making accounts and exploring people to connect to was impossible. Luckily, some brought their smartphones, and were able to set up accounts via their phone, and even download an app for use. In reflection, a huge glitch did occur, but overall I feel like it went amazingly well. Everyone was talking, sharing with one another, asking questions, and I was able to show some really cool stuff. Huge thanks must go to everyone for simply doing your thing on Twitter. I’m really excited about the idea that 12 new teachers in our district will be using Twitter to connect to other teachers and share their own learning and experiences through the medium.

Second, I presented with Keri. Now every time I try to describe this “thing” that we presented on, I have a really difficult time, because I guess I’m not looking at the big picture and I’m more looking at all of the little details. I’m more jumbled, like JFK, rather than specific, like Abe Lincoln. Essentially, the OWP is partnering with SPS regarding assessment driven writing instruction. That’s the best, and simplest way I’ve ever described it. The professional development that we are offering is also part of a research study. Because of the research study aspect, we had to be very careful how we worded things; we could not and cannot be coercive in any way. Basically we tried to describe things in the most wonderful way positive, and hope that people bought in. It’s what teachers do on a regular basis, and it’s not easy.

We’ve invested loads and loads of time and effort into this project already, and we finally were given an opportunity to present our thinking and ideas to the people. It’s kind of like what a teacher does through the year, especially a first year teacher. I remember I spent so much time through the summer, before my first year of teaching, thinking and reading and planning and imagining what things would be like. Then finally, when the day rolled around, very little of it resembled what I imagined. Well, today, some of it did resemble what I imagined, but now, with hindsight, I see that all of our plans, no matter how convincing and worthwhile they seem to me, mean nothing to anyone outside of my own brain.

I was comfortable and relaxed as I sat and talked with the teachers. I didn’t engage them on a personal level enough, I know that and I knew that. Keri is much better at that, and much more intentional about it. I knew that I wasn’t going and meeting them, and engaging them. I did this on purpose, and do this on purpose, and now looking back, maybe it was wrong. I didn’t want to force myself into a conversation, nor did I want to pretend to be interested in some contrived conversation simply because I was there. Also, I know the divide shouldn’t be present, but a divide was present in the room. If you weren’t recognized, then you weren’t really welcomed into the circle. I’m cool with that. In fact, I almost encourage that. And that’s what I need to correct. I’m the type of person that values an atmosphere that drives people together, and I think today, through how things were presented by Denise, that’s what happened. That’s how I read the room, so I didn’t actively engage in conversation.

Maybe that wasn’t the right thing to do. Maybe, as part of this whole “teachers teaching teachers” thing, I should have more intentionally connected to the teachers, introduced myself and met them. Honestly though, if I would have done that, I think I would have felt like a politician, working the crowd and schmoozing. Anyone who knows me knows that that is something I could not do. It is something that I would not do. Even if that isn’t what I would have been doing, the fact is, it’s what I would have felt like I was doing. So I didn’t do it. I will admit that, as I watched Keri meeting and connecting with many of the teachers, I thought about how that’s what Keri does. She meets people. She engages in conversation with anyone. I never know if she’s trying to win people over, or if she’s genuinely interested in them. I guess I’m not that interested in some people.

There’s still a lot to be mined from today’s experiences. There’s still a lot to be processed. I would love to talk about this with others, to hear what others think. Honestly, I would love to be able to sit down with some of the people at each of the sessions to simply talk about things, to hear about how some of the teachers want to use Twitter, or hope to use Twitter. I want to get honest and critical feedback about how much they got out of the session. I would love to sit down with those teachers who are choosing not to participate in the PD or in the research study and simply listen. I want to hear what they have to say. I really want them to talk me through what they think would be worthwhile for their time. I’m less interested in why they don’t want to participate in this PD, and more interested in what type of PD they would be interested in. And I would also like to sit down with some teachers who are participating in the PD in order to gauge what they expect, and what they hope to get out of it. I want to listen to them also.

Listening is powerful. It gives people voice. It empowers them. I guess I feel like, so often, teachers aren’t given voice, or aren’t empowered. As teachers, we see what buy-in and confidence can do for our students. Confidence is what I call a “game-changer,” especially for 8^th graders, living during some of the most insecure, self-doubting times of life. Listening to a kid does wonders. Helping a kid grow more confident in himself/herself, truly in themselves and not in what they just accomplished or in what they can accomplish but because they live and breath and exist and should be confident—that changes things. Why can’t we see this need in ourselves, or in other teachers?

Yes, 8^th grade is hard because of how unsure we are as adolescents and how awkward everything seems, but life is pretty hard too. I can remember when I went to college, the thought struck me, “This is the first time my parents have ever had a son in college, and a son who hasn’t lived close to home.” That thought revealed to me how hard life could be and was for them. Sure, I wasn’t exactly sure of what I was doing; I was the one moving 700 miles away to go to college. But they were also allowing me/helping me do that, and they were dealing with their own issues because of it. Even thought they were adults, they didn’t know how everything would work out; life was hard for them too.

Why can’t we realize, as adults, as teachers, that we need voices, and we need confidence? Why can’t we slow down, or carve out time, to listen to one another and to support one another? It’s always easier to gripe and complain. This year, I want to stop taking the easy road. This year, I’m ready to learn more than I teach. This year, things are going to be different, and I want to be a change-agent, not only for my students, but also for teachers in my building and in my district.

I'm late again, but I'm still up so it counts for today

Today I wanted to post something from all this Twitter crap that I've been writing and working on, but I wrote it in Word and the formatting is giving me such fits that I absolutely will not post it here. I'll be giving everyone who attends my session on Twitter for Teachers the link to a Google Doc which will serve as a resource when they leave. It's a ridiculously long and dense handout, which is why I'm going to tweet the link out to those who are following me. Only those interested will seek it out and use it. And that's how I want it to be.

Today I worked with the OWP LSRI VI research team. It's super weird for me to write, but I'll be leading the professional development. We worked from 9:00-4:30, took a break until 6:00, when we had dinner and continued our conversation. It was a completely exhausting day. At 4:30 I came home to read and watch soccer. I couldn't nap, because if I did I would have slept for five hours.

It was an amazing time for work with some wonderfully smart and nice people. Linda Friedrich from the NWP office came to talk us through this whole thing, and her assistance will prove to be invaluable, I'm sure. A new book which she just coauthored has come out, How Teachers Become Leaders, and she shared it with us. It was amazing getting to pick her brain as we sat at the same table and shared donuts and thoughts on research. I'm so blessed.

Two things stand out to me as impressive:

(1) We somehow gel. Even though that's the first time this entire team has been together, although we've worked in some capacity with one another, we get along really well. There were very fast introductions all around, and then we got to work. We weren't scared to disagree with one another, or to ask tough questions. I wasn't scared to ask questions that I thought might be dumb--and that's a pretty good indicator of the acceptance and climate in the room. We laughed at goofy jokes together. We talked about Twitter and Facebook--and more importantly, internet privacy and transparency. It was a great time.

(2) I was the only "dude" on the team, and I hope to remedy that. Also, I feel woefully undereducated sitting at a table with three Ph.D.s and a teacher who has been at it for more than twenty years. I'm going into my fifth year, and I just finished my Masters. Rarely, if ever, have I found myself in a majority when it comes to education situations. I'm starting to really know and understand how prevalent it is in my thinking and awareness, and I'm really wishing that I could be part of a majority at some point. I had a great time learning from these wonderful professionals, and working with them was challenging in a positive way. It would just be nice to have some other dudes around.

I kept writing about Twitter today. It's a way for me to figure out what I want to say in my presentation on Thursday. I'm going to finish up the handout tonite. Here is what I processed through today though. It's pretty ridiculous, but it was a decent chunk of writing time.

Twitter is a social networking tool, which means people develop social connections. The descriptor “social” doesn’t need to carry a negative connotation though.

Like many things, teachers have found a way to use twitter as a tool to our benefit, and for two reasons: teaching can be isolating, and teachers love free stuff. By following good teachers and administrators on Twitter, we open up a door to what is happening around the country and the world in other classrooms. The transparency that is achieved through sharing thoughts and practices works against the isolating feelings that can accompany teaching.

No longer do teachers beg, borrow, and steal ideas and resources for use in the classroom. That’s a one-way street, with no reciprocity. Now, we collaborate. Teachers share ideas and resources in conversation; it’s a two-way street involving reciprocity.

I’m the only 8^th grade English teacher in my building. I’m one of three English teachers in my building. Counting the Librarian and the “At-Risk” educator, there are five people that I can go to for ideas and resources. That’s not very many, no matter how good they are. Through connections on Twitter, I have access to exponentially more educators in my field; the potential for collaboration is immense. Why would I not use this?

On Twitter, I propose there are two different types of interactions: friendship-driven and interest-driven.* We’re interested in becoming better teachers. We’re interested in using new and innovative tools in meaningful ways. We’re interested in engaging in meaningful conversations about what we teach and how we teach it. The connections established on Twitter allow for all of this.

As teachers, we’re probably not initially going to use Twitter for friendship-driven interaction, but as use increases, I’ve found that there’s a recursive process between the social (friendship-driven) and the professional (interest-driven). This doesn’t happen in every scenario, but it can and will happen.

I first met @poh on Twitter because I tweeted about reading a book. He asked me to write a book review on it, which I did. Then I met him f2f in Washington D.C. at a conference, and there we began hanging out. There he asked me to write something about Twitter, so he invited me to a writing retreat in Austin, TX, where we hung out more. Now I would say he’s a friend. We joke about football and baseball. We’re not great friends. The social connection grew from the professional connection, but in life that is how many things happen. First you teach down the hall from someone, then maybe if you’re ladies you have a shopping day together, or if you’re guys you go to a Springfield Cardinals game.

So, Twitter increases the number of meaningful connections available to us as educators, thus increasing the potential for collaboration. Two questions should then immediately arise: Who do I connect to/with? How do we collaborate? Both of these questions are very good questions. First, I recommend you connect with those you know. The follow up question to this: why would I need to connect and collaborate with these people through Twitter if I can connect and collaborate with them without it? Again, good question. The answer: because it’s easier. Second, I recommend you connect with those you admire, and then with those who they follow. So, if you love webquests then you should follow @BernieDodge, and probably some of the people he follows, based on the tweets. If you find yourself emphasizing independent reading your classroom, you may want to follow @donalynbooks and @paulwhankins, and probably some of the people they follow, based on the tweets. If you find yourself emphasizing current events and social justice in your classroom, you may want to follow @paulallison (and listen to his weekly Wednesday evening podcast), and some of the people he follows, based on the tweets.

Once you begin to share your own ideas and resources with others, you are collaborating. Connections can happen even when you don’t bring anything to the table. This is often called listening or lurking on Twitter, and it’s totally acceptable especially early on.

One significant way that collaboration occurs is through chats, which usually happen on a weekly basis focused on a topic question. One of the best chats, #edchat, is held on Tuesdays at 11 am and 6 pm CST and covers broad categories regarding education. Specific to English is #engchat, held on Mondays at 6 pm CST. There is also #yalitchat, held on Wednesdays at 8 pm CST, and #kidlitchat, held on Tuesdays at 8 pm CST. During these chats, you will find people who make very intelligent statements (and those who don’t) and who link to very interesting articles/videos/blogs (and those who don’t). Because of this, they’re great places to connect with people (meaning meet people to follow).

There’s much more that goes into Twitter, like understanding compositional conventions, trending topics, or using management systems, but this write-up certainly isn’t meant to be comprehensive. If you have questions, email me.

*The two types of interactions are borrowed from Hanging out, messing around, geeking out: Kids living and learning with new media by Mizuko Ito, et. al.

I promise

I wrote this yesterday, I promise. I'm working on a piece on Twitter, which I've been working on for too long to admit. I'm now doing an hour long presentation on Twitter for other English teachers in the district. It's funny, and not at all exciting. I wish I could figure out why. That would be something worth writing. Well, yesterday I wrote this, and I'm not ashamed to post "work writing" on this blog to make sure that I post something everyday, even if I forget to post it that day. Yes, I make mistakes. This is more about the commitment to write everyday than to be a rule follower. So, here it is. It isn't great, but it is the portion I am willing to share. The presentation is on Thursday, so maybe then I'll writing about how everything goes.

Twitter for Teachers: A social networking tool as professional learning network

Yes, it is a social networking tool, which means people develop social connections. But like many things, teachers have found a way to use it as a tool to our benefit, and for two reasons: teaching can be isolating, and teachers love free resources. By following good teachers and administrators on Twitter, we open up a door to what is happening around the country and the world in other classrooms. The isolation can easily be broken down by transparency in practice. That transparency in practice is accomplished through the sharing of ideas and resources. No longer do teachers have to beg, borrow, and steal for something to use in the classroom, all we’ve got to do is listen and learn.

There’s two different types of interaction: friendship-driven and interest-driven. As teachers, we’re not really focusing on the friendship-driven interaction, although I think you will find that once connections on Twitter are developed through interest-driven activities, friendships will arise.

just getting it done

I've done a bunch of driving today. And talking. I hate the driving, because it is so absolutely, inescapably hot. I love the talking. It's great. It's the people that make it great. Thanks to all you out there who I got to talk to today. You're great.

Keri and I are working on our "Twitter" piece, whatever it is, for the Digital Is website. I'm really excited to get back into it because it is fun working with Keri, and sharing what we know, even if the knowledge is somehow marginalized or devalued because of the timing. The Digital Is website is very cool. It's beautiful, really. I can't wait to see our work up there. I'm also imagining what other work I or we could put up on the site.

I love the fact that Christina and Kate (and the NWP) used Drupal to make the Digital Is website. And I'm really glad that the content will be user generated. It's important to have the curators there, but it's also important to see the work of regular people. Combining open source and user generated is exciting to me. It's time the high and lofty recognize the expertise present in the masses. It's time value judgments aren't made based on the name on a paper but on the quality of the work.

Civil rights is a fight for equality. It's not over. There are politicians doing all they can to make sure that access is not granted. There are intellectuals making sure that value is based on unfair assessments. Each step in the direction of granting open access and equal privileges is positive. Thank you to NWP for taking a step in that direction with Digital Is.

Now that I've gone on, Adbusters style, I'll stop. I don't know why I write this way, but it seems to always pour out of me this way.

"I can't tell you what it really is, I can only tell you what it feels like"

Those are Eminem’s first words in the song “Love the Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna.

Yes, right now, I’m in love with Eminem’s rap, but I also feel like those words are appropriate. Today, I want to write about presence. I’m thinking this is only going to be a starting point for thinking/processing that will continue. Right now, I can’t quite make an objective statement, but I can tell you what I’m feeling.

I’ve always wanted to write a “This I Believe” essay based on the belief statement, “I believe presence is powerful.” I would choose two stories that I felt appropriately illustrate my belief. The stories would probably be about climbing Gray’s Peak with my mom and dad in the summer of 2009 and how important it was to my mom that I be there, or about my summertime visits with my nieces and how much I miss them and enjoy being with them, or about my student teaching experience when I promised the seniors I would be at graduation but then I didn’t go because I was sick and Tony—the first person in his family to graduate from high school—who happened to move into the same apartment complex I lived in called me out for not going. Those stories would illustrate how being present at something for someone changes things. It’s amazing that by simply showing your face and being who you are, you can influence the thinking of others, but it’s true. Or at least I believe it is.

Today, when I’m thinking about presence I’m thinking about being present in the moment. I was first encountered by this, or challenged by this idea, when in Austin at the National Writing Project Digital Literacies Resource Development Retreat. Joseph McCaleb, from the University of Maryland, challenged Keri Franklin and I with a question about presence when we were discussing our piece, which is basically all about Twitter.

Twitter is an amazing tool for connecting people and sharing ideas, occurrences, digital resources and distractions. Like all social networking sites it brings people together. By bringing people together, it can allow for a digital presence within the web of connections among those sharing common interests—followers, hashtags, etc. I would never participate in #engchat or #edchat in person, but through the use of Twitter I can be present there through my participation.

But Twitter can also pull people apart. In moments when people become distracted by checking their tweet stream, or when people attempt to record or document the moment, they are immediately pulled away from their current situation—a lecture, discussion, or baseball game. The physical presence may be enjoying the view at Kauffmann Stadium, and the hot dog may be great, but when I stop to pull out my phone, take a picture of my vantage point, and write something interesting or alluring so that my followers will want to check the tweetphoto, I’m no longer mentally present and engaged in what is happening at the game. I’m engaging in activity on that digital web of connected individuals, most or all who aren’t present at the game, thus the tweet.

So tonight, there were a few times when I checked my tweet stream while listening to a friend tell her story. Honest assessment of that: rude. I no longer was fully engaged as a listener; I did listen to her story as I read the new tweets coming in. Still rude. I didn’t send any tweets, but still I was not fully present in the moment/situation because I chose to move my presence to a digital one.

So, is it true that I can’t be present in both places? Could Twitter be pulling me away from more meaningful conversations and connections, rather than helping me establish far-fetched and far-flung ones? I don’t know that answer to that question, but it is one that I want to explore.