Comments for Avenue4Learning

Comment on Truth in Sharing by Philip Cummings

Philip Cummings — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:30:40 +0000

I get that, Michelle. For me, the most helpful posts are the ones where people are honest about the frustrations and difficulties of the job. I can connect with that. I love teaching, but I think it’s hard (and rewarding) work. It’s nice to read others who have a similar, albeit mixed, experience. I love Shelley’s writing–it’s raw and honest. John Spencer also writes that way. It’s why I am drawn to them and why they have strongly influenced my teaching and thinking. I try to invoke that same honesty as I write, but I’m still developing that voice.

Comment on Truth in Sharing by Michelle Baldwin

Michelle Baldwin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:45:32 +0000

Thanks, Dean and Philip, for your responses. Much appreciated!

I don’t think it’s just about blogging. I know people use blogs for a multitude of reasons, and sometimes that doesn’t include reflection. Nor do I think we should post about every instance of “I sucked today.”

I guess my point came about when someone DM’d me asking how all my activities are so successful all the time. This was a person with genuine frustration in her classroom, and she was only seeing successes from my classroom. After a lot of thought, I realized that I was painting a pretty rosy picture of what happens daily.

Don’t get me wrong – I think that particular “balance” needs to be mostly positive things. Occasionally, I think I need to show the reality that not everything works as planned, sometimes we have bad days, and that the struggles usually teach us more than the “easy” days. For me, that needs to happen in my blog, on Twitter, and in F2F conversations more often.

Comment on Truth in Sharing by Dean Shareski (@shareski)

Dean Shareski (@shareski) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:54:03 +0000

Philip has a great response and I’ll add to that your blog in particular should be about having the conversations you want to have. I applaud those that share about failures but don’t necessary think that everyone will feel comfortable having those conversations here.

As I encourage and promote reflective practice for my students I use to point to the Shelley Wrights as exemplary practice. I still think that’s a wonderful way to use this space but I’m now convinced it’s merely one person’s choice to share in a specific way, a powerful way albeit.

I love a good “I sucked today” kind of post as much as the next person. I just know some are having those conversations elsewhere and the fact they’re having them at all is most important.

Comment on Truth in Sharing by Philip Cummings

Philip Cummings — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:43:52 +0000

It depends on one’s reason for blogging, don’t you think? If my blogging is primarily as a place for my own reflection then hopefully I am considering both the good and bad about my practice. Post will primarily focus on me with some student work and learning scattered in. If I blog to communicate with parents and connect my classroom to the world, then perhaps the spin will be mostly positive and focus mostly on the students and their learning. If the goal is “rock star” status, well, then I have no idea what they should do…maybe wreck their hotel room at ISTE?

Comment on The Tool Isn’t The Problem by Hey presto: an Ipad. | Go To Your Wide Futures

Hey presto: an Ipad. | Go To Your Wide Futures — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:17:10 +0000

[...] reservations outlined. I have also considered some counter-arguments such as those expressed in The Tool Isn’t the Problem, and accept some of the ideas about my own background, prejudices and relative inexperience with [...]

Comment on What We Think About Inquiry by Deirdre Bailey

Deirdre Bailey — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:43:27 +0000

I love so much of this post. It is really incredible to read about the similarities in struggles and challenges but also in the kids’ conviction that “New School” is the way to go. I loved your reference to one of your student’s ‘spacing-out’ time. We definitely have that! I also have to agree that while our conversation started with my feeling a little frustrated by the inconsistencies, the messiness and the time that goes along with inquiry learning; once I gave the kids the opportunity to articulate why they felt these struggles are a part of our classroom and how important they felt it was that they navigate these themselves, as part of their learning, I felt incredibly reassured. Their perspective has left me feeling buoyantly optimistic and more certain than ever that we are moving in the right direction. Can’t wait to chat!!!

Comment on The Tool Isn’t The Problem by Bill Ferriter

Bill Ferriter — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:31:03 +0000

Michelle wrote:

So, iPads are bad because adults can’t type as quickly on them, and they don’t know how to program on them. Hmm. So, are we saying that students must learn to use specific tools because those are the tools that work best for adults?

- – - – -

This was an a-ha for me, Pal. I hadn’t even thought about the fact that our own perspective on which tools work and which tools don’t is very much shaped by our own experiences with tools.

As simple as it seems, asking kids to explore and experiment and demonstrate what is doable should be a part of every decision that we make regarding tools.

Thanks for that reminder!
Bill

Comment on What We Think About Inquiry by Errin

Errin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:28:23 +0000

The next topic of professional development I’m tackling is to deepen and hone my understanding of inquiry in my classroom and the Elementary Connected Classrooms project. We do a year long inquiry project with at least one formal lesson a week although the lead teacher switches through the three of us (that’s our collaborative connected lesson taught Fridays over video conferencing). We’ve done the Inquiry Project for three years now and while the kids LOVE it, and I LOVE to see their learning, the one area I’m still experiencing struggles with are the parents. Most don’t understand at all. Some don’t want their child doing it all and see it as a waste of time. It’s really difficult for me because I see the value, as do the kids, but no matter what I do, I experience some form of resistance each year. Kind of kills of the buzz of happiness created by the wonderful learning that occurs.

Any ideas on how I can better communicate the benefits? I’ve opened the door to my room, offered links to CSS, Kieran Egan’s Learning in Depth work and talked about inquiry with parents but there are still always those that are closed to it. My town is small which means a choice of two public schools or home-schooling so the context is quite different from yours but I value your opinion so wanted to ask for your ideas on this.

Comment on The Tool Isn’t The Problem by Deirdre Bailey

Deirdre Bailey — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:44:27 +0000

I love this post and agree wholeheartedly. Our evaluation of iPads in the classroom should be guided by how students can find ways to use them for learning and not assessed based on an external set of standards established by those not even learning with them in the first place. Our grade fours and fives have found that they are awesome tools for learning. And getting better all the time. And our kids are typing like mad on the devices too! Practice! Thanks for writing.

Comment on The Tool Isn’t The Problem by OTR Links 03/19/2013 | doug --- off the record

OTR Links 03/19/2013 | doug --- off the record — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 05:33:10 +0000

[...] Avenue4Learning – The Tool Isn’t The Problem [...]