Blogging and Technology Reflection
I’ve caught myself in a state of self-reflection again, this time in regard to my presence out here on the web.
I’ve read the newest issue of Artful Blogging. For months now I’ve been enjoying my morning ritual of parking myself and my coffee in front of the computer to scroll through NetNewsWire. I’ve noticed the monthly blogging/commenting challenges that have popped up all over Blogsville this past week, and have wondered if I should join in or just keep my blogging activities to myself and my readers. I’m still confused as to why some of my subscriptions load reliably almost every day, while others get stockpiled in blog limbo and then flood my feed in one fell swoop after a month or so. It reminds me of my cell phone service here in the Bordertown. I miss calls, and messages get held for days, weeks sometimes, before hitting voicemail. Message after message, the callers’ tones seem to get testy, because they* JUST KNOW* I’m ignoring them and not returning their calls.
There goes that blind trust and over-reliance on technology again. Don’t trust the phone company or advances in voicemail technology, trust ME.
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From what I could gather during my job interview over the phone with my new employer (I’ll be back in Oz, this time at District #2), I’ll be working with a staff that is a bit different from the last three with whom I’ve taught. This is completely understandable to me because I’ve witnessed first-hand the diversity that exists in the United States each time Uncle Sam has relocated us, however it might still come as a surprise to those who assume school districts across our nation are actually nearing some state of standardization with one another.
During my interview I was asked about PLC’s and technology in particular, a question I’ve never been asked before. It’s a question I myself have asked prospective employers at each of my interviews here in the Bordertown, a question I received very awkward answers to, responses indicating that I was more familiar with current technology usage in education than the interviewing principals were. I was told by District #2 that my classroom would have at least three wireless laptops for my students to use, so no, I wouldn’t have to bring my outdated iMacs with me when I moved. For the first time, I was able to say “I have a blog” without worrying that the interviewer’s mental alarm bells were going off, imagining a site full of inappropriate photos and text of a wanna-be-web-celeb instead of a teacher/crafter/mother/military wife who was sharing recipes, craft ideas, family updates, and links to kindergarten-related themes. I’m guessing someone at District #2 has already Googled me…probably did it before ever dialing my number for the interview. I would if I were in his or her position.
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I know that time has continued to march on as my family and I relocate from state to state. When I left Alaska, my teaching experience was built over a decade’s worth of observations and paradigm shifts, most notably in regard to technological advances and their impact on school and society. I had to learn how to be responsible for an entire new iMac lab (not so new now!), and had to exercise caution because of what my students might encounter or see “out there,” *NOT* what they themselves might PUT out there. Teachers with their own web pages were testing the water for all of us, and must have felt the pressure of it. My usage of White Out decreased significantly when a computerized report card replaced the traditional hand-written one.
In New Mexico, the kindergarten curriculum included goals for computer technology, but my classroom was given rarely operational PC’s for the job because really, why would five year olds need computers? They’d just “play on them.” Many of my colleagues had never heard of or seen Living
Books before (another no-longer-”new” resource). Teachers emailed, or instant messaged one another, but other than professional communication and entering data for attendance records, computers were to be used for student assessment only via Accelerated Reader. During chats in the staff lounge, no one complained about their own childrens’ MySpace pages, and no one understood why I would want a dry erase, mobile magnetic white board in my room instead of the singular chalkboard I had. My son’s and daughter’s teachers didn’t assign web projects. My own students were taught how to use the overhead projector, c.d. player, computers, and scanner instead of just being parked in front of them during lessons. Report cards still had to be filled out by hand. DIBELS too, though the number crunching of scores took place at Central Office somewhere.
In Oz, District #1 seemed to focus on using technology primarily again for student assessment. Improved reading and math scores were the be-all-end-all goal, with lists of acceptable web resources and sites xeroxed off and distributed ad nauseum during most professional development seminars, while statewide assessment test “practice” took precedence over any other web activities or lessons that students might have normally been assigned. My old iMacs came in handy, as my students were never a priority for computer lab time when the assessment crunch was in full swing unless my colleague and I were prepping them for future first grade AR assessments. I’m guessing the proposal I helped to author for an additional portable/cart computer lab wouldn’t have created increased computer access for my kindergartners…it would have provided more test prep for additional (older) students. District email was handy, as were the attendance and report card programs though the kindergarten report card wasn’t aligned with state standards and didn’t provide enough narrative space for additional and essential info/documentation.
A younger group of teachers have MySpace pages, but several still don’t quite know that their just-out-of-college-weekend-partying photos that they regularly post on their public sites are still viewable by students, parents, and colleagues. Some post photos on their personal pages of not only themselves but their students as well, something as a parent and teacher I find highly inappropriate. Some colleagues have their own personal blogs, where they reflect on their teaching practices and philosophies, their frustrations and their goals. Many of their identities are kept private for good reasons, as professional retribution and/or public misunderstandings by parents and colleagues who might search the web for them would be unbearable and possibly even job-threatening.
District #2 sounds incredibly promising, pro-teacher and therefore pro-student.
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I’ll reflect more on why I blog at some later time, but I have to tell you, it’s because of blogging, reading, commenting, participating in discussions, and contributing to the sea of teaching perspectives out there that I’ve been able to continue my own professional development during my Stay-at-Home-Mom year. My professional learning community stretches around the world, crossing borders, philosophies, cultures and ages, and in many cases it includes my own personal tastes and interests apart from public education. A wiki on cross stitching, a MySpace group devoted to scrapbooking techniques, a subscription to a photographer’s blog overseas, my weekly download of the latest Oprah podcast for A New Earth, and my own contributions to blogs like In Practice aren’t threatening to me or my employer- they’ve been essential to expanding my connections with others, and with myself.
My next goal? Podcasting- reading my students’ favorite stories for them to access at school or at home. My voice, and the memory of face-to-face storytime can increase the personal connection with my students that promotes literacy better than any digital/cartoon character ever could.
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Thanks for reading. Don’t forget to comment here for a chance to win the blue wreath tomorrow~
“What Happened” Wednesday
Miss me?
While I was happy to share the wonderful Muppet video clip on Monday, I haven’t written anything in the past two days other than grocery lists and email messages, which is odd for me. It’s not that I haven’t had scenes, situations, or thoughts to share, in fact I’m happy to catch you up in a sec… I suppose I just needed a little break from blogging. Now *reading* blogs… I’ve been up to the task, and have even been rewarded for my reading and commenting…
Hostess With the Mostess hosted a giveaway with Childish Clothing.com last week, and GUESS WHO WON? Oh yes, ladies and gents, that would be ME! Five hundred dollars to shop for my almost three-year-old, and don’t you know, it’s perfect timing since the last growth spurt made most of our boy’s wardrobe much too small. I’m making sure that the boy gets one of these:
It’s the shirt that inspired me to comment on the giveaway post in the first place- I’m such an Army Wife/Mom!
Sigh, here are the skulls that Daddy likes:
Just perfect for our toddler, who is ALL BOY!
Thank you again Hostess and Childish Clothing, you have made our week, and our toddler’s summer!
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Along with fun surprises, we had a not-fun one this morning. One of those that makes you wonder as a parent just *how* exactly your own parents allowed you to live past the age of, oh, thirteen…
I asked Dear Daughter to please wash my truck yesterday. Apparently she took my truck keys in order to stick them in the ignition so she could listen to tunes during her dreary task. An hour later (she washed the outside and cleaned the interior), she came back into the house, and since I wasn’t aware that she had taken the keys, I didn’t ASK HER FOR THE KEYS. This morning we headed out the door to run some errands, and guess what I couldn’t find?
And guess where daughter found them? In the ignition. With the ignition on. And it had been on, all night long. The problem was solvable, doable, but a pain in the sheer timing of it. Military Spouses, you’ll understand this one: guess where Husband is this week? Yep, out of town at training. For those of you non-military families, believe me when I tell you that Murphy’s Law LOVES to lurk around the homes, vehicles, and workplaces of military spouses and families. Just waiting. Yes, you can almost hear the theme music from Jaws in the background begin to play as soon as our soldier deploys or leaves town for training. Pipes burst, tornadoes hit, cars die, and basements flood as soon as we’re on our own. Add “teenagehood happens” to that list.
So after a phone call to Dear Husband to find out 1) where the jumper cables were and 2) just HOW I should use them to bring my truck back to life, I was moving vehicles, getting into the tool box, poppin’ the hoods, and making sure red went to red and black went to black (my husband warned me that “bad things” happen when the reds and blacks on the jumper cables are mixed up on the vehicle batteries). Ten minutes later, my truck was running, and I had cooled down enough to know that I could speak to Dear Daughter without bursting her eardrums or the windows of our neighbors. I even fed her lunch.
Good mommy.
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I’ve got the urge to make a banner…or two…or three… with inspiration from Holly at Decor8, and Candice at Peacoats and Party Hats, and easy directions from Beth at Stitch, Rip, Repeat. One for kindergarten, another for birthdays, and possibly one that says “Welcome Home!”
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Jenny and Doug, I’ve started thinking about the passion-quilt meme, really! It will be coming up in a future post!
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See you back here tomorrow for Show and Share Thursday- I think I’ll go make sure my keys are where they’re supposed to be!
Writing Marks My Personal Pace
No, not “personal space.” Dinner is done, the toddler is wrestling with Daddy on the couch, and daughter is in taking her shower before it’s the toddler’s turn for the tub. I’m munching on pink, white and red peanut m-n-m’s (I know, not the healthiest choice), and have just finished reading the latest postings from the blogs to which I subscribe. The day is winding down. Surprisingly my thoughts are winding up.
I read some posts from teachers who were reflecting on their teaching practice, their latest successes, their most recent frustrations and disappointments. Several crafters have posted new ideas for spring, have rearranged their work space, and are entertaining thoughts of repainting rooms in their homes. A military wife is reviewing the latest book she’s read that has been published as a resource for those of us who married military-folk, and several painters have listed their latest canvases on Ebay or Etsy. I myself posted earlier today about the baby afghan given to expectant friends, the Girl going to the district science fair, the wet and windy weather, and the cookies I was going to make (but didn’t yet) for our daughter’s friend.
I read the local newspaper several times a week, enjoy perusing the craft and home decor magazines at the store, and read the postings on NetNewsWire each morning. I’m authoring my own blog almost daily, responding to comments, answering emails, and following interesting links to wherever they might lead. It’s a very different personal pace for me, considering what my schedule was at this time last year. Teaching full time, my husband deployed, primary parent 24/7, feeling extreme twinges of guilt whenever the load felt too heavy, too much a burden.
I was still writing last year, a few rants and silly surveys, but mostly weekly parent letters sent home via email or backpack. In these “notes home” I reviewed our week’s activities, concepts introduced and explored, skills practiced, and made suggestions for activities that could be done at home for families to enjoy. My favorite part of the weekly note was the very last element I included, the “kindergarten quotes.” Those funny or amazing things overheard coming out of the mouths of my Super Stars that I knew parents would enjoy…are what I miss most this year of not teaching.
I could plow through my lesson plans each week, student assessments, documentation for IEP’s or whatever other school-required documentation reared its ugly head, but the weekly letter took time. Thought. Reflection. Editing. Evaluation of my tone. It often felt like it was the only written element required in my profession where my true voice would be “heard,” so it mattered to me that the parents *knew* they were really making a connection with an authentic part of their childrens’ school lives as they braved the backpack each Friday to excavate the note out of the pile of smooshed chips, broken pencils, and show and share items.
I’m a believer in behaving professionally when it comes to my job. My personal life is not to be confused with my public role, but I do believe in being sincere no matter what stage I might be occupying throughout the day. Though this year my pace at home does not match the speed usually kept when teaching, it has enabled me to spend more time in authentic reflection and on authentic writing. I’ve felt free to express how I’ve been feeling as a parent, spouse, stay-at-home mom, friend, out-of-work teacher, and blogger. I’ve reflected on my professional work as a teacher, my personal adventures away from the classroom, and I’ve found that I have new interests, new wishes, new directions I’d like to follow. Liberating myself from the trusted yet very routine role of public school teacher has put me in the position of having to stick one toe in the water, testing. I’ve been in the same pool for so long, and never entertained the thought that maybe the pond over yonder would cool my heels just as well… possibly even better. Is that a rushing brook I hear?
I love teaching. But I’ve found I love other things too. It will be interesting to set my pace again once we’ve moved, and I’m back to work.
I Changed the Name
… so today I felt inclined to add the word “eclectic” to my blog title because it just seems to fit. Many aspects of my life are always in motion, never static, so I encounter a lot, with equal amounts of discovery happening on accident as on purpose. I focus on an area of interest for a time, and am then drawn elsewhere, with occasions of something out of left field walloping me up alongside the head for good measure. Those left-fielders generate an immediate and usually loud response on my part, but my other discoveries tend to lead me down fascinating paths, inspiring me to share what I’ve found.
I was recently told I was a “fluff” blogger, sharing links, topics, and thoughts on “things of little value or significance.” Thank goodness for being in my thirty-seventh year, because the comment merely gave me insight into the person who said it without immediately inspiring me to remove the person’s name from my cookie-recipient list. Yep, I choose to share recipes, story titles, and music recommendations. I document some of my family’s special moments, photograph my latest attempts at home decor, and complain about my daughter’s teachers. I give my two-cents’-worth about issues in teaching, early childhood education, and kindergarten teaching practices specifically, and I sort my own preferred blogroll/links/favorites by kindergarten categories. As friends, colleagues and family often read my blog, I feel like I’m sharing with like-minded and like-spirited individuals, with those new readers who stumble across this blog free-as-always to either bookmark me or travel off in some other direction.
In my three-dimensional daily life, I’m all about sorting and classifying, “organizing.” The coffee mugs are in the cabinet above the coffee pot, the spice cabinet and side dish mixes in the cabinetry above the stove. All of my scrapbooking materials are in their own pouches which can be found in one cabinet. Magazines are kept in baskets in the living room and bedroom, yarn, crochet hooks and finished baby afghans on one shelf in the hall closet. When I’m done using the “autumn” candlesticks on the table, they’re put back in a cabinet with all of the OTHER candlesticks, and the winter votives come out for the season.
In Blogland however, I’ve found I don’t stay on topic for this particular blog site, Edublogs, and maybe that’s where the fluff comment originates. Many educators I’ve encountered online either have or contribute to several blogs, each with its own topic. I first started blogging on MySpace, then thought I’d spread my wings a bit by moving over to Blogger. As time passed, I was asked to contribute to In Practice here on Edublogs, and just found it easier to write “for them and for me” at one location. Friends, family and other readers have their own blog site preferences, so I tend to publish the same blog entry on all three sites (I know, redundant, redundant, redundant) to accomodate them all. I promise, sometime in the future, I’ll choose just one or two sites, really!
Until then, perhaps it’s best to describe any of my blog submissions as eclectic offerings shared in the spirit of educational collegiality. My colleagues? Anyone out there living LIFE, wanting to share information, resources, and ideas about whatever subject interests us!
As for the critic(s),
Blogged
