7. First class I've attended at Kent where other students come from farther away than I do. I wonder what that says about the appeal of this class, this topic, etc.
6. Surprised to find so many who teach/work with students who seem so very young, but that was just the beginning of the surprises. I keep hearing how it could work, and seeing examples, but I guess my learning curve is steep here. (Is is steep? I struggle with the learning curve metaphor even though I just attempted to use it.)
5. Notwithstanding #9, no other mention in our group of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider"?
4. Easy to see how one could find oneself behind one's computer all day long should one want to know EVERYTHING that is out there. Already today in my brief, brief, brief exploration, I have found people doing and/or thinking about the issues that I am interested in, implementing ideas I've contemplated, etc.
3. (Perhaps KAT can weigh in on this.) I'm finding an odd synchronicity happening with what I'm reading in The Art of Teaching Writing and what Dr. Kist is saying. As I read and think about an idea to explore for TATW (currently: using writers' workshop concepts with my seniors), I've been thinking about how to build community, how to incorporate the freedom of the workshop and yet still address 21st century and world-of-work competencies, ...
2. The hours between 9 and 4 can actually go faster than I've ever known. While I appreciate the variety of activities (thank you, thank you), I'm still already feeling overwhelmed by all that I am learning. How to bring this all together? Grateful for the "think time" that the Aug. 10th reunion encourages. Also, as a high school teacher, I am used to thinking in 41-minute increments. My students already find my instruction disjointed (okay, this post won't get anywhere disproving that idea). What can I do to help them (and myself) see the glue that holds it all together (perhaps the web that connects it all would be a more apt image)?
1. Getting used to my new laptop in a huge hurry. The availability of technology does remain an issue. I am glad it's not all about the technology; specifically, I found Dr. Kist's comment about helping our students get along in a f2f community as a step to being better able to get along in the global community to be insightful. I feel as if that point gets ignored by some people who emphasize the need to think on a global scale and who forget that our students may not even be able to cooperate with the student who sits in the next desk. Again, what is the big picture that brings it all together? What is critical for all students regardless of their affinity for or access to technology?
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I really enjoyed the way you set up your blog - it makes it reader-friendly in a list order. I might steal this idea for future blogs. I am right with you on #4 - it's comforting to know that we sit in the lab and everyone around us is interested in similar ideas and topics. In my role as a coach to teachers, it can be extrememly hard to all be on one page - many times a coaching session is simply getting over the hurdle of reluctance.
ReplyDeleteI love how you numbered your blog! I love everything about lists! I couldn't agree more with all of them. As a first grade teacher, I actually suprised myself with the things that I tried in my classroom and saw the children succeed. Your #2 was what hit me the most today. I really could not believe how quickly the time flew by! When you're engaged and interested in what you are doing, time is not of the essence. Many professors preach that, yet do not practice.
ReplyDeletegreat list. i also love lists, brevity and i get along very well. if i could write, and for that matter, speak in bullet points, my life would be just magical.
ReplyDeletei think #1 is the most telling to me. so often, the academy preaches the use of these wonderful technologies only to find lack of their existence back in the schools we teach in. the low tech stuff bill did today can provide much of the same effect as their high tech counterparts.