So task number one of the 2016 Revival is to eat better and take better care of the physical side of myself.
On New Years Day a friend challenged me to a 30 Day Clean Eating regime. I can do anything for 30 days right? I gave myself a week to get back into routine ... and I "officially" start Monday. I've already warned colleagues and friends. This could be a long 30 days.....
Saturday 9 January 2016
Sunday 3 January 2016
It's 2016... I'm Due for a Revival
It is a new year which is generally a time for reflection, gratitude and recognition of the year that has just passed.
I will be the first to admit, 2015 was a difficult year and I am not sad to see it go and in doing so look forward to a redo, a renewal, a restart if you will, you could almost look at it as a revival.
In 2016 I hope to revive myself, my life, my hopes and my dreams, my wants. I have buried myself for too long -- being the __________ (fill it in with whatever role I play) that I think everyone else wants me to be and not necessarily what I want be.
Not that I did not learn many valuable lessons from 2015 most which will be helpful moving forward but I would like the opportunity to see what it possible without it all being new.
Look out 2016...
I will be the first to admit, 2015 was a difficult year and I am not sad to see it go and in doing so look forward to a redo, a renewal, a restart if you will, you could almost look at it as a revival.
In 2016 I hope to revive myself, my life, my hopes and my dreams, my wants. I have buried myself for too long -- being the __________ (fill it in with whatever role I play) that I think everyone else wants me to be and not necessarily what I want be.
Not that I did not learn many valuable lessons from 2015 most which will be helpful moving forward but I would like the opportunity to see what it possible without it all being new.
Look out 2016...
Thursday 8 November 2012
Sshhhh... I'm Listening
Sometimes it is better to just sit back and listen to kids especially when they think nobody is really listening.
The conversations that even a 5 and 6 year old can have are amazing.
Case in point: my two boys were talking about the ozone layer and what needed to be done to keep it from disappearing and "burning everything up." They knew that people needed to be told (educated) and came up with a plan (Mommy has to write the letter, because they don't know how to write yet but they do know what to say). They even came up with a solution that began with horse drawn carriages and evolved into solar powered cars that were small enough to be charged up quickly, but big enough to hold two hockey bags or 4 suitcases! I was "quietly" impressed.
When I think of their thought process and the evolution of their ideas and solutions I often wonder... what if I, as a teacher and a mom, just got out of the way?
I understand the need for curricullum guides and assessment and the guidelines they provide, but if children could be encouraged to find their own solutions and answers to problems or events they find most intriquing and interesting, isn't that learning more valuable?
The conversations that even a 5 and 6 year old can have are amazing.
Case in point: my two boys were talking about the ozone layer and what needed to be done to keep it from disappearing and "burning everything up." They knew that people needed to be told (educated) and came up with a plan (Mommy has to write the letter, because they don't know how to write yet but they do know what to say). They even came up with a solution that began with horse drawn carriages and evolved into solar powered cars that were small enough to be charged up quickly, but big enough to hold two hockey bags or 4 suitcases! I was "quietly" impressed.
When I think of their thought process and the evolution of their ideas and solutions I often wonder... what if I, as a teacher and a mom, just got out of the way?
I understand the need for curricullum guides and assessment and the guidelines they provide, but if children could be encouraged to find their own solutions and answers to problems or events they find most intriquing and interesting, isn't that learning more valuable?
Monday 22 October 2012
A Digital Identity
(The following post is my reflective thinking piece required for my EDES 544 Discussion #5 assignment. This piece allowed me to create a 10 minute podcast. It is a little long but it allowed me to seriously reflect on who I am online, how I became that person and who I strive to be.)
The term digital identity was one I heard about three years ago from a colleague on staff. When I first met him he impressed me with his technological skills, and his comfort with being very much a digital native so when he started talking about computers, tools, being online I would tune him out. It seemed way above me, my skills and my technological comfort level (Charles Paul if you ever see this I’m sorry) However, one thing in particular did stick with me: he stated that once anything is put online it will always be there for the masses to see, view and comment on. Naively I thought, well then, I won’t put anything online and I did exactly what Julia Hengstter describes as “shutting my eyes to the web .“
However as much as I stayed off line, friends, colleagues, community groups and even students were posting comments, tagging, or describing things I was involved in or doing. I had let my digital identity develop in a very passive, inactive manner letting others post things and being unaware of who was reading it and the impression it may have been leaving. When I discovered these comments and/or pictures it upset me, not because they were embarrassing or offensive but I am a private person. I have a few, close friends that I choose to confide in, I work hard, I like to think the best of people and I didn’t need/want the whole world to know my business. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s the profession I work in, maybe it’s just the way I was brought up, maybe I am just “old school” or maybe it’s a combination of all of them; but it was my opinion that nobody really cared what I had for breakfast and if they really wanted to know what I was doing or had been doing, they would call me and ask me themselves and not have to check Facebook.
But speaking of Facebook I was completely appalled when I found out that other parents from my kid’s school were Facebooking and Googling the teachers to find out more about them. My first reaction, althought never shared out loud, was “Really? You really have that much spare time and nothing better to do?” They were laughing and thought it completely appropriate but I got to have a little giggle when they seemed just a little embarrassed when they found out I was a teacher too. As a sidenote, I have not Facebooked or Googled any of my new colleagues, my classmates or even my professor. I like to create an opinion based on my interactions with you rather than the interactions you have had with someone else, so it’s kind of like getting to know your students first before looking in their cumulative records. However, this conversation that I happened to be a part of did make me take another look at my Facebook page, just to make sure that there was nothing there that I would be embarrassed about. But even when doing that I thought to myself, I shouldn’t have to do this. Should I not be able to have a forum where I can be myself and not completely under the microscope? I guess I do, it’s called my home and if I want things to stay private I share them in the comfort and sanctity of my own home but despite it, some conversations are still oddly prefaced with “just between you and me” or “don’t tell anyone”.
Regardless, with the realization that my name, pictures or descriptions of what I was doing, would be online whether I put it there or not I made a very conscious decision to be more active online, more aware of the sites I visited and the resources I collected, and how to set up my accounts so they were more private. I began to understand what Lisa Nielsen says when she states “everything we do online should represent who we are and what we stand for and we must have the knowledge that this representation will stick with us potentially forever.” The process to establishing a professional reputation whether it be real or digital, still requires the same steps: be thoughtfully engaged and positively proactive however, a digital reputation requires a little more “active work.” If you really want to know how visible you are online you can use www.webmii.asia which statistically represents how visible a person is online and compares you to other web users.
So in saying that, I often Google myself, (it’s surprising what you find really). Now I am Googleable and my digital footprint may give the impression that I am a little boring and l’m someone who may work too hard (and people who know me well would agree with that) because my results pull up quite a few professional links. Facebook, Twitter (I can’t believe people have the time to assess a value to it), Diigo and if you look really hard my wikispace and blog, my Pinterest account, plus all of the collegial sites I belong to Middle School 544, LibGuides, etc. If someone wanted to look more deeply they could check out Pipl, 123 People, Social Mention, Spokeo, Klout, Me On The Web , Persona or even archive. org but they turn out more of the same. Who needs personal references on a resume , when you have these types of sites to use? So, because I don’t have anything offensive or rude posted on the internet does that mean I have a positive digital identity?
The more I think about that, the more questions I have. First, I need to consider the various definitions of the word positive. If I consider the meaning of positive as the opposite of negative then yes, I do have a positive digital identity. However, if I consider the definition of positive from the Encarta Dictionary as “producing good results because of having an innately beneficial character” then maybe not so much. My professional work has not very transparent, and in 17 years of teaching I can only find one reference to a student based project I did and that was a couple of years ago already and I didn’t even post it. I have not been very open, and I have not shared any evidence of my learning/teaching or the learning of anyone else for the benefit of others. So is that being private and guarded or does it mean I lack initiative, creativity and I am selfish because I don’t share?
So being visible on the web means I need to manage my own online reputation but as Larry Kuehn states it is “our professional responsibility to not only own our professional online identity and reputation but to understand enough that we can provide advice and be an online model for our students”. I think it is important to educate students about their digital identity especially in light of what has been going on with regards to Amanda Todd. Amanda is not the first and will probably not be the last victim of a negative digital identity but it spurs the need to educate young people better. So what do we do?
First we have to recognize that students are already online and the question “is not whether you will leave a mark but what kind of mark are you leaving? (www.MyFootprintsd.org) We need to emphasize to students at even a young age that their online reputation matters! My experience has been that most students aren’t aware of their online reputation until it is pointed out to them and the effects that it may have in 10-20 years. Students in this day and age may be digital natives but they are unsure what the consequences of their online activity may be. I would think that many are unaware of sites such as archive.org that allows digital information to be retrieved even if information, posts and pictures have been deleted. In my experience it often takes a police officer or an “expert” to really get the message across (because what do we know?) about internet safety to middle years students and then many are in a panic to remove pictures and posts.
Secondly, educators/parents/general public need to be more proactive rather than reactive. Are there conversations being had as to what is inappropriate and appropriate material that can be online? I hope there are and I hope they occur even when a story like Amanda Todd’s doesn’t hit the news. Do we take it for granted that students do not post personal information, ever? Do parents/teachers know when students are online and what they are doing? Do students understand the difference between private and public information and do they want to? Do students ask themselves the question : would I want my mother, father, grandmother, future employer to see this post or picture? Would I talk about this issue around the dinner table without being embarrassed? If the answer is no, then why would you allow the world to see it?
Ensuring the safety of children has always been the job of parents and teachers, now we just have another forum. And just like before we need to start educating them once they are old enough to understand and present information at an appropriate, developmental level. There are many sites to assist with the education of students, parents and teachers. A simple Google search on internet safety and digital footprints provide a long list. But, despite the number of internet sites and online articles it should begin with questions like Lisa Nielsen asks: Who are you? What do you stand for? What are your passions, and beliefs? and then ask students: How do you plan on sharing this information with the world?
We wouldn’t give our kids the keys to the car without a few lessons, rules and expectations why would we give them the key to world without them as well?
References:
Helping Students Manage their Digital Footprint: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.ca/2010/04/help-students-manage-their-digital.html
Saskatoon Public School Division, http://schools.spsd.sk.ca/curriculum/techyteacher/category/digitalfootprint/
Thursday 11 October 2012
Learning to be Kind to Myself
Over the past 8 weeks or so I have been heavily involved in my own personal and professional learning. I have been taking workshops, attending meetings, learning a new job and have become heavily involved in my first grad class. I recognize that others do more with less, but this is very much a 360 for me and my family so its been an adjustment. The work and the classes integrate together and it's all applicable but there has definitely been some information overload and just a little bit of anxiety. That is until my last assignment which was aptly titled: Information Overload.
The readings were interesting and informative, conversations with colleagues just as much so and I can really appreciate the ideas, advice and perspective that these different resources provided.
Since Kathryn Anda states that information doubles every 1.5 years I have realized that there is no way I can catch up. It's impossible, even if I do get the odd weekend to myself. All I can do is pick up where I am. I can't know everything because "there's more data than ever before." http://blog.yammer.com/blog/2011/05/information-overload-strategy.html
I realize that it is valuable to continue reading, learning and pushing myself but within established parameters. Using these may not decrease the amount of information I am taking in but decrease the anxiety, lessen the guilt and increase the compassion and kindness I need to show myself.
1. Develop a purpose and a time limit for being on the computer, on line and even on my IPhone. It's hard not to check my email every time I hear a ding, but I don't answer my phone every time it rings either. I feel guilty if I have left a text message for too long without responding but I guess if they need an immediate answer they'll phone. Ditto for the email either that, or the sender figures it out for themselves.
2. Do something with the mail.I receive a plethora of email and paper a day. Kathyrn Anda suggests that when you receive mail, move it! Read it, forward it, reply to it, or delete it but manage the paper! I find this hard to do since I am so new to this position that I feel its necessary to keep everything so that I can refer to it if needed. Not everything is on line, therefore it needs to be organized.
3. Use productivity tools to help work smarter not harder. I need to be more efficient so I have started using different tools to be better organized. I subscribe to Google Reader that tracks the blogs I follow (admittedly, I click All Read more times than I should), organize favorite websites on Diigo and keep track of random information on Evernote. Again, Kathryn Anda says that information overload leads to a lack of productivity and creativity. How can you get the job done well when you are so worried you don't know everything? Another big thing I am doing is not doing the same thing twice. For example: I have chosen to reflect on each grad assignment to hopefully make my final assignment easier and have been writing them out and saving them as word documents, however I am also being encouraged to blog so why not reflect on my assignments on my blog? There, two birds, one stone. Done.
4. Be kind to myself. I have now given myself permission to not know it all and not be the perfectionist I used to be. It is okay to turn off my phone, disconnect the laptop and become unavailable for awhile. I used to think I needed to be connected all the time, now I know that it is a balance. I need to be kind to myself and participate in the other things I enjoy; spend time with my children, my family and my friends or read a book or two. It is necessary to strive for balance so that I can maintain my sanity, my creativity and of course my productivity.
So, I have achieved my purpose (written a new blog post) and have reached my time limit (1/2 hour) and now I am off to read a book!
The readings were interesting and informative, conversations with colleagues just as much so and I can really appreciate the ideas, advice and perspective that these different resources provided.
Since Kathryn Anda states that information doubles every 1.5 years I have realized that there is no way I can catch up. It's impossible, even if I do get the odd weekend to myself. All I can do is pick up where I am. I can't know everything because "there's more data than ever before." http://blog.yammer.com/blog/2011/05/information-overload-strategy.html
I realize that it is valuable to continue reading, learning and pushing myself but within established parameters. Using these may not decrease the amount of information I am taking in but decrease the anxiety, lessen the guilt and increase the compassion and kindness I need to show myself.
1. Develop a purpose and a time limit for being on the computer, on line and even on my IPhone. It's hard not to check my email every time I hear a ding, but I don't answer my phone every time it rings either. I feel guilty if I have left a text message for too long without responding but I guess if they need an immediate answer they'll phone. Ditto for the email either that, or the sender figures it out for themselves.
2. Do something with the mail.I receive a plethora of email and paper a day. Kathyrn Anda suggests that when you receive mail, move it! Read it, forward it, reply to it, or delete it but manage the paper! I find this hard to do since I am so new to this position that I feel its necessary to keep everything so that I can refer to it if needed. Not everything is on line, therefore it needs to be organized.
3. Use productivity tools to help work smarter not harder. I need to be more efficient so I have started using different tools to be better organized. I subscribe to Google Reader that tracks the blogs I follow (admittedly, I click All Read more times than I should), organize favorite websites on Diigo and keep track of random information on Evernote. Again, Kathryn Anda says that information overload leads to a lack of productivity and creativity. How can you get the job done well when you are so worried you don't know everything? Another big thing I am doing is not doing the same thing twice. For example: I have chosen to reflect on each grad assignment to hopefully make my final assignment easier and have been writing them out and saving them as word documents, however I am also being encouraged to blog so why not reflect on my assignments on my blog? There, two birds, one stone. Done.
4. Be kind to myself. I have now given myself permission to not know it all and not be the perfectionist I used to be. It is okay to turn off my phone, disconnect the laptop and become unavailable for awhile. I used to think I needed to be connected all the time, now I know that it is a balance. I need to be kind to myself and participate in the other things I enjoy; spend time with my children, my family and my friends or read a book or two. It is necessary to strive for balance so that I can maintain my sanity, my creativity and of course my productivity.
So, I have achieved my purpose (written a new blog post) and have reached my time limit (1/2 hour) and now I am off to read a book!
Thursday 27 September 2012
Put Me In Coach...
the tune by John Fogerty whirled through my head as I walked out of a professional development workshop this morning. The theme was instructional coaches and how to strive to the epitomy of the description provided. Being an effective instructional coach/teacher librarian is a daunting task, one which I am sure many don't realize (I didn't). The more professional development I receive for this new role of mine, the more I realize that the role and responsibilities of a teacher librarian have evolved but because of our self-effacing nature, some haven't noticed. Who knew the role of a teacher librarian requires the balance of credibility, comptency, approachabiltiy, reliability, intitmacy, trustworthiness, adaptability, self-awareness and humility? (Now say that 5 times fast).
However, the thing I found the most interesting was the reference to the idea of a growth mindset. In Mindset (2006), Carol Dweck concludes, "The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life." (p.6) and then goes on to explain the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Dweck (2006) describes the fixed mindset as "believing that your qualities are carved in stone." If you have a fixed mindset, you believe that "you have only a certain amount of intelligence, a certain peronality, a certain moral character" (p.7) To those having a fixed mindset, people are what they are, and there's not much chance of them ever changing. She goes on to describe that those with a growth mindset believe "that the hand you're dealt is just the starting point for development. This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things that you cultivate through effort." (p.8). (Wendy J, I would reference the book this paragraph comes from but you didn't write the title on the handout).
Mindset may have to be a piece of professional reading I do, but this little bit gives me something to reflect on. If Dweck is right, how do you get someone to change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset? Can someone with a growth mindset influence someone with a fixed mindset to change or is it a thoughtful, self- realization?
Regardless, I'm ready to play.
However, the thing I found the most interesting was the reference to the idea of a growth mindset. In Mindset (2006), Carol Dweck concludes, "The view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life." (p.6) and then goes on to explain the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Dweck (2006) describes the fixed mindset as "believing that your qualities are carved in stone." If you have a fixed mindset, you believe that "you have only a certain amount of intelligence, a certain peronality, a certain moral character" (p.7) To those having a fixed mindset, people are what they are, and there's not much chance of them ever changing. She goes on to describe that those with a growth mindset believe "that the hand you're dealt is just the starting point for development. This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things that you cultivate through effort." (p.8). (Wendy J, I would reference the book this paragraph comes from but you didn't write the title on the handout).
Mindset may have to be a piece of professional reading I do, but this little bit gives me something to reflect on. If Dweck is right, how do you get someone to change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset? Can someone with a growth mindset influence someone with a fixed mindset to change or is it a thoughtful, self- realization?
Regardless, I'm ready to play.
Tuesday 18 September 2012
Keeping it Positive
It's been a very long time since I have felt compelled to expand and push forward my professional learning. As a classroom teacher for 17 years I was very comfortable meeting the needs of my students and participated in professional learning as required or directed without really any interest or personal investment. However, I always knew I could/should have been doing more.
So I made a very conscious choice to reinvest in myself and my profession and become the learner that my students needed. Now, I am learning at a fantastic pace. (Am I making up for all those years that I didn't?) It has become an avalanche of new information everyday and it is taking some time to process it all. There is not much time to reflect or respond or even organize the information that would allow me to do so.
Nevertheless, I am excited about this new learning venture that I have taken! Despite the long hours, extra demands on my time and some tears (some of them mine) I am willing to ride the wave and keep it postive!
So I made a very conscious choice to reinvest in myself and my profession and become the learner that my students needed. Now, I am learning at a fantastic pace. (Am I making up for all those years that I didn't?) It has become an avalanche of new information everyday and it is taking some time to process it all. There is not much time to reflect or respond or even organize the information that would allow me to do so.
Nevertheless, I am excited about this new learning venture that I have taken! Despite the long hours, extra demands on my time and some tears (some of them mine) I am willing to ride the wave and keep it postive!
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