Educational Discourse

Passion – the emotion of feeling very strongly about a subject.

While working my way through some reading, I cam across the following on Peter Ford’s Fordlog blog. It is an YouTube video of Taylor Mali, a teacher with a passion. As I viewed the video, I was immedieately reminded of rant by Joe and the impression that it left on the public. If you remember, for a short period of time, it was the thing everyone was talking about. Well, I think that if all teachers demonstrated the passion that Taylor displays, people would be talking about education much differently than they do.

For me, the last few days have given me time to sift through my thoughts and ideas about web2.0, its implications on the school in which I teach, the division I work within and education as a whole. I have also had time to listen to Chris Betcher and The Virtual Staffroom podcasts, spoke via Skype with Chris which was a first for me. It was great to have the video and audio. Chris explained how he prepares his works for podcasts as I’m trying to upload a few. Then, much to my surprise, I ended up with comments from: Stephen Downes, Graham Wegner, Jenny and Chris Craft. Of course I did a visit to each one, left a comment thanking them and then did some reading. Chris’s passion for what he is doing comes through in his writing:

As always, I only ask that in all of this, you hear my heart.

As I read through the different blogs in each site, the passion of each showed through in what they said. In his comment, Stephen reminded me that it’s about the passion, not any of the other stuff “There’s an aspect of blogging that is very much about the superficial. It’s best not to get caught up in that.” Of course, he’s right.

So, what is my passion? What makes my eyes light up, my heart beat a bit faster and me to lean in a bit closer? Children. I love reaching out to them, finding ways to touch them, to get them to spark, whatever cliche statement you want to fill in. But it’s more than a cliche. It’s doing what needs to be done so that they can excel.

So today in my talk with Chris, I was able to tell him that his podcasts had already given me several ideas for my classes using some of the tools to which he had referred. I like discussing possibilities and looking for ways to make things happen. So, before I stumbled across Will Richardson, Vicki Davis and the rest included on my blog roll, I was working on Professsional Learning Communities as this was where our school division is focusing right now. As I read more, I see the need for time investment in the area of communication literacy training (Darren’s Kuropatwa fine example comes to mind regarding a recent list discussion) and discussions regarding the tools that are available and what can be done with them. I have stumbled on some great podcasts at itunes which explain some of the techniques of making a podcast, uploading a podcast and other technical aspects. I also find the podcasts that discuss the use of various technologies like blogs, wikis and flat classroom projects to be very useful. I’m still looking for a way to make contacts with classrooms of different teachers who have done/are doing a flat classroom project to get some information and ideas that I might be able to pass on to a teacher or two so that I can help on the resource end. Another tool I’m going to introduce to my staff is the wiki. I am in the process of building one that my staff can access – right now it is private. I am doing the same for the administrators group in my division. I am thinking that Chris and others have the right idea about doing the podcasts. This may be a way for our admin group to begin using the tools. The ideas are starting to flow – better get to my idea sticky;)

Passion – the emotion of feeling very strongly about a subject.

No holding back. I look forward to the challenge of building the 21st century student.

This is my ultimate all time favourite movie belief statement: Crash Davis – Bull Durham

Well, I believe in the soul, the small of a woman’s back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.

Of to look at 2 cents.

Kelly