It’s been a fairly busy week, it’s our annual Lady Mustang Tournament this Friday and Saturday so I’ve been trying to get things organized for that. Every year I tell myself to note that a two day tournament is one day too much but when I’m planning, I’m full of energy and figure that a two dayer is the best for the fans and the team. Now, as this week winds down, I wonder what was I thinking!!!
This has left me little time to do my usual blog reading although I have been doing some. I found the information on blog usage at Scott McLeod’s Dangerously Irrelevant to be interesting. I thought his disclaimer was kind of amusing.
Okay, let me begin by stating that I know several things about this blog post:
It’s probably going to make some people angry,
It’s probably going to discourage some people, and
I know I’ve missed some people.
Like, do people really take this whole blog ranking thing that seriously? I thought that this whole technology thing was going to change the interaction of people and bring things to a new level. Really, I could go to the local rink for that kind of reacion! I did respond to his request for next month just because I find this kind of stuff interesting. I like coloured graphs! Personally, I really like popping into various blogs who aren’t on the list and reading what they are up to and how their lives are going.
A for instance is Missprofe. Now, she was the only respondent to my idea to do a sort of book club. So, I’m going to get ahold of her and we’ll do it. The offer is open to anyone who is interested but I’m not going to lose sleep over not making the allstar team of blogging with this idea. People are busy. Heck, I’m busy but I need some type of deadline to get myself organized. It works for me and I tend to perform better. It’s not the stress but the need to not procastinate and waste time playing in 2L or some other game or just blog surfing.
Back to Missprofe, she and I have been visiting each other’s sites and reading. I like her down to earth and honest approach to the whole blog process. It discusses real world issues and then steps back. It’s human and real and not preachy. Something that I’m finding from a few of the “big name bloggers” lately. I’m tired of that message and the whole “blow my horn” that goes on. Don’t care - don’t visit anymore.
Just lately another teacher visited and left a good message about “sticking with it” to see results. As much as I’d like to convert the division I work in and have all them take hold of the technology I know that it will be slow. I also have an obligatioin to fulfill the division initiatives. Now, these initiatives are great - increase reading to 100% of all students at grade level. Increase our math proficiency - use data to make decisions about what we are doing - foster a collaborative atmosphere in the school - work with the community to build a better school - focus on the at risk students - differentiate for all students. Now our technology plan isn’t at the forefront and that needs to change. Meanwhile, we are moving along in the areas mentioned above.
I guess that’s what is different for me than for many of the other bloggers that are in my GoogleReader. As much as technology is important and I believe we have to do more at all levels, I have real influence at my level and that is where I will put energy - with a bit going to the division level. The admin blog I started has 11 enteries, all from me. But I’ll keep reminding people and encouraging them to use it. The admin and school wiki hasn’t had any visitors but it will. The podcast idea isn’t quite taking off like I thought if would - but it will. But there is definitely a spread between the blogs of many of the teachers I’ve read and those blogs from people with digital intelligence. They are out there, pushing the lines forward. As an administrator, I’ll support any teacher doing that but I will also expect that the other initiatives are being met - like it or not, we are legally obligated.
Because I’m not a tech support person or a division technology consultant or an independent pro-technology proponent, I still have the other requirements to meet. I guess that is why I figured the book club would be a way to get together with other like minded people and share ideas. To talk about how the ideas will fit into the school world where we are - not as a tech support person, although you are welcome to join the discussion, but from administrator and teacher perspectives.
So Scott, thanks for the cool graphs and such. Wish I had time to look into that kind of stuff. I do find it fascinating and maybe someday I’ll be able to do that but right now that’s not in the picture. I wish I could surf and find cool new apps but I’ve time to read or surf for apps so I thank everyone who finds the apps. But I did find an online desktop desktoptwo.com that I am trying out. So far I like it but I haven’t had all that much time to really delve into it.
There is a blog spread but not the one Scott has posted. It’s more a spread between those on the technology edge and those of teachers who are trying to bring technology into the schools or their classes as regular administrators and teachers. And it appears that navel gazing has become a pastime for some in the first group. I totally agree with Bud!
So, to miss proff and all those who are just beginning and struggling, keep at it. Share ideas, leave comments for one another and grow your network but don’t navel gaze. It’s, well, almost embarrassing to read!
Oh, and join our book club!!!
