Educational Discourse

I’ve been tagged by missprofe. The question: What are 7 qualities we don’t know about you that help you be a leader?

1. I’m proactive. I don’t like to be in reactionary mode too much. Part of being in a position of leadership is trying to determine what is happening and then, in a positive manner, begin to determine ways that it will be beneficial to your school, students, parents and staff.

2. I am confident in what I do. At one point, blindly confident and it caused me no end of headaches and problems. Now, I’ve learned that confidence does not mean you are always right or always the one in the light or the one being praised. In fact, you might be wrong but it will be your ability to admit the wrong, apologize and move on that will be notices. You may not be noticed at all but you allow others to take credit and are satisfied that the job was accomplished. You may even be the one taking a bit of criticism but you know that it is part of how people react to change and to new things. It is not always easy but you realize that also and are content knowing that you are doing your best.

3. I love learning. Almost spending too much time reading and trying to get through all my feeds! I enjoy stretching myself, seeing things from a new perspective or from an opposite perspective.

4. Failure is another word for opportunity. As a leader I need to realize that not everything I do will be successful but that I can learn from it.

5. I am realistically positive. I know when I’ve reached my limits and when, no matter how much syrup and sugar you put on it, something will taste bad. For times like this, I’ve learned to face the bitter taste, take it and then move on. Love, trust and pixie dust doesn’t work in reality – I have to be able to see things as realistically as I can in order that I don’t raise someone’s expectations too high or create false hope. That’s wrong.

6. I’ve learned to listen – without speaking – for a while -  at least 5 minutes. No, really. It is sometimes hard to do. You want to cut that parent off and tell them where they are mistaken or get the student, who’s mad at someone, maybe me, to quit. But, by letting people talk, I’ve been able to then ask them questions and clarify things. In my time of listening, I can also sense whether there is any chance at dialogue at this moment or, if I say something, will it escalate.

7. I still have some humor. I haven’t lost it all. Not yet. Although I sometimes put it in a drawer and misplace it for days. Kind of like having a heart. I’ve had that surgically removed so that I can deal with the various emotional situations that come my way without getting too emotionally involved. Or that’s what I tell the kids anyway!

So there you have it. My list of 7 qualities I think I possess as a leader that no one, even my evil twin, knows I have.

Tag: Susan Funk,  J Boulton, Dean Shareski, K Cofino , RandomThoughtsofanedadminlifer, Dustin Swanson

Jenny Moon 

Enjoy the reading!

I’ve taken to heart the comment by Miguel to look for the new voices. So, like Scott McLeod who is doing the same thing, I am going to start identifying various people whom I believe have something to add to our discussion but who have not yet “broken out”, continuing to blog in relative isolation.

Now, I’m not sure I where I fit in this whole blogosphere discussion. I do know that I have begun to spend less time looking at some blogs, especially of those who are a bit too ….. (fill in the blank)  and a lot more time exploring blogs of people who I believe are in the midst of the educational discussion on web2.0 applications and on the front lines with kids

So, my first person to feature is Susan Funk at What Counts!, another teacher from Saskatchewan who has visited my site a few times and left a comment or two.

Susan has some great insights and has written some great entries. I start you off with this:

As I have engaged in the reading and writing which my own blog as has introduced me to I have been introduced to yet another viewpoint, that of the technology specialist.  Again the lens is different but the material is the same. Again I feel like the communities have come to similar conclusions through separate avenues.  How interesting it would be to engage Colin Lankshear and Will Richardson in discussion or to listen in on their discussion of the issues and trends and implications for classrooms.  Or to hear Doug Johnston and Stephen Downes discuss the opportunities and pitfalls of technology in the classroom.  Perhaps this is already happening and I am not yet privy to the conversation.  At this point, I am constructing it for myself, for that’s what learners do and that in part is what I’ll share when I speak in May.  I wonder what I should call it – “the need for collaboration” or “extending the conversation” or “walking  in multiple landscapes”.  Actually, I guess it already has the name I gave my explorations this year – “Living a changing landscape – one teacher on a path towards New Worlds”.

After this little excerpt, you might try the following posts:

Bridezilla and the economy of attention 

Technology, pedagogy and the real story 

Schools in an Information Age 

Enjoy the reading!

This week has been busy beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve been taking part in George Siemen’s Connectivism online Conference which as has had me doing some deep thinking. I have also been able to spend some time in Second Life – and I’ve fallen in love.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I haven’t actually fallen in love with anyone – I’ve fallen in love with all the people there. It has been an amazing experience to dialogue with people from all over the world about educatonal issues. I’ve met students, professors, many librarians (they seem to collect there!), teachers, researchers, tech people, and scores of others who are in some way linked to learning.

Last night I went on a tour with a few people from the conference. We teleported from location to location with our guide, Desideria, leaving various landmarks so that we could go back and visit. As I grew comfortable with the various controls, I was able to begin exploring the other possiblilities that this land might offer. Now, a few of the other conference members have been visiting and discussing the possibilities of SL. As an administrator of a K – 12 school, I really don’t think this is the place I want to bring students at this point. Harvard University outdoor classroom

First, there needs to be more exploration of what it adds to learning in k – 12 education. Next, there would have to be dedicated areas for students to begin their exploration if for no other reason than to ensure they don’t bolt as soon as they arrive – I mean I had a really hard time staying with the tour I was on. It took all my concentration and focus not to just blast off and go about exploring. I was glad I stayed with the tour as I learned some key information but I’d have figured out most of it as I needed it. Thirdly, there are too many “adult” areas that students in K – 12 need not see. Not that this cannot be avoided, but it would definitely have to be discussed and something put in place. Finally, there would need to be some way of determining learning goals, outcomes and assessment. Yes, even with this, we must determine what is that we want students to understand, how do demonstrate that understanding and a way to determine how successful that has been.

Now, I’ve spent three quality visits to SL, earned some Lenten $ and been able to make some pretty interesting contacts. I’ve talked about learning and technology more in those sessions than in the weeks prior to my visits – including my blog entries. I’ve talked with people from Denmark, Spain, England, USA, other parts of Canada, Australia, Germany, Poland plus other countries that I can’t recall. I’ve met people from Stanford, Harvard, Oxford, UCLA and other secondary institutions. We’ve talked about the use of technology, our frustration with how things are going in our respective places and what the future might hold. We’ve also drank champagne, while typing which is a great feat! We’ve flown around, visited exotic places that have incredible sights – of course I cannot remember their names and didn’t take pictures but it was fantastic. I’ve danced like I’ve never danced and spent a great time doing so with about 55 other people that I had just met. It was a blast!! Where was I? Oh yeah, I’ve visited numerous libraries – this is going to be a readers paradise with all the libraries that are here. I’ve been to a few universities and seen some exotic places near the coast.
As for the application for school – I’d say not much right now. The cool factor would be great but besides that we can do much more with other forms of technology like wikis and blogs. Until there is a serious look by the K – 12 education systems, not just lone teachers wandering about trying to find things, the world of SL will remain the domain of the universities and their students for learning projects and adults from various locales. I believe we might be able to do some great things with classes meeting and doing discussions and discovery learning as long as they are in similar time zones. Until we can figure out how to squeeze time, we’re still bound by time – both here and in SL.

For anyone who hasn’t tried this out, give it a shot. You’ll need a fairly new computer as the demands are very high. Don’t be afraid to talk to people. I’ve found most of them friendly, except for that bouncer in the nightclub but that’s a whole other story! Try teleporting to different places to see what the people are like and what is going on. Make it an adventure. I know that is how I’ve treated it and I’ve not been disappointed. It can be addicting, just like gaming, so you need to limit your time, put up boundaries and watch how you spend you time. For me, I set out a time limit, define where I am going and choose if I’m going to go to meet friends or look for certain things. It can be har not to go dancing with friends, just like in real life but if you have a specific plan, be sure to stick with it. Otherwise, you end up spending hours there, looking at the clock to find it is 3:00 AM! 6:45 comes very quickly when that happens.

As I explore, I’ve quit worrying or trying to figure out how this can be used educationally. Some times we have to do things just for ourselves and I find SL to be just that for right now. There, it’s always warm not -25 Celcius, the people are friendly and there are no responsibilities like I have here. Just enjoy the freedom for freedom sake – that’s what kids do! Be a kid if just for a moment. And when online, look for Kelv Chevalier.