Comments on: Where is there? http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/ Discussions on education and learning Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:15:24 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: G-Town Talks » Hurry Up and Slow Down http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/comment-page-1/#comment-549 G-Town Talks » Hurry Up and Slow Down Wed, 28 Feb 2007 20:38:42 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/#comment-549 [...] Went to read Educational Discourse recently, after a serious of well-written and thoughtful comments on this blog by Principal Kelly. He writes as follows, Really, we, as educators, live in a world of dichotomy - where one part of our world is moving so quickly it takes our breath away while the other side hardly seems to move at all. There we are, stuck in the middle trying to somehow bring these two together. Some people are doing a fantastic job while others are so overwhelmed that they stick with what they know, which, we are finding, doesn’t fit with our present students which is causing some serious problems. [...] [...] Went to read Educational Discourse recently, after a serious of well-written and thoughtful comments on this blog by Principal Kelly. He writes as follows, Really, we, as educators, live in a world of dichotomy – where one part of our world is moving so quickly it takes our breath away while the other side hardly seems to move at all. There we are, stuck in the middle trying to somehow bring these two together. Some people are doing a fantastic job while others are so overwhelmed that they stick with what they know, which, we are finding, doesn’t fit with our present students which is causing some serious problems. [...]

]]> By: Scott Elias http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/comment-page-1/#comment-547 Scott Elias Wed, 28 Feb 2007 16:24:07 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/#comment-547 There is no "there." I can't imagine a scenario under which there would or could be a "there." As is often pointed out, we are training kids for jobs that haven't been invented yet. The best we can do is try to be Gretzky-like and skate to where our best hunches tell us that "there" will be at any given point in time. There is no “there.” I can’t imagine a scenario under which there would or could be a “there.” As is often pointed out, we are training kids for jobs that haven’t been invented yet. The best we can do is try to be Gretzky-like and skate to where our best hunches tell us that “there” will be at any given point in time.

]]> By: always learning » Three in One http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/comment-page-1/#comment-539 always learning » Three in One Wed, 28 Feb 2007 02:25:51 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/#comment-539 [...] MissProfe is reflecting on her role in the classroom after reading Kelly Christopherson’s post about the same topic. Although I left a comment for MissProfe I wanted to post it here because I realized that I’m not just a teacher, I’m three teachers: I’m a technology teacher, an international school teacher and a middle school teacher. All three roles are wrapped up into one position, but they can have different objectives. It’s all about the balance. [...] [...] MissProfe is reflecting on her role in the classroom after reading Kelly Christopherson’s post about the same topic. Although I left a comment for MissProfe I wanted to post it here because I realized that I’m not just a teacher, I’m three teachers: I’m a technology teacher, an international school teacher and a middle school teacher. All three roles are wrapped up into one position, but they can have different objectives. It’s all about the balance. [...]

]]> By: To What End? « It’s A Hardknock Teacher’s Life http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/comment-page-1/#comment-536 To What End? « It’s A Hardknock Teacher’s Life Tue, 27 Feb 2007 22:49:37 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/#comment-536 [...] Feb 27th, 2007 by missprofe Why do we teach what we teach? What purpose does it serve? How do we transmit the value of our discipline to our students? I was prompted to contemplate these questions by a recent post by my colleague entitled, “Where is Where?”, and my comments to the same. [...] [...] Feb 27th, 2007 by missprofe Why do we teach what we teach? What purpose does it serve? How do we transmit the value of our discipline to our students? I was prompted to contemplate these questions by a recent post by my colleague entitled, “Where is Where?”, and my comments to the same. [...]

]]> By: Miss Profe http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/comment-page-1/#comment-517 Miss Profe Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:14:29 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/#comment-517 I used to think that there was a "there". In fact, I have spent nearly 13 years of my career as a language teacher getting to "there" with my students, in my attempts to convert them into junior linguists. I was determined, on a Mission. Until a department meeting in late November where my Dept. chair outlined the goals of the language program, and the students we teach (we teach the range at my school). This conversation transformed my teaching, and what it means to get to "there". "There" is determined by the abilities, goals and motivations of each student. Of course, I have my own agenda, but, as a progressive teacher, the student is where we begin and end, according to John Dewey. I am slowly realizing that "there" is a state of becoming. "There" is tomorrow, and then we begin again. I used to think that there was a “there”. In fact, I have spent nearly 13 years of my career as a language teacher getting to “there” with my students, in my attempts to convert them into junior linguists. I was determined, on a Mission. Until a department meeting in late November where my Dept. chair outlined the goals of the language program, and the students we teach (we teach the range at my school). This conversation transformed my teaching, and what it means to get to “there”. “There” is determined by the abilities, goals and motivations of each student. Of course, I have my own agenda, but, as a progressive teacher, the student is where we begin and end, according to John Dewey.

I am slowly realizing that “there” is a state of becoming. “There” is tomorrow, and then we begin again.

]]> By: Miss Profe http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/comment-page-1/#comment-516 Miss Profe Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:07:18 +0000 http://kwhobbes.edublogs.org/2007/02/26/where-is-there/#comment-516 I used to be very focused on "there" with respect to my teaching as a language teacher. Getting to "there" on the basis of level, grade, and all of the associated grammar, vocabulary and structures not only made me crazy, but also my students. Of course, they complied, and did (just about) everything I asked; students generally want to please. However, to what end? Where were we going? Was I trying to make linguists out of my students? Well, actually, yes, I was. Until I arrived at my current school, and learned that, given the population I now teach, this isn't possible. It probably wasn't possible at my previous schools, either. But, I was determined to try. I was on a Mission. Now, after 13 years of teaching language, it's about planting the proverbial seeds, in the hopes that some of my students will at some point catch the language/travel bug. As far as Web 2.0, I really want to get there...TODAY! Patience is truly not one of my virtues. Especially when in my part of the learning spectrum, many are sticking to what they know because they are truly overwhelmed, and/or they find comfort in debating issues that are so old and worn that they've grown mold. As I get older, learning and teaching, like life, is a state of becoming, and the "there" is tomorrow, and then we begin again. I used to be very focused on “there” with respect to my teaching as a language teacher. Getting to “there” on the basis of level, grade, and all of the associated grammar, vocabulary and structures not only made me crazy, but also my students. Of course, they complied, and did (just about) everything I asked; students generally want to please. However, to what end? Where were we going? Was I trying to make linguists out of my students? Well, actually, yes, I was. Until I arrived at my current school, and learned that, given the population I now teach, this isn’t possible. It probably wasn’t possible at my previous schools, either. But, I was determined to try. I was on a Mission.

Now, after 13 years of teaching language, it’s about planting the proverbial seeds, in the hopes that some of my students will at some point catch the language/travel bug.

As far as Web 2.0, I really want to get there…TODAY! Patience is truly not one of my virtues. Especially when in my part of the learning spectrum, many are sticking to what they know because they are truly overwhelmed, and/or they find comfort in debating issues that are so old and worn that they’ve grown mold.

As I get older, learning and teaching, like life, is a state of becoming, and the “there” is tomorrow, and then we begin again.

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