A while ago, I read that someone in my PLN had a black and white TV and because of this, did not know that the movie “THE WIZARD OF OZ” changed color when Dorothy left Kansas.
Now, add those thoughts to today’s conversation on twitter about perhaps we are speaking at the wrong conferences.
Well, let us just say that my mind has been tumbling both ideas around for a while — and I am now sharing my thoughts — and my challenge.
My Thoughts
If you don’t know that something is different, how do you know there can be change?
If you don’t know what to look for, how to do even know what to look for?
If everything looks right, how to do you notice what looks wrong?
I think we are going about this wrong at conferences.
I think we are doing WAY too much talking and not enough showing.
I think we have to open teachers eyes “to not being in Kansas anymore” by showing them how much prettier Oz is.
So my challenge:
I am challenging everyone to start showcasing REAL LIFE TEACHERS doing REAL LIFE (REPLICABLE ED-TECH) activities in their classroom.
I am challenging myself to do the same.
I am challenging my PLN to give their blog post up one or two times this week — or this month — and let a teacher on your campus share what they are doing to make a difference.
I am challenging you – and myself — to no longer give IDEAS at conferences (only) but to show ACTUALITIES.
I challenge my PLN to stop talking about change and start showing change at work — either at your school OR those you know on the web.
3 Examples from me:
Geeks from the Creek -
http://ccegeeks.blogspot.com/
Mrs. Hanson’s 4th Grade Class
http://www.sb.starcatholic.ab.ca/classes/4H/index.html
Hedy Laverdiere
http://www.rocketlaunchers.org/launchpad.html
I think once we stop talking about OZ and start showing them OZ, maybe teachers will come along.
So — here is your chance –
In the comment area — direct us to someone who is doing something in the classroom which ANYONE could do…..
Thanks
Jen
November 8th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Great ideas Jen. Howabout an entire conference built around show instead of tell:
http://blogush.edublogs.org/2009/08/
And a couple of my favorite edtech student projects:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHSj50msB1Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hdqZFT_b6U
And one that used tech to re-dub the audio and then video to share with the world:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dZMaps2PAo
November 8th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Scalability. This is the question that I think you are getting at, Jen. The majority of the kinds of things we talk about in our online spaces probably don’t scale very well in a situation of 8 period days, 47 minute class periods, teacher departmental silos, reductive measurements of learning, filtered Internet access, etc, etc. Is this an excuse?? Probably, but it is one reason why John Seely Brown advises that we “work the edges and the edges will eventually become the core.” I run a youth webcasting, live Internet radio project where our students do two broadcasts a month. It totally is NOT scalable to most teachers and classes as we see them now…however, it is an edge/fringe activity that is working and may eventually, like JSB suggests, become the core.
AddIn By Jen: Visit Matt’s site here: http://middleschoolblog.blogspot.com/
November 8th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
I love the way you are thinking and I totally agree. We talk about the wonderful idea of giving students a global audience but that takes people participating not just talking about it.
Here’s a couple.
Sophomore classes exploration of Alice in Wonderland through blogging.
http://aliceproject.wordpress.com/
Youtube video made by Pre-AP Spanish students about the present perfect tense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jHS0SzqLFo
November 9th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Thank you for putting my thoughts into words. I couldn’t agree more!
November 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I am going to present some technology for the classroom this Wed. to all my teachers. I am going to challenge them to do just one thing new. Great thoughts! The challenge is on.
November 11th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
We started small earlier this year in our school, with a group of volunteers who came once a fortnight before school to learn some new tools, have a play around and gradually try and implement just one thing at a time in their classrooms. The group has grown and we are trying new things all the time! We have had a couple of ’show and tell’ sessions for teachers to share what they have tried with the rest of the staff. Now the teachers who didn’t participate began to feel left behind and are jumping on the bandwagon too. I started my own blog to share what we have been doing … and to practice blogging so that i can try it with my class