Sometimes, when your personal world feels like it’s ready to implode, we all need days like this; time to be with family and just put aside the world for a few hours. I’m an extremely lucky person; I love my job; I have a great family and I want for nothing important. May everyone find a time in their lives to realize how much good goes on, even when we are surrounded by cynicism, pain and uncertainty.
I glanced at the clock on my computer at 18:18 and dashed outside—there wasn’t a Christmas star, but the space station streaking across the sky for all of 3 minutes….while I know it’s controversial, I always feel a ray of hope when I remember the moon landing (yes, I’m that old) or see things like that…..as human beings we are capable of great things.
Today I renewed my Flickr account for two years….and started thinking about that as a statement of optimism….a statement that life will go on…..and that I will dance and sing through it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERbvKrH-GC4
I sat in an Internet Safety meeting today and watched this video. (Is Klaus Home?) I can’t help but wonder how we are going to help teachers understand that this is awareness training and not “scare the pants off of you” training. If you are so concerned about something bad happening you live in a bubble–and never experience anything…and never learn.
t is almost a miracle that modern teaching methods have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiousity of inquiry; for what this delicate little plant needs more than anything, besides stimulation, is freedom (a. einstein)
What an interesting quote for my mood today. The past week has been full of wonderings about teaching and where we are going. As I listened (for the 4th time) to a video that assorted stuff wanted to show during our tech trainer meetings this week the phrase “we got it wrong–it was a musical and we’re supposed to sing and dance along the way” keeps coming home. I look at my life and wonder how often it’s been about singing and dancing and, I guess, I’m lucky enough to say “a majority of the time”. I love my work; I loved it when I was in the classroom; and almost every day brings a gift of some sort. Right now the sun is beginning to seep through the grey day–and I think the light may be right to finally get my camera out. The house is ready for the holidays, the baking & shopping are essentially done….
How can we put the joy back into education—the freedom to experiment and play–life is not a beginning and an end, but a series of moments–and we have to be sure that our kids can savor them.
….this is now a personal journal; one to record thoughts quickly and easily no matter where I am….and today has been full of them. My biggest wonder, however, is why so many people are so insensitive and seem to be surrounded only by their own perspective. I see so many good ideas that get shot down not because they aren’t good ideas but because the person proposing them is pushing so hard or isn’t listening…..and seems unaware of the impact they are having and how it’s dramatically reduing their chance of influencing others.
I also don’t understand why people seem to think that it’s OK to be publicly mean and derisive in a joking way, especially in e-mail and public posts. The sterility of the web means things get read many ways….and people always read first with their own eyes and experiences and then seldom try on a different viewpoint.
This sounds mushy and vague–but the lack of tolerance and understanding is really beginning to get to me. Critical statements are fine, make them in private, back them with facts, keep them within bounds in public—offer suggestions and alternatives—but there is never a need to be publicly rude. I wonder, sometimes, if Roberts Rules of Order weren’t a good thing. Is it the anonymity of electronic communication that makes people feel that they don’t have to be kind—and then it overflows into face-to-face relationships.