coComments related to datruss

Great stuff Amalia! I think th

2009-11-06T18:34:12.598+01:00

Great stuff Amalia! I think the main suggestion I would give, since you really are putting your students out on a limb, compared to both your and their comfort zones, is to give them incremental plateaus for success... something that they can see before the end product is due. For example, research (in English) three experts or companies they can talk to and then discuss which one would be best. Finding the contacts becomes a milestone that they can feel they accomplished even before the 'scary' conversation, and they get to share their success with you and the class, (and feel like the choice they made was a good one, rather than a shot in the dark). Soon your fruit will be ripe for picking! ~Dave.

Hello from Dalian, China! Dann

2009-10-29T15:56:32.523+01:00

Hello from Dalian, China! Danny, I spent many years growing up in Toronto so I was a big Leafs fan! -Please forgive me! ;-) One day this player that I thought was the most over-rated player in the world was coming to town with his Edmonton team and I thought I'd go to the game to 'prove' that everything they said about him was just hype. My friend and I paid scalpers almost all the money we had to get the best seats we could... we sat 3 seats back from the Maple Leaf bench... the best seats I have ever had! So we went to the game to 'prove' that Wayne Gretzky was the most over-rated player and instead we left as two of his biggest fans! He was amazing! The Leafs lost 9-6 and Gretzky had 5 or 6 points (sorry it was a long time ago, I don't remember exactly). He would have had a dozen points if he had another Gretzky on his team! I remember one particular play where defense-man Stuart Gavin was skating out of his zone, just about at the blue line, (not even 4 meters away from me). Way on the other side of the ice Wayne Gretzky was also at the blue line. I watched him do a little spin-o-ramma and wondered why would he do that all the way on the other end of the ice? After the spin he headed straight for Stuart Gavin, lifted his stick from behind, and went in to score a breakaway goal... Amazing! By doing his little spin-o-ramma, Wayne Gretzky got out of Stuart Gavin's line of sight AND he also maintained his speed so that he would be able to catch Stuart. I watched Wayne the whole night and in just one game he went, in my eyes, from being the most over-rated player to being the best player that ever lived! Wayne Gretzky gets my vote! So who do you think is the best athlete that ever lived? What sport did he or she play? ~Mr. Truss

Hello from Dalian, China! I ag

2009-10-29T15:31:33.762+01:00

Hello from Dalian, China! I agree with you Lizzie, a book has to have a good inside too, though many times I have been attracted to a book because of its' cover. I am also a big movie fan, but I make it a rule to always read the book before seeing the movie. I did this with the Lord of the Rings series, reading each book a month or so before the movies came out. I still have not seen the Twilight movie because I read the first 3 books and I want to read the 4th, Breaking Dawn, with my own impressions of what everyone looks like, (before the movie makes me think differently). Have you ever seen the movie first and then read the book? How does that change the reading experience for you? ~Mr. Truss

Amalia, This reminds me so mu

2009-10-27T02:51:32.234+01:00

Amalia, This reminds me so much of my post Instantaneous which ended with this: The most amazing part to all this: It was almost midnight here and I was ‘chatting’ with a student, reading her writing, and offering (minor) feedback… while ’sitting in’ on a staff meeting at the International School Bangkok, Thailand… ‘talking’ to Kelly in Saskatchewan and Alec in Regina, as well as others in Australia and The UK… and ‘meeting’ Chrissy, a new connection from New Zealand, who has offered to Twitter-in and help demonstrate networking/connectivity at my Pro-D session next week in the suburbs of Vancouver. The internet extends the reach or our thoughts, and yes that does impact our world in a greater, more meaningful way than possible in the past.

Hey Tom, Great job with the ne

2009-10-22T23:35:01.952+02:00

Hey Tom, Great job with the newsletter! I think it is important when doing a 'newsletter' such as this that the reader has to click outside of email to actually view it, and so a Google docs a great idea! I did one a while back via a blog post: http://datruss.wordpress.com/category/digital-magic/ By putting the post on my (seldom used) blog and linking to the category rather than the individual link, I didn't have to change my link address and older newsletters automatically loaded below the most recent one. I like your regular sections and think that if I redo my newsletter, (my current staff can't see my wordpress blog in China), then I might do that. One semi-regular section that I used was "Things that make you go hmmmm..." which I hoped would inspire conversations about learning. Another thing that I did was to feature what some of my teachers were doing. I love your 'From My Twitter Network' section, it models the power of shared learning and developing a PLN.

To Paul Villavisanis, I did a

2009-10-21T06:48:19.131+02:00

To Paul Villavisanis, I did a presentation in Boston last July and if you click on my name in this comment, I've linked to my blog post about it. Although I don't have a specific video of how they are used in the classroom, I video taped an interview with Sonya, a teacher who uses POD's (Personally Owned Devices) in her classroom- cell phones, ipods, whatever students can provide. The interview is divided into 3 different YouTube videos and embeded into the presentation. Here is the full interview on blip.tv: http://pairadimes.blip.tv/file/2412413/ I hope you find this helpful.

Claudia, It was a post much l

2009-10-18T23:33:16.660+02:00

Claudia, It was a post much like this that I read on your blog more than two years ago that sent me to the sign-up page on twitter. I think, for that reason, these of your words struck me most: We can never know the totality of our influence in the world, or what conversations happen in response to our work. I am approaching 6,000 tweets that would not have existed had you not nudged and influenced my own thinking... and how much influence have I had as a result? I have been amazed again and again at just how much can be said in 140 characters and yet sometimes more needs to be said... Some of the tweets you shared have a story to be told. I think you should heed the very advice you gave me and blog about them: Get that post drafted somehow. Posts have such a short-term head life. Some of these tweets can stand alone, wisdom shared of which you will never really know the totality of their influence, perhaps not even to yourself, much less others!

I wrote a short post a while b

2009-10-18T15:18:36.273+02:00

I wrote a short post a while back asking, 'is the tool an obstacle or an opportunity'? http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com/miss-management/ (see the cartoon) and followed up with a presentation on POD's (Personally Owned Devices) that are brought into our schools every day! http://www.slideshare.net/datruss/the-pods-are-coming To be blunt, I'm really not a fan of Liz's idea that for infractions: "...all cell phone activities will cease for that particular class "period" of students, until they can prove they deserve the privilege again." I'm not sure of too many instances where punishing the whole group for a single person is beneficial. Would you take away everyone else's pencil if one person misused a pencil? That said, cell phones can be a huge distraction from school work and I think rules and expectations need to be clear, and succinct... I really like rule #5. Students will use appropriate cell phone etiquette by respecting the privacy of other's phone numbers and using appropriate language with their mobile communication. It states the positive- what the student should do- rather than just what not to do. Well done.

Jeff, I've had this post open

2009-10-13T03:03:22.883+02:00

Jeff, I've had this post open on FireFox since you announced it on Twitter, funny how busy life gets. As I read it I was reminded of the 'Brave New World Wide Web' video I created a while back. It was well received... by the 'converted'. It spoke to those that have engaged online and in the blogosphere, but I don't think it 'spoke' to someone new to these ideas. 21st Century Skills? If you break down the skills themselves you get down to things like: 'Checking the reliability of your sources' and 'Use information accurately and creatively to solve a problem' and 'Respect cultural differences and work effectively with people from a range of social and cultural backgrounds' If you really think about it, those skills would have been quite useful in the 20th Century too. I think we need to drop the term 21 Century and focus on Learning Skills. The reality is that the world wide web is an incredible source of information and 'Checking the reliability of your sources' means understanding how to use the web knowledgeably and meaningfully. We don't need a new term. We need to focus on what Learning Skills our students need to be successful, and then ask: "What does a student today need in their repertoire in order to achieve these Learning Skills?"... which begs the questions, "What do I need to know as an educator in order to provide those skills to my students?" So, what exactly is the discussion that we need to be having? What skills do teachers need to be effective? I'm currently at a school with very little tech and what I'm advocating for is 1-1 for teachers: Ever teacher with a netbook and an LCD projector. Until they, the teachers, have the skills to use technology effectively, the internet is a glorified encyclopedia with a few interesting videos and a few interesting distractions... and we, (those that will actually read your post), know it is far more than that!

Hi Clarence, I feel your pain

2009-10-07T14:04:20.930+02:00

Hi Clarence, I feel your pain. I moved from an extremely open district... to China! I didn't get to see you very much in Boston, and so I'd like to share my POD's are Coming presentation with you, or at least part of it: http://www.slideshare.net/datruss/the-pods-are-coming Slides 49 to 56. FILTERS FILTER LEARNING! You will make it work, but more than that, you will be a voice that speaks out against filtering and educate the powers that be. A slow but necessary road, and we need educators like you vocalizing their concerns and shifting opinions about how to 'protect' our kids. The other concern that is used to justify filters is 'off task behavior'. Bud's recent post says it better than I can: What we’ve decided is that we will no longer use the web filter as a classroom management tool. Blocking one distraction doesn’t solve the problem of students off task – it just encourages them to find another site to distract them. Students off task is not a technology problem – it’s a behavior problem. It is our intention that we help students to learn the appropriate on-task behaviors instead of assuming that we can use filters to manage student use. http://budtheteacher.com/blog/2009/10/03/would-you-please-block/ Fight the fight that needs to be fought, and many of us will offer any support that we can. Dave.

Bravo Bud! My favorite line ha

2009-10-07T02:07:44.813+02:00

Bravo Bud! My favorite line has to be: "What we’ve decided is that we will no longer use the web filter as a classroom management tool. " It reminds me of this cartoon I made regarding cell phones in class: http://www.toondoo.com/cartoon/880754 As for blocking sites: Filters filter learning.

A focus that I've had recently

2009-10-06T23:29:19.128+02:00

A focus that I've had recently is something you mentioned in your post: "...learners and facilitators are collaborators who support one another in their educational journey." I think of teachers being 'lead learners', role models as to what it means to be inquisitive, to want to learn, and to learn by making mistakes. Fear seems to be a driving force in education, fear of getting in trouble, fear of bad marks, fear of being wrong. Where does that come from? It isn't in a 2 or 3 year old, yet kids get to school and develop these fears... of learning! When we get teachers and students learning together (and making mistakes along the way), we create an ideal learning environment. You've got a wonderful vision here, hold on to it and make it a reality!

Hi Ayanna, I'm not sure that

2009-10-05T18:31:10.793+02:00

Hi Ayanna, I'm not sure that I'm 'everywhere' but here I am! :-) My mother spent about 7 years growing up and going to school in Trinidad and I grew up in neighbouring Barbados until I was 9. Your topic is really interesting to me, as I grew up with 3 sisters and now have 2 daughters. What I'd like to share is an interesting point that a friend who works at Home Depot told me. Home Depot is a huge all-in-one home repair and improvement store... a real 'guys' store, (you'll see why I said that in just a moment). My buddy works in management there and he said that over 90% of their advertising is designed specifically for women. What they have learned through research is: 1. Women tend to have more disposable income, or at least more money that they are willing to spend on home improvement than men do. And, 2. If you advertise to women, you get a large percentage of males also 'buying in' but if you advertise to men then only men are interested. So... yes we need to make sure that we don't leave the boys behind, and we also need to make sure that we are teaching girls about what advertisers and marketers do to part them from their hard earned money! Thanks for the thoughtful post! Dave.

Sue, Thanks so much for reques

2009-10-02T04:33:50.165+02:00

Sue, Thanks so much for requesting that I do a short video. In a way I guess you could qualify what I discuss as a PLE, but I do like to define it as 'my personal learning space'. I'm not trying to change the use of any terms, just trying to make meaning for myself. Amalia, I remember when excerpts from this post http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com/developing-empathy/ were published in a textbook about 'Heroes and Idols'. I had such a sense of accomplishment for being 'published', although I'd already been 'published' on my blog for almost 3 years at the time. I shared my pride in being paper-published on Twitter where one of my wise friends said, "...But your words have always been published, so what if now it is on paper?" That kind of burst my 'paper = published' view. The fact is that I've had no feedback what-so-ever on my paper article, but I get feedback, questions, and interaction with my readers here. My articles stay 'alive' on my blog with google often pointing the way to articles that I wrote many moons ago. But I still love that my article was chosen for print in a textbook and I love that students who would never go to my blog get to read my work. I still love print, (even if most books that I read now are not in digital format). At BLC08 Keynote speaker John Davitt http://novemberlearning.com/blc/main-sessions/john-davitt/ asked and answered this question about digital vs the print world: "Which world do I want to live in? Well, the answer is both!" So, it isn't an either/or thing, just a new place for you to share your writing, and I for one will enjoy reading your blog when you get it started. Donna, Glad you can use some of what I shared here, this affirms what I just said to Amalia... I hope your workshop goes well and I'm glad I could help in a small way! Dave.

Angela, I'm not usually a fan

2009-09-25T06:50:14.505+02:00

Angela, I'm not usually a fan of these clipart 'dudes' but I love your use of them here, and they add to the simplicity of your message. I'm going to be sharing this with my staff. Brilliant!

May old Green-Screen the Black

2009-09-24T15:43:41.278+02:00

May old Green-Screen the Black Projector rest in... pieces! Hopefully Mr. Fisher will move on to something a little less green and brighten your days to come. :-) (Dalian, Liaoning, China)

I shared my thoughts on Facing

2009-09-23T06:52:01.128+02:00

I shared my thoughts on Facing Facebook here: http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com/facing-facebook/ and the comments afterward were interesting. Personally I wouldn't use Facebook in the classroom. I think there are so many good tools out there, like Ning networks for example, that I'd rather not take a site my students like to socialize on and somehow make that site 'work' for them. The crux of my thoughts on Facebook is that it will be a 'playground where the bully always wins' unless we have an adult presence there with some good role modeling happening. Dave

Good question Harold, though i

2009-09-22T06:43:24.035+02:00

Good question Harold, though in asking it I think we fall into the mental construct of what we 'can' do vs what we 'can't' do... which allows 'we can't' to be an acceptable answer. It may just be semantics but I think the better question to ask is 'What can we do?' So, what can we do? • Talk to our district leaders about how 'Filters Filter Learning' (The POD's are Coming http://www.slideshare.net/datruss/the-pods-are-coming see the slides leading up to Slide 57)... and about how to use Personally Owned Devices for learning in schools. • Teach online safety • Create social learning networks with students (even if it is a private, 'walled garden' that only the class can participate in). • Connect online with other students, even if they are from the same school or district, and promote creating safe, appropriate online identities. • Volunteer to help write a school or district Appropriate Use Policy (AUP) http://delicious.com/dtruss/aup My point is that a lot can be done to remove the bubble wrap, without having to undo paranoid driven laws and regulations. We just need to, take on a leadership role, find the teachable opportunities, and do what we can to prepare our students for the world we live in today!

Jen, I'm slow to respond here,

2009-09-09T18:52:48.325+02:00

Jen, I'm slow to respond here, but I just wanted to say that it was wonderful meeting you! And thanks for your kind words. Although we had a great dinner with some wonderful people, I have to admit that what I really wanted to do was to sneak away to another table with you, Alec and Heidi... a 4-way conversation is about my maximum comfort zone for going beyond idle chit-chat and having a real learning conversation. Fortunately we can still learn a lot from each other, after all that's what we did before we met face to face. But f2f is really wonderful after creating a digital friendship. I hope, while I'm out this way, that I'll have some opportunities to connect to some of my 'Eastern' friends too! See you in a couple years:-) Dave.

Hey Alec, I feel compelled to

2009-09-09T06:46:05.779+02:00

Hey Alec, I feel compelled to share my presentation: http://www.slideshare.net/datruss/the-pods-are-coming The POD's are Coming! I love how you work around things to promote thinning walls (Slide 37)- Your work, thanks for sharing! And as I say in slide 53, "Filters Filter Learning!" What I love most about this post is the attitude that, 'well that didn't work, so what can we do to make it work?' People don't go to a photocopier when it is broken, just before a lesson that they needed copies for and say, "Dang, out of order, that's it I'm NEVER going to use the photocopier again!" but somehow they try something with technology in the classroom that doesn't work and they use that as proof positive that technology has no place in their class!?! You exemplified what it means for the teacher to be the 'lead learner' in the classroom and role modeled what it means for 'failure' to be a learning opportunity. Thanks for leading the way and sharing your experiences with us! Dave.

Kim, I'm glad that you introdu

2009-08-05T08:23:33.961+02:00

Kim, I'm glad that you introduced yourself and if you ever get the opportunity again, introduce yourself to Lisa and Liz... they are two amazing educators! It was my first time meeting David Jakes and Jeff Utecht too and they are both people I'd love to spend more time talking to! I had to leave the conference early and understand what it is like to feel like I've missed out... but the connections we make online can help remove that feeling. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go and let @kimtufts know that she has a new comment on her blog;-)

Hi Beth, My favorite quote fro

2009-08-05T08:01:00.853+02:00

Hi Beth, My favorite quote from Zander was, "You are always faced with 3 response choices to a challenge: Resignation, Anger and Possibilities!" After my first year of teaching I made it a rule never to look at articulation of students until I spent a few days with them... it was much easier to see the gifts and possibilities without pre-conceived labels and issues. - - - One thing that I do on my online profiles and my emails is that I end them with a simple Zoroastrian quote: Think Good Thoughts, Say Good Words, Do Good Deeds. A simple reminder to me as much as it is to others. It is an honour to know that I helped to inspire this post... thanks to you! Dave.

Thanks so much for the kind wo

2009-08-02T16:44:37.001+02:00

Thanks so much for the kind words Bryan, I love your ending, where I would be missed if I "weren’t moving halfway around the world (while essentially residing in the same place)." It reminded me of a quote from Marcie Hull: "Access to the Internet has changed our very concept of geography; it becomes almost an idea like time. It has a construct but all the miles melt away when you are on the web communicating synchronously and asynchronously." Now we just need to make sure our students are plugged into that any-time learning environment where we find enthusiasm and engagement where the geography of the classroom used to get in the way.

Hi Stephen, This was the firs

2009-07-25T21:47:50.261+02:00

Hi Stephen, This was the first time that I saw the video embed in Slideshare. It now has a Youtube embed tab when you edit your presentation. One nice feature is that this embed does not mess up your slide numbers, the video is sequenced between slides. I didn't embed the Slideshare in this old post, find it on my new post, or on Slideshare.

Paul, I'm glad you enjoyed the

2009-07-21T17:37:23.721+02:00

Paul, I'm glad you enjoyed the presentation. If I was inclined to go back to school, (yet again), I would dig deeply into the pedagogy of networks vs groups, as this is fascinating stuff. I think the classrooms of the future will be very networked and it will become an expectation rather than an exception. I'm glad that my little presentation can continue to influence and inspire others, thanks for the comment! Shelly, Interestingly enough, I've only ever used VoiceThread with adults as I came across that tool after becoming an administrator. Two tools that I think are fantastic for the classroom are VoiceThread and Diigo: They both hold so much potential for meaningful engagement and networking of ideas. Using VoiceThread with a Kindergarten class to connect globally is a brilliant idea... and the by-product of getting parents to feel good about their children participating in a global project is wonderful. Have you tried involving parents in a VoiceThread? As for the student teachers using VoiceThread, it went well, but what was shocking to me was the difficulty that some of them had creating an account. It concerns me that technology integration seems more optional than anything expected with new, incoming teachers.

Gary, Seldom do I read somethi

2009-07-01T09:36:59.551+02:00

Gary, Seldom do I read something so quotable. I wish I was there. The big message for me: Decentralize Knowledge and 'strive to create learner-centered, project-based, collaborative, non-coercive environments in which students learn through a community of practice'... and yes we can do this within our Brick and Mortar schools... with the right vision and management/leadership. Very well said!

Tagged... you got me:-) I alwa

2009-06-23T12:09:44.429+02:00

Tagged... you got me:-) I always break rules on memes... and so rather than blogging this, here it is: 1. Delve into the world of ELL. I know there are great teachers sharing great stuff around ELL but I never had a need to explore this. Now that I'm moving to be principal of a school that consists of a majority of English Language Learners, this has suddenly become a priority. 2. Create a new format for my digital magic series. http://datruss.wordpress.com/category/digital-magic/ It's blocked in China and so I'm thinking of moving it. The format will be different, but that's all I'll say until I get the first one under my belt... stay tuned for my first one, as I'll be looking for feedback. 3. I'm in for a huge move and big changes so I'm going to commit to doing a little less online until that move is over. Putting my family first is PD because it reminds me to be fully present at everything I do! Good luck with your goals Lisa!

Thanks for your comments! Dar

2009-06-11T11:14:19.404+02:00

Thanks for your comments! Darcy, You reminded me of a quote that I used in my presentation to this group in Louisiana: Students today depend on these expensive fountain pens. They can no longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning how to cope in the real business world which is not so extravagant. -From PTA Gazette, 1941 The 'technology' has changed, but the idea that these 'new' tools are "to the detriment of learning" hasn't... at least for some, and it may not until that technology is boring and 'invisible' to them. Karenne, It is that sense of community you mention that we, who integrate technology meaningfully into what we do, try so hard get other to understand... keep sharing! :-) Laura, One of the things I often plug is social bookmarking, because it is one area where teachers can see value for themselves, and I think when that happens it is only natural to want to share it with their students. Cindy, It is indeed hard to 'tone it down' and not be the technology evangelist! I really like your idea of keeping our own learning transparent! On that note, Jim sent some feedback from the Red group yesterday. It varied from: "...We were not overblown with too much information." to "...Quite a few times I felt overwhelmed." ...and from, "...Not only was he knowledgeable with the various technological ideas presented, but he also possesses a great knowledge of pedagogy." to "He was very hard to follow and seemed to jump from one thing to the other. I would have benefited more from step by step instructions on some of the things he wanted us to learn about." A few included requests for hand-outs too. This feedback was the only one to reference my PLN: "...You are so aware of the abundance of resources on the Internet that it makes it easy to see how much is available. Your PLN is awesome and I hope that I can create something similar in time..." I'll spend more time looking over all the feedback, and I'm thankful for the candidness of some of them. My big picture lessons behind this? *We can't be everything to everybody. *Be passionate and authentic. Case-in-point: "You really seemed to have a grip on what you were teaching. I also appreciated your openness and honesty about areas you are not an expert in." *Sloooow down! I allowed people to move ahead, and I provided many places for participants to follow links and explore their own interests, so I should have spent more time with those that needed the step-by-step help. ...there is always more to learn :-)

Positive, up-beat and entertai

2009-06-11T08:38:54.045+02:00

Positive, up-beat and entertaining! I really like that this focuses on the potential of what ICT can offer, rather than on fear of falling behind the rest of the world, (which many videos tend to do). Thanks for sharing, Dave.

My favourite part of this post

2009-05-15T09:22:13.394+02:00

My favourite part of this post: what’s absolutely fundamental to me is that I want my children to learn to accept themselves, to know their strengths and weaknesses, to work together to everyone’s best advantage. Simple and yet nothing less than what we want for ALL our children and our students.

I'm not sure if there are diff

2009-04-29T01:00:55.861+02:00

I'm not sure if there are different classifications for lurking? Before writing this comment, I made many other decisions to share what I read... I saved this as a diigo bookmark, I chose to highlight a couple sections, I chose to share it with the 'educators' group. I also 'broadcast' on twitter that I was reading the article. All very 'transparent' (in other places) even before choosing to comment here. But there are many articles that I read where I choose to do only a few, or none of these things. I read, reflect, and move on. Is this lurking? Is lurking "an important stage in developing our confidence to contribute and belong to a community"? For some, yes, but for others it might be unnecessary. Those that contribute as amateurs can be useful within a community, and they can also create 'clutter' that slows the community's learning/growing curve. I think that when we are networked and connected to many communities we might lurk and still contribute to other's learning in different communities (or face-to-face)... and for that reason although it may be difficult to see any tangible benefits to lurking in one single community, there may be many benefits to the lurker's other communities.

Patrick, It is very true that

2009-03-31T01:15:30.359+02:00

Patrick, It is very true that 'you get out of it what you put into it!' Your comment brings an interesting question to mind, which is: Why 'Schooliness' lowers our input? What is it about school work that makes it hard work? Why can't the institutional learning I do be more like this blog is for me? I think control is one significant aspect. Emapey, I understand your point and probably should have mentioned eportfolios in my post, but to me my blog is not my eportfolio. I have many resources that I might or might not link to on my blog, and I don't try to use it to represent the many aspects of my learning. For instance, I have another blog that I seldom link to from here, because it doesn't necessarily fit into the focus of this blog, (it's more Practic-All and less philosophical). I guess to others, blogs like this could be considered an eportfolio, the question of some sort of formal recognition for the work countless educators are putting into blogs, wikis and Ning networks, etc. is still a question that I wonder about?

Great comment Clayton! Here i

2009-03-16T20:56:19.055+01:00

Great comment Clayton! Here in coquitlam, I agree with you that, while things are really moving, we are still trying to 'encourage staff' with a roadmap that they have to choose, and that buy-in is key. I love that you see all the wonderful things happening and I hope that the rate of change moves from incrimental to exponential. My statement may have been wrongfully overarching or absolute... but I do believe that there is a long way to go and that we will not get there fast enough without raising the level of concern and thinking about a more global roadmap that intentionally affects all teachers/learners.

I shared my thoughts here: htt

2009-03-02T08:04:07.967+01:00

I shared my thoughts here: http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com/edupunk-or-educational-leader/ The T-Shirt that works is Edu-Leader!

My 'suggestion' translated int

2009-02-28T09:35:12.282+01:00

My 'suggestion' translated into 'critique' when my Canadian English was converted to Sue's Australian English! ;-) Jokes aside, I think this speaks volumes of Sue to make the point in her comment, and I think it also says something about how important it is to share and share alike! Twitter really is about sharing. You give in order to get. Hopefully many insightful twitter users will join us in celebrating what we value in Twitter. It should be #gr8t! Thanks for sharing!

I'm going to weigh in here aga

2009-02-02T06:52:26.038+01:00

I'm going to weigh in here again. But first, this is what Stephen Downes had to say about this post: The first sentence of this article may take you aback. But I don't disagree with the sentiment expressed. I have watched the Fraser Institute - and its cohorts, the C.D. Howe Institute and the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies. Though dutifully cited in the press as though they were research organizations, these institutes are well-funded political lobbyists. It is one of the first and deepest failures of the traditional press that it perpetuates this misrepresentation and allows them to promote as authoritative and evident the failed policies that have led us into the recession we now face. January 29, 2009. While I agree with David Slocombe's focus on finding a positive approach, and in the same vein agree with Heidi Hass Gable who says "Let's Talk"... I also think, like Silvana, that 'a real paradigm shift is needed' and I'm not sure that shift is something on the radar with Peter Cowley and the F.I. I was intentionally rude and hurtful in my opening remarks of this post. Why? Because the ranking of schools is hurtful and misleading and insulting. I was intentionally judging the Fraser Institute on narrow paramaters just as they do to schools... I did so to make this point. And then Peter Cowley says, "I am sure you and I could think of other measurables in academics as well as many other aspects of schooling." But here is the thing, even if I help the F.I. widen the 'measurable' parameters, they are still ranking schools and that in and of itself is not healthy or needed. I believe that schools should be held accountable to the communities they serve, and that schools have an obligation to provide a plan to improve themselves, (no matter how good or challenged they may be). I don't believe that ranking schools achieves these goals. I don't believe that the ranking is meaningful or informative to parents or educators, and I don't believe that a better method of ranking will improve anything. I believe, like Dave Maclean and Stephen Downes, that F.I.'s motives are not altruistic and I cannot see myself investing time to work with people who do not share similar goals. When the ranking ends, the conversation can begin.

Hello Peter, Thank you for yo

2009-01-29T20:49:31.397+01:00

Hello Peter, Thank you for your response. I was sarcastic, and feel free to call what I said a rant if you want to, but as Clayton suggests, your response glosses over the points that I am attempting to make. In my Synthesize and Add Meaning post I quote Wesley Fryer, "We need to embrace differentiation, flexibility and high expectations for all students.” And I go on to say, "But there is a dichotomy here: Our ‘educational language’ around standardization and accountability juxtaposed with differentiation and flexibility… we seem to have two mutually exclusive camps, yet there seems to be a move to embrace both. To embrace both is to accomplish neither." To be crass, I cannot help you add more pee to the pot when the pot needs flushing. If you are willing to publicly support the idea that ranking schools accomplishes nothing meaningful for students and learning, then you can get my support and the support of many more educators who will help you find meaningful ways to assess learning, (beyond what we already do as Clayton, above, suggested). Imagine coaches spending an entire year assessing rhythmic gymnastics for creativity and execution of skills and then having someone evaluate the athletes with a stop watch. More accurate stop watches won't help the athletes. It is easy to say that I could be more influential without the sarcasm, but please also recognize that your organization could be more influential if it focused on reporting out something that meaningfully contributes to the learning of students rather than hindering what educators are trying to accomplish in their classrooms, their schools, and their districts.

OK Betty, I want in... this so

2009-01-23T08:20:52.673+01:00

OK Betty, I want in... this sounds like a great group! I can do something on wiki's: http://sfu-ed405.wikispaces.com/ Or whatever you want. Let me know, Dave.

Betty, (and Claire) Thanks for

2008-12-17T12:48:20.376+01:00

Betty, (and Claire) Thanks for sharing this and providing me with inspiration for a new post about Girl Power: http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com/girl-power/ And thank you for being a great instructional leader! Dave.

Thank you for your thoughtful

2008-11-12T07:19:03.538+01:00

Thank you for your thoughtful comments! I had not thought of the power of digital storytelling in the way that Beth suggested. Yes, those born into just ONE culture, especially those that may resent how they are treated or how lacking they are compared to the rest of the world, may have different perceptions of what is inherently 'good'. But... maybe this sharing and learning from each other that we are doing here, right now, is going to help change that. I think that with digital connections being made globally, across cultures, there is great potential to share perspectives and to really humanize issues in ways that were never possible before. The learning for me did not stop when I hit 'post'. Thank you all for your contributions to my thinking and learning.

Wow Lesley, It is always grea

2008-10-24T16:49:57.403+02:00

Wow Lesley, It is always great to hear about teachers addressing networking and safety in their classes, and doing so in a meaningful way. When an un-knowledgeable student is the expert in the family, that's a bit unsettling... but what I find even more unsettling is when that student, as the expert, has full reign to do what they want online, and there is no dialogue between them and their parents. Your final comment about what a concern cyberbullying is solidifies my stance that we need to be online with students. That said, I totally respect your informed decision not to 'friend' your students on Facebook... We don't have an individual obligation or a necessity to be there/everywhere online with them, and you probably have more of an impact in educating your students about online safety and cyberbullying than most teachers and parents do. Way to go Lesley!

Cheryl, That is exciting! Th

2008-10-23T07:05:39.635+02:00

Cheryl, That is exciting! The Asus looks great, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS_Eee_PC and with the proliferation of FREE collaborative tools online, tech for schools will get a whole lot more accessible. Very cool:-)

It was indeed a great experien

2008-10-23T06:20:56.238+02:00

It was indeed a great experience! Isn't it great when students become the teachers? The wiimote ir pens create an affordable opportunity for students to come to the white board and also 'be the teacher'. Also, the boys did an exceptional job... did you notice the mentorship that went on between these two students?)

Hello again, I just found this

2008-10-21T02:20:08.706+02:00

Hello again, I just found this collection of videos to show Administrative Leaders and thought I'd share. http://ie20-naomi.blogspot.com/2008/10/top-10-videos-to-showcase-to.html I'm going to send this link that way too!

One more link to share, with m

2008-10-19T21:00:49.856+02:00

One more link to share, with many videos http://movingforward.wikispaces.com/videos

Here is a video by a parent ab

2008-10-19T20:22:28.114+02:00

Here is a video by a parent about what she wants for her children: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81LPAu5TkAY The eloquence of it is that she asks the same of parents and teachers. It is about parents and teachers coming from a place of cooperation and desire to do what's best for kids... and is worth watching by every parent and educator.

Kris, Nice to see you comment

2008-10-14T20:29:24.782+02:00

Kris, Nice to see you commenting again! It is a shame that the IB program works our brightest students to the bone so that they must bury themselves in busy-work and have no time to think and freely express their opinions in other areas of interest! (But that is a whole other post, isn't it?) Though I love Douglas Adams and somewhat agree, you of all people must be taking a political stance with Bill C-61 on the table: http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com/canadians-this-is-scary/ I wrote this as somewhat of a public service announcement and therefore was non-partisan... but since you are too young to vote, (despite being more politically savvy than most who can vote), please feel free to express your influence here! :-)

I think we will need to agree

2008-10-14T16:17:14.852+02:00

I think we will need to agree to disagree on this point Silvana. My experience with students' ideas of 'friendship' online is that Grade 6 and under seem to relate it to real-life friends and as students get older they see it simply as a connection. There is some teaching that can go on here, isn't there? I don't consider myself any closer to Facebook friends that are students, and while I totally agree with you that the student sending the message to me did not make a distinction that time, I have not received an inappropriate message of any kind since... lesson learned? As for the bullying being caught 'after the fact' you are correct, yet without an adult presence how far would it have gone before an intervention? In my first two examples the bullying could have been considerably worse if teachers were not there... and how many more students would have been drawn into the mud-slinging because there was no one there to interject. It goes back to my cartoon, often when the adult is unaware, the bully wins. So yes Silvana, we must agree to disagree. I know that there are teachers and other adults that do not act appropriately online, but in my eyes, if we aren't there too, then they are the ones that get to influence and lead by example. Computers and the internet are not going away, so I think we should be there role modelling what is appropriate, just as we do in school hallways, and shopping malls and other public places. ps Your busy schedule makes me more appreciative of the time you have taken to comment and respond. No apologies necessary. Thank you!

Thanks for the great comments!

2008-10-14T09:34:38.491+02:00

Thanks for the great comments! I feel that I need to respond to Silvana for a few reasons. I'm not sure that teacher presence on Facebook will prevent bullying, rather that it will encourage more appropriate behaviour in a very public place. It will also give students some role models that they can look up to and perhaps even turn to if they are bullied. I'm not sure about 'bluffing', but I know that in schools we encourage friends not to push and shove each other in our halls because it can be misinterpreted as bullying and can lead to more open aggression... And so if a kid is 'bluffing' online, I'd rather get rid of that public behaviour as well. I am not advocating for outward 'policing' of Facebook, but rather that teachers have a right to be there, and a right to accept students as friends (if they are invited and if they choose to do so). That said, if we are there, we have a responsibility to act appropriately and deal with behaviour that we come across and deem inappropriate. As for adult predators, I think that issue is one that we should all warn students about and we can do that best with an online presence ourselves. Again, if we are online, and parents are too, then students (our children) may not be afraid to discuss online concerns with us. If they are there behind parent's backs and behind teacher's backs, they certainly won't look to these adults when they have an online issue. I'm not pretending that teachers being on Facebook is going to rid cyberspace of bullying or other issues, but I am certain that if we aren't there engaging meaningfully with students, then we are counting on their peers to lead them... and that's when online safety becomes a legitimate concern.

Thanks for your comments! Joh

2008-10-06T07:55:04.325+02:00
Thanks for your comments! John, I love this point: ...students coming in to teaching receive very little guidance about online contact with children (a phrase which in itself sounds creepy)and what is appropriate. Many of these students will have stuff from student days and student friends on their pages which would not be at all appropriate for their students to view (hence your comment about privacy settings). It goes well with my point that, "We are thoughtful and intentional in our engagement with students in our schools and our classrooms… and we should be thoughtful and intentional in our engagement with students online." And it serves as a reminder that we are digitally 'exposed', something Elaan comments on as well. Jan, I understand your point about 'bully' and 'victim' as polarities that may hinder learning, but I also think that it is important to use the same language on and offline. Cyberbullying is a horrible form of bullying because of the permanence of the damage as well as the ability for it to spread. It has active and passive bystanders just like in offline bullying situations too. If you can come up with alternate words that convey that, I'll be happy to use them! Also, here is a link to the blogging rules Jan referenced. Rozp, (and Cheryl) Thank you for sharing the great advice, and I think you touch on a point John was also touching on: I am really beginning to wonder how teachers who have an extensive “social” presence online are coping with social media in education? An excellent question that will make me think more about what advice I would give new teachers! (Teachers like the one Cheryl helped out)... and yes Cheryl, "learning is everywhere, all the time." What a great point! Elaan, Your final comment really resonates with me, "We live in a world of digital media, like it or not. Instead of focusing on the potential for disaster, we need to be literate in the ways to use these technologies for “good”!" You are so right, the technology isn't going anywhere, so sticking our heads in the sand won't accomplish anything. And finally, thanks to Elizabeth for her thoughtful post response.