Intense day

Podcasting away...

Lots of learning going on.....

one more thing...........

another reason for me to fight the blogging epidemic........................i began my morning with an agenda.....had a conversation witha colleague who told me about another colleague's blog.....the conversation captured my interest...which took me to his blog...which took me to another blog...which took me to another....then back to his...which i ended up reading nearly in its entirety...[fascinating entries].....now it is over an hour later and my to do list is screaming for my return........this blogging thing can be addictive!!!!!

a blog revelation

i could not believe that i have not posted in 3 months.....i need to get back on track.....after reading dan's blog about his meeting with schlecthty i was inspired to take my interaction with my own blog to new heights.....when i posted in the past, i posted with caution.....i think i feared being so honest about things that go on...but reading his blog only proved to me that speaking your truth truly pays off.................

A MUST see................


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://henricowarriors.org/hhsnews/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/fishbowl.jpg&imgrefurl=http://henricowarriors.org/hhsnews/&usg=__rQW0478IsgmmVa1D7tQhzSdyoKU=&h=468&w=704&sz=68&hl=en&start=5&sig2=L0yYGqoajrunD7KrHT6Ysw&tbnid=VrQZnh8KEgFDIM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=140&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddiscussions%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive&ei=Y_ECSoy6Gt2gmAer2bHoBA

I am pleased and frustrated...............Ed Tech constantly sends emails highlighting articles...each day I open it up- quickly view the headlines-more often than not....something catches my eye----today was no different.....except this time, I was frustrated.....

Reading this article about ptotential teachers...working and getting a degree at the same time- being able to do this b/c of technology....webcams and Skype......okay now....this is NOTHING new to us....I am proud to say that we are progressive.....but we really need to get on that publishing train.....within the scope of our work, we have so much to offer the world...so much knowledge within our team.....we need to show off the things we have been doing for so long.......

http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=10267202&nav=menu40_2

21st Century Learning......

Great article on the 21st Century Framework....how appropriate that I received this upon the return of our team members who are leading the way for us.................


http://www.thejournal.com/articles/24309

Change and Miserable Jobs..............

I just finished reading [finally- since I have had the book for over a year] Kotter's Our Iceberg Is Melting about change and succeeding under any conditions. It is similar to Who Moved My Cheese? in that it is a fable.....Kotter uses penguins and their need to change in order to get across his eight steps to change......the book was a very fast read....I will need to read it again with a different lens this time.....Kotter's 8 steps are nothing we have not heard of before.....however, reading the book reminded me how important it is to be open to change. It is said..."without change there is no growth...." So why is it that we know this.....recite the quote....and yet, so many of us are so unwillingly to change.....?????????

This book aligned quite a lot to Lencioni's book on Silos.....the premise behind Silos is change.....or at least be willing to come together with common goals....in order to do that, we must be willing to change.....

I am now reading Lencioni's book- Miserable Jobs....I was skeptical at first.....mainly because I love my job....but it is really not about that...it is about culture and the way culture in an organization [which begins with the big bosses] determines how happy we are in our jobs....I have just started this book....so I dont have much to say right now....however, I have always been an advocate of treating people right....in my head rings- "do onto others as you would have them do onto you....." that is true anywhere...family, relationships...and work!

Technolgoy and student gains.......

I thought this was an interesting article...wanted to share...............

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=58362

Interesting info about where we stand as a nation in terms of being "connected."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008748455_globalist16.html

Silos or Not?

It has been a long time since I have posted....its about time. I would not want my blog police friends to come afer me! So much has happened since my last post....I finished reading the Frantic Family and Silos....both authored by theman who wrote The Five Dysfunctions of a Team- Lencioni. From both of these works many thoughts came to my mind....they are connected....the idea of working in silos....turf wars......does this really happen where we exist? Perhaps? Then the Frantic Family feeds off of silos.....what can be done in your family to eliminate chaos.......

Eliminating chaos...what a refreshing idea....this all goes back to saying - NO- when at all possible....but back to silos......After reading this book, I truly began looking at my own work in terms of silos and, politics and turf wars.....I live in a land of utopia....do they exist in our division...perhaps? If we do not see it...are we masking the behaviors? I would like to think [again utopia] that our division has such a strong sense of family that this notion of silos is minimal.....

What do you think? Silos or not??

Depth and/or Breath?

My most recent subscription of Education Week talks about depth and breath......it appears that they were talking about two different things.....are they? When we discuss depth and breath in terms of insruction---are they different? I put this out there b/c I want to read the thoughts of those patient souls who take the time to check my blog....and to keep me inspired to continue blogging.....

So what do you think? Depth and breath...one in the same or different?

A matter of the heart....

Rather than responding to a comment on my previous blog, I opted to start a new post.....matters of the heart was mentioned in connection with culture......it is all about a matter of the heart.....that "will" that Pedro talked about......willing to make things happen is a direct correlation to what is filled in our hearts.....

I love being around new teachers b/c of that excitement and desire that comes with anything new....what starts out as idealistic often turns sour.....many hearts are turned to stone.......that is my concern and what I really wanted to talk about......

What can schools do? I strongly feel that it is top down......everyone talks about community....the irony is the lack of community within many schools.....doesn't that sense come from those leading? Perhaps if teachers felt a sense of ownership within the school, many hearts would soften......

I was often asked while teaching, how in the world do you get your childrern to perform so well? What do you do to get parents in your room? Why are parents asking for you??? I never really had an answer.....other than I truly cared.....I was in their homes having dinner.....taking my students to the movies.....they spent the night....their parents and I went out to dinners.....all of which many found to be crazy.......I think it was b/c the school was a part of me.......their worries, their concerns, their happiness was with me all of the time.......I did not take grading home with me....I took "them" home with me.......I sit here and think about all of those years....and I miss that....I miss what each new year brought, however never at the expense of the past years being forgotten........

Thoughts about Pedro Noguera

I was very fortunate to be able to hear Pedro Noguera speak. As I sat there listening to him, many thoughts came to my mind....everything he said was so profound...so real.....and very obvious. I was in a room full of administrators of all levels within the district. As he spoke of why students are not succeeding, I heard many of them agreeing. Why shouldn't they? Everything he said about our [educators] lack of will is true. In my seat, I begain to squirm....frustrated....my stomach begain to turn.....I became very uneasy....and I wanted to stand up and scream- "If you all agree with him...why the heck are things still being done the same way in many of your schools?!?!?!?" My esteemed colleague calmed me down....she could see me about to raise my hand.....I wanted to open Pandora's box.....but thought better...and sat quietly.......

Is it natural?

Okay...here goes....it was brought to my attention that I REALLY need to be updating my blog...I say to myself..."who wants to read anything I have to say...?" However, that is not necessarily true......I always have something to say...I just like the interaction of people...when I want to put my thoughts down on paper, I get out my journal.....and if I want to share something that I feel is worth sharing...I just find a gorup of people [or one person] and talk away.......so here is my question...how do I make this "blog thing" natural for me.....is it like wearing your seat belt? When I first started driving, I refused to put that thing on....two very expensive tickets later, my father informed me that the choice was no longer mine....the point being, once I started wearing it, then it was comfortable....is it that whole do something for 21 days....then it becomes natural????.......perhaps....thank God I have someone who works very closely to me who continues to remind me..."Denise....get on the blog!"

An Inspiring Young Lady

Many of you know about Adora.....I only discovered who Adora was when I began this job....how unfortunate for me....Adora Svitak is one of the most amazing kids you will ever come across. She is a "self-proclaimed" amateur historian. I recently read that she teaches everyday...she teaches children and adults via web conferencing. Adora is truly gifted.....often times when we show teachers the brief clip about Adora, they question her lifestyle....is she balanced? Does she play with other kids...etc. When you go through the site that I have linked here, you will clearly see that Adora is truly a confident, well rounded child. From the outside looking in...Adora seems balanced......within her teaching, you never feel that she is superior to anyone.....yes, it is sort of funny to watch a child teaching teachers.....but why not? Are we not lifelong learners?

http://www.adorasvitak.com/Main.html

This site is super fabulous!!! It links you to all sorts of wonderful stuff about Adora and other gifted kids!

From the book....Building Teachers' Capacity for Success by Pete Hall and Alisa Simeral

While society has evolved (read: wireless phone technology, wider Internet access, intensive brain research, and so on), school responses have lagged, sometimes with heels dug deep in the trenches of tradition and comfortable experience. Yet everything about education screams, "Change now!" Students enter our schools with the primary purpose of getting in, getting smart, and getting out. Class rosters change, sometimes daily. Curricula change, federal mandates change, laws change, textbooks change, instructional styles change. Our understanding of learning changes as we take in research-based findings on how the brain develops and processes information. The world has become both broader and more accessible, and the global market demands new and different skills from both workers and consumers. In short, everything changes. So why aren't we, in education, changing?

Why does it seem that everything we read about asks the same question?!?! This same book speaks of individuals dating back to the 1730s who recognized the importance of having great schools. From Mann to Coleman.....the same topic dates back from the 1830s to the 1960s...and here we are...still talking about the same topic...while everyone is sitting around talking about the need for change....why isn't anybody doing anything about it? Data does'nt lie....we are not improving....what are we going to do!?!?!?

Welcome

Welcome to Seeds of Wisdom!! This is a place where I will post thoughts, ideas, and reflections about all of my professional learning experiences. I will also share great links that I come across, as well as articles.

Please join me as often as you can......I look forward to sharing.....and reading all of your comments/thoughts!! Together we can ensure that all of those seeds blossom into beautiful flowers!