A little SIS/LMS/CSV humor

What makes good [E-]teachers?

I have sat with this concept often in my career, what makes Great teachers?  I have to admit a prejudice in my answer.  I believe the answer is Great teachers are born not made.

Born teachers possess several characteristics :

1. they enjoy learning
2. they have a servant attitude
3. they can deconstruct complex information

 However, not all born teacher's are in the teaching profession, and not all teaching professionals are born teachers.  Just as many talented musicians never play anywhere but their garage, and not everyone in the music biz is really all that talented.

So what do you do if you weren't born for this?  If teaching is not as natural as breathing?  Or if it was, but you've experienced a set-back, burn out, or other loss of teaching hootspa?

Short of finding another profession my answer is find mentors.  Mentors can be face to face colleagues, online colleagues or authors, or bloggers, or anyone who is willing to share what works for them.  Find them, seek them out.  Mentors can be formal, as is suggested in many teacher development programs, or informal.

The next step to getting better is finding the nuggets of gold in what each mentor has to offer.  Distill what they are offering and try to find 2 things from each minimum which are useful to you.  Take them for a test run, and keep only what works for you and your students.

If you can find three nuggets a year to add to your teaching bag of tricks, then you are doing well.

E teaching is not different in this respect, but finding online mentors can be more challenging if your school does not offer great professional development.  So how do you find those people in the isolated work from home world?

1. iNacol This is the professional organization that all e teachers should reach out to for professional growth.
2. your lms provider.  Most LMS's offer webinars and growth opportunities.
3. your faculty-even if your school isn't organizing you it is perfectly ok to reach out and contact other online faculty to see who is doing what.
4. never underestimate the power of a good search engine.  by finding blogs and other online teacher venues you can not only read what they have, but email and interact with the authors.

This comic made my day. Hope it makes yours

Be brave. Try the new stuff!!!!

OK fellow E teacher's, so your browser just changed to version 6 billion point twelve.  Your life is now consumed by hours of revising what used to work in your online class, and your four year old twins have started talking to you via skype because its the only way to get to you.  Sound familiar?

How can we solve this problem?

Some Tips:
1) Just because its called an upgrade does not mean its an improvement.
2) You can often preview upgrades by becoming a Beta tester.  If it screws up, drop back a level and no harm no foul.
3) treat Beta tests like scientists if you have time. But if you are a normal person, remember that updates can often wait.  If you were in a face to face class you wouldn't generally start a new textbook curriculum series on March 12.  So don't feel the need to accept the upgrade.

Hey you're on the "Wrong Mountain!"

Hey so yea, my last post or two have a few people wondering- 

What's wrong with Mrs E?

I would say nothing...that is to say nothing but the usual, or what I have come to know as usual mid winter funk.  Now in the past when I was a brick and mortar gal I experienced the funk, but the truth is I did not give my administrators enough credit for what they shielded me from.  It turns out that modern public education is not about what is best for students.  This was a pie-eyed belief that I held for years.  Turns out that in fact modern public education is a lot about politics, history, relationships, nepotism, and a little about making ourselves feel better that we are doing what is the currently acceptable best for kids.

I feel naive for not having noticed before, but I really didn't.  I mean how did I miss that "new math" was less about teaching math and more about making it seem like our government was making our kids better.  "Whole Language" was just English as a second language retooled for native slang speakers because they just don't speak the way their elders did.  I think I missed it because I believe.  Notice I didn't add a "d".  No past tense for me baby!  I believe that kids deserve my best every day.

So funny thing about realizing that education is about fashion as surely as kitten heels and the next "it" bag.  Turns out that like fashion, it all gets reused, whats old is new again, And earnest individuals like myself are not wasting our time when we collect our bag of tricks. 

E teaching is no exception.  Man it is a roller coaster of funding debates and politics, fads and fancies, fashion dos and don'ts.  I am happier and more fulfilled in this job even dealing with the same struggles.  I fight the good fight FOR KIDS with more success and less entrenchment.  And wow is that marvelous.  So I am happily climbing a new mountain of learning.

Perhaps Chuck Lorre said it best in vanity placard #62 

 

Poor Dave, who like so many teachers balks at the advent of the online ed era,  I understand your plight.  I once stood at the top of your mountain, and I can now say without a shadow of a doubt that no sir, it is you who is on the "wrong mountain" for me.  

wishing you find your mountain

~E

seriously I am now torn by whether to play the sound of music soundtrack or miley cyrus :(

From Servant to Service..leaving the public sector to join the service industry

Story Time

Once upon a time there was a Public Servant.  She went to work everyday with the mindset that she could help the Common Good, and that through the powers of her Servant attitude she served the Common Good.

Now Common Good is a fickle taskmaster who was constantly trying to get in bed with Public Opinion.  The ever faithful Public Servant became a master of navigating the moods of Public Opinion.  But Public Servant one day grew to have her own opinions about Common Good.  In fact Public Servant was convinced that she, and not Public Opinion. was the best match for Common Good. Common Good said that he no longer knew the truth.


Thus, Public Servant began the quest for truth which would lead her into the arms of Common Good. Meanwhile back at the ivory tower Public Opinion did her best to undermine Public Servant's position with Common Good. 


Public Opinion's evil plan worked for a while, throwing such pitfalls before Public Servant that Public Servant was forced to compete for her own survival and Public Opinion became so busy with the attacks on Public Servant and her quest that Common Good was abandoned.

Until finally Public Servant dejected and defeated landed near  Rock Bottom.   Rock Bottom had a motto which he shared with Public Servant "Rock bottom is good solid ground, and a dead end street is just a place to turn around." And so Public Servant did, she turned around and there she saw her poor beloved and dejected Common Good,  and realized that Public Opinion had brought them both so low, that she could no longer serve Common Good.

So she left the public for the private, and in becoming Private Servant learned that she could work for the common good with less whim, and more vigor.  Public Opinion was thwarted and reduced to considering only the money, and Private Servant could make it worth their while.  This in the end became the model that was followed and they all lived happily ever after.

Is this the fate of all Public Servants? 

Where computer ends and mobile device begins

In the beginning there was the abacus (circa. 500 B.C.) now there is the android and the atrix.

Where does the computer begin and the mobile device begin?  when is it not the right plan for students to complete homework on?
Is it ok to dropbox from your xbox?
Is it a good idea to view video lecture on a blackberry?
does screen size matter when it comes to learning?


I have friends trying iPads who have been very disappointed when they found out that the software manufacturers consider it "not a computer" and so could not enjoy full functionality that they had with laptops.  Is it reasonable to tell a kid, that you wish them luck, but you cannot provide technical support when they try to use a device in an off label manner?

To me the answer is yes.  I want to be helpful and make you as comfortable as I can with using the course, but I wouldn't use an abacus to cook.  You may be able to do it, and good luck on figuring that out.  I would appreciate the information of how it was done.  But I don't think I can justify taking the time out of my day and away from teaching to trouble shoot the process for you.

So test away, beta test, and push the boundaries.  I applaud that.  But if you want to be sure you are successful and not constantly cutting your teeth on untried options, may I recommend the tried and true. (or at least tried and help available) technologies of the modern era.  A lightweight laptop (or notebook) OS of your choice is STILL the best bet for teachers and students alike.

Missing Bulletin Boards

Its beginning to feel like spring and today I am lamenting a practice I used to have in my face-2-face classroom.

Bulletin Boards

See bulletin boards were my way of getting my geek out informally.  I could build displays and showcase something that people would peruse at their leisure.  I could teach without teaching, create conversation without leading discussion, be artsy or creative or crazy.  I was getting my educational geek out.  

But I no longer have a bulletin board, I have course news.  Students have to make a conscious choice to look at the page, they don't just walk by.  I no longer get the satisfaction. I know that widgets and feeds are all the thing, but I still argue that the reader has to consciously look it isn't just there, part art - part function.

So can someone give me my bulletin boards back?