Headlines...
The announcement almost had no effect on me.
Anonymous exams in an anonymous amphitheatre had been dumped.
That would have been unthinkable even a few months before.
Today, the news seemed sort of a footnote to a forgotten battle.
Victories...
A few days before I was sitting in Place de la Victoire drinking coffee on a terrace.
An ex-student had face-booked me to meet up with him.
Could I help him out translating for a new thoughtful magazine/periodical for running-enthusiasts aimed at a global niche market.
He spent a long time explaining his work and life values.
Somehow, what he said made me hopeful for the future.
Photo-Albums...
I looked at some photos of #CLAVIER 2014-15 exchange activities.
They included, in no particular order:
Students tasting marmite sent to them by their correspondants in the UK.
Teachers of different nationalities drinking beer together in a pub.
French students dancing to Polish folk music in Poland.
Polish students teaching French students in France.
Librarian, librarians...
I met a librarian in the UK.
In the time it takes to write this blog, we had made contact via email and Twitter and made contact with French librarians to organise meetings.
Maybe librarians in Australia or the USA would like to join in the conversations?
Crossing lines...
A hangout organised by Maha at a conference had been blogged about by
- Alan in Arizona http://cogdogblog.com/2015/06/14/conference-buddy-dml/,
- Maha in Egypt http://blog.mahabali.me/blog/educational-technology-2/pjs-and-a-headscarf-my-privatepublic-life/,
- Tania in Australia http://taniasheko.com/social-learning/pln-unconference-virtual-learning/,
- And by myself http://tachesdesens.blogspot.fr/2015/06/magic.html in France.
The same hangout had been introduced to two more colleagues in France, sparking a discussion about social presence, gifting, hashtags, Instagram, memes and Strip Designer.
A ensuing photo was tweeted to the UK.
The tweet was retweeted within three seconds by @warwicklanguage in the UK , favourited by @clarissamfb in Brazil and resulted in a Twitter exchange between three teachers, @mcrustan, @warwicklanguage and @DELChristine, one of whom usually avoids Twitter :-)
Active participation of friends at #dml2015 met through cmoocs - in particular #ccourses resulted in me being drawn to the conference ignite sessions archived on Youtube.
One ignite presentation of RoadTrip Nation http://roadtripnation.com/
One teacher immediately responded: "Thanks for sharing! It seems quite exciting. I'm sure my students will love it!"
This post was inspired by reading a blog post written by Tania in Australia and by comments written by Maha in Egypt. In the post http://taniasheko.com/social-learning/pln-unconference-virtual-learning/ Tania writes:
"How do I show this kind of learning and praxis to my colleagues, to the teachers at my school? It still feels like I’m living a secret life or at least that it’s the invisible alternative life. How do I show others – without being intrusive or condescending (this is great, I know what I’m talking about) that it’s easy to connect to people and events online and that this world is just as real as the external world of work? In fact, in many cases I know more about people I’m connected to online than I do of staff at my own school.
How do we change our behaviours in a system that doesn’t change?"
A few years ago, I asked myself similar questions.
I think my answer is this:
Joyfully sow seeds narrowly and widely, nurture saplings, tell stories, share fruit...have a laugh.
Evangelical zeal makes me feel sick.
Unfortunately, this bloody hymn came to my mind.
"We plough the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land;
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain."
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain."
I don't believe in God, I hated that hymn.
I like sun, snow, soft-refreshing rain (but not every day).
Breezes, spontaneous conversation and social media, even conferences help to carry seed further.
We can share, ideas, faith, hope, love, tears, joy, laughter, beer, football results...
We can even do that with people we see face to face.
Yes, librarians in Australia would love to join the conversation.
ReplyDeleteAs always, Simon, your posts split my brain into about seven sections which go off into different directions. Some of those come back with a quizzical expression on their faces. The comic, for example.
Yes to joyfully sowing seeds and sharing stuff with people of all denominations (believers of online/disbelievers - picking up on your evangelical zeal). I've never been comfortable with evangelical zeal. I should just collect what's growing around me, yes? And yet... and yet.... it's a teacher librarian thing. We don't have much cred outside of what people think we do in the library. What is that?
I've decided to go with your breezes and spontaneous conversation. No use angsting. :))
Hi Tania! Thanks for commenting. Yes, no use angsting!!! Very important to keep stuff to manageable proportions. Megalomania, evangelism, etc ain't pretty.
DeletePS.Librarians of the world unite.
Deleteur right, evangelical zeal is sickening... how do we get over this passion? ;)
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I struggle to convince my co-authors in some spaces to include critical perspectives. Like seriously I do. And I'm not even that critical myself ;)
we are all lost souls..
DeleteDo you mean something like "the best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity"?
ReplyDeleteIsn't it really all just a question of good pedagogical practice, model it if you can, show not tell.....
Be the change etc
Not sure about best or worst. Yes. Modelling.
DeleteI think we just keep modelling, Simon. I've always wanted to be a super-model. I don't have the height for it, but I keep trying. Anyway, it's too much fun not to keep doing it, sowing the seeds and singing the hymns. Full steam ahead, my friend.
ReplyDeleteHi Keith! Thanks for the comment, I've given up on 'full steam ahead' that is way too tiring. I am looking to amble, taking lots of stops to admire the view, do a bit of drawing, engage in 'apparently futile' conversation with people I have time for (strategically).
Delete(copied from my longer FB response in Rhizo15)
ReplyDeleteOH IF ONLY Evangelical Christian Zealots could be convinced to act more in line with your excellent exhortation to "Joyfully sow seeds narrowly and widely, nurture saplings, tell stories, share fruit...have a laugh." and less along the "you're dammed if you're not exactly like me" line, we would get a lot less bad press, not to mention we'd be closer to imitating the Jesus we claim to follow. (Some of us might even find we can enjoy - scandalous suggestion - sharing a beer or dancing).
Of course, that great advice you gave also works for being an evangelical zealot about connected online learning. Pull, not push.
I admit to doing a bit of vicarious pushing too. I suppose the evangelical allergy stems from my experience of being brought up in a rectory.
DeleteFolks but not only pull, show, model
ReplyDeleteI think ppl need to live it. Not us living it (tho it helps) but they need to live/experience it. So how do u bring the seemingly foreign experience so it seems closer to them that they might try it on for a while, give it a taste?
Not sure about (living) it. I don't think you have to live someone else's life to benefit from the person's experience and connections.
Deleteas always, a great, provocative, thoughtful post. thanks. i particularly like this:
ReplyDeleteHow do we change our behaviours in a system that doesn’t change?"
A few years ago, I asked myself similar questions.
I think my answer is this:
Joyfully sow seeds narrowly and widely, nurture saplings, tell stories, share fruit...have a laugh.
Thanks Aaron, I suppose we just play it as we see it, hopefully not hurting others in the process.
DeleteNot in general. But I do see my colleagues looking at all this in awe and not imagining how it is possible. I don't think any degree of telling helps. Showing doesn't always get it thru coz it's a loooong process w lots of nuance and a glimpse doesn't help much (it helps my students a bit coz they "get" social media quicker...but they get it by doing it not watching me do it). So my colleagues see the positive end products of this all and know there is a process behind it but it's a black box to most of them and they think they can't do it (or it would destroy their lives if they dipped in). I don't know if it's just one of those things that "isn't for everyone" and it's a big attitude shift not just a literacy you can develop. Do we know of success stories of someone who was resistant who later jumped full in? How did it happen?
ReplyDeletePlace of comment above should have been under Simon's reply to my comment re living it
DeleteI know plenty of examples of initial resistance which has been transformed. However what do we mean by 'jumping in'. I think certain behaviour or perspectives are definitely not for everyone.
Delete