What a brilliant comment, Miguel. There’s no doubt that the greatest benefit that I’ve gotten from sharing—either in electronic forums or in my weekly PLC meetings—is the ‘pressure’ of outside review. When I know that my work is going to be looked at and judged—formally or informally—by others, I put far more time into polishing it. Sometimes that means improving my practice. Other times that means finding ways to articulate the reasons for my decisions.

But Share Everything doesn’t cost me. In fact, it improves everything about what I do as a professional.

Cool stuff, indeed.
Bill

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gail desautelss last blog post..We are all bean counters aren’t we …. in the 21st Century

[...]While there may not be a significant difference in how we learn online as opposed to face-to-face there is a difference in how we learn with different types of assessments and teaching strategies. From a funding standpoint we really have two different models: seat time vs. project-based. One involves a talking head and the other authentic assessments and both can be employed in either an online setting or face-to-face[...]

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@Patrick,

Always good to have a devil’s advocate. Not sure this is different but framed very nicely, in particular his 4 recommendations. I think the idea that teachers needing time is important, however, the RateMyProf example demonstrates its happening whether we’re ready for it or not.

the lesson is simple: control is over. This is not about control anymore. This is about finding a way to survive and thrive in chaos.

The sooner we accept this, the sooner we can effectively move forward.

I took your advice and shared this with my staff and some colleagues. I coupled it with an article called “Transformation 101″ that ran in the Washington Monthly recently. I’ll confess, Christensen’s book is sitting on my nightstand, unread, but I get it. Something still sits oddly with all of what we talk about in this ‘sphere: we’ve heard a lot of this type of talk before–how is this different?

I am playing devil’s advocate here; when I speak with teachers, I get the distinct impression that one of the reasons they are skeptical of change and change agents is that so much of it has been thrust at them without the proper time for it to be effective. Just as teachers delve into one idea, the pendulum swings in another direction.

This is bigger; that I know. Pesce’s article points to fundamental changes in how people organize themselves around ideas and teachers of their choice, and that runs so contrary to what we do now. That type of change is, as we’ve come to call it, disruptive. I am curious to see what we can do to show those disaffected by constant, failed change that this is different.

Patricks last blog post..Daily Diigo Links 12/12/2008

In response to Chamberlain’s question, “Yes, I do think teachers know their stuff doesn’t measure up.” And, that’s all the more reason to share it…sharing involves a commitment to improve what we share.

Best wishes,
Miguel

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