This is short of a response to Kelly’s tag for me on leadership. I haven’t responded to all the tags I’ve been given not because I don’t want to but often I’m not sure I can really contribute much. I want to respond to this one because to me it’s very reflective of my beliefs about teaching and learning.
What’s working well?
Patience and Persistence. I’m learning over time to keep knocking on the door of change but understanding it won’t happen tomorrow.
What brings you great pride and joy?
When people take ideas and run with it. Tom Woodward takes my reference to flash face and immediately finds a use for it. On a more local scale, seeing folks like Kathy Cassidy develop leadership and recognition for her efforts.
How have you made a difference for good in the lives of those you serve?
Those who I’ve helped lead to removing the walls of their classrooms by embracing the opportunities afforded by the tools of web 2.0 have demonstrated and expressed how student engagement has increased.
What brings you quiet satisfaction?
Hearing others talk about the need for change in schools.
What have you learned over the last few months?
I need to rely on networks and groups. Stephen Downes explanation of this has made it clear to me we need both. Our groups help us focus on specific tasks and challenges, our networks help us find ideas, answers, challenges, criticisms often not found in our groups.
How can you use this information (above) to move your organization forward?
Continue to represent myself as a learner first a teacher second.
Let’s see if any of these folks are interested in responding: Will Richardson, Stephen Downes, Sandi Kitts, Catherine Hiltz, Steve Dembo , Alec Couros and Rob Wall