For My Course Outlines Next Year...

"The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance."

               - Aristotle

Which "Friends" Character Should be the Patron of my Blog?

I am well aware that I'm not what you would call a professional blogger, hence this sarcastic and ironically popular post. I didn't have a "business plan" before I set out; I did a bit of research, hmmmmmed for awhile, then said, "WTH not?" I don't have any set plans for this blog, either. All I know is that I like to write and this place is an 'excuse' for me to practice it on a somewhat regular basis.


A friend of mine confessed to me this past weekend that she reads my blog ALL THE TIME. 


She: This. This is what you should do.


Me: Do...like, what? My blog posts can be all over the place (in terms of subject matter). What, specifically, do you like about it?


She: All of it. It's all good. I don't even know who John Mayer is, but your writing is just so honest. You should compile it into a book or something.


What would be the title of that book? 


Here's Some Good Stuff....????


Another friend asked yesterday, "So, are you still keeping up the blog? 'Cause there's some good stuff on there".


I didn't press for more information because we were supposed to be paying attention to something else, and I didn't want to seem like I was fishing for compliments. However, this sentiment has been plaguing me ever since.


What is "good stuff"? 


Like many of us searching for life's answers, I turned to television for inspiration. It never lets me down. I decided to categorize my blog styling after the main characters on Friends. 

I hope in some way it may help me (and you) focus on what is the good stuff in my blogging and what can be left out.


I'm glad I'm doing something right, but I want to know specifically, what those things are. I would like to colour-code them in alphabetical order, have a clear blogging schedule and stick to a firm routine and strategy. My blog would be faithful and reliable. I don't want this blog to be just "good stuff"; I want it to be the best blog ever made. This is my Monica Geller.

The Artsy Fartsy me wants to write about anything that I feel inspired to talk about; I hate being limited with my thoughts. It is called "One Artful Voice" for a reason - I want to focus on how I use my creative eyes, including my own creative writing. I also love puppies. This is my Phoebe Buffay.

I appreciate good design, whether it be in fashion, photography or scrapbooking. These can be superficial posts and I do like to follow trending topics. But, I'm also not afraid to try something completely new, and to set out on my own once I realize what I'm really capable of. This is my Rachel Green.

OK - I can be whiny in my posts, consistently griping how life isn't fair, but I find that those sorts of topics aid in scintillating intellectual discussion. I have deep insecurities which I divulge all the time and find myself to be quite socially awkward. However, I only write about those in order to help others.  This is my Ross Geller.

I'm a realist and allow my personal experiences (present and past) dictate the subject matter I discuss. I wouldn't say I'm afraid to commit to this blog more regularly, I just haven't. However, I'm also open to change. I think an increase of awkwardness and sarcasm is in order. This is my Chandler Bing.

I guess my blogging is the least like Joey Tribbiani. I don't write to entertain, nor do I flirt with my readers (how you doin'?). Maybe that's my flaw; should there be more posts about sandwiches? One thing's for sure: I will not do a spin off blog. We all know how those turn out.

So, here's my question: which Friends character has the best good stuff? Am I at my blogging best when I'm like Phoebe or Chandler?

The Plight of the Connected Teacher

I may regret this post.


I may regret this post because I am a teacher. 


For those of you who aren't teachers, I'll explain.


When you become a teacher, you are a teacher 24/7, 365 days of the year. Weekends, summer holidays, leaves of absences, at your best friend's cousin's wedding...it doesn't matter. It's an incredible responsibility, and a curse.


Sounds like the typical plight of any superhero. The trouble is there are no metaphorical phone booths or costumes to dive into if you want to share your opinion about something that relates to education. As I learned at an ATA sponsored session at Teachers' Convention this past February, there is nowhere a teacher can 'hide', especially in the digital age we live in. 


The other side of the coin? We're human beings. You know, the kind with personality flaws, quirks, emotions and limits? 


The greatest paradox of teaching is that our humanity can be a teacher's greatest asset and liability. When we teach from who we are, we establish relationships with those in our care. 


But, when we also share our flaws, quirks, emotions and limits, and damn it all, our opinions, we may be digging our own grave, professionally...and personally - there is no distinction. When I want to speak about the profession, I can't just remove my "teacher hat" and speak from a separate personhood.  Being a teacher has set up camp in every fibre of my life, whether I like it or not.


So, why am I speaking out? Because I think it needs to be said.


I've been thinking a lot about teacher burnout lately.  There are tons of articles on the subject, but it doesn't seem to be part of any sort of current discussion from where it counts. I'm shocked actually, because it looks like the factors that contribute to teacher burnout are only getting worse.


Any educator in the current system knows that we are on the precipice of major educational reform. While this is very exciting and promising, I worry that the really big problems we have now (large class sizes, increasing demand on teacher involvement in co-curricular activities, pressure in work-life balance, loss of prep time and/or decrease in staffing, etc.) are being slid aside the desk and given band-aid solutions "for now". We shrug, swallow the platitude that "there's nothing we can do about it now; it is what it is", and soldier on. Meanwhile, if you aren't an expert with the iPad, don't have a Twitter account or know what the term 21st Century Teaching means, you will slip to 'mediocre at best' REALLY quick. 

Is there any room for silence and meditation in here?

One way to be an effective teacher, is to be fully immersed in the culture you're in and use it in the classroom - it's one way to make whatever subject you teach relevant to any time. I try my best to keep up. I have this blog. I recently joined Twitter. I use 21st Century classroom strategies successfully and regularly and I've begun using wikis with my classes this year. However, I'm beginning to see how all of this connectivism can get overwhelming. 


It's not just a matter of constant digital distraction - EVERYone can struggle with that, not just the average teacher. It's about being 'on call' all the time. Self-help books encourage people to make boundaries for themselves, but the teaching profession is all about the kids, and the teacher easily, and most often, sacrifices so much personal time in order to be present for their students. 


Teaching is a lifestyle, not a career.


However, we can't forget the 'other hats' of the teacher. The teacher has his/her own family and 'outside' interests and activities which may or may not contribute to the teacher's PLN. To be a healthy, well-rounded person, the teacher MUST save some of his or herself for these (dare I say) more important connections. Seems like common sense, right?


But the pressure to ride the current of culture in order to be relevant in education, to be absorbed in digital connectivism in order to constantly pursue professional development, can leave teachers exhausted and lost in their own lives.


I think we need leaders encouraging the front line workers to take a deep breath and make an honest assessment of how many pieces they can be divided into. What slice of the pie of yourself can you fairly offer your family? your students? your personal connections? yourself?


I think with our current resources, education is like any business - a teacher will be given countless opportunities to fill up his/her time with something related to the school, with no caution that s/he may be taking on too much. Any authority wants the most bang for their buck; it's more cost effective to have 40 employees doing the work of 60 employees, rather than 60 employees doing the work of 60 employees. And in order for those 40 employees to keep up, their 'self' is divided into thinner slices. 


I'm not placing blame on any one area of the field. I think this is a combination of many things.


My hope is for leaders to engage in public discourse about this very issue. We need leaders that are inspired to work smarter, not harder, and to encourage creative alternatives to the current reality. These leaders need to be aware that teacher burnout is a real threat and to openly acknowledge that schools need to be honest with themselves about what they can offer with the workforce that they have. Also, they need to openly encourage teachers to take care of themselves. 


The connected teacher can have a Twitter account and a webpage!  However, in order for the teacher to remain healthy and vibrant, both personally and professionally, a connection with the self is the most important. 


In any people-based profession, this is where it should start.