Early in my teaching career I was lucky enough to connect with the San Diego Area Writing Project. Larning with the amazing teachers in the writing project summer institute taught me many things and each day different lessons come back to me. This morning as I try to get moving after a great weekend of learning (and driving) the lesson that comes back to me is "How will I know what I think until I see what I wrote."
As I look through my blog posts still in the draft stage I see lessons I am in the midst of learning. There is a post about using the Cloud that was initiated by one of my teachers asking me "What is the cloud." There is another post about how a school can go paperless.
When I open these posts there are headings and small knots of detail. I am figuring these things out in pieces. There are other posts I have not yet drafted. I was at EdCampPS this weekend and I had the chance to learn with many great teachers. I need to process those sessions and get them posted. I learned a great deal about using blogger on a school level, and the challenges of working with an iPad cart in elementary. Sitting in the room and listening, asking questions, connecting with people is only part of the learning. By writing about these topics I get the knowledge ready to share. Nothing helps me see what I don't know like trying to write about it.
In my new tech integration position I feel like I have more to write about them ever, but so many of the posts feel weightier. These posts have more heavy lifting to do because I am learning new things everyday and turning around and teaching those things to other teachers.
Even a post like this helps sort out my thinking and learning, although I am under no illusion that this post will be a blockbuster or game changer. Actually it can be a game changer for me because writing is thinking. Taking the time at the head of my day to think about the thinking I have to do creates the space I need to approach the day's challenges mindfully.
I know I have a great deal of writing to do, conference proposals are coming due, I have at least 3 blog ideas that are not yet realized. I also know I should be running each morning. But today I am going to be grateful that I got this writing done, and maybe I will make it to the gym this afternoon.
As I look through my blog posts still in the draft stage I see lessons I am in the midst of learning. There is a post about using the Cloud that was initiated by one of my teachers asking me "What is the cloud." There is another post about how a school can go paperless.
In my new tech integration position I feel like I have more to write about them ever, but so many of the posts feel weightier. These posts have more heavy lifting to do because I am learning new things everyday and turning around and teaching those things to other teachers.
Even a post like this helps sort out my thinking and learning, although I am under no illusion that this post will be a blockbuster or game changer. Actually it can be a game changer for me because writing is thinking. Taking the time at the head of my day to think about the thinking I have to do creates the space I need to approach the day's challenges mindfully.
I know I have a great deal of writing to do, conference proposals are coming due, I have at least 3 blog ideas that are not yet realized. I also know I should be running each morning. But today I am going to be grateful that I got this writing done, and maybe I will make it to the gym this afternoon.
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