Thursday 2 October 2008

Shedding a Skin

After a glorious two weeks of gardening and generally unwinding from a really difficult school term - when aren't they difficult she asks herself- I am catching up on my listening to podcasts. I am listening to Jenny Luca being interviewed by the ED Tech Crew and sitting here nodding my head at so many of the things Jenny is saying. She has become a shining light in her blog writing and a must read either for her delightful School's out Friday posts or her increasingly challenging posts on the Web 2.0 world. Jenny writes as she speaks -with a characteristic honesty and very down to earth approach to her reactions to ideas or issues. What I like is that it is an Australian voice and a woman's voice. In this never-ending boy's club that is the Web 2.0 we need women speaking up and being recognized and Jenny is not afraid to speak up and is doing so with great confidence.

Her reactions to the conference experience were very similar to mine at NECC, excitement, being a bit star struck and then ultimately realising that what we as Australians have to offer and what we are doing is really terrific and we should be raising our voice and the flag. I am really looking forward to working with Jenny more this year through our involvement in the PLP network. It is because of Jenny that my school is able to be involved as she convinced the Dept to add a govt school. What a great opportunity for my staff and students.Thanks Jen.

The title of this post relates more to my state of mind which Jenny's podcast and her recent post about a year of change resonated with so strongly. I have been blogging for over a year and trying to sort out what I know and what I understand by the terms school and teaching and education. So much of what I am doing is so exciting and the potential takes my breath away. Yet when I go to school the same old issues are there. How is it possible to create change in an institution that by its definition is about maintaining a kind of status quo, where teachers 'pass on ' their 'knowledge' where students 'learn' what we have to 'teach ' them. In the light of this conflicting set of images, throw in a group of students who are so bored that even when you do step out of the box and try to do something different they reject it- too hard, don't get it' 'why we doin' this?'

So it is spring. Wall street is crashing, there is a drought, money is tight,etcetera.
But I feel like it is time to shed a skin- to stop letting it get on top of me. I have some energy again, we have lots of exciting new things to be engaged with at school - new buildings, new computers, a special grant for new training... I want to step out into the light and start a chorus of people saying 'yes we can ..' Thanks Jen.

3 comments:

Pamelarvo said...

This was a very affirming and encouraging post to come home to Sue. We have much to be grateful to Jenny for but I agree,there are a few little obstacles still littering our path ahead.

ajep said...

Although you mention some potentially depressing things in this post, it gave me a really positive vibe and thank you for that. I would however like to provide a different perspective on one point; my google reader (and those I follow on twitter) is expanding thanks to the vast array of Australian women educator's blogs. Thanks and keep it up.
Andrew J

jennylu said...

Such kind words Sue. Thank you so much. It is time to shed the skin and move forward. We have much to look forward to with the PLP program. I see our community forming and am encouraged by the possibilities it presents. To me, the formation of Learning Communities, with learning as the intent using Web 2.0 tools as the facilitator, is the only way we are going to see widespread adoption and change within school communities and the teaching profession at large. We have much to look forward to- can't wait to see where it takes us.