Whether it be cat herding:
or understanding our differences:
or the classic "We're building this plane as it flies"...
It has always seemed a little cheap to see presenters filling in a few minutes of their time with a message that could be said in two lines but at least they are trying to using an attention grabbing method that they would recommend for the classroom. Some presenters don't even go that far!
The last one is the one I'm interested in right now. Building the plane as it flies. As someone who has taken a bit of a career risk to try something that only other teacher's experiences can verify as successful, I'm constantly confused as to why the education system's current patchwork of ideas is considered the norm. Programs are proposed, fingers are crossed, and away we go. It has me wondering, does anyone get actual preparation time? Does anyone get six months to develop the resources they will need or is everyone throwing it together as they go?
Like me.
Don't get me wrong, I've put in the hours. Like you, my imaginary over-worked educator who is reading this in his/her 'spare time', I've researched, I've created, I've developed, I've destroyed, I've rebuilt, I've...
I've wished I had a six month head start!
Because what I have done while building the plane while it flies is, if I do say so myself, good. Sometimes really good. But, and maybe I just expect too much, it is ALWAYS INCOMPLETE!!!
So, as quick as this post is, did anyone out there get a head start on their ideas, or are we all expecting results from incomplete ideas?
I know we're busy, it's the main reason I throw my hard earned resources out into the ether, hoping that it repays that which I have taken and makes someone's job easier, somewhere (Hello Texas and India) but it is crazy to have such high expectations for silver bullets. I'm going to work on that. As this Educ8 experience develops, I'm going to aim for a six month head start. As we expand the program (I hope, the data is very positive but you can't really see much in 6 months!) I'm going to try and give the next team the head start I would have liked.
In the mean time, here are some more cool resources (for English teachers primarily) that will give you some spare time so that maybe you can get six months ahead!
And here's an example of what they are:
Enjoy. The links go to the print quality stuff.
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