Becoming part of the participatory culture….
Skills that connect people together with something larger than the individual levels….
The social skills…the things they need to know to become citizens, creative artists, workers in the future…
Skills of groups….social skills that allow people to talk and share….

The whirlwind of the last week has ended for me. I spent a delightful weekend at Sheryl Nussbaum Beach's home, laughing, swimming, eating, and learning with Will Richardson and other PLP team leaders, fellows, and community leaders. From there, we headed right into NECC, where I was able to connect with even more cool people.
Some of the sessions were valuable, though I tend to agree with @jutecht when he says it's about the conversations. I laughed when he told me in the Bloggers' Cafe that he was going to go to a session and see if he could download the speaker's notes faster than the speaker could present them.
Most of the presentations I saw at NECC left me wanting more (except for Scott McLeod's, which was spot on and of course, Sheryl's and Will's). You know, it's hard to present. Which is why I discourage teachers from lecturing. Sure it's a fast way to give information, but if you aren't good at it (and I'm not), then you lose your audience quickly.
I do not believe this is a new phenomenon related to multitasking or speed of access to information that we seem to want to blame on students who lack focus. Boring is boring.
So although I spent nearly $400 on a ticket and hotel room for the conference,  it really is possible to get something for almost nothing.
I loved meeting up with folks in the Bloggers' Cafe, the hallways, during meals, on Twitter, and even in the rooms before sessions started. I visited the exhibit hall only for a moment to visit old friends, but I wondered who was buying all that stuff–and why. I got to hang out with @capohana and @rinegarcia as we tried to identify tweeters from their avatars (@mcarls, you were easy!). I shared moments with @vvrotney and @deacs84 and cemented relationships with many others.
Something for nothing. It's a philosophy we've used at school for some time now, having such a small tech budget. We don't own white boards; we use free apps such as Google Docs, blogs, wikis, and diigo; we still share projectors; and those of us who have spent a year in PLP know that true learning comes from our network, our collaboration and sharing that we do online through Twitter and other social meda.
When one of my students had a question about his Robotics Club this year, I tweeted the question, and hooked him up with an expert from my PLN. When I needed help with WPMU, @jimgroom, @suewaters and @tomwoodwar came to my rescue.
So was NECC worth it? I wish there were some way to get fewer but better speakers and presenters. I wish there were a way to know ahead of time that material would be fresh. When I am inspired or engaged, it's worth all the money in the world. But it's an art, skill, and talent most people lack.
@cpohanka, @rinegarcia, and I have even talked about buying a $75 guest pass next year, so we can meet and greet–and not go to any sessions. Or watch them later.
But yes, it was worth it. And next year, I may even play golf.

My stomach talks to me. And I've begun to rely on it over the years.
Walking onto a beach makes my stomach relax, but it screams when I have to present to a group. When I need to make a decision, I see how I am feeling before I make the pros and cons list.
Sometimes I get false readings, so I have to take care not to necessarily go with my first instinct.
I try to "sit" on whatever it is I am feeling or thinking to see if my gut still feels the same way later. (I have had one or two posts, that upon reflection, get jettisoned the next day.) But usually, my belly is right.
Today I moved my books, files, pictures, and coffee mug from the Upper School building to the Middle School building, where I will teach eighth-grade–a move about which I was somewhat ambivalent. I packed up my things, looking around the modern, bare room that housed my ninth-graders all year. The black desks weigh a ton and are hard to move around for group work. The white walls are covered with large blue cabinets so there's no space for student work or pictures. The ceiling is non-existent; the rooms were designed to see the heating and cooling pipes, creating a horrible acoustics problem. The server, which services the building, hums constantly in that room. And it's cold. Literally and figuratively.
My stomach complained constantly last year.
On this sunny day, I carted my belongings across campus, walking into my new space–pale blue walls and large windows, two-seater desks that can be moved wherever I want, and lots of bookshelves. I arranged the desks in a circle on the clean carpet, pushed a large round table to the corner, where I will keep the netbooks, and filled one of the bookshelves with my collection.
I imagined beginning my first day talking about all the books I planned to bring in for their independent reading, where they could work on the netbooks to publish and share their thoughts, and how we would create a community in this room. Our space.
I picked up the summer reading book, wondering what the students were thinking about it, hoping they would like the activity I have planned for their return.
Checking my lunch, I realized I was starved and ready for a big lunch

Yep, it's going to be ok.

Once again my network comes to the rescue. I am spending the day thinking about what and how I will teach next year. Of course, while I am working, I am checking Twitter, because….you never know what will pop up.

Tom, my WPMU friend from Richmond, has shared a link to a video.
I browse the site, and suddenly I am watching an 8th grade English teacher learning how to go from Good to Outstanding as he teaches a Dickens novel. The concept is like a reality TV show. The teacher teaches, then gets help from the experts. He has three weeks to come back and teach again, hoping to gain respect, votes, and a better class! Not only do they help him with how to present content, he also get advice about tone of voice, how to carry himself, and how his room looks.
In 30 minutes I learned some great techniques for making "an old dusty novel" come alive and how to modulate voice and gestures to not talk too much.
Does he make it? You'll have to watch:)
Thanks, Tom.
Ok, back to work.

 Between visits with family (wonderful), leading a workshop (stressful), and getting over Vertigo (yuk), I feel  like summer work has only started today.
I am trying to use July to prepare for next fall (and not let the time slip away). Here's what I'm up to:

• Our faculty is reading Understanding by Design together (perhaps even in a lit circle on our faculty ning, thanks to Katie. Though I've read it before and use UBD as I plan, I am looking forward to seeing how this affects our teaching as a school.
• This year I'll be teaching the tried and true classics (To Kill a Mockingbird, Romeo and Juliet) as well as providing some YA Lit to my students. But I'll spend this month looking for creative ways to get them involved such as using hypertext. Here's an example for King Lear.
• Summer is when I catch up on my reading. Here's what's on my coffee table: Three Cups of Tea, The Geography of Bliss, Outliers, Here If You Need Me, The Book Whisperer, and Building Literacy Through Classroom Discussion. That's just a start.

As I sip my coffee, glancing up occasionally to watch the dog roll in the grass or to enjoy the flowers scattered around the garden, I can feel my brain clearing. My body is experiencing calming, physical changes as I move to this summer mode. I have been inspired by teacher Steve Shann to focus on meaningful and connected things.

I'm off to walk the dog.

Jane Hart has created an informative slideshow:

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Last August I found out I would be teaching ninth-grade English, not serving as a full time instructional tech coordinator. Of course, I had already signed on to participate in the Powerful Learning Practice, and I was not about to stop working behind the scenes supporting teachers as best I could in their use of technology. I knew the year would be difficult (I hadn't read anything I was going to teach), time-consuming (I would be connecting and supporting teachers as a team fellow for the PLP), and exhausting (much of the work needed to be done in the evening and on weekends).

So how did it go?

Thumbs Down!

• Using another teacher's lesson plans does not make things easier! My colleague, Susanne, had taught this course for a number of years. In her organized, inimitable fashion, she handed me (virtually) her daily plans, quizzes, projects,and tests to use. Sounds great, but we teach differently, and I can't tell you how many times I would be halfway through a lesson, wondering why I was doing it that way and then having to re-group for the next day. Susanne is one of the best, most creative teachers I know. But I should have just created the lessons myself.
• My disorganization. Sigh, it's my critical flaw. I suppose I should give up trying to be more organized after all these years; it's just not going to happen. I tried to use two email addresses and two diigo accounts (to accommodate our private ed group) with the kids, and that often created havoc in my attempt to be paperless. (It didn't work.) And, wow, can I let myself wander when I'm online reading one article or blog after another.

Thumbs Up!

• I loved most days with my amazing, fun students. Our ninth-grade course is writing intensive in both English and history. Though I didn't always love the grading, I so enjoyed reading their work and watching them grow intellectually and creatively.
• Frankenstein. This powerful book led us to "the monster within us," pop culture, Mary Shelley's writing style, and the pros and cons of scientific advancements. This piece also let them begin to react emotionally on their blogs.
• Using a wiki to organize our year. The perfect tool. What else can I say?
• Working with the PLP and my network enriched my interaction with the students and let me try new things. The students would argue that some days we tried too much (another tool, Mrs. Carter Morgan??) However,I can't imagine teaching without our laptops or immediate access to internet resources again.

What I know for sure (as Oprah says) is that it is hard (impossible?) for me to focus on one thing. I tend to get distracted, spend far too much time online looking for the "best" tool or approach, making one more comment or tweet to someone, or trying to figure out how to change the theme on our WPMU blogging platform when I should be doing something else! Too many times I tried to say yes to people who needed help integrating technology, and frankly, that meant a less productive classroom for myself.

Those traits work well when I am a full time instructional technologist, as I can multi-task, share ideas, engage in conversations about teaching and learning, and spend hours looking for resources. But they do not work well for teachers working full time in the classroom. As I look forward to next year, I need to keep this in mind.

And I do like this list from an editorial in The Boston Globe. I will continue to let these principles guide me as I create a plan for my 8th grade students:

THINK strategically. Use technology wisely. Work collaboratively.
Communicate effectively. Recognize how the world around you connects to
everything you do.

I don't mean to be self-aggrandizing here, but I need to share a comment that gives me hope.  A student who has not yet earned an A average in my class, nor counts English as his favorite subject, wrote this in his writing portfolio reflective letter:

 I've been teaching for nearly 30 years, but after trying to shift my classroom to a more student-centered approach this year, I have a renewed sense of optimism.
Reaching out to a community of learners through Twitter, blogs, skype, and the PLP allowed me to bring new ideas and experiences to my students; I tried to "be less me and more them" to quote Gary Stager. Oh, it wasn't always successful, and I had many days I wish I could do again. I'm sure some of my other students would share less positive reactions to class.

But tonight I am focusing on this one comment, "it was honestly about the learning."
It's going to keep me going.