Pushing the Envelope

I have been challenged by the Elisa Carlson, the Director of Instruction in my school district responsible for technology to start a blog so here I go! This feels a bit like jumping into the deep end of the swimming pool to see if you can swim. As I write this, I am intimidated by the feeling that I have nothing to say that others will be interested in, yet I am intrigued by the idea of joining the sea of bloggers bravely sharing the journey of learning and sharing together.

As a school principal and private therapist, I embrace the notion of leading by example. We adults have so much to learn, and it seems like the landscape is forever changing. I know that the younger generation is way out ahead of us in technology, and it seems strange to be rushing to keep up to the kids. It seems that education has been turned on its head. Are we living under the illusion that we are teaching the kids, while they are really teaching us?

I find it exciting to think that we can now invite our students to share this journey with us, that we adults (digital immigrants) can open ourselves up to the possibilities of what the younger folks have to teach us (digital natives). Come to think of it, this is what a true learning village always has been, the younger folks having the flexibility of thought and openness to innovation, and the elders having the benefit of experience and hopefully wisdom. The processes are the same, the tools just keep changing. I plan to return to school with greater openness to engage the students in conversations of what they would like to see happen with technology in the school and how they think it could be used to help them learn.

I was surprised at how quick and easy it was to set up this blog, and wonder if blogging might be a useful way for the students to learn....I would be interested in hearing from other educators who have used blogging with students and how you have seen it benefitting learning.