In What Ways Are Personal Learning Networks Having An Effect On Education?

Edchat

6-22-2010 – 18:00 CET 12 PM EST

Edchat - a great PLN!!

http://www.wordle.net/

We are very grateful to Andrew Barras (@crudbasher) for this week’s summary of what was another very lively discussion on #edchat and a topic which most people felt very passionate about! Andrew is very passionate about technology and the role that it plays, and will play even more in the future, in education. He has provided a splendid definition of PLN and really captured the tone of the discussion!

The rise of the Internet has allowed connections to be forged between people based on a common purpose, ideology or interest.  This collection of people, ideas and concepts is completely customized and fitted to an individual’s needs.  The term Personal Learning Network (PLN) is widely used to describe this system.  While each PLN is unique, they all share certain features.  They are not something that you join, the user has to create their own.  Using Twitter, RSS feeds, Diigo, Delicious and blogs, people inquire, ponder, respond, and learn, usually all at the same time.  There are no ranks, degrees, status or wealth.  Only ideas.  It is the ultimate democratic forum, where each person has a voice and each voice is equal.  Like a plant, the PLN needs attention, feeding and sometimes pruning. More than the information gathered however perhaps the best reward for having a PLN is to provide a brutally honest sounding board for our thoughts and an encouraging support group when we struggle.  It truly is more than the sum of it’s parts.

Here are some of the main themes from the discussion:

• General agreement that PLNs are having an effect.
• PLN allows support for individuals who otherwise might be isolated in their school
• PLN facilitates improved Professional Development
• PLN helps keep teachers interested in learning and developing
• You don’t join a PLN you build (or grow) one.
• In a PLN everyone has an equal voice
• PLNs allow blending of ideas from different levels of education
• Nobody is forced into a PLN so there is enthusiasm
• PLN is very much a grassroots creation
• A PLN is a model for lifelong learning
• Most teachers don’t have a PLN

Here is a selection of some of the comments:

With such a vibrant discussion, it’s almost impossible to do it justice in a summary, but I’ve picked out some of the comments that caught my eye.

@TeachPaperless: PLNs are both democratizing and personalizing professional development.
@cybraryman1: Where else could you have 24/7 PD from great global educators. PLN’s are transforming how we teach & collaborate.
@mattguthrie: My PLN has affected my school b/c I share everything with them after I learn it from my PLN
@anderscj: @kevcreutz PLN members set their own priorities and make connections of mutual benefit, edicts are handed to no one.
@MrR0g3rs: #edchat all schools have teachers who have given up on being learners. u never see that with a PLN
@MissCheska: There is no power differential in PLNs – knowledge is freely distributed, allowing for empowerment in all levels.
@Mamacita: When each subject exists only w/in 4 walls of one classroom, they’re useless. PLN’s allow communication & sharing.
@CrudBasher: Having a PLN is like having an expert team working for me everyday.
@thenewtag: Twitter is my newspaper each morning and night. It’s opened my eyes to a whole new world of learning.
@tomwhitby: PLN’s allow the blending of ideas from Elementary, Secondary and Higher ed settings.
@jbrogley: My PLN has also changed what I want for my own children’s education.
@TheGilch: If you are following 20 teachers on twitter, think of how much collective exprience you r drawing from!
@TeachPaperless: A great way to get teachers involved in PLNs is to under-emphasize the ‘tech’  and stress the sharing aspect.
@ShellTerrell: Before my PLN, at conferences I used to get greeted w business cards now its like meeting friends known for yrs
@tomwhitby: PLN’s allow us to not only devise ideas, but share the finished product Globally. No Walls!
@DrTimony: Front burner task for PLN must be to unify colleagues and schools. Like a union except with brains.
@TeachPaperless: PLNs are part of broader cultural shift; see: news, entertainment, gaming, music industries – remix of personal/public hierarachies.
@dgende: When faculty asks: how did you know ’bout this? How did you learn this? I take the opportunity to pitch PLNs!
@lhmiles2: Key w/ PLNs is to always take action. Don’t simply talk/share ideas.  ACT. Otherwise, meaningless.

Special alliteration award goes to:

@TeachPaperless: PLNs have made the profession personal in a public way and public in a personal way.

I would ask that the following question is added to the poll next week:

Is the public education system broken, or is it actually working exactly like designed, but the design is bad?

To follow the complete discussion see here

For the stats on #edchat participation see here

As ever, there were some great links shared: (Phew! So many this week!!)

Free e-books for educators, including one on Professional Learning Networks http://blog.learningtoday.com/ebooks/

Creating an online personal learning network (PLN) #edchat http://ht.ly/21Lwe

New blog post Free social networking in education 2.0 Part I http://web20socialmediasafetyineducation.blogspot.com/ Share,rt comment

http://www.virtualschoolsymposium.org/ (Virtual School Symposium 2010) anyone attending this? #edchat

@Parentella Here’s the picture I use to go with it http://bit.ly/b041ml

Open course on PLNs, web2, & Connectivist Learning: http://connectivistlearning.pbworks.com

RT @web20classroom: Join @mbteach, @kylepace and I at #ISTE10 for an #Edchat Live Event and Tweetup: http://bit.ly/bn7QY3

RT @dianeravitch: Interview with Valerie Strauss: http://tinyurl.com/2vvg5t2

New . Join free   PLN for teachers who want to share knowledge using http://twubs.com/safedchat/ #edtech20 http://yv2.me/oxWb

The best part of a PLN is that we gain knowledge from ourselves-the professional educators who are in the field! http://ht.ly/21LYP

Wendy Drexler has some great PLN examples http://wp.me/ptZn3-4r

RT @t4johnson See EducationEye for a visual map of tech innovations (updated daily): http://www.educationeye.org.uk/

our visual of a teacher pln http://screencast.com/t/ZmUxOGE1OTM – should be happening w/or w/o web.. web is just amping it

Guest post from the Andrew Barras on LeahMacVie.com this week: Reflections on my Online Master’s Program http://bit.ly/chftCJ

Wise Words from Howard Rheingold- Reflections from #EdChat http://bit.ly/9N0ZrN

Proud supporter of #ISTE10  http://twb.ly/cVnId2 annimation . GoAnimate – Blue Bear in Space #edtech20 http://icio.us/fyxtb2

Yes, I have a page  for PLNs: http://bit.ly/503fQf

a short video I created describing PLNs – http://bit.ly/a60SJw

Liberation Technology (the Twitter PLN) http://speedchange.blogspot.com/2009/10/twitter-as-teacher-liberation.html

liberated to do what? perhaps http://bit.ly/cXT16N? RT @irasocol: Liberation Technology (the Twitter PLN) http://bit.ly/b7upRy

@ghewgley Love that analogy.  Speaking of Analogies: http://bit.ly/aTnN54

Building a Professional Learning Community at Work great reproducibles http://bit.ly/d3fJvW

@rliberni @kevcreutz http://singimagination.wordpress.com/

New blog post: What do your student interactions look like? http://bit.ly/99SntF

The Educator’s PLN Ning is free to all who wish to be a part of over 4,000 collaborating Educators. Join us at –  www.edupln.com

5 Reasons Why Educators Should Network: 4. To extend your learning base http://bit.ly/8YuYK0

Teachers  build  #PLN on Ning but unfourrtunatelly in 1 mounth Ning will close free service for Ning creators . http://yv2.me/oybA

RT @isteconnects: Good foundational article on theory of PLNs and why/how they work http://bit.ly/16THuy

New — Technology literacy whitepaper. The case for “doing”, not testing http://bit.ly/9yvLSM Plz share with PLN

Maybe students could be encouraged to start a project on building PLNs: Design For change Contest http://bit.ly/aPstiO

our visual of student pln http://screencast.com/t/NDdjODcwM more likely to happen if teachers are pln-ing

Thanks every1! RT @akenuam: @Dramanique You build one. Check out the PLN ebook at http://blog.learningtoday.com/ebooks/

Excellent resources by Cybrary Man on PLNs and PLCs http://bit.ly/d9NlPt

we think plns should be the new standard http://tinyurl.com/26flofd

RT@ColinTGraham:Mayb students could be encouraged to start a project on building PLNs:Design For change Contest http://bit.ly/aPstiO

Real-World Issues Motivate Students | Edutopia http://ow.ly/21ggD http://ow.ly/21geI

RT @ShellTerrell    PLN Resources, Presentations, & Research to help you spread the word http://bit.ly/clMc5w

So while every 1 was in #edchat discussing PLN I was blogging abt mine &getting 2 sit next to the smart kids at #ISTE10 http://bit.ly/9Qa713

I’ve found more resources and more useful advice for PD in 3 months on Twitter than in 5 years without it http://bit.ly/63EfOb

PLN – Sharing knowledge   on-line using tools and applications web 2.0 and social media  #edtech20 http://yv2.me/oyhT

Remember: It’s the people of a PLN that make it thrive: http://bit.ly/90SNfG

#safedchat web 2.0 and social media in education in a safety mode http://grou.ps/web20andsocialmediaeducationstill20

19 Resources about Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) http://bit.ly/aNiq8y

#edchat Wiki has a cluster map (so global!) and a “Who are We?” page – good stuff to send to admins: http://bit.ly/azwBbB

MUST read @kylepace  It’s the people of a PLN that make it thrive: http://bit.ly/90SNfG

You can get a #TT #edchat #twibbon here if you want! http://bit.ly/bHhGOL

@soumyapr This will help you learn about #Edchat http://bit.ly/6Yfgc & become involved in our weekly conversations

it’s not difficult to understand, it’s difficult to embrace = paraphrasing Seth Godin – relates to PLN… http://bit.ly/aUGkIz

RT @lemino: Thanks got here late. More reading for later. This discussion can continue on http://bit.ly/66MR8q

@isteconnects: Good foundational article on theory of PLNs and why/how they work http://bit.ly/16THuy

@ShellTerrell #edchat learning is all about fun! Have you seen this? http://youtu.be/m3RPa1ztV64 (short)

Stay Connected at #ISTE10 (Whether you’re attending or not!) http://is.gd/cZogk.

RT @tomwhitby: If you are going to ISTE10 we will be doing a large Group participation #Edchat. CHK This out! http://bit.ly/cAlbRI

Struggling to teach students how to “search”? Try these search challenges to help build search skills http://bit.ly/b8rVlf

RT @web20classroom: Don’t forget to join #edchat at #ISTE10: http://bit.ly/bn7QY3

You might find this 2006 report helpful: Blended Learning – Learning – British Council – Brussels http://bit.ly/awwPny @ISILBOY

My name is Andrew Barras (aka Crudbasher). I am honored to be able to provide the summary for #edchat this week!

I am an Instructional Designer at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. I have been a 3d Modeler, Computer Programmer, Web Designer, and Professor over the last 15 years. I was even making Military Simulations before I could legally drink! (that was a disadvantage). Now I am adding Educational Futurist to my skill set.  I have a BS in Digital Arts and Design and my Masters in Education Media Design & Technology, both from Full Sail University.

I believe that Education is about to undergo a more drastic change in the next 10-15 years than it underwent in the last 100 because of technology. Therefore I blog at Education Stormfront where I focus on how disruptive technology will affect and change education in the next few years.

New to Edchat?

If you have never participated in an #Edchat discussion, these take place twice a day every Tuesday on Twitter. Over 1,000 educators participate in this discussion by just adding #edchat to their tweets. For tips on participating in the discussion, please check out these posts!

• Edchat: Join the Conversation
• Using Tweetdeck for Hashtag Discussions

More Edchat

• If you would like to join others in transforming the discussion into action, please feel free to join the Edchat group on the Educator PLN ning.
• Jerry Swiatek does an incredible job of posting each archived transcript on the Edchat wiki created by Steve Johnson. This way you can look back at your favorites!
• Find previous summaries here on this blog – see edchat category on right sidebar
• Follow other Edchatters and make sure you are on this Twitter list if you participate in Edchat!
• Read summaries of the 7pm EST/1 am CET Edchat discussions.

Challenge:

If you’re new to hashtag discussions, then just show up on Twitter on any Tuesday and add just a few tweets on the topic with the hashtag #edchat.

What do you think? Leave a comment!

Carl-Henric Svanberg, Fabio Capello – your English skills just haven’t been good enough!

We can feel for both Carl-Henric  Svanberg, the chairman of BP, and England Manager, Fabio Capello, they have been much in the spotlight this past week and have, in their very different ways, been found wanting.  One of the reasons they did not come up to scratch was due to their knowledge of English. Although they can both use English well enough for their respective jobs,  I am not sure that when thrown into the limelight and expected both to speak on behalf of and defend their respective teams, they are quite up to the job.

We all know what it feels like to be ‘put on the spot’, to have to argue the case and discuss and debate issues – this is not an easy task even in your own language. When you get agitated, excited or annoyed, words desert you and sentences struggle to maintain meaning. Imagine having to do this in another language and imagine having to do it to the world’s media who are masters of manipulating language and tying people in linguistic knots.

So what happened?

Carl-Henric Svanberg

His English is good there is no denying this. He speaks in a fairly measured way, taking care over his delivery. It all boils down to two things; his pronunciation – which could be better – it is very deadpan almost to the extent of being dis-interested, then there is that one, disastrous phrase  ‘small people’  made all the worse by repeating it no less than three times! It’s amazing that one small word could cause such a furore – but in language ‘least said, soonest mended’ could just be a maxim to keep in mind!

What would we say – man in the street, ordinary citizens, the US public? Answers on a postcard please! Certainly not ‘small people’. Did anybody check? Did he rehearse? Was this off the cuff? One small phrase caused so much anger and hurt that there was absolutely no consideration of the fact that he wasn’t a native speaker of English!

If you go into the lion’s den – be very prepared!

Fabio Capello

Fabio is now in his third year as England Manager and there are many who worry about his commitment to improving his English skills.  England fans are very passionate about their team and they have, in the past, been very sceptical about having non-English managers. Will a non-English manager have the same passion for England’s football mission?With Capello they are doubtful as to whether he can truly command respect and really communicate his ideas when his language ability is still so poor.

To be fair in this footage he manages very well. He knows the vocabulary he needs, he gets his message across clearly and with some humour. He maintains the gravitas required for his role and, despite his lack of correct word order, his strong accent and his limited vocabulary, we are quite clear about his points.

Fast forward to more recent times.

There was the row with the photographers, then the criticism about his choice of goalkeeper and finally his defence of England’s first two games.

(recent footage wasn’t available to embed so here’s a link)

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/06/capello_still_well_under_contr.html)

The pressure and the constant barrage of questions puts a lot of strain on language delivery. As emotion takes over so coherent language retreats.

This is natural but if  your work demands that you put yourself in these situations then the need for competency becomes all the more important. You have to maintain decorum, you have to maintain self-respect, you have to avoid controversy and you need to preserve the good name of your company as well as that of yourself. This is important stuff!

When you lose your cool – make sure you can still look cool!

So, my top tips for avoiding situations like the Svanberg/Cappello ones above.

1. Don’t be complacent – if you are going to be the face of your global/UK/US company make sure you have the language skills to do it – ‘good enough’ might just not be good enough when really tested!
2. Use models – who are the great speakers in English? Find some whom you admire and study their form, note down some of the expressions they use, how do they deliver, what makes them stand out? Model yourself on them
3. Practise! – I would never go into a presentation or meeting where I have to represent someone or put forward ideas or proposals without practising. Going in cold is a foolhardy thing to do and you are taking a big risk.
4. Ask someone to check – don’t try to do too much off the cuff, if you have a presentation ask a native speaker to check it, a friend or teacher – if you can practise in front of them too then this is very valuable – don’t underestimate how useful your teacher can be to you, it’s not all about grammar and vocabulary!!
5. Check current and cultural sensitivities – when tempers are high people are less likely to be tolerant or understanding. Make sure you are not going to offend anybody culturally or because of a current situation (for example when people are complaining about some work-related issue).
6. Do not translate! – don’t assume that the way you would do it in your own language is going to translate to another culture or another language (small people). Check and find out!

Now I am going to get someone to check this before I post it – I don’t want to offend anybody either!!

March 2011 – I rest my case!!

Some other posts you might find useful:

Business English -what is it you really need to learn

English verbs that confuse

Advanced students – Case Study 1

How should critical thinking be integrated with technology?

Edchat

6-15-2010 – 18:00 CET 12 PM EST

Great Critical Thinkers!

Julie Shy (@shyj) has been this week’s #edchat ‘trooper’ and provided us with a great summary. You can read Julie’s bio at the bottom of the post. Her work with thinking skills, technology and teachers makes her a great candidate to tackle this week’s topic of critical thinking! I’m sure you will agree that it is a job well done!

Critical thinking…..ahhhh….it sounds so “smart,” doesn’t it?  We spend our days teaching our students how to ask good questions. We model and teach our students how to think critically. We spend hours showing our students how to take all of the wonderful information they have gathered and analyze and synthesize it. And then, the end of the school year comes, and our students take “the test.” You know which one I’m talking about…..”THE test”…..the only one the state looks at….the only one tied to budgets and recognition for your whole district…..the one that looks for ONE RIGHT ANSWER!!!! “Calgon, take me away!” C’mon, you know what I mean. Why should we, as educators, spend so much time on something that apparently isn’t valued by our educational system? Is it really worth our time and effort?

Fortunately educators who participate in #edchat discussions are a stubborn group and insist on doing the right thing for children. Today’s #edchat tackled the question, “How should critical thinking be integrated with technology?”

Here are some of the main themes from the discussion:

• good lesson design can support and promote critical thinking
• traditional curricular materials (ie workbooks, textbooks) do not enhance critical thinking in students
• critical thinking in classrooms should not be an option
• teachers need to be comfortable creating/asking higher level questions and allowing students to ask questions
• if there is “one right answer” thinking stops as soon as the first person gets the answer
• technology is a tool to support critical thinking
• teachers need to model critical thinking
• critical thinking occurs when students link to prior knowledge
• collaboration should be a part of the critical thinking process for teachers and students

Here is a selection of some of the comments:

With such a vibrant discussion, it’s almost impossible to do it justice in a summary, but I’ve picked out some of the comments that caught my eye.

@cybraryman1: Good teaching requires an understanding of how technology relates to the pedagogy and content
@BrandiJClark: Students should be involved in developing essential questions

@andycinek: If you take the time early on to give them grounding in the tools, you can turn the class and critical thinking over to them

@VanessaSCassie: The design of the lesson is where critical thinking is achieved or not…tech is just one way of getting there

@andycinek: Critical thinking is the ability to deconstruct/analyze a problem/question and find the a logical solution

@wmchamberlain: A better question, “How do we teaching critical thinking in class when teachers are stuck with programs and workbooks?”

@21stcenturychem: we owe it to our students to teach how to critically analyze the mountains of info online

@ShellTerrell: We need to make teachers feel comfortable w/ letting students find the answers instead of giving them the answers!

@MissCheska: I think by backward design and concept-based instruction that mixes PBL and experiential methods

@drdouggreen: Promote metacognition by having students self evaluate.

@tomwhitby: If the car breaks down you walk. Travel is the skill, the car is the tool

@Swanny203: I have had many a stud mad at me ’cause I have answered their ? with a ? to lead them to the answer-no instant gratification

@profhutch: I’ve had students request worksheets because they are easier….project based learning takes critical thinking and time

@Ron_Peck: Move kids up the ladder of critical thinking and have them apply it in PBL or other student centered activity.

@evab2001: critical thinking is conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information, knowledge

@RushaSams: We need 2 understand power of scaffolding ques so that essential ones follow basic understanding, knowledge ones.

@MissCheska: Doesn’t critical thinking require a little creativity?

@malcolmbellamy: critical thinking is developed in an environment that encourages it and does not belittle any contribution

@Brian_ThomasTCI: Critical thinking often thrives in collaboration too. Grouping students fosters new thinking.

@21stcenturychem: Students have to be comfortable asking tough questions; not all teachers like being challenged

@iangowans: Undeniably critical thinking is important but time MUST be spent on understanding the content prior to all this great thinking

@thenewtag: Not sure we even teach critical thinking as much as develop it by encouraging curiosity, experimentation and inquiry.

@ColinTGraham: Critical thinking is also very much a N American/European expectation and may not be culturally applicable or acceptable

I would ask that the following question is added to the poll next week:

• What technology tools specifically enhance critical thinking for students?

To follow the complete discussion see here

For the stats on #edchat participation see here

As ever, there were some great links shared:

ShellTerrell:   Super cool! Watch #Edchat live if you wish: http://bit.ly/cUg80b via @edudemic

Brian_ThomasTCI: Teach Critical thinking with discussion strategy. Imagine this with Skype! http://bit.ly/daYxjr Other free assessment ideas linked.

classroomtools: Critical Thinking lesson: How is history used to deceive in this 2010 political ad? http://youtu.be/6iQ7ZDUutU4

ShellTerrell: Remember this #Edchat is in preparation for Wed.’s live chat on Elluminate w/ @hrheingold http://bit.ly/9cyyML #HRChat

Parantella: RT @ShellTerrell: Looking Forward By Looking Back http://bit.ly/9qhlj5 via @parentella

rliberni: Has technology produced a decline in these skills? http://bit.ly/cLFtYK

cybraryman1: @tomwhitby Evaluation Websites: http://bit.ly/5R2Hxi

SheldonWordNerd: Best explanation I’ve seen lately  RT @elizabethonline: Using and Teaching Critical Thinking http://tinyurl.com/25qqq96

Brian_ThomasTCI: Start simple with tech tools and learn as you grow. Here’s a guide you can share with them #edchat http://bit.ly/9KvBYg

findingdulcinea: I’d love to see students create “Suspicious Sites” features like these: http://bit.ly/ssites

andycinek: Shameless self promotion of critical thinking done with technology in the classroom http://bit.ly/bckvRk

web20education: Critical thinking must be integrated with technology in a safety mode . Join and let’s discuss  http://bit.ly/9EI9xP

cybraryman1: @rliberni That is why my Critical Thinking page has Problem Solving on it too:  http://bit.ly/q7HUm

weemooseus: Teaching computational thinking may help students deal with critical thinking issues #edchat http://www.cs4fn.org/computationalthinking/

rliberni: Here’s some research An experiment in group learning technology – evaluating critical thinking http://bit.ly/d0bjSM

Brian_ThomasTCI: if you want lots of ideas in groups, make sure to include lots of learning styles #edchat http://bit.ly/bSAdGn

Brian_ThomasTCI: Check out this old school vid on how critical thinking can happen in small groups . http://bit.ly/biCN51

Brian_ThomasTCI: Build lessons around powerful teaching strategies, let your class be a model to others. #edchat http://bit.ly/4Jwv0S

ColinTGraham: It’s worth looking at approaches like sketchcasting http://bit.ly/bEFCIU for presentations.

cybraryman1: QuestionningTechniques Page: http://cybraryman.com/questioning.html

ileducprof: RT @ShellTerrell: RT @JasonFlom: “Emerging Trend: Teachers as Advocates” | Cooperative Catalyst http://bit.ly/cCkDQv

tomwhitby: This video for educators is worth 3 minutes of time. School from a kid’s view is a needed component for reform. http://bit.ly/9cXR6S

theokk: Great post here by @ewanmcintosh that may be of interest … http://is.gd/cQoCf

rliberni: Thinking skills, technology and learning  http://bit.ly/amlTbH

Brian_ThomasTCI: Here’s link to spiraled questions strategy for critical thinking and images http://scr.bi/cUfWsk

Brian_ThomasTCI: Need to run!  Great #edchat today! My Blog post on Critical Thinking http://bit.ly/9KSQfQ

nlakusta: TC2 http://www.tc2.ca/wp/ is now working with Sesame Street!! Fabulous. Our school division working with them 2

SheldonWordNerd: @Mamacita Did you see my post on why Google isn’t a substitute for an education?  We’re in agreement!  http://bit.ly/9yPey5

TeachTec: Check out the new critical thinking & web research curriculum developed by Microsoft & ISTE http://bit.ly/crtthk

kylepace: Using Google Sites To Create E-Portfolios For Students…http://bit.ly/cTjng1

internet4classr: Will Gates go microsoft on standardized tests? http://ht.ly/1YQEy

Oh_the_Places: Critical thinking and engineering in Kindergarten.  Great for #edchat today http://nyti.ms/aFw3Gg

HigherEdMorning: Social networking goes to school: http://bit.ly/bEYVqV

TeachTec: Check out the new critical thinking & web research curriculum developed by Microsoft & ISTE http://bit.ly/crtthk

ColinTGraham: @Mamacita You might want to check out my article – No tech? No problem! The Language Teacher Online: Dec 2008 http://bit.ly/aBohx5

Julie taught for 10 years before a friend saw an ad in the newspaper for an instructional specialist for the eMINTS program. She showed it to Julie and said, “That sounds like you.” Ten years later she is still working for eMINTS  (thankfully!) and loving every minute of it! Helping teachers learn how to create a classroom community which embraces inquiry-based, high quality lessons, powered by technology, is something that is challenging and very rewarding.

Not only does Julie impact teaching but she also gets to reach 100’s more students than she would have if she remained in the classroom.
Julie is very passionate about education and her family, husband of 20 years, Rick and 2 kids (an almost 17 year old senior and 13 year old 8th grader, plus 2 dogs….and recently 6 puppies!…anyone need a weimaraner puppy?), gardening, photography and trying to maintain a bit of sanity in her life!

New to Edchat?

If you have never participated in an #Edchat discussion, these take place twice a day every Tuesday on Twitter. Over 1,000 educators participate in this discussion by just adding #edchat to their tweets. For tips on participating in the discussion, please check out these posts!

• Edchat: Join the Conversation
• Using Tweetdeck for Hashtag Discussions

More Edchat

• If you would like to join others in transforming the discussion into action, please feel free to join the Edchat group on the Educator PLN ning.
• Jerry Swiatek does an incredible job of posting each archived transcript on the Edchat wiki created by Steve Johnson. This way you can look back at your favorites!
• Find previous summaries here on this blog – see edchat category on right sidebar
• Follow other Edchatters and make sure you are on this Twitter list if you participate in Edchat!
• Read summaries of the 7pm EST/1 am CET Edchat discussions.

Challenge:

If you’re new to hashtag discussions, then just show up on Twitter on any Tuesday and add just a few tweets on the topic with the hashtag #edchat.

What do you think? Leave a comment!

Prepositions – pearls of great price!

I’ve been doing some work on prepositions lately and it struck me that for such insignificant little words, they have quite a powerful role to play in English language and seem to be a common bête noire at all levels of learning.

I looked up a definition of prepositions, it seems they are a group of words that show relationships between nouns, pronouns, or gerunds and other words in a sentence. They show place, time, direction and other attributes in relation to these words. The good news is that they never change their form. The bad is – it’s not that simple! They can be free or bound (they can depend on other words).  They can be complex too, they come along in pairs or sometimes threes and fours for good measure and take on new meanings. Occasionally they are in disguise – they might look like prepositions but in actual fact they are adverbs or adjectives! It is often when they hook up with verbs that they are at their most demonic! They form phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs, and horror, phrasal-prepositional verbs!! Is it any wonder that these enfant terribles of the English language learning world put fear into our hearts

So, I thought in this post I’d try to break down the uses, give some examples and see if we can’t engender a little respect for these feared yet very hard-working and versatile little words!

Prepositions pure and simple 🙂

Using prepositions in their simple form is fairly straightforward.

Place – relationships are bound by position  – on, in, under, above etc..

Some to note are:

over and under (rather than above and below)

• used when something is  covering something else – the spoon fell under the table, the fog drifted over the village
• for horizontal movement – the birds flew over the trees
• to show more, less, fewer than – we made just under/over £3,000!

above and below

• are used for rank or level – Sergeant is below the rank of captain.

in, at, on

• these are specific – I’ll meet you at the cinema (probably outside) or in the cinema (inside). It’s on the corner (the outside of the corner). It’s in the corner (surrounded, probably a Square or in a room).
• In with cities, countries etc.- in France but on with streets – I’m on North Street, at with named places – at Oxford Circus.
• At when people gather together – at a party, at the conference.

towards and up to

• towards shows the direction of the movement, up to usually indicates a purpose – I went up to her to get directions.

Time – relationships are bound by duration or a point in time

from…to

• indicate the start and end time – I’ll be here from Monday to Friday. (note American English often uses just through) I’ll be here Monday through Friday. The American usage tells us that Friday is included in the stay the British version is less clear.

Bound prepositions – those with no meaning in life! 😦

Bound prepositions are dependent upon certain words (or the words ‘take’ a certain preposition). These prepositions have no independent meaning as meaning is conveyed by the word/s to which they are bound.

It is important to learn these and commit them to memory as you come across them.

Some general rules exist:

• Prepositions can follow verbs nouns or adjectives – rely on,  success in, keen on etc… (here is a list)
• These prepositions always take an object – rely on somebody,  success in his exams, keen on riding horses
• Where the object is a verb – it is often in the …ing form – They accused him of lying.
• With adjectives describing emotion then ing form or infinitive with to is possible.  They were angry at seeing animals mistreated. They were angry to see animals mistreated.

Types:

verb + preposition

• These multi-word combinations are called prepositional verbs.
• Here are a few examples – complain to, rely on, confide in, part with, look into etc..

• Another verb + preposition combination is the phrasal verb – these  are different because the meaning is changed completely with addition of the preposition, which is not the case with prepositional verbs.
• Here are some examples – wear off,  break down, look after, put off, own up etc…

• A third  multi-word verb using a preposition as a particle is a phrasal-prepositional verb (verb + adverb + preposition)
• Here are some examples –  look up to, hand over to, get out of, put up with, get back to, come out of etc….

noun + preposition

where a noun and a verb are related both will usually take the same preposition

• They succeeded in getting the contract
• Their success in getting the contract was the turning point in the life of the company.

sometimes  a noun takes a preposition where the related verb does not

• She had always had a fear of spiders.
• She had feared spiders from childhood.

adjective + preposition

as above, where an adjective is related to a verb or noun taking a specific preposition then the adjective will also take this preposition

• They were very anxious about the merger.
• We could sense their anxiety about the merger.

adjectives describing feelings and opinions often have bound/dependent prepositions

• I’m not keen on the blue one.
• She’s quite nervous about tomorrow.

Try an exercise

Prepositions with a complex! 😦

Complex prepositions are always free prepositions but need support. Although their meaning combines with that of the other word/s  they rely on these other words, which go in front.

Here are a few examples:

• for:    as for, except for, save for
• from:    away from, aside from, apart from
• to:    close to, due to, on to, next to
• with:    along with, together with
• of:    ahead of, out of,  irrespective of
• on:    depending on

Some have such low self-esteem that they require a larger support team!

• for:    in exchange for,  in return for
• of:    by means of, in case of,  in favour of, on top of
• to:    in addition to, in contrast to, on relation to
• with:    in contact with, in comparison with, in line with

In this last group they are hardly visible amidst their entourage !

• for the sake of
• with the exception of
• in the light of
• on the grounds that

Stranded prepositions (who’d be a preposition!) 😦

Our final example in this woeful tale of prepositions is the stranded preposition.  It stands alone at the end of a sentence or clause.

• In questions – Who are you applying to work with?
• In the passive –  What percentage can the cost be reduced by?
• Relative clauses – Yesterday I saw that woman (that/who) you introduced me to!
• Infinitive clauses – She managed to see the film that it is impossible to get tickets for!

Don’t forget to check your grammar book for more detailed information!

Prepositions strike back! 🙂

Despite their sorry state prepositions can form interesting and very common idioms which you might want to consider adding to your vocabulary.

Useful idioms formed from prepositions

Sometimes we simply pop a couple of prepositions together

Here are a couple of examples – in for, in on, up to (more examples)

Other prepositions hook up with nouns to form handy little phrases (see here)

Here are some examples – on the go, on the case, on the house

Prepositions certainly do need some respect and it is worth spending time to study and learn how to use them well – it is one of those niggling areas of grammar which, if mastered, can make a big difference to your language performance!

Here are some other posts you may like:

How to keep motivated in language learning

English verbs that confuse

Language Immersion

Prepositions Aargh!

How do teachers get a seat at the education policy table?

Edchat

6-8-2010 – 18:00 CET 12 PM EST

Where there's a will there's a way!

This week’s edchat was an amazing affair! One of our most intrepid edchat participants, Mike Harrison (@harrisonmike),  agreed to produce the summary – before the event – and certainly had his work cut out! (see his blog posting on writing this). I think you’ll agree he has produced a fabulous summary of the discussion! (see Mike’s bio below)

Politics and education seem to me to make uneasy bedfellows. Watching and participating in #edchat it felt like the start of something. I’m a fairly new teacher but already I can see a world of difference between the realities that teaching professionals deal with and the view that policy makers have of the educational landscape. This can be summed up by the fact that in the UK the previous Secretary of State for Education was an economist and the current encumbent a journalist. How much can these people really know about education and educational systems? A large number of the comments various edchatters made seemed to me like a call to arms: teachers get involved! Perhaps a politicised movement linked to the PLN is a real chance for change in educational policy and the first step towards really getting teachers’ voices heard? What is sure is that there were some really interesting questions put forward and discussed, some of which you can find below.

Here are some of the main themes from the discussion:

• Lack of knowledge of actual educational landscape on part of policy makers
• Thinking about how to get teachers involved in the policy making process
• Factors stopping or demotivating teachers from getting involved in such processes
• Possible ways in which to get teachers involved at grassroots level

Here is a selection of some of the comments:

With such a vibrant discussion, it’s almost impossible to do it justice in a summary, but I’ve picked out some of the comments that caught my eye.

@cybraryman1 “If you’re not actively involved in getting what you want, you don’t really want it.” P. McWilliams

@estherfeldbaum Teachers need to stop waiting for permission to be leaders #edchat

@andycinek What are we focusing on when we say “a seat at the table” becoming a politician or policy maker or just having a voice?

@krista_scott Don’t feel educators have a strong seat at policy table, but we don’t run for office either…

@hooperchris #edchat – start local – I’m chair of local authority’s ESOL group and working with them to shape priorities for English lang provision

@dlrichert How can teachers go from being viewed as valued stakeholders of schools instead of as employees?

@ShellTerrell If all gathered behind 1 of our PLN members & helped them campaign, could we get them in power to impact Edu policy #edchat

@ShellTerrell Agree! RT @JasonFlom: @acluff I think you’re right.  So much to do as a teacher.  When is their time to learn to advocate?

@JaneBalvanz So what if we affected edu policy politically via #edchat? Organize to have a write/ call your senator & representative day.

@ToddAHoffman: RE: http://twitter.com/ShellTerrell/status/15716244539 #edchat many teachers fear repercussions for speaking mind

@malcolmbellamy I was reading our new DFE website yesterday and a teacher commented that no minister had any teaching experience! #edchat  

@jeff_shoemaker @weemooseus @tomwhitby do you think a superintendent of a school should have a valid teacher’s licence?

@tomwhitby: @jeff_shoemaker @weemooseus Would you expect the chief of surgery to be a doctor? #edchat

@Smichael920 Prob with edu is everyone went to school everyone’s an expert! Policy makers went to school!

@GaryBrannigan Life in the classroom differs from life in the board room: different pressures #edchat

@MissCheska @ShellTerrell Maybe schools will be off grid when they extract themselves away from txtbk publishers and stand. test companies

@ShellTerrell @MissCheska True but standardized testing an extremely profitable business w/ lobbyists so doubtful this will happen

@Smichael920 On a brighter note, more opportunities exist today to be heard -even lone voices-via technology #edchat

@olafelch I have to say, people, that was the most fascinating #edchat I’ve ever experienced. Thanks to everyone who made it great!

I would ask that the following question is added to the poll next week:

As we move forward in the 21st century, what changes need to be made to the way Initial Teacher Training is delivered? How should we teach teachers to teach?

To follow the complete discussion see here

For the stats on #edchat participation see here

As ever, there were some great links shared: [most of these are related to politicisation]

@gatorbonBC:  How do we get a seat? We fight. strong. united. Unions in FL / RTTT http://gatorbonbc.wordpress.com/2010/06/07/unions-florida/ #edchat

@gatorbonBC: #edchat http://bit.ly/bOAQhn http://bit.ly/cWGZEC http://bit.ly/aCqI82 3 activist pages for teachers on Facebook

@gatorbonBC we become activists, flood the media & social media… #edchat like @jasonflom, he does it so well !  http://bit.ly/cqAzZT

@graingered @ShellTerrell 1 of my 1st posts- seems $ the root/all ed evil. Common denominatr btwn govt&unions-TEACHRS http://tinyurl.com/yzx7vu6
@blairteach Comment about video compares it to “current dialogues around sch reform, unlrng, the lrng rev…” http://youtu.be/Ev-fqtvi0z8 #edchat
@web20education 100+ Google Tricks That Will Save You Time in School | Online Colleges #safedchat #edtech20 #edchat http://bit.ly/b68q8D
@web20education #safedchat New hastag for teacher who use safe new tehnologies in education 2.0 http://bit.ly/943xuD Join free #edchat #education #edtech20
@ASCD @johntspencer We agree! Get involved in Educator Advocates at http://bit.ly/bs5Whv #ascdpolicy #edchat
@ShellTerrell Perhaps we can spearhead this grassroots discussion at the Edu PLN Ning http://bit.ly/QUthF #Edchat
@posthhs Creative Activities In a One Period Chemistry Lab, please add to it  http://bit.ly/az2QpM #edchat #edscience @arosey @mahanchem @jay_swan
@esolcourses RT @cybraryman1 Get involved with #ecosys chat on wed (restarts on June 16) drive change in public ed  http://ecosysedu.pbworks.com/ #edchat
@davidwees My students on their school trip to Africa are blogging about the experience here: http://kipevu.org

@rliberni: RT @PreKlanguages: Is effective teaching an art or a science? http://bit.ly/9GChbR #education

@DrTimony You have no #talent: An introduction http://ow.ly/1VJXE #ntchat #edchat #Expertise

Mike Harrison is an ESOL teacher based in South East London.

He is getting into using technology in his teaching (in particular online video) and learning a lot about teaching by reading blogs and tweets.

You can read his thoughts at his blog

(http://mikeharrison.edublogs.org/) and follow him on Twitter (@harrisonmike)

See his post on writing this summary!

New to Edchat?

If you have never participated in an #Edchat discussion, these take place twice a day every Tuesday on Twitter. Over 1,000 educators participate in this discussion by just adding #edchat to their tweets. For tips on participating in the discussion, please check out these posts!

• Edchat: Join the Conversation
• Using Tweetdeck for Hashtag Discussions

More Edchat

• If you would like to join others in transforming the discussion into action, please feel free to join the Edchat group on the Educator PLN ning.
• Jerry Swiatek does an incredible job of posting each archived transcript on the Edchat wiki created by Steve Johnson. This way you can look back at your favorites!
• Find previous summaries here on this blog – see edchat category on right sidebar
• Follow other Edchatters and make sure you are on this Twitter list if you participate in Edchat!
• Read summaries of the 7pm EST/1 am CET Edchat discussions.

Challenge:

If you’re new to hashtag discussions, then just show up on Twitter on any Tuesday and add just a few tweets on the topic with the hashtag #edchat.

What do you think? Leave a comment!

Pass it on!

I am thrilled to discover that the award below was given to me by a fellow blogger as a blog to ‘keep an eye on’.  I thank you very much Bright Ideas (this is a great blog to pop into your google reader!) and I very much hope I can live up to the accolade!

OK the rules of engagement are as follows:

• Copy and display the picture of the award given to you;
• Link back to the blog that nominated you;
• Nominate 10 different blogs yourself;
• Inform the people you nominated, so they can in turn, continue the chain and spread the word about other great blogs out there.

So with a drum roll ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ here are my 10 nominations!!

1. A Journey in TEFL Eva’s lovely account of her EFL teaching adventure gives a blow-by-blow account. Lots of other great stuff on this blog too.
2. ZarcoEnglish Blog – this is just a part of Alexandra’s amazing website featuring her school and students – beautiful!
3. Sean Banville’s Blog – Sean’s blog claims to be about the things from his head – it’s a good mix of a variety of topics and thoughts with emphasis on students and learning.
4. ELT Musings and other tidbits – Tamas’s blog is a collection of experiences (some very poignant), thoughts and ideas about being an EFL teacher.
5. Afghan Women’s Writing project – this project is truly amazing – there are some wonderful pieces by women in Afghanistan often writing under pseudonyms to protect their identity.
6. The Island Weekly – Anne has a great collection here of things for students and teachers alike with regular grammar points to check.
7. Mike Harrison’s Blog – another newish kid on the block (like me!) but well worth looking at, a good mix of experiences and ideas to share with fellow teachers
8. Doing Some Thinking – in this blog Henrick reflects in ELT, shares ideas and his experiences of EFL in Brazil.
9. What’s new in the world – is a treasure-chest of ideas, links, information and general stuff for teachers and anybody interested in education.
10. The English Teacher – all you need to be an English Teacher online – lovely!

Thank you again Bright Ideas for the mention and the opportunity to select another 10 blogs to pass on to others!

Advantages and pitfalls of educators being evaluated by student test scores

Merit pay based on student test scores

Edchat

6-1-2010 – 18:00 CET 12 PM EST

Our #Edchat summary this week has been written by another passionate edchatter Adam Burk (@pushingupward). I’m sure you will agree that Adam has done a great job in capturing well what was a very insightful and lively debate. Adam is a great campaigner for reform, not just in education. Read his blogs for more information. Links to these and bio below.

The news is filled with stories about our failing public education system in the United States. Lately, a lot of focus has been put on teachers as a significant cause of the problems in schools. This week #edchat’s focus was on one of the current leading proposals to improve performance in our schools: Accountability of teachers based on their students’ scores on standardized tests. For example, Race to the Top funding is contingent on states breaking through union blocks to create such measures for teacher evaluation. Race to the Top measures are similar to current programs which thus far are failing in Chicago according to preliminary findings. Nonetheless, just like No Child Left Behind was shoved down public school’s throats, here comes more mis-guided reliance on high-stake testing to prove not only students’ ability, but teachers’ as well.

During this #edchat discussion it was made clear that the emphasis on high-stake standardized tests is not welcomed by this group of educational professionals. Potential advantages of said proposal were not clearly identified. It undermines efforts to implement meaningful change in pedagogy to support students to be successful in the information age. Standardized tests are a tool in public education that divorces students from their inherent passion for learning. Schools need to become places that foster passion and creativity both in students and teachers. Current proposals in education reform fail to do this. Innovation in assessment and accountability are needed, this is agreed upon, but what exactly this looks like is not. If tests are to be used, they must learn to share the spotlight with other forms of assessment and feedback. There is support from some for 360 degree reviews where student, peer, parent, and administrator feedback is utilized to comprise a comprehensive review.

But even before we define our evaluation methods we must redefine education in the United States. Even with higher test scores our students and schools will not be meeting the needs and challenges of today’s and tomorrow’s workplace, nor our global situation. Thus, we must align our purpose of education with aiding students to be inspired, sophisticated, thinkers, doers, and citizens, who actually are prepared to meet the challenges that are before them.

Here are some of the main themes from the discussion:

• High-stake standardized testing ruins creativity
• Higher quality means of assessment should be emphasized and fostered instead of standardized tests.
• Merit Pay based on high-stake standardized testing erodes collaboration in schools and promotes self-interest
• High-stake standardized testing creates a high risk for increase in cheating
• Merit pay will create environments where “difficult” or “behind” students are not wanted on a class roster
• Merit pay is designed for businesses dependent upon sales, not for issues of human development
• Test scores as one of many pieces of diverse information may be an acceptable means of teacher evaluation
• If tests are used they should be created by teachers to support their curriculum design and to inform students and teachers of strengths and weaknesses as part of a diverse assessment strategy
• Fundamental change in our educational paradigm is needed
• Measuring success by means of test scores is the wrong focus
• The logistics for implementing teacher evaluation based on student performance on high-stakes standardized tests may be ridiculous
• Student performance is more complex than teacher performance, e.g., poverty, nutrition, parents
• Standardized tests are flawed with cultural biases and focus on low-level thinking
• Standardized tests may persist because they create a safe place where teachers are absolved of responsibility for creating something better
• To define what good teaching looks like we must first redefine education; otherwise we are bolstering bad habits.

Here is a selection of some of the comments:

With such a vibrant discussion, it’s almost impossible to do it justice in a summary, but I’ve picked out some of the comments that caught my eye.

@MissCheska #edchat I think teaching to the test focuses more on fact-based instruction than a more holistic instruction; it loses sight of bigger pic.

@rkiker #edchat I think the greatest measurement of teacher evaluation are authentic student evaluations/feedback – although they can be dangerous

@GaryBrannigan Meaningful assessment should be built into the instructional process #edchat

@bjnichols Eval. should be tied to real outcomes/growth of students. Not the ability to bubble & answer mult. choice questions #edchat

@k_shelton @techmunoz So a highly tech person like myself would be evaluated by who? And based upon what? #edchat

@tomwhitby Do we now need to give every class in every grade a standardized test so that we may evaluate every teacher? #edchat

@k_shelton It’s not fair to evaluate a teacher’s performance, when you have students that don’t even get breakfast before the school day #edchat

@shighla It’s important for formative assessment to be part of the teaching and learning process.    #edchat

@tucksoon Both teachers and students are judged by standardized tests. Both will lose out in the end. A looping vicious cycle #edchat

@ShellTerrell With high-stakes tests there are already teachers who don’t want to teach the kids that are behind the prob will grow #edchat

@Harmerj Interesting #edchat. problem with performance-related pay is the many many many diff variables u wld have to use to evaluate performance!

@tomwhitby With so much riding on the test, we have shifted the focus from learning to successful test taking. #edchat

@michellek107 Our kids are tested relentlessly. There is no joy in learning. Sad to always hear, “Is this for a grade/on the test?” #edchat

@rliberni I feel we look too much to industry 4 our models shouldn’t we be more creative with our own industry? #edchat

@seanbanville @Harmerj Excellence needs to be determined by the teaching team – vote for whoever contributed most/best  #edchat

@phystweeter Teacher evaluations that I have experienced have not been in depth.  Most evaluators don’t know enough about content to evaluate it. #edchat

@bjnichols Creativity is all about risk taking.  Tying performance to a single measure would greatly diminish creativity in classrooms. #edchat

@datadiva Hammers are used to smash car windows, but no one is clamoring to ban them. We need change how we view tests in their rightful place #edchat

@phystweeter Perhaps this is an unpopular opinion, but I welcome merit pay.  Why shouldn’t those who do more get paid more?  #edchat

@jenclevette Part of my eval is my Prof Growth Plan, which is a living document of what I believe I need to work on.  #edchat

@michellek107 @ShellTerrell eval me on student engagement, continuing prof dev, growth as tchr, effective teaching, leadership opp’s I take. #edchat

@pushingupward @ShellTerrell Motivation should be intrinsic motivation based on passion to learn. Schools annihilate this inherent passion. #edchat

@drtimony @jenclevette responsible educators and analysts should be able to use testing as part of a profile of assessment.  #edchat

@MZimmer557 I will gladly take merit based pay if we create a method of merit based parenting!  #edchat

@PodPirate …unfortunately we need to start offering solid solutions to this problem or somebody else is going to make decisions for us. #edchat

@drtimony Let teachers choose how they are evaluated. Imagine that. Let them set goals and achieve/exceed. Like we should do with kids. #edchat

@rjwassink #edchat My union contract says I get a raise every year… whether I improve or not.  Why???

@tomwhitby The teacher is only one aspect of a student’s learning. How do we test Family, Culture, Environment and Health? Other tests? #edchat

@colport It is interesting how many teachers actually like standardised tests…it appears to be a safety zone for them #edchat

@ladyteachkdg All that really matters is the learning that happens with our students when “the rubber meets the road” in our classrooms #edchat

@Smichael920 If testing does have a place it’s to support & inform teacher assessment not their pay #edchat

@Mamacita Teaching to a test is easy.  Takes no brains, no guts, no creativity, no personality, and no originality.  Just read the script. #edchat

I would ask that the following question is added to the poll next week:

How are public schools aligned or misaligned to develop a citizenry prepared to deal with the issues of today and tomorrow including humanitarian, ecological, economic, and political crises?

To follow the complete discussion see here

For the stats on #edchat participation see here

As ever, there were some great links shared:

JamiePortman:  Tooble is gr8 free software 4 borrowing videos from Youtube. http://bit.ly/bYi5Rh

kevcreutz: Point by point discussion on negative effect of testing http://bit.ly/99N35i

leahmacvie: Choice: School Choice in America – http://tinyurl.com/38ade35

web20education: Share and rt http://www.sharetabs.com/?web20socialmediaeducation Web 2.0 and social media  in  education

datruss: What makes a Great Teacher http://bit.ly/bn9cLX

pushingupward: Consider new standards to redefine school. Fixed process vs. fixed content. http://ow.ly/1SyvD

rushtheiceberg:  Don’t Cripple Kids w/ Compassion!  http://bit.ly/ahr8Y8

datruss: See Dan Pink on Motivation http://youtu.be/u6XAPnuFjJc Are good teachers the type to be motivated by merit pay?

Teachers_Speak: If anyone missed the special about education and testing, merit pay- here is link – http://usaguns.net/patriots/minds.html

edudemic: Follow everything happening on today’s #edchat discussion with our LIVE STREAM page on EduDemic. (Just upgraded!) http://bit.ly/cUg80b

rosamariatorres: (video) Challenging current “common sense” on Merit Pay for Teachers http://bit.ly/4r4R2w

drtimony: absolutely you can. we all break. solution? success. RT @BrandiJClark: Can you fix broken teachers? http://bit.ly/aiSXMr

PodPirate: @debra47 http://tinyurl.com/2ef5eeo here you go

tomwhitby: This is the latest Post from Sean Banville. I enjoyed this and recommend it. http://bit.ly/b0dk5G

rachelala: for deep thinking and understanding of formative assessment see Dylan Wiliam’s work http://bit.ly/cWUxu3

ransomtech: Would u agree 2 transfer 2 a struggling middle school 4 2 years in exchange 4 a $20,000 bonus? http://bit.ly/aPTGqw

CrudBasher: My #edchat contribution: How Do We Evaluate Teachers? http://bit.ly/cpLqhb

tomwhitby: I’ve noticed when I recommend posts from others everyone follows.When I do my own-Zippo . Digital Pointers? http://bit.ly/86CKmb

Adam Burk can only be defined as one thing for sure, a human being. Bound by this condition he does the best he can to learn, grow, play, do good, and be of service. He believes we are largely looking the wrong way in our discussions in education reform. Ultimately, we must be talking about cultural reform, developing profoundly sane personalities for planetary citizenship. This looks like individuals contributing to the aims of The Earth Charter and is the enactment of Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic.

While his activities are many–philosopher, wilderness guide, teacher, social worker, gardener, husband, dog whisperer, naturalist, cook, jewelry maker, lover, healer, writer, community activist, change agent, and more–he is guided by the simple principle to do good in the service of others. He lives on the beautiful coast of Maine. Adam blogs at Pushing Upward: Growing a Culture of Peace and Cooperative Catalyst. He can be reached at pushingupward@gmail.com and found on twitter as @pushingupward.

New to Edchat?

If you have never participated in an #Edchat discussion, these take place twice a day every Tuesday on Twitter. Over 400 educators participate in this discussion by just adding #edchat to their tweets. For tips on participating in the discussion, please check out these posts!

• Edchat: Join the Conversation
• Using Tweetdeck for Hashtag Discussions

More Edchat

• If you would like to join others in transforming the discussion into action, please feel free to join the Edchat group on the Educator PLN ning.
• Jerry Swiatek does an incredible job of posting each archived transcript on the Edchat wiki created by Steve Johnson. This way you can look back at your favorites!
• Find previous summaries here on this blog – see edchat category on right sidebar
• Follow other Edchatters and make sure you are on this Twitter list if you participate in Edchat!
• Read summaries of the 7pm EST/1 am CET Edchat discussions.

Challenge:

If you’re new to hashtag discussions, then just show up on Twitter on any Tuesday and add just a few tweets on the topic with the hashtag #edchat.

What do you think? Leave a comment!