and have been fully sucked in.
Not to mean that I just now created an account. But rather I only used it for things pertaining to the kiddo, family, food, trips, whatever. I never used it for dialogue and discourse as I think it is a poor medium for me. Especially when I get uppity about the topic.
But then I joined the recently formed BTA. And now I am totally engrossed in a conversation. One conversation. I am literally thinking I need to cut myself off, leave the group never to return, go cold turkey.
And at the same time I am thankful for the opportunity to view my thoughts from the perspective of others via this dialogue! Too often we are insulated within our departments and circles. This has been a new and feisty circle to dance in! It is invigorating and exciting and it is keeping me from my real work.
Because while some feel that Facebook is a medium for their advocacy and those interactions produce a satisfactory outcome, it still is just not for me. The initial spark for me to go into education was the idea that I could make education different. So for me, and many others, teaching is not just a career, but also a medium for advocacy where I see the results of my efforts impact the community I serve in a positive way. And tonight, while stimulating and thought provoking, my involvement in discourse with a group of educators resulted in me neglecting other work that could have been done, as well as my sleep.
Which in turn sent me to blog about this new phenomenon in my life. I am trying to understand why I suddenly took to "the streets", passionately stating my position. I can theorize that it is a combination of pent up frustration in not having similar dialogues within my sphere of influence and very strong feelings about the topic discussed (something that regularly circumvents my attempts at progress within my ISD). I am intrigued and I want to explore these thoughts. But at the same time I am drained and fried.
At the very least I know my sharp and obsessive focus on what interests me is alive and well, despite a strong effort to lead a more balanced life. Guess I need to work on that, in a non-obsessive manner.
I think I know the discussion ;) I found it pretty terrifying that so many professionals are willing to settle for second-rate methods, and more terrifying that they are not capable of vetting materials thoroughly before giving them to students. I also think it's important that we expose ourselves to this side of our profession if we are going to make any kind of difference. That's why I stay, anyway. Thanks for contributing to that discussion, and good luck with your new blog!
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