Warm Fuzzies and Whatnots

ATTENTION EDUCATORS:
Do you ever feel like you are drowning in a sea of negativity? Does it seem like every time you turn around policy makers are proposing budget cuts, salary/benefit cuts, or adding to never ending list of hoops classroom teachers have to jump through? Do you hear colleagues complaining that they aren't going to do anything but the bare minimum for their students because it's just not worth the hassle? Do you have parent conferences where your hard work, professionalism, or abilities are called into question? Do you ever feel a lack of support from your administrators?

If you've answered "yes" to any of the previous questions (and I know you have), there is hope. With these three simple steps, you too can be paddling with the power of positivity.

1. Create your own Warm Fuzzy Folder to keep handy in case of a negativity attack. Inside it keep notes, cards, student drawings, and emails that students, their parents, or your colleagues give you singing your praises. You can even collect reflections that you've written down when you've had a success with a student or even professionally. By reading these, you'll be reminded that you really do make a difference in the people whose lives you touch every day.

2. Surround yourself with other like-minded, powerfully, positive educators. By seeking out these paragons of positivity, you too will begin to focus on what's right with education instead of what's wrong. Even if where you teach you struggle to find those upbeat educators, with the tools of today, it's easier than ever to connect with educators worldwide through Twitter, blogs, Second Life, and Skype giving all of you a venue to find solutions to common problems and celebrate your successes.
3. Focus on why you became an educator. As new educators we were extremely upbeat and on a mission to change the world. We were not motivated by money, prestige or social standing. We knew why we became teachers. Look around, they are right there, looking to you for guidance even if they won't verbally admit to it some days. Those students, regardless of race, gender, socio-economic background, religion, or personal history are looking to you to be a beacon of light in their day, every single day. What a positively prestigious opportunity!

So what are you waiting for? Get up and start reaping the benefits from paddling with the power of positivity! Your students, friends, and family will thank you.

Disclaimer: No "p's" were harmed in the making of this blog. The events and comments mentioned in this blog are generalizations and not intended to be specific indictments of actual events or individuals, real or fictitious.

Chain Reaction

Exactly two years ago today, while preparing to be a guest on our PBS affiliate's Spotlight on Education program, I decided to investigate something that I had started reading and hearing about in my PLN. That "something" was Second Life, a multi-user virtual environment. I have to admit that the photos that I had seen taken "in-world" struck me as more video game than learning tool and not being a gamer, I didn't have a lot of initial desire. I figured that I would spend a couple of hours investigating it's potential and move on never to return again.

However, I found quite the opposite to be true. The first person I met was Serena Offcourse (Mary O'Brien- a 3rd grade teacher from Maine). She helped me over the steep learning curve and encouraged me to stay the course, be patient, and explore the possibilities that Second Life could offer to an educator. Through her encouragement, I met many other outstanding educators and attended numerous formal, informal, social events and learning opportunities. I found that everyone I met at these events was very accommodating and willingly shared their expertise and advice. I was also invited to speak and share my experiences and insights to others on their learning path to becoming stronger educators.

Because of these opportunities, not only did I grow immensely as an educator, but the true recipients of my experience that began two years ago today are my students. Because of the learning that I gained from Second Life, my students are now involved in a cross-country, collaborative writing project with over 300 students in grades three through seven; an authentic audience, a real reason to write. The students are designing the projects to publish on their digital journal using tools that I learned about through my experiences in Second Life.  As a result, my students are actually providing a model for other teachers and districts, providing podcasts where they communicate, from their point of view, the importance of the writing, collaborating, and creating that they do.

So who would have thought that on a cold and rainy day two years ago that my students would become the teachers leading with tools that...at that time, I had never heard of? Definitely not me. It serves as a reminder for me to seize opportunities because an amazing chain reaction can be set in motion that can revolutionize our classrooms.

If you are interested in learning more about Second Life, here are a couple of YouTube videos that demonstrate the power of this medium. And of course, if you're ever in-world, you can always message me (Austen Rae).

• ISTE Second Life
• Second Life: Education and Professional Development