It’s a Wrap…

Wow, so much has happened over the last what, 8-9 weeks? A huge chunk of the semester…I must say, though, the “it’s a wrap” timing was perfect…just in time for crazy busy grading...

My initial reflections on this 9x9x25 blog experience? It was not an easy task. Seemed I would remember sometime over the weekend that I needed to write something for my blog…and somehow, would manage to post in the 11^th hour on Sunday night.

Suffice to say, completing the entire 9 weeks was a lot to take on… But like many survivors of grad school, I hung in there…

Todd sent us a few possible prompts for this final week: “please write a reflection on the whole 9x9x25 event. Maybe share how it could be improved and what seemed to work. Is this something, or something like it, that could be added to our existing notions of the “probationary portfolio” or even something that could be added to yearly development plans? Could this be done by divisions? Shall we have staff participate next year if they wish?”

Let me tackle the last questions first… For the next go-round, I’d most certainly welcome staff (I mean, didn’t we have that this time as well, some staffers who also teach?) I say, the more the merrier, as the whole nine week shebang is a lot to commit to…

I do like the idea of perhaps incorporating the 9x9x25 into a probationary portfolio… However, given that even many seasoned faculty members were reluctant to sign on, I’m thinking that our newbies might be, well, a bit timid to “put themselves out there”… (Speaking of which, I’d like to give a special shout out to Verde sociology adjunct Erin Whitesitt, who shared so many great insights in her posts…)

Another shout out to other Verde faculty who represented in a major way, with Jason, Sal, Joanne, Charlie, Tina, Chris -- and me -- plus Todd -- I mean, depending on how you calculate it, we were close to 50% of the bloggers (yay us!!)

In terms of including a 9x9x25-ish blog in yearly development plans, or by divisions… I’m not sure that would be necessary… I think allowing participants to opt in or out is always the way to go… I also like keeping the themes very open and general. It was so fascinating to read what my colleagues chose to write about each week.

As for me, personally, I’m not sure I’d have anything new to say if I tried this in another year. This is all I’ve got ;-)) So it’s a wrap…and I’m out…

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You Teach Who You Are

So finally, finally, this weekend, I had a chance to peruse my colleagues’ blogs (yay!) It’s been great fun to read all that you’ve written and shared, as I’ve gained a much better sense of what it would be like to sit in on your classes.

As faculty, we sometimes hear murmurs about classes and instructors before/after our own lectures, in hallways, during office hours, and in emails. And we certainly have our own impressions of colleagues, based on observations and past interactions. But there’s nothing quite like reading what you’ve written, as it “gives legs” to what students share.

You inspire me with your adventures (Chris, Charlie, Mark and Curtis), with your creative quests to continually re-tool your classes (Tina, Ruth, Erin, Sukey, Joanne), and to be the change you wish to see (Dave, Sal, Todd). And Jason, I so loved reading your experiences of being a mentor, a “yes you can” bridge for a first-generation college student. In fact, that may be at the very top of my list of what I most love about being a community college instructor.

Collectively, in reading through your posts, you all reminded me of something I first heard in my yoga teacher training program: “You teach who you are.” Sometimes a lasting impression is not so much the words we speak and write in our classes, but the meaning between the lines.

So this one is very short…a shout-out tribute to all of you. Thanks for being you. For being authentically you.

And because I'm finally seeing that tiny light, flickering off into the distance, signaling our storied end of the 9x9x25...here's Tiny Light from Grace Potter & the Nocturals (a native Vermonter, just like me)

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On Being a Student...

Some semesters, I forget. When I get panicked emails at the beginning of the semester, wondering “what do you want?” in a blog or “how long is a peer post supposed to be?” Or “what is a Wiki?” and “how the H am I supposed to reduce my photo or embed a video clip?” Not to mention, “where is the Add Mashup button, I can’t find it?”

There are moments when I am overwhelmed by all of the details and “to-dos” at the beginning of the semester, when I want to respond to one-line emails with a terse, “Read your Syllabus.” Or “Watch my video tutorial.”

But I muster up some patience and a generous dollop of diplomacy. Because I do remember what it was like to be a student. I am reminded of it whenever I take a class or a workshop, especially online. There are new formats, requirements and expectations -- elements that can be difficult to understand on the basis of written instructions alone.

I have to admit, it can trigger the same sort of annoyance and frustration that I see in my students. “Where am I supposed to find that?” Or “I can’t do that!”

So it was when I signed up for the Technology in Teaching class taught by our spectacular TELS group (Todd Conaway, Thatcher Bohrman, and Stacey Hilton) several summers ago. Somehow, Todd had persuaded me to take EDU 255 convincing me it would be “fun,” and that I would learn a great many things (um, sort of like this 9x9x25 blog challenge ;-) But I was also teaching two classes at the time and wasn’t sure that I was entirely committed.

I remember my objections to learning Jing and how to make a YouTube video, let alone writing a blog and creating a wiki. I didn’t understand why I needed to do all of this work! I had enough on my plate and this was summer!! But with the gracious patience of Todd, Thatcher and Stacey, I learned -- and my repertoire of technology in teaching skills was forever transformed.

I still try to take a class every now and then, to stay fresh…and remind myself what it’s like to be a student. And to those of you who wait until the last minute and turn things in just under the wire….well, I get you. At least you beat the deadline.

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