Bringing the conversation over here…….as well…..
Scott McLeod has stirred the pot a bit with his post on “NECC 2009 - -Who Wins“.
Again, he (we) continue to struggle with the hierarchy we have unfortunately made within our network. He calls them “FB” (Famous Bloggers) I had nicknamed them the KNOWNS.
I wanted to post my 3rd comment here — my first was knee jerk, my second was after reading Christian Long’s (who as a matter of fact is lately MY FAVORITE person alive — he literally makes me ashamed at how shallow I think at times!)……….anyway…….
I wanted to post my 3rd comment here — because it has been something I have been dealing with quite a bit this past year…..and am still mulling it through……..so my comment and then an expansion of thought at the end.
Scott –
I have come back to this post several times, and have followed the commenters over to their blogs to see if they continued it there……some have.
One of your comments struck a cord with me “a community with loose ties.”
Though I won’t agree with that 100% — I do have to ask, “why does that surprise us?”
What honest expectations can we have from our community — and basically, I believe we can only expect to receive what we are willing to give.
Though I was not at NECC this year, I have been to my share of conferences……and the hierarchy of who we place as FB is just a perception. You might regard someone as a great blogger, while I dismiss them as trite and self promoting. I might run on and on about someone, while you might think them simple and shortsighted.
It is all a perception…….and while some people say that the FB at NECC were kind, considerate, and open - others might say they were aloof, rude, and self-serving…….
it still comes back to our perceptions at the time.
I pushed myself into the inner circle — if I might call it that — not to brag, not to say “lookie, I made it” — but because I wanted to get to know the FB as MORE than just a Tech Evangelist.
I have gotten to know many of (hmmm, still wondering who all these FB’s are actually — and if my list is the same as your list) because I have taken the time to ask questions that have nothing to do with Tech.
But with life……….
and when we look at each other that way — all struggling each day to do our best so we don’t waste a moment of our student’s lives, our families lives, our friends lives, our lives — we all kinda balance out to being on the same level……….
Thanks again for opening this conversation.
Enjoy your day!
Jen
At times, within our network (and I know what I call our network might be 100% different from your perception) resorts back to junior high, high school mentality. To be in the inner circle means acceptance, to be noticed by the “quarterback” (or in this case a FB) means I have arrived, to be asked to go to “the party” means more than it really means………and I didn’t fall for it in high school……..and wonder why I got caught up in it now??
What matters most is not TECH…….what matters most is PEOPLE. Regardless of who they are, what they do, or what their technorati rating is. (in fact, is someone is worried about their technorati record, someone needs to sit them down and remind them what life really is about — imho)
When our group starts labeling each other (and I know I am guilty of doing this and had to ask forgiveness), we diminish our power, our possibilities, and our creative juices working together for the betterment of so many.
So back to your original thought, Scott………”NECC 2009 — Who Wins”……….we all will………if we look at each other as fellow educators (and that is the only label we use)………and every time you have the chance to have a conversation with ANYONE, you jump at that chance.
My thoughts…..
I welcome yours.
Jen
Subscribe to this blog's RSS feed
I ustream, We ustream, Why Don’t They All ustream?
I wanted — I hoped — I determined to hear new voices at NECC…….but I found that they just were not readily available…..and I was disappointed.
And I wonder 2 things…….
1. Does our network ONLY ustream our network?
I found plenty of opportunities to piggyback with friends to hear friends I had already heard many times. […]
So? What Did We Learn??
At the end of a session on Twitter & Blogs Etiquette today — Darren Draper tried to do a tying it all up with the question “So What Did We Learn?”
So here is my synopsis of what was learned at the session hosted at NECC UNPLUGGED:
1. We learned that everyone has their own set of […]
Proof I Was There — Well Virtually
From Dean Shareski’s camera — to Flickr — to Dennis Grice’s graphic editor — to my email — to you!
I believe the class was the PowerPoint class –
here is the presentation: http://jakes.editme.com/onehourppt
Thanks to Dennis and MsTina, I have been able to sit through several sessions, wander through the halls, go to bloggers’ cafe, meet […]
A Good Way To Start Is To Stand
This morning did not start out well…..my garage door would not open (turned out to be user error) and when I did open it, my neighbor was standing there to ask if I had jumper cables. (I did not, but I have AAA — so we called. — and AAA said they would be […]
Consider Yourself Banned…….
In a nice way — of course.
A few months or so ago, while attending a conference, one of the speakers told me that I was banned from attendance at their session. Not at all for behavior issues, I am a very supportive friend, but because it was known that I had heard it — and […]
Where Did The Day Go????
I sat down at my computer at 8am this morning ——- and am a bit ashamed to say that at 5:40, with a few breaks, I am still sitting here. But thought it was a day of pretty much non-movement — it was not a day of non-learning.
Except for dealing with the heat, seeing […]
Are You A Sponge Or A Watering Can
I woke up this morning, thinking of NECC, thinking of all the information that is being brought up, conversations that are being shared, rants that are being raved, and wheels that are beginning to turn………and wondered “what will happen with this information after you leave San Antonio.
Will you soak in all the information, take notes […]
From 1,324 miles away…….
I was able to attend a great deal of the EdubloggerCon today……..probably a bit more than any of us had anticipated.
MsTina was gracious enough to take the time to pretty much skype me (and Colleen) into each session. And she even walked us down the hall to “The Bloggers Cafe” (however, that is when […]
Virtually Present — But…….
Thanks to SOOOOO many people in San Antonio (at the EdubloggerCon) I was able to listen in on several conversations, have seen friends (vis skype video), talked with friends (via chat and skype) and have felt a part of the experience.
Thanks to MsTina who graciously carried me (via her laptop) up the staircase to be […]
