Silver linings

The last three days have passed in a bit of a haze for me. I'm scrambling to adjust to the new role and so far I think I'm doing okay. It's going to take some time for me to get more confident and comfortable in the job.

That being said I've had a few positive moments throughout the three days:

• One of my older staff members (but by no means "old"-fashioned) has again proved that a willingness to accept and adapt 21st century approaches has NOTHING to do with age. In the last three days alone she has learned how to create PDF files (not hard, but previously was something she hadn't considered), how to create wikis in our LMS, how to embed items, how to use a google calendar. I ADORE this woman for her support and eagerness to learn. She's more excited about the hypertext unit than I am!
• A more resistant staff member has decided to give the hypertext unit a chance at least. And after expressing their initial hesitation (read distaste), came to the meeting and walked out with a much more positive vibe. There's still a ways to go for them, but they've taken a step and the rest of us will be there to share the journey.
• I ran into a couple of last years students over lunch and one of the successes for me is that not only will they say hello - they'll stop and talk with me. This often happens with ex-students after they leave school, but these guys are just about to start Year 11. I feel very privileged to have those relationships with my students and can't wait to find out if I got lucky and get to work with them closely again this year or not.
• I've had multiple staff approach me asking for guidance and help in their personal technology journeys - to me this indicates many things, most importantly, that people have seen what can be done and want to work towards finding their own way in the integration game.

They're not all big, bang, wonderful successes, but for me they've helped me stay positive about a very daunting situation for me and hopeful that I've had an impact on those around me. That's important for me, not having had an impact would have some how tarnished last years award and made it seem less.

Over on his blog, Fifty-Nine Minutes, Rruggles is documenting his experiences as a student teacher. I'm finding it fascinating reading and look forward to his frank and detailed reflections daily. Today he spoke about the challenge set by his mentor - "change the world."

In some small way I'm working to change the world, and the smallest shift is still a shift!

Starting with the End in Mind

Image: B Tal, "The Symbol of Victory", at flickr.com

How would I like 2009 to finish? I find that question really hard, as I've talked about before I am a terrible goal setter and long term planner (and for me 12 months is long term), but I suppose it's time I pushed that little comfort zone and made an effort to at least try.

So some of the things I would like to do in 2009:

1. Broaden my use of ICT in the classroom - my pedagogical licence portfolio got the criticism that I rely too much on our department's Blackboard. This year I will be looking at my options to enhance that space with others as well. Luckily, my PLN has some great people from my department included to help me bounce ideas off, source suitable sites and talk out the policies. Netvibes looks promising, and jogtheweb and I'd like to figure out a way to use Diigo or Delicious and work within our policy.
2. Work to support more staff to use ICTs more in their classrooms and encourage them to collate their portfolios for the department's Smart Classroom framework. I can't recall exactly who (I'll need to go back and rewatch), but someone in the OZ/NZ Educator meetup a couple of weeks ago was telling us about some tags of web2.0 tools they'd put together and used as part of a professional development programme they ran with their staff - so staff walked out with something to jog their memory, and as they collected more of them their toolbox was obvious. This is something I would like to try with my staff this year.
3. Update (and keep it that way) my digital portfolio. I have still to write up the middle school drama project, the middle school podcast project and cyberdrama project...hmm. That's going to take a while.
4. Continue to participate in and build on my PLN through Twitter, Classroom20, Skype, etc. I learn so much from the blogs I read and the conversations I have - they are a vital source of professional (and personal) development for me. As an extension of that, I want to continue to hone and develop my blog and blogging skills. Where my PLN is a place of inspiration, my blog is my place to reflect and think out loud.

There are other things I'd like to do this year, of course:

• Remember to choose my attitude
• Be in the moment
• Have fun, and smile more
• Stay organised
• Work through the Project 365! challenge of taking a photo every day for a whole year
• Spend more time outside
• Read more
• Knit more
• Play more

Bring on 2009 - it's going to be one full on year!