I am having some difficulty with this thought of being transparent and connected. It is very interesting to be in a profession that is based on connecting with people be they students, parents, and at times peers. Yet, we are too comfortable in our own classrooms and reluctant to share and have others share with us.
As a new teacher twenty years ago, I was fortunate enough to teach in a school that allowed for collaboration. I taught both English and History and was, therefore, a member of two departments. The other sections of the classes I taught happened to be taught by master teachers. I touched base with them almost daily, not only to be sure we were teaching at about the same pace but also to learn from them, get ideas from them, and in turn become a better teacher. They were also willing to hear my ideas about content, skills, and pace, and we had really developed a peer relationship rather than just have me teach what they were doing.
The second school where I taught I was asked to create this program in English based on the Reading and Writing Workshop approach. The school was smaller, and I was more or less on my own this time. The atmosphere of the school, however, allowed for great input from others and collaboration. We all shared a common workspace, and I remember wonderful discussions on content, curriculum, students, and personal interests. I was free to experiment to get this program up and going. Experienced faculty encouraged me to put myself out there. They gave me great feedback, put me back on my feet if I was struggling, pushed me back out the door to try again. They also shared their experiences and gave me wonderful advice.
I now have taught at my third school for seventeen years. I remember the first few years wanting that feedback, discussion, brainstorming. I asked for teachers to visit. The Department Heads said that wasn't really part of the culture of the school. When I was visited, feedback was very cursory and surface. I remember one time, I tried to implement what I had learned with the workshop approach I had used from another school and was told in some roundabout way that content was more important and shouldn't I be worried if students were prepared for the next year of class. Not that there was any data suggesting students were not prepared, but their expressing a concern was a way of saying stop. Back into the classroom I went, door shut, and taught by myself, careful not to rock the boat.
What am I getting at? First, I feel like that same excitemnt of learning as I teach. These tools of technology are now again giving me teachers to learn from, feedback from other voices, and a forum to reflect in a more public environment. Moreover, experimentation, constructivism, student empowerment, teacher empowerment are becoming more accepted. I am becoming more energized.
Yet, I am worried I have become too comfortable in my own domain, my own classroom. Can I allow myself to be vulnerable again. I remember seeing my first comment on one of my Flickr images or this blog by someone I did not know. My first reaction was fear. Did I post the right things? Was I grammatically correct? Was I understood? Being raised in generations paranoid of "Big Brother" was a natural instinct. Once I broke through that trepidation, I realized I had just plunged into a new pool, and I can swim. Yes, we should open to working with each other, showing our own efforts, whether they be victories or failures. The Internet can be used to help each other whether we are in the same school or across the country. We should be transparent teachers.
I have shared my experiences and what I am gaining, and what I hear most is that teachers here do not want to be so connected. "Why should I share my bookmarks?" "Why should I post a comment on a blog or even worse have someone comment on mine?" What can break through this reluctance on allowing ourselves to grow and become more transparent in our growth? How can we break out of the four walls of our classrooms and work with each other so that we can be better teachers for our students?
Photo Credit: Aki Jin
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