Conversations #85 December 5, 2010

Post-Show description: 

This week we discussed reasons we go to conferences and what we do when we get back to school. Do we become agents of change or do we just continue the week to week routine without making changes based on what we learned by attending the conference?

Chat Log

11: 33:04  Lisa Parisi: Hi Amanda!
11:33:57  marragem: Is there audio yet?
11:34:22  Lisa Parisi: Not yet.
11:35:10  Lisa Parisi: Trying to get it started.
11:35:22  Lisa Parisi: On ustream
11:35:25  marragem: okay - thinking it was my very ordinary mobile broadband connection
11:35:40  Lisa Parisi: Hello Peggy
11:35:43  PeggyG: Good morning :-)
11:35:57  PeggyG: Was waiting to hear your voices to log in :-) Multitasking...
11:36:22  PeggyG: Great to see you! Didn't see this on the calendar last night before I went to bed. Almost missed it.
11:36:51  MariaK: good morning all
11:36:54  PeggyG: That's wonderful Lisa!! Bringing your principal to Educon!
11:37:00  MariaK: we will be starting shortly
11:37:04  PeggyG: Sure wish I could go!!
11:37:15  PeggyG: it is getting better every year!!!
11:37:25  PeggyG: I saw that in your last blog post...
11:37:43  marragem: Hi Peggy
11:37:45  PeggyG: how exciting Sheila!!! hope it happens!
11:37:53  PeggyG: Hi Amanda!! Great to see you!
11:38:09  Lisa Parisi: Hi Karen
11:38:10  PeggyG: HI McTeach!!! You've been up for hours :-)
11:38:21  marragem: Hi Karen
11:38:36  PeggyG: @McTeach Sure hope you can find a way to get to ISTE11!!
11:38:46  McTeach (Karen): Good morning, ladies!!
11:39:51  PeggyG: we're supposed to do something with all of the new info???? :-)
11:39:53  Lisa Parisi: Hi Kath
11:39:59  Lisa Parisi: Peggy, LOL
11:40:05  marragem: early morning, Maria
11:40:07  kathbc: Hi there!
11:40:18  PeggyG: what time is it for you Amanda?
11:40:35  marragem: Just realised it's Dec 6. Been married 30 years today
11:40:37  PeggyG: love that!!! summer vacation!!
11:40:42  marragem: Yes, summer vaction
11:40:48  PeggyG: Happy Anniversary Amanda!!! :-)
11:40:52  marragem: the rainy Sunny Coast
11:41:05  marragem: ipad!!!!!!
11:41:13  PeggyG: hooray!!!!!
11:41:27  PeggyG: I thought you were holding out for that as a Christmas gift Amanda
11:41:33  McTeach (Karen): Geez....had trouble signing in
11:41:46  marragem: I was, Peggy. Hubby surprised me
11:41:52  PeggyG: too funny Lisa!!!!
11:42:20  PeggyG: now you need to put something new on your Christmas list, Amanda. itunes card to buy apps????
11:42:27  McTeach (Karen): Peggy...I hope so too!
11:42:37  marragem: You bet, Peggy
11:42:38  PeggyG: Crossing my fingers McTeach!!
11:42:57  marragem: My son has bought me a case
11:43:15  PeggyG: What a special anniversary :-)
11:43:45  PeggyG: great tip Maria!!
11:43:51  marragem: Psggy it's 2:45am - just saw that ? Can only really listen to Conversations on holidays
11:43:54  McTeach (Karen): Me too, Peggy!
11:44:09  PeggyG: you can publish their original stories!! fantastic!!!
11:44:16  PeggyG: can you add audio to it??
11:44:17  marragem: that's cool, Maria
11:44:52  McTeach (Karen): Um...what happened?
11:45:01  kathbc: oops, lost you??
11:45:04  PeggyG: my audio hiccupped too :-)
11:45:06  PeggyG: back now
11:45:09  marragem: same here
11:45:44  PeggyG: I'm hearing so many wonderful things about the ipad but I can't justify it yet with both an iphone4 and a macbookpro
11:46:13  MariaK: I am also streaming in ETTA if the audio goes out just go there - will have a slight delay!
11:46:13  PeggyG: the last ISTE webinar was all about classroom uses for ipads and ipad management and it was fantastic!
11:46:26  marragem: that's what my hubby said Peggy...& I havevan iTouch4 as well
11:46:48  McTeach (Karen): Switched over to ETTA...all is well now.
11:46:59  PeggyG: I'm on ETTA now too
11:47:02  PeggyG: great audio there
11:47:07  MariaK: @peggyG - I can't justify the ipad for me just yet either - want to upgrade to the new iphone and bought a new mbpro in june
11:47:28  PeggyG: I'm loving my new iphone4--such a huge improvement of the 3G
11:48:29  PeggyG: this sounds great Sheila!!! do you have a link?
11:49:47  McTeach (Karen): I thought it was the opposite
11:49:49  PeggyG: that defies all of the research Lisa
11:50:33  PeggyG: so easy to ignore your goal if you don't tell anyone
11:51:24  PeggyG: there's much more research on that topic
11:51:46  PeggyG: research can say anything you want it to say
11:52:07  PeggyG: I've been looking for your boook :-) searched for it just yesterday
11:52:22  Sheila: Ed Gerety started his career with our school. http://www.edgerety.com/
11:53:53  Sheila: http://edgeretyblog.com/   Dream Big Blog
11:54:59  Sheila: http://nhcmtc.org    #cmtc10
11:55:30  marragem: hope I get to cmtc one day
11:57:08  PeggyG: I would love to go to cmtc!!
11:57:39  marragem: why do I travel halfway around the world to attend conferences?
11:58:06  PeggyG: interesting point Maria! just this week I decided NOT to go to an annual conference I have gone to for years because it isn't meeting my needs. Friends are questioning me.
11:59:26  McTeach (Karen): It's the connections for me, but it's also the affirmation.
11:59:36  PeggyG: that's so valuable to me too Sheila!! it's the connections with people that are irreplaceable!
11:59:42  Lisa Parisi: Why do you Amanda?
11:59:47  marragem: was there rum involved, maria?
11:59:48  McTeach (Karen): I need to be around people who share similar ideas
12:00:14  marragem: For the connections and the conversations, Lisa
12:00:14  McTeach (Karen): Always feel isolated at my school; it's frustrating
12:00:35  PeggyG: Me too McTeach and those are serendipitous but wonderful!
12:01:32  PeggyG: since I am retired I have to pay for all of my conferences with my own money so I am very selective about where I go and how I choose to spend my time while I'm there
12:01:38  Sheila: @Karen - the affirmation too. Like-minded people.
12:02:12  marragem: I always have to pay, Peggy. In our context, admin does not pay
12:02:26  PeggyG: that's more and more true Amanda
12:02:27  marragem: agree, Lisa
12:02:53  PeggyG: but my difference is I have no income except retirement income
12:02:58  kathbc: how sad that we can't say that about our own districts.
12:03:18  McTeach (Karen): I didn't notice it in Denver...my first ISTE
12:04:39  PeggyG: when you do poster sessions or volunteer at ISTE you get to meet lots of new people and share learning and that's something that's not on the program
12:04:58  PeggyG: incidental learning
12:06:56  PeggyG: meant to post this earlier-did you see this cartoon about parents and grades? funny and true http://edudemic.com/2010/06/the-sad-state-of-parenting-cartoon/
12:13:06  PeggyG: there is a difference between getting what you want/need from a conference and making other people feel inferior and not accepted
12:13:49  PeggyG: feeling excluded happens frequently in bloggers cafe unfortunately.
12:15:24  PeggyG: good point Maria!!! you remember that feeling for a long time
 
12:15:38  McTeach (Karen): So glad Maria talked to me in Denver! :)
12:15:56  PeggyG: I've been ignored by the best :-)
12:16:30  Lisa Parisi: I think we all have, Peggy.
12:16:38  kathbc: Actually Lisa, I think they would love to hear you say that. As they are probably having difficulties as well.  It would be comforting!
12:16:58  Lisa Parisi: I do say it all the time.  But I feel like it shuts them down.
12:17:34  PeggyG: that's an icebreaker comment and sincerely expressed
12:17:50  McTeach (Karen): People want you to be REAL! Because THEY are real!
12:18:01  PeggyG: I agree McTeach!
12:18:46  kathbc: I think it gives them the ability to try and have something not work without feeling like failures.
12:19:09  Sheila: I"m a good lurker at Bloggers cafe, etc. Listening and learning.
12:19:23  McTeach (Karen): Maria said "uber"!!!
12:19:24  PeggyG: me too Sheila and have been for years!
12:20:37  PeggyG: that's my philosophy Maria!! I can learn something from everyone!!
12:21:29  Lisa Parisi: Hi Stacy
12:21:30  Sheila: Heard people say this year that the best conversations happened after the sesions.
12:21:38  stacyk: Hi, better late than never
12:21:40  Lisa Parisi: They always do, Sheila.
12:22:03  PeggyG: what a great memory, Maria! I have that memory too :-)
12:22:07  stacyk: You all coming to Philly this summer?
12:22:16  stacyk: Hi everyone!
12:22:21  marragem: I am, Stacy!
12:22:26  MariaK: yes - planning on Philly!
12:22:50  stacyk: So happy to think you'll all be in my backyard
12:22:50  PeggyG: we had David Warlick as our keynote that year and he went around everywhere with his ipod and mic recording comments from teachers--amazing!!!
12:22:56  stacyk: Peggy and I met at Iste Philly
12:23:06  PeggyG: Hi stacyk--I'm coming to Phylly :-)
12:23:12  Sheila: (Both computers are on the delay)
12:23:13  PeggyG: can spell but can't type!
12:23:20  stacyk: Great. I'm hoping that meg and I are presenting, so we'll see
12:23:28  stacyk: LISA!!! you have to come
12:23:29  stacyk: come
12:23:40  Lisa Parisi: All depends on money, Stacy
12:23:43  PeggyG: wonderful stacyk!!! I've submitted a couple of presentations with others but haven't heard yet
12:23:50  marragem: yep-that was it for me...the F2F
12:24:00  stacyk: How many states DO have conferences, though?
12:24:01  PeggyG: Sheila and I hope to do a poster session about Earthcast :-)
12:24:13  stacyk: Peggy, that would be fun. I remember our blue hair
12:24:31  PeggyG: me too stacyk! still have the photos on my computer :-) that was so much fun!
12:24:46  MariaK: blue hair? was that blue hair with pink jackets?
12:24:46  McTeach (Karen): I sure hope I can get to ISTE...just have to figure out the money.
12:24:52  stacyk: I share with people in my district
12:24:58  PeggyG: no pink jackets
12:25:05  stacyk: Maria we looked like  Marge Simpson
12:25:12  PeggyG: it was a poster presentation and we all dressed up :-)
12:25:27  MariaK: how did I miss that one?!?
12:25:37  stacyk: Yes, you did
12:25:51  Sheila: Two teachers at my school started making pmaking plans after going.
12:25:57  stacyk: I remember when Lisa was discouraged, but people did come around
12:26:05  PeggyG: I record many of the sessions I attend at conferences and listen to them again when I'm back home and have time to focus and reflect further--then often share the ideas with others
12:26:40  PeggyG: @Maria--we were stopping people in the aisles and offering chocolate to get them to come to our poster session :-)
12:26:49  stacyk: I am also thinking about starting a Teacher Tech Talk like LeeK has. My district is very excited about that...it came from going to a conference and meeting her
12:27:05  PeggyG: that would be a great idea stacyk!!
12:27:07  Sheila: I think I should touch base with them as time goes on. less isolation.
12:27:44  McTeach (Karen): Stacy...Teacher Tech Talk?
12:27:46  stacyk: It really helps the district, helps the teachers and is basically free to the district
12:27:51  PeggyG: I think sometimes we incorporate things we learn about at conferences and it internalizes so quickly that we don't even realize where we learned about it
12:28:08  marragem: I don't talk much about my takeways from conferences at my school - no-one wants to listen much...real tall poppy syndrome
12:28:08  Lisa Parisi: I would agree, Peggy.
12:28:10  stacyk: Hi, Karen, Yes. I'm going to produce a 15 minute show that teachers can view on their own time over the comptuers
12:28:15  stacyk: computer
12:28:21  Lisa Parisi: Yes, Amanda.  Me, too.
12:28:24  stacyk: Then they can call me later if they are interested in finding out more
12:28:31  McTeach (Karen): That's awesome, stacy!
12:28:41  Lisa Parisi: It's why I'm glad my principal is coming to Educon. So we can talk about it on the ride home.
12:28:47  stacyk: I got the IT people involved so if they had updates they could use that as a communication tool
12:28:51  Lisa Parisi: She can be much more of a change agent than I can.
12:29:00  stacyk: Did any of you sign your admins up for the discovery event?
12:29:03  PeggyG: I know that feeling Amanda! that's often why we blog or share info on wikis so when people inquire we have a way to share it--rather than pushing it on them before they're ready
12:29:10  marragem: wish my admin would attend conferences
12:29:33  Lisa Parisi: Stacy, I can't my teachers to sign up.
12:29:40  stacyk: Admins in NJ are so much under fire right now, but the Discovery one might be a place to start
12:29:49  Sheila: (But we shouldn't talk about our goals ;)
12:29:54  Lisa Parisi: LOL
12:29:55  stacyk: I actually signed my admin up and then let her decide
12:30:01  PeggyG: we have always offered special admin sessions with dinner with the keynote before all of our AzTEA conferences--you have to bring an admin to participate :-)
12:30:34  stacyk: I think my admins are becoming afraid that I'm learning more than they are
12:30:51  PeggyG: that's probably true stacyk!
12:31:14  PeggyG: principals have to spend so much time managing and leading that they don't often take time to learn new things
12:31:16  stacyk: Maybe we need to get a group of US together to do training for admins and student teachers. They are both at the same end of the spectrum
12:31:23  marragem: my principal's even told me that she knows less than me when it comes to ICT's - but she doesn't want to learn
12:31:26  MariaK: waiting for sheila
12:31:31  MariaK: yes we can hear sheila
12:31:35  PeggyG: that's sad Amanda
12:31:53  marragem: it is, Peggy
12:31:55  stacyk: Another thing I do is send my kids down to the office with the laptops to show the principal what they are doing. Kind of embarrasses her
12:31:58  PeggyG: no that isn't what retirement means Maria!!!
12:32:03  Lisa Parisi: My principal readily admits I know more than her.  But she is willing to learn.
12:32:12  PeggyG: you WILL stay involved!!! :-)
12:32:32  MariaK: @peggyG - I know - don't want it to be that way
12:32:34  PeggyG: yeah! Sheila!!
12:32:35  stacyk: glad I could stop in
12:32:43  PeggyG: great to see you stacyk!!!!
12:32:48  stacyk: conferences are a fun way of being motivated
12:32:51  PeggyG: can't wait to see you in Philly!!
12:33:04  stacyk: Hope to see many of you in Philly
12:33:22  Lisa Parisi:  http://ettconversations.blogspot.com/
12:33:31  stacyk: Have a great week, everyone
12:33:37  PeggyG: that would work Sheila--help them to make connections with others
12:33:39  Lisa Parisi: Bye everyone.
12:33:47  marragem: yout too, Stacy
12:33:47  Lisa Parisi: Thank you so much for coming.
12:33:54  McTeach (Karen): Thanks again, ladies!
12:34:00  PeggyG: thanks everyone! enjoyed the conversation!! always lots of food for thought :-)
12:34:12  marragem: thanks girls
12:34:18  stacyk: Holiday delimmas?
12:34:33  PeggyG: that would be a great topic stacyk :-)
12:34:41  stacyk: Gift ideas for very little money
12:34:46  stacyk: bye
12:34:58  marragem: Bye everyone
12:35:02  stacyk: do you even GIVE gifts to students for the holidays?
12:35:20  marragem: yes, I give my kiddos a pressie
12:35:21  stacyk: Do you accept gifts from parents at that time of year?
12:35:29  Lisa Parisi: Little bags of winter goodies...I have kids who don't celebrate holidays
12:35:38  Lisa Parisi: I accept anything
12:35:40  stacyk: How to keep your stress level down during that time
12:35:42  PeggyG: beautiful day here in Phoenix-mid 70's :-)
12:35:43  MariaK: send us those ideas and topics!
12:35:45  marragem: I hope it does too, Maria
12:35:51  PeggyG: stress and holidays is a great topic
12:35:56  stacyk: I give and get as well, but I know in some schools it's not allowed
12:36:08  PeggyG: bye Sheila :-)
12:36:15  Sheila: bye~
12:36:19  marragem: bye Sheila
12:36:27  Sheila: :)
12:36:37  stacyk: Off to bake. have a wonderful Sunday.