Change

I read somewhere that no one likes change except a baby with a wet diaper. I imagine that this is a timeless truth. For the baby, change means less irritation, a more comfortable setting (or should I say 'sitting'?), and possibly relief from a hefty load that has become quite burdensome to carry. For the rest of us, change often means the exact opposite-- irritability, discomfort, and an increased work load due to short timelines and multiple tasks on the high-priority list. During the past weeks, I have been reminded of how difficult change can often be. Though this fact of life is inevitable and expected, even small changes can cause much anxiety and frustration. It has been helpful to remember that the murky gray mist in the middle of change soon dissapates and usually brings something brighter and much better. Then, one looks back and reflects on the change with admiration-- remembering the tough times with stories and laughter; energized by new ideas and "ah ha's" generated along the way. During my ten years in the PDS department, I have learned to embrace and welcome change because the changes always offer a chance to grow, learn, develop or to move to a new level. It has been interesting to watch the various reactions to the many changes going on in our district, department, and divsion. In a educational setting, change certanly happens. How do you manage change?

Who needs subtlety?

I think the titles of these posts say it all. Just in case you were wanting to but struggling...

8 Rules to Develop the Habit of Blogging

How to start a professional blog: 10 tips for new bloggers

What should you blog about?

Top Ten Reasons to Start a Blog

You Should Write Blogs (don't let the name of the blog fool you)

How To Successfully Integrate Blogging Into Your Busy Life

19 Reasons You Should Blog And Not Just Tweet

New Learning

The C & I managers are attempting to work together in a more efficient and effective way. This, of course, means we have to learn new things. Just like the students we serve, we need encouragement, feedback, and lots of practice in order to become proficient. It has been a bit challenging, but I am finally feeling confident that we are making progress. I have noticed things about our various learning styles as we have progressed. Without differentiated instruction and reteaching, we'd still be stuck in the muck of TTWWADI. Thank goodness for those who responded with interventions! Very soon we'll be celebrating our acheivements, and we'll be eager for more new learning. Our experience has reminded me of the challenges of teaching and learning. Both are hard work, but if we persevere, even the most difficult students (like me) can achieve.

The August Frenzy

Several years ago I began describing our department's bustling, busy time before the kids return to school as the August Frenzy. Things always tend to get a little crazy in PDS right around that time. Despite the last-minute calls for service, cancellations, late nights, long days,and short tempers-- there are always wonderful (and sometimes extremely funny or distressing) stories shared by those returning from the field to pick up supplies or to prepare for the next day's professional learning.


I have already heard stories about mysterious disappearances, passionate principals, and divine intervention. What is your memorable moment from this year's August Frenzy?

What Happened Here?

Today, while surfing the internet and reading blogs on other interesting sites, it occured to me that our team has a blog, and that I had not visited our blogspot in a while. I located the link from my Google history, but had difficultly logging in-- user names and passwords are easily forgotten when you don't stop by often, you know.


I quickly skimmed the list of bloggers on the home page, and my heart sank as I noted the various time frames since last visits. 4 months, 3 months, 2 months, 6 weeks. The pdscni blogspot felt like a ghost town or some devastated country after a horrendous nuclear catastrophe. The place that was once filled with vibrant chatter and links to videos and articles was basically quiet. Still. A mere shadow of its former self. An aging artifact to remind others of what once was or might nevermore be. It made me wonder, "what happened here?"

My heart skipped a beat when I discovered a sign of life-- four entries had been posted within the past four weeks! One-by-one, I read each entry-- fighting back feelings of nostalgia...wanting to respond but, for most, it was too late. I read a few more entries and was refreshed by the aging thoughts and comments, and by the memories of what had been.


Has the busyness of the day to day grind taken us away from something that has added so much value to our work and team? We MUST rebuild this place. But how? Please share your ideas and help us start the process.

Palooza Specifics

Please follow the link below for information regarding specifics of Professional Learning Palooza

http://paloozaplanning.pbworks.com/minute-by-minute

Cyber Summit on 21st Century Skills

Have you ever participated in a cyber summit? You will have an opportunity June 1-12 when the Partnership for 21st Century Skills launches it first Cyber Summit. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity. Register today and be sure to tell all your friends about it. http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/