I’m happy to share the latest round of writing from Ontario Educators that has crossed my path. Please show them some digital love and visit their posts.
Searching for an idea – whose stories need to be told
- Paul McGuire – @mcguirp
- https://paulmcguire1.com/2022/01/19/searching-for-an-idea-whose-stories-need-to-be-told/
I like how Paul uses his blog to reinvent himself periodically and shares what he’s thinking and doing. This post is kind of a rambling one where he touches upon a number of things. I had to smile when he mentions the mysteries of APA style. I’m with you, brother.
There was a spot towards the end of the post that really resonated with me. He says
Is there a way I could study a different education system outside of the Canadian context?
That took me on a trip back to my university days. In high school, we had a number of recruitment visits from universities trying to convince us to attend their institution. The consistent message wasn’t about academics but about the “get away from your hometown and be on your own” experience. Fast forward to first year university with the large classes that I recognize now fund so much.They drop off in size in subsequent years for a number of reasons, including marks!
I tried to do the experience – the campus pub, the Joker’s on Thursday night, visiting my girlfriend who ultimately became my wife, visiting Laurel Creek, doing the malls, etc. The part of Paul’s post that I think was interesting hearkens back to a conversation I had with a classmate. She was there from India and we were talking about education and she let me know how important it was for her and her family that she did well and so she did everything but the social aspect of university. Her father was an Engineering Professor back home and there was intense pressure on her. I remember being impressed with the difference; I suppose that we could call my take on things as “privilege” by today’s metrics.
So, if Paul does decide to investigate different education systems, I think it would be fascinating. Or a research project about the importance of Canadian schools to foreign students, or …
Towards an Emergent PD – Professional Development in the Time of COVID
- Alexandra Woods – @XanWoods
- https://medium.com/the-reciprocal-teacher/carving-out-a-space-for-professional-development-in-the-time-of-covid-bf87d23421f
Alexandra talks about something that I think many people know but aren’t all that vocal about.
COVID has exacerbated educational inequities while drawing attention to the urgency of systemic change. But constant shifts have caused many to erect protective walls which are impermeable to (more) waves of change.
In so many ways, we’re realizing that things are broken as we try to return to a normal but it isn’t possible. I commend her for being so open about it.
In terms of professional development or what I prefer to call professional learning, what will it look like if things ever start to open up? And, maybe that’s the term to use instead of “return to normal” because it just isn’t going to happen any time soon, if ever.
A system that prides itself on teaching is going to have to become a learner from the experience. Teachers have so many things mandated and a new one came onto the scene just this week. That will be another check box in the personnel file.
But, what does it look like for the educator who truly wants to grow and learn? I really like how she closes her post with a cheat sheet but can’t help but think that smart people like Alexandra’s time has come to step up and be vocal about the changes that are necessary to fix what’s broken.
I know that I’m always eager to learn but I’m not in a hurry to ever go back to the big conference format.
Bespoke Beats
- Terry Greene – @greeneterry
- https://learningnuggets.ca/open-learning/bespoke-beats/
You could easily get away from Terry’s latest project by saying that it’s cool that his students have used technology to create digital music. The idea is to have something playing in the background while you’re working or studying. I think that, for most of us, it keeps our minds from wandering.
I’m listening to a Meat Loaf concert on another monitor as I write this.
In the post, Terry describes the why and the how and shares with us a Soundcloud playlist of the creations so far. The ultimate goal is to add video to it and Terry shares an idea of what it might look like.
He’s not going it alone; he’s reached out to a colleague at Seneca for assistance and the final product will be released as an Open Educational Resource.
STUDENT-CREATED PODCASTS MADE EASY WITH SCREENCASTIFY
I really like the concept of student-created podcasts. Actually, student-created anything. Over the past while, we’ve seen the biggest misuse of technology, out of necessity, as a conference window to school and classmates. It’s nice to see people advocating student creation of things. Love it, love it, love it.
But, Screencastify?
For me, the go-to application always was Audacity although I know that much of the Macintosh world favours Garageband. Whatever turns your crank.
But, the ladies expanded my mindset with their recommendation of Screencastify. I had a preconceived notion of what I would and have used it for. But, for Podcasting? When you think of it, it does make sense. Podcasting isn’t terribly difficult when you have the tools.
The post is a great tutorial for working through things but culminates in what else you can do with Screencastify which makes the process of learning it so important.
Their summary:
Steps For Student-Created Podcasts With Screencastify
- Recording Student-Created Podcasts
- Editing Student-Created Podcasts
- Downloading Student-Created Podcasts
- Sharing Student-Created Podcasts
ONE WORD: “responsive”
- Chey and Pav – @StaffPodcast
- https://www.cheyandpav.com/blog/one-word-responsive
Three years ago, if I ran into Chey and Pav on the street, I wouldn’t have had any idea of who they were. These days, I think I might – Chey is the one with the beard, right? They definitely know how to work social media; I see them everywhere being honest and open.
In this post, they took on the notion of a “One Word” for 2022. It’s “Responsive”. By itself, it might seem OK but there are a couple of other things that make it stand out in this post.
First of all, unlike everyone else, this isn’t one word for one person. It’s one word for the two of them. It seems to me that that approach requires a great deal of thinking and discussion along with agreement. That part is impressive.
What’s more impressive is that they take a look back at the two words from previous years. Even for this guy who has never met either of them, I can definitely see the growth in what they are and what I think they want to be. It started with kind of a generic approach to something very specific that they have in mind. Now, that’s impressive to me.
- Responsive to each Other and Our Work
- Responsive to other Teachers and Educators
- Responsive to the Students and their Needs
- Responsive to Quality Learning
- Responsive to our Expanding Level of Influence and Impact
SEVEN MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES FOR LANGUAGE LEARNERS
- Gonul Turkdogan – @turkdogan_gonul
- http://blog.teslontario.org/seven-motivational-quotes-for-language-learners/#.YeXolO5hQYw.twitter
Writing on the TESLOntario Blog, Gonul shares some very inspirational things to think about. I think I’d heard some of them before but not all. I really like this one:
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” By Confucius
I’ve always felt that as an inspiration to keep doing things. Some days, quite frankly, I don’t feel like doing much but I still find time to do things for myself and spend at least a little time reading and hopefully learning.
She asks for what you favourite quote might be and this one is one of my favourites.
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” by Oscar Wilde
Slice of Life: Losing a Friend (Warning- loss of a pet)
- Elizabeth Lyons – @mrslyonslibrary
- https://thelibrariansjourney.blogspot.com/2022/01/slice-of-life-losing-friend-warning.html
I close on a sad note. Elizabeth and her family lost a member recently and she shares a reflection and some beautiful pictures on her blog. It was the first major loss for her daughters so it would be especially tough.
Her thoughts share wonderful memories of a family member who was always there and still had those little quirks that all of our pets do. It was a sad post to read.
My sympathies go out to the Lyons family.
Please click through and read all of these wonderful post.
And, follow them on Twitter
- Paul McGuire – @mcguirp
- Alexandra Woods – @XanWoods
- Terry Greene – @greeneterry
- Edugals – @EduGals
- Chey and Pav – @StaffPodcast
- Gonul Turkdogan – @turkdogan_gonul
- Elizabeth Lyons – @mrslyonslibrary
This week’s This Week in Ontario Edublogs can be found here.
https://voiced.ca/podcast_episode_post/emergent-stories-professional-learning-and-practice/
doug --- off the record 
2 thoughts on “This Week in Ontario Edublogs”