Distracted Summer of Learning

...this summer, like every summer, I want to learn. I have joined two interesting moocs, to find new skills to inform my teaching. I hope to complete them. I do better with a cohort that holds me accountable. Last year I joined Educator Innovator and because of college classes I was teaching, just could not even get started.

This year Educator Innovator is again offering Connected Learning #clmooc for their Summer of Learning through the National Writing Project. Most of the assignments are posted on Google+ and Twitter, neither of which I was very familiar with last summer, but feel more versed with now. I am in week three with a task and a reflection encouraged weekly. This cohort is very busy writing and being creative. They are having so much fun that they do the same assignment over again, and are so helpful with links, or apps to try that I am finding myself having trouble keeping up with all the tweets, posts, and apps. I am trying to get a decent blog cobbled together to submit a reflection.

Tinkering Fundamentals through The Exploratorium in San Francisco began their mooc a week later through Coursera. Though this mooc is well organized, it is more time consuming with actual physical tasks. I am scrambling to get the supplies and am running a week behind, which I read is alright. 

So here I am and it is summertime, a time to catch up on things at home and plan the new school year as well as teach college again. This is not happening. I have two upcoming college courses to update and actually feel stressed keeping up. 

I feel quite distracted...

...don't teach

This is what I keep hearing everywhere on social media and at conferences ...don't teach! Instead we teachers are to facilitate. No more talking head ...but what exactly does this mean? Is teaching going by the wayside? Completely? I am not sure I agree entirely with the new version, instructor, or facilitator. What is the difference? I have been a teacher all my life and a learner, because everything we do teaches something.

So what is my disagreement? Somehow, knowledge must be imparted. We still have to teach students how to find that knowledge, whether from us directly, books, others, or the Internet. Some things need to be explained, and demonstrated, memorized, until the student can use and apply knowledge in new and unique ways. We have to speak the same language and vocabulary lessons matter.

Do we have to change our name teacher? It took me a long time to believe I was a teacher and see myself as a teacher, to feel honored to teach. I am fond of the term, and feel it is a part of who I am, and who I see myself as.

It is my identity.