This is me officially throwing in the towel at trying to write some profound synopsis of the event that was Northern Voice 2009. I give up. I tried. I really tried.
I tried to capture how, inadvertently, a presenter from a consulting firm that shall not be named clue’d me into how important it is for us trying to create change (whether it be through learning or social action) to not uncritically adopt social networks explicitly framed with commercial motives.
I sought, but failed, to capture an ever growing sense that not all boundaries are created equal; that there are groups bounded not by firewalls and passwords, but by relationships and trust, and that, far from this being an exclusionary thing, because of conscious acts and the intent to invite with a welcoming heart, they grow, are inclusive.
I struggled, and lost, with my growing understanding (born in part firsthand through my own thumbfisted ‘facilitation’ of WordCampEd – sorry!) of the importance of messiness, not just in teaching in learning, but in resisting reductive rational ‘frameworks.’
And oh how I wanted to tell you how I’ve given up asking for the secret sauce to becoming a good teacher and instead just to keep trying myself, everyday (but still watching and learning from those who can every chance I get to be around them).
But I failed, and all you get is this poor excuse for a post. To everyone I had the pleasure of learning with at Northern Voice, THANKS. You are the reason I keep coming back. The relationships we form, the trust built, is what helps me take bigger chances when I’m sitting here writing on my own. Although…apparently not in this post 😉 – SWL
Scott,
So why couldn’t you write it this year? What was different than, say, the last two years. Was there anyone or anything missing? Was there a void the size of NYC or something? I mean what could it have been? If anything. Hmmmmm….
More seriously, inclusive networks based on trust, that’s what I missed last week. Damn it. Gunning for August.
Jim, there’s a hole in my heart that can only be filled by you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_69WxDsTSO8
That might be a new low in music videos, it makes me re-think “We can Dance.” Those guys are so beautifully cheesy, that I almost like them. It’s weird, I’m almost attracted to them.
A small comment in your post has really set me thinking Scott. When you say “I’ve given up asking for the secret sauce to becoming a good teacher and instead just to keep trying myself, everyday (but still watching and learning from those who can every chance I get to be around them” that rang a bell with how I feel about being a parent.
Here is the dilemma as a parent: you know you can do better, but yet you have to be true to yourself. There is a LOT of advice on what to do, but the reality is messy, so there is no clean-cut algorithm. And because there is no clean-cut algorithm, that’s whats so rewarding about it.
Obviously there are some bad things you can do as a parent, but beyond these it’s a matter of trying to do the best you can. But you have to be honest as well – I am never going to be a hippy dad, so advice that says I should be is wasted. You have to be comfortable with yourself.
Now, if you replace parent with ‘teacher’ or ‘educator’ for the above and you begin to see why advice on ‘how to be a great teacher’ is as vacuous as books on ‘being a perfect dad.’
Does that make any sense?
Martin, it does make sense to me. I wish I was better at both, I haven’t stopped trying, and know that part of getting ‘better’ will mean being kinder to myself. Thanks.
Following on Martin and cueing back to your post, why do you think you failed? Sure doesn’t look that way from where I’m a’ sittin, friend!
Hey Nancy, thanks. In part it was a trick to get myself to actually write the post without writing it. In part just my ‘imposter’ sneaking out, again. And actually, I’m realizing in some ways I succeeded, because what I actually wanted wasn’t so much a ‘post,’ but deeper reflection leading to changes in my own practice/self, which in its roundabout way has been happening over the last few weeks since I struggled with this.