This is a test. This is only a test. In the event of a real emergency…
Just testing a new Linux blog editor.
Hmmm! I’d thought that this was not successful. But lo and behold, it’s up and somebody’s commented on it.
To have something more meaningful here, I just got the announcement about this year’s NECC keynote speakers. Malcolm Gladwell will be opening the conference with “..a customized perspective on the way intentional practice today influences expert-development of the future.”
I am devastated to learn that I will miss Erin Gruwell’s closing keynote address. I had not seen the movie about her class and had almost conciously avoided renting it. I’m not sure why, except that I’ve seen so many teacher movies and figured that they had stopped being entertaining or inspiring to me. But, a couple of weeks ago, while I was desperately looking for some flicks to drop into my Netflix queue, and nothing inspiring was showing up in my browsings, Freedom Writers some how ended out slipping into a position far down in my list.
Well Brenda and I watched it the other night, only after that white jacketed DVD had sat on the table for over a week — and I was surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and suspect that Erin will be an amazing speaker. She empowered her students through their own stories.
The mid-conference keynote will be an “..Oxford-style debate with panelists from many different backgrounds weighing in on a controversial topic facing educators and world citizens.” Topic and panelests to be announced in mid-may.
I’ll be following the bloggings via travel engagements that were confirmed long before I knew the dates for NECC 2009. I do plan to be there for the BloggerCon and workshops.
David,
Thank you so much for your thought-provoking presentations–it was well received by all the leaders of the conference and it helped put things in perspective for us all. The multimedia you used for your presentation was not less than extraordinary! My feelings are that there are many less hurdles to jump over in Arkansas compared to California thus the push for change is more seamless. My feelings are that California leaders are wrapped up in state mandates and oversight that implementing and modeling 21st century skills and a new “landscape” is almost secondary. We at TICAL are hoping to instill this paradigm shift to our California leaders with the help of the cadre who are very much the heart of the project. Leadership 3.0–the California Conference–is ACTUALLY STILL ON, but due to budget freezes in the districts attendance is expected to be down–we are persevering and hoping to engage the leaders across the state one superintendent, principal, or c&i person at a time if we need to. Thanks again for assisting us leaders in Arkansas, California, and the entire planet with thinking about this new world that are students are being raised in. You helped us understand that the answers are not necessarily right in our face, but rather the thinking process must change for us to develop a meaningful education system in our stagnant 19th century facilities.
Your test worked for me. That is really cool : ). I appreciate the rest of your blog, too, and have sent the link to a friend who is a Linworth author and roving library media specialist in South Dakota.