It is especially important to me when teachers come up to me after a presentation or an address, and tell me that they enjoyed it, that they agreed (mostly) with what I had to say, and especially when they use words like inspiring. This is especially validating to me, because it is coming from teachers, partitioners of that of which I speak.
In the beginning, I was enormously intimidated by teacher audiences. They do for a living what I was about to try to do. They communicate compellingly, with goals of changing and enhancing people’s thinking, and teachers can be an especially difficult audience — though I find almost nothing but hospitality from the people I work with.
Yesterday, however, I got an especially pleasing validation. As I was going through the lunch line, picking through the delicious looking dishes based on my particular and peculiar variation of vegetarianism (more later about this, perhaps), a young man (well, younger than me) came up and said that he was not an educator, that he was at the conference with his wife.
He then described how he had just retired from Intel, and had spent thirty years in the technology industry. Enthusiastically (banging on my shoulder, threatening to topple my bowl of chowder), he kept saying how right my address was, that it wasn’t about the stuff, it wasn’t about the technology, that it was about the information, that the kids figure out the technology for themselves. They need us to teach them how to work the information.
Then he proceeded to talk about the new quad processors on the new something something HP computers, and it all just just swooped right over my head. Still, it was a unique compliment and made me feel like it was a good day.
I can totally relate to that! Although the differences for me are that my validation comes from students, as I am supposed to be representing them to educators and teachers… and it’s less about agreement, rather, about engagement – because if I have managed to make them think deeply about something and relate to something, then perhaps I have done something that is close to what I (or we) are trying to get “Education” to do…
Argh… don’t know if that makes sense. PES. (post-exam syndrome)….
You deserve encouragement. As much as I loved the GAETC conference this week, it just simple was not the same without you. It just wasn’t. The speakers were great but I heard more than one person say “but where is David Warlick?”
So, I hope you’ll reserve on your calendar next year because I certainly begged them to get on there early!
You are a great inspiration and still my favorite presenter because you got me started. Although I am completely happy teaching, it was quite surprising to have people come up to me and recognize me from my cool cat teacher blog. It is also humbling.
I guess the best got me started. Congratulations on a great conference!
You know David…
This is now my banter at the very basic level with parents who come into me as a school principal to say that the teachers are not covering the curriculum. My response to them: “Why is “the content” so important to you? What are the key learning skills that you feel you need your child to know? What is it about the teacher’s course that is not addressing these key skills? Then I say…..
“It is my goal to make sure you child knows HOW to learn this information first and then to confirm that have an understanding of what the CONNECTIONS are to this information second. If they know these two key things, then I feel we have succeeded in our teaching processes.”
I find this comment to stop just about every argument and transcend the conversation to the student’s learning habits, their habits of mind and what they need to learn to be successful students in the future (tomorrow, next year, next decade, etc).
David…. you’re helping us here. Keep it up!
Andy
When I heard you speak this summer at a conference I didn’t realize how it would impact my life as an educator. In fact, I only half listened for the first half and then after a coffee break something sparked in a way that had not happened since my courses on Piaget 25 years ago. You have your finger on the pulse of the information revolution that is quietly changing the face of nearly every aspect of our lives. It is huge and the unexpected consequences are shaking every desk that is in my classroom. My own thinking has gone on a path that has changed the way I deliver instruction. I’ve stopped thinking about FCAT test scores and started thinking about how can I give this lesson in a way that my kids are content creators and manage the information that is available to them. Since I teach Geometry I think I was able to better model the kind of thinking that was the foundation of The Elements.
In the wake of your talk I discovered blogs of other people who were engaged in the positive aspect of technology for our students and finally the K12 conference.
I was one of those teachers out there that not only heard what you said but have acted upon it. Some days are easier than others but I guess if I were I kid I’d say, “I get it.” Thank you.
Hi David –
Your keynote at MassCUE was great! I have seen you present several times and follow your blogs/podcasts. The topic of your blog “Personal Validation” made me laugh this week. I had the honor of being selected a Pathfinder at the MassCUE conference this year, along with three other educators. A colleague (Leslie Carroll) recognized me for my efforts for integrating technology in my district. When I returned to school this week many teachers that I work with on a regular basis stopped and congratulated me on the award. That personal validation knowing you make a difference in a classroom with teachers and students is great. A team from my district presented at the conference (their first technology conference) they did a great job, and also received validation from the audience. I think sometimes we forget how important it is to recognize teachers and students for taking risks with technology in their classroom. Yesterday in the teacher’s room we and talked about your keynote, it was great to see the conversation continue. I mentioned to them that I was extended an invitation by Dawn from “The Discovery Educator Network†(I am a member of the New England Den http://discoveryeducation.typepad.com/newengland/) to join a group distinguished educators for dinner after the Pathfinder award. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to join the keynotes and people like Kathy Schrock and chat over dinner. I noticed your entry in the Discovery Blog yesterday.
By the way, the gentleman you ran into in the lunch line is from my community. While preparing to retire from Intel, Chris called me and wanted to know how to get involved with technology and schools. I suggested he attend the conference to get the big picture. I was delighted to see him in the audience and your blog!