Busy Afternoon

I'm doing exactly what I said I wouldn't. This afternoon I've found myself sampling several different workshops during each time slot. I like to think that this enables me to cover the breadth of the conference by touching on many really interesting and very diverse topics. Others might call it a lack of focus. Both are probably fair.

I started the afternoon in a session on white privilege with Tim Wise. I've read a fair amount of his work in recent years, but I hadn't heard him in person. As Tim allowed, the idea that white privilege exists in our schools and that we should examine it can be incendiary - my word, not his. But as he points out, good people can perpetuate injustice and inequality without meaning to, so we aren't serving our communities - our children - if we don't engage. Also during that time block I attended the second half of a session on financial trends and how to use NAIS's Stats Online to help us understand our schools' financial realities and better plan for the future. While not quite as engaging a topic as white privilege, the resource was demonstrated in a way that makes it easier to go back to school and use it myself.

During the second afternoon session I sampled three workshops. One on how to create a virtual science fair that better engages the interests of students and teaches them the sorts of 21st century skills that most agree are critical. The second was on the importance of integrating a comprehensive service learning model into your school culture. I liked what one of the presenters said about getting our students to embrace "service living." I'll be using that one! And finally, I caught the end of a presentation on creating a web site that really works. It was presented by Whipple Hill, so I broke two of my own rules at once by both browsing workshops and attending one given by a consultant/salesperson. Oh well, it was interesting nevertheless

Finally, I include the picture below for the sole purpose of making of making my friends and colleagues in the Northeast jealous. While I haven't been outside but for a few minutes today. It is a beautiful day. It's amazing how nice sunny and 55 feel to those of us who haven't seen the sun in months.