I am so excited about my new learning. I have read so many articles/blogs, explored different websites and webtools. I know I have a lot more to learn, but I am excited about what I have been learning and finding so far.
It’s great to learn new things and find new resources, but, to really make meaning of what you are reading, finding, trying, at least for me, I like to share it with others. During this sharing, I can really have great discussions with people. It is exciting to open people’s minds and have them join in the excitement. It is truly infectious. That all sounds so great, doesn’t it?
Not so fast…
This afternoon, I was talking to my husband about some of the exciting things I’ve found and have been exposed to through Twitter (one of the best Professional Development tools, if I have not yet mentioned it here). Well, my husband is NOT an educator. He doesn’t understand my excitement and doesn’t share my enthusiasm for my new finds. His words, actually, include things like, “I don’t get the point of it.”, “A huge waste of time.”, “Those things are all just a way to muddy the water and take away from people’s focus of their job at hand.” Ummmm…. okay. Conversation over.
Now, I know that my husband is not an educator, but I wonder how many educators and leaders have these same feelings toward things like Twitter and professional development.
Even with my husband’s words ringing in my ears, I can barely contain myself with all the wonderful things I have come across. I NEED to share them with people I know in-real-life (and not just those I am getting to know in Twitterverse). But, I can’t start emailing people from my new school, or start putting things on our school’s email conference. Could you imagine? They’d think I was crazy and wonder who this freak is that is going to be their new vice-principal. They need to get to know me first. I don’t even feel like I can really pass on a lot of these things to my new Principal (administrative partner, I like to say). She doesn’t know me either. I also don’t want her to think I am trying to take over. I’m not, I’m just excited.
It’s not about how you feel you are, or who you know yourself to be, it is about how others perceive you.
So, who can I share these wonderful things with you wonder, if I can’t share them with my husband, my new staff, or my new principal? Well, I’ve shared some amazing finds with a few teachers from my previous school. I have also shared some things with a few close princpals and vice-principals in my district. They, at least, know that I am just excited about learning, excited about life, excited about helping, excited about innovation, enthusiastic about teaching…. and not crazy. I am a true life-long learner. I can’t apologize for that.
I hope I never lose this desire to learn. The excitement is invigorating! Truly!
If anyone has any other suggestions, I would love to hear them.
It's All About Learning 
I couldn’t help but laugh outloud when I read this, because I almost posted a similar blog recently, but realized I shouldn’t just blog about my husband not understanding. He gets annoyed each time he sees my look at my handheld, because he knows I’m on twitter and he couldn’t understand why I went into work one afternoon (on a day I didn’t have to work) because I was recording a podcast with 2 other principals. Those that aren’t passionate about learning just don’t get it. I’ve almost made my own new phrase (taken from American Pie): “This one time, on twitter….” 😉
Yep! It’s not just husbands though, I also wonder how many educators are like this as well. I think the majority are not though, thank goodness.
I think it would drive my husband absolutely batty if I had internet access on my phone! tee hee
Jessica – love it!
Tia – or maybe the conversation is just getting started! My husband also gives me the perplexed look when I talk about Twitter being a source of professional development (but he loves the fact that I blog), social media as tool (for lack of a better word) for teaching and learning, etc. But perhaps it’s our actions that will speak louder, and keep sharing what you’re doing and learning.