Twitter Chats #yesyoucan (sometimes)

It took a while for me to come around.

I even made fun of people who participated in (what I viewed as) too many.

But then I finally dove in, and it has been great!

Why participate in a Twitter Chat?
To find community
To make connections
To encounter the power of listening to other people's ideas

Mr. Coleman always says, "Together, we're smarter than a super computer!" He's saying that about the collective mindpower of the people in a room at any given time. Now imagine expanding that to some of the best and the brightest, but across a state, or even the nation!

There are some really good-thinking people out there, and it does me good to pay attention.

Now, I'm still not a freak. If I've got stuff going on, I'm just going to have to pass on a chat. Maybe I'll check the hashtag out later, but I'm not going to stress about it (or even apologize) when I have to miss one. And if I go driving for Uber on a Friday night, I'm not getting up for #satchatwc at 8am on a Saturday.

But if I'm up, why not check it out?

Here are the one's I've looked at so far. I know there are MILLIONS of others, but these have caught my interest: (all times are Pacific)
#connectedtl : mostly edtech coaches of some sort, Tuesday night 7pm. This is the group whose Voxer group I joined as a result, and THAT has been transformative
#satchatwc : only if I'm up, but good stuff, Saturday 8am
#caeddchat : California Ed Chat, Sunday 8pm
#tlap : haven't participated yet (I have a standing Monday night meeting), but I love #tlap and all its iterations, Monday, 6pm

Do you have a favorite I should really look into?

Writing on Desks

A NJ teacher surprised her students with motivating messages on their desks before an exam pic.twitter.com/SHcUPBd74A

— Dory (@Dory) May 15, 2016

I don't have any excuses, really. I let testing get me down this year. I allowed it to show in my interactions with staff, and I let it show in a couple of interactions with kids.

Not my shining moment.

I see things like the tweet above online, and I think, "If I were still in the classroom..."

Hogwash. I can still do stuff like this. I can create (and encourage) schoolwide celebrations. I can portray the most positive message I can muster to the kids.

I don't need to say things like, "Just slug through it. Do your best." I can do MUCH better than that.

I have to be honest, it's really hard being the site-level coordinator of state testing when you barely believe in the concept of state testing at all. I want less standardized testing, and more individualized learning. It's hard to hold people accountable to that, but I'd rather do the hard work of figuring out how to make that work than give the tests we've got to our kids. It hurts my soul.

But I've got to be resilient. More than I was today. More than I was last week.

And you know what? I've got a chance on Wednesday to do it right with the kids I'll see then. I can also not be such a sourpuss to my colleagues. Sorry, guys.

I need to be more awesome. #kidsdeserveit

Yet

I absolutely love this! The power of yet...such a small word can have such a big impact #growthmindset #powerofyet pic.twitter.com/1q1YZcOmXI

— Rishima Talwar (@rishimatalwar) May 8, 2016

Today, this is all I've got. And today, that's okay.

Dime Con Quién Andas

Recovery quote: "Stick with the winners."

Dime con quién andas, y te diré quién eres. #MindsetMonday || Tell me who u hang out w/, & I'll tell u who u are. https://t.co/mNLsdueXIi

— Shawn Wisley (@mrwisley) May 2, 2016

Who you choose to surround yourself with can completely change your mindset, goals, and most importantly your success.

— Tyler Roney (@TylerJRoney) May 2, 2016

I went to hang out with my tribe this weekend. I don't want to hang out in the admin equivalent of the toxic teachers' lounge. I want to be with people who love kids, love technology, love great teaching, love encouraging each other...

I'm lucky to have some of that face-to-face. But sometimes, I have to travel to be with my tribe. And sometimes, that travel leads you to Yoda.

Take cliché photo, I must! #cuerockstar #t

A photo posted by Shawn Wisley (@mrwisley) on Apr 29, 2016 at 3:05pm PDT

10 Ways to Develop a Growth Mindset

That's it. Read it. I told you I wasn't going to write a full-blown essay every time.

• Acknowledge imperfections: Observe where you went wrong.
• View challenges as opportunities.
• Use learning instead of failing
• Cultivate a sense of purpose
• Welcome constructive criticism
• Learn from other people's mistakes
• Celebrate actions rather than your traits
• Understand the relation between learning and brain training
• Keep on creating new goals
• Mind the time with patience and consistency

False Growth Mindset

Is your understanding of #growthmindset a little off? Check it against some of Carol Dweck's clarifying thoughts: https://t.co/XoAy6lebqI

— Shawn Wisley (@mrwisley) April 18, 2016

The article in Edutopia

Carol Dweck, if you don't know, is the original expositor of the idea of growth mindset that has caught fire in the word of education (at least in the twitterverse!). She addresses some of the subtle twists that have started happening out in the wild, and offers some redirection that would lead an educator to deeper affinity with her ideas.

I'm pretty sure I've guilty of a couple of these mis-steps! But her clarifications really resonated with me. Enjoy the read!

Relentless Restlessness

Relentless Restlessness, by George Couros <-- read this

Just to be clear, I completely accept the fact that I am still not a content creator. I am a curator, for now. Perhaps, over time, I will develop into a legitimate creator...but for now this is my baby step.



I know that I'm always trying to improve. In fact, it's one of my core values, and it stems from my Strenthsfinder theme of Restorative. I hope that I can continue to be a part of a school culture that values continual improvement. It's one of my major personal professional goals for next year: to do what I can to empower teachers and fellow administrators to focus on this.

Quick admission: this can turn quickly and seditiously to perfectionism and toxic shame...for me. More on that in a future post, but for now...go back and actually click on the George Couros blog link (or just click here) and read it. Thanks!

Start Now

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Of course I should have started earlier. Of course I could be in a totally different place by now if only I had started back then.

But if I don't start now, I'll be in the same place tomorrow...and I don't want to be. Left alone, this thought has so many potential applications, that I hate to limit YOUR interpretation with my understanding. But...

I can start working out. Now.

I can try that new technology idea. Now.

I can eat better. Now.

I can start blogging. Now.

I can be more intentional about date nights with my wife. Now.

And, by the way, I had to go back and change my wording (as an act of self-care). I had initially written "I need to". And I felt the shame. I felt the pressure. And that's not what I want from this idea right now. I want possibilities. I want positivity. I want to start now.