Contributing to a better world

I was excited about teaching in the fall, but when decision makers appeared to create unsafe decisions, I decided to retire. 

Now, as you consider my decision, it's important to recognize the following factors:

• In the best of circumstances, school decisions at this time are difficult--I know this isn't easy.
• I tried to offer solutions, but no one appeared to take me seriously--I had no voice.
• I have one of the CDC risk factors for COVID-19 so I was at risk of illness or even, death.
• I knew that the fall would be greatly difficult given the fact that I had little voice and the climate appeared to put me at risk.
• I have taught a long time (34 years) and was in a position where I could retire.

There are a number of aspects of teaching that I will miss including the following:

• Working with children in dynamic ways to spark curiousity and support meaningful, productie learning quests.
• Engaging children in learning how to use multiple pathways and tools for dynamic learning
• Working with colleagues to create awesome programs to inspire, educate, and care for children.

Where will I go in the days ahead? What will I do?

First, I will play catch-up at home. I did put a lot of jobs on hold for a long time while I was working around the clock. It will be good to catch up with a number of household and family chores.

I will also think about the ways that I can use my skills and abilities to support betterment in new ways. I am considering a number of focus areas including the following:

1. Supporting young families
2. Supporting struggling students
3. Working to get the vote out
4. Contributing to environmental education and Earth-saving activities and advocacy
5. Working towards a more sustainable lifestyle
6. Research and writing to support advocacy for better policy in the United States, policies that uplift families, communities, and education in positive, modern ways. 
7. Supporting educators and educational groups to foster best-possible education practices 

I am rightly sad to be leaving my school community--a place I devoted 34 years to, but I am satisfied that this is the right decision at this time. I'm excited to see where the next steps will take me. If you have any insights or ideas, let me know. 

Digital Identity

I began my digital identity a long time ago--I just jumped in and started exploring lots and lots of tools. I learned a lot by connecting with educators via Twitter and attending countless conferences. I enjoyed this journey and was more tangental than systematic with this exploration hence my digital identity includes all kinds of accounts and projects on multiple sites.

Now that I'm retiring from 24-7 classroom teaching work, I want to think about my digital identify focus with a greater systematic approach--I will have time to pay attention to the details more. What will I do?

Import accounts to new accounts

First, I'll have to import many accounts to my private accounts from my school accounts. That will take some time.

Figure out my direction

I want to think about the digital work I want to do going forward. I know that I want to get better at creating videos, blogging, and creating websites. So I've got some research and study to do.

Writing

I'll create some short books about a number of topics. I haven't decided what I'll do with those books yet, but there's no rush.

I truly enjoy the digital journey--I love to create and communicate with digital tools. I look forward to this creative chapter in life. I welcome your thoughts and ideas. 

How will you feel at the end?

It may sound strange, but a good way to begin any endeavor is to think about how you hope to feel at the end of that endeavor.

Let's take a day at the beach. You expect to spend a day at the beach, and before you plan what you'll do, you think about how you want to feel when the day is over. For me, I want to feel relaxed and happy. I don't want to feel sore from sunburns, heavy from unhealthy food, or exhausted from too much activity. Then you work backwards and plan the day.

How do you want to feel at the end of your career? I just experienced this with the decision to retire, and I must say, I feel great. I worked hard throughout my career and did my best. I'm leaving this stage with a sense of satisfaction--that's good.

I asked myself this question, a long time ago, with respect to a loved one that was very ill. I thought long and hard about how I wanted to feel when that person died. I did what I could to support that person, and when that person passed away, I was very sad, but also satisfied that I did what I could to support the relationship in positive ways. 

There are times when I have not taken this approach--times when I let emotion, current needs, and a lack of true thought lead my words and actions. These are the times that lead to regret. Getting back to the beach day--there have been beach days that I've ended feeling lethargic from too much junk food, sunburned by not taking the time to apply sunscreen or cover up, and frazzled simply because I didn't take the time to plan or prepare well. 

It may sound crazy, but it's worth the effort to make some time to think about how you want to feel at the end of your life too. Some people even write out imaginary obituaries as a way to think deeply about the life they want to lead. None of us can predict our end or the challenges we'll face throughout our lives, but we can think about how we want it to be and work to live up to that vision as much as possible. While a bit grim, this is a step towards positive living. Onward. 

Deficit vs Capacity Mindset

Too often we meet situations with a deficit mindset noticing what is wrong with a person, place, or situation. We have to train our minds to meet situations with a capacity minset thinking what promise and potential does this person, place, or situation hold. When we change our mindsets from a deficit perspective to a capacity perspective, everything begins to look better. This change is worth the effort. 

Life is not a race

As I listen to multiple individuals discuss the pandemic with relation to school, there is an errant theme that runs through the conversations, and that theme is one that likens life to a road race. When we hear people discuss catching up, gaining momentum, coming out ahead, making the grade, being in the advanced group, and completing expected learning, those words compare learning to a road race with  winners and losers. Honestly, life is not a race. In the end, we all end up in the same place. Life, instead, is a journey with a lot of predictable events and some unpredictable occurances as well.

So what if Americans, changed their education as a race metaphor to an education as good living metaphor--how would that change the way people discussed education during a pandemic.

First of all, I don't think anyone would be thinking about putting young children in robot-like rows or relegated to a computer screen all day. Good living is active, imaginative, engaging, and empowering. Relegated to stationary, passive learning is not good living at all. Good living instead includes active, exploratory adventures such as planting gardens and producing beautiful, tasty, healthy food to enjoy and share with others. 

Next, no one would put children or anyone in situations where there is a grave threat of illness or contagion. Good living is healthy living, and everyone would work for as healthy as possible decisions.

And, the focus would be on the elements of good living including reading great books, writing wonderful letters and stories, investigating thought-provoking questions, inventing, cooking, fixing, making, planting, hiking, and exploring. 

Further the focus would be on elevating every Americans ability to live well with good homes, beautiful safe neighborhoods, wonderful nutritious foods, healthy positive recreation, and empowering educational opportunities.

I'm not sure how the road race metaphor ingrained itself so deeply in society--perhaps it goes all the way back to days when early humans had to outrace dangerous predators or be the first to get the good catch. Times, in my opinion have changed, and it's not about the race anymore, but instead about the wonderful journey that good living holds.