Yesterday, a Monday, I had the privilege to kick the week off with a bang. Actually, I need to be honest...I was a nervous wreck. Why? Retired teacher Bob Greenberg came to Fairfield University to film me for the Brainwaves Anthology Video Project, a YouTube channel to meet inspiring "thinkers, dreamers and innovators; some of the brightest minds in education." Mr. Greenberg tried to get me last week, but I was in the thick of literacy labs, and couldn't find a time to talk. I invited him back to begin this week, and with the teachers arriving and the Invitational Leadership Institute beginning this morning, I was somewhat panicked about tying up lose ends and figuring out what it was I wanted to say.
Speaking for 2 minutes about an influential teacher and 5 minutes on the work I do was not as easy as I hoped. I get nervous about being captured on camera because it seems so permanent and I'm sort of a manic, hyperactive clown (which doesn't bode well for films). I did what I could.
We had a few hallway glitches with doors slamming and people walking by, which through of my choo-choo train of thought, so some of it needed to be spliced together (kudos to the editor). It's also very difficult to condense 24 years of teaching and thinking into a 5- and 2-minute soundbite, but that's okay. This is what they mean by an elevator pitch.
It made me happy to be able to talk about Mr. Finster, as he truly was a major influence in how I think about teaching and education. There are 100s more I could mention (and wanted, too), but after two minutes I realized Bob Greenberg had his two minutes.
I'm also hyper-sensitive of the roundness in my Ripley physique and know that I'm morphing in ways I cannot control. Genetics. It's all good. At least the sweating stopped during the taping. I must have gone through a roll of paper towels with nerves before we actually shot.
Alas (in a good way), our 20 educators begin th writing institute at 9 a.m. this morning and I can't wait to lay the foundation for the summer program and to build the leadership of another Connecticut cohort. I'm very thankful to many who have invested in the individual that I am. I can't be me without the community of others that make me who I am.
That is the power of Ubuntu. Yes, it's me squawking here about the CWP, but in all honesty, the program belongs to our teachers and kids. They are the dreamers who help me to reach the magic of our site. I am, because we are.
And with that, it's time to make the donuts! We got this!
Speaking for 2 minutes about an influential teacher and 5 minutes on the work I do was not as easy as I hoped. I get nervous about being captured on camera because it seems so permanent and I'm sort of a manic, hyperactive clown (which doesn't bode well for films). I did what I could.
I'm also hyper-sensitive of the roundness in my Ripley physique and know that I'm morphing in ways I cannot control. Genetics. It's all good. At least the sweating stopped during the taping. I must have gone through a roll of paper towels with nerves before we actually shot.
Alas (in a good way), our 20 educators begin th writing institute at 9 a.m. this morning and I can't wait to lay the foundation for the summer program and to build the leadership of another Connecticut cohort. I'm very thankful to many who have invested in the individual that I am. I can't be me without the community of others that make me who I am.
That is the power of Ubuntu. Yes, it's me squawking here about the CWP, but in all honesty, the program belongs to our teachers and kids. They are the dreamers who help me to reach the magic of our site. I am, because we are.
And with that, it's time to make the donuts! We got this!
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