Too Many Ideas... and One Overwhelming Question

Who I am: Chris Lehmann

What I do: Principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, PA (Opening 9/06).

What I did: Technology Coordinator / English Teacher / Girls Basketball Coach / Ultimate Coach at the Beacon School, a fantastic progressive public high school in Manhattan.

Email: chris [at] practicaltheory [dot] org.

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Gary Stager about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Tue, 31.08.2010 05:14
I may have linked to the
wrong Merrow article -
http://takingnote.learnin
gmatters.tv/?p=4433

Gary Stager about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Tue, 31.08.2010 05:05
Dear Chris:

We've had this discussion
privately, so I hope you
don't mind that I involve
the [...]

Julie Strong about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Mon, 30.08.2010 13:35
I'll be curious to see
how #5 evolves. In
independent schools we
rarely lack for parent
[...]

dcollins about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Sat, 28.08.2010 07:32
Those are great things to
look forward to! At my
alternative school, I'm
looking forward to seeing
[...]

Andrew Marcinek about New Year... New Challenges... New Goals... New Excitement
Sat, 28.08.2010 06:42
I am sure it will be very
weird vibe without your
original class in the
building, but now you
have [...]

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< Leadership Meme | Amazing Blog on Teaching and Thinking >

Monday, February 5. 2007

Too Many Ideas... and One Overwhelming Question

I'm curious if other bloggers have ever felt this way...

We had a wonderful Web 2.0 conference led by Will Richardson on Friday and Saturday. Christian Long was there and stayed with my family for a few days. And even above that, I've been a part of even more really rich, interesting conversations than usual lately. As a result, I've got a few dozen blog posts floating around in my head about some really big ideas that I've been lucky enough to be talking about these past few days.

And I'm just overloaded. I feel very much in "receiver" mode, as if I'm just taking in a ton of idea and sifting and filtering them, but nothing seems quite coherent enough to even attempt to blog about.

I will say this... whether it's edubloggers or the MIT Media Lab using the term, I am really loving the idea that, in the end, we seem to be asking one really powerful question behind all of the other questions:

What does the future of learning look like?

Posted by Chris Lehmann in Life at 23:43 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)

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I'm glad to hear that such an experienced blogger feels the same way after attending the conference! I walked away with so much information I feel like the kid in the Far Side cartoon who raises his hand and says, "May I be excused, my brain is full." I had the whole flight home and most of the day Sunday to process what I learned in the two days of the Web 2.0 conference. School was called off on account of the cold (!) for two more days. Yet, with all that time, I STILL sit here paralyzed, unable to restart the professional blog I created that was stalled some time ago. I, too, am overwhelmed--not just by all the valuable tools that are available to me and my kids, but all the questions that have been raised about how we should use these to improve student learning.

Hmmm, maybe I should be blogging this instead of commenting on your post.....

On a personal note, it was a pleasure to meet you, Chris, and to see a little of the amazing things you are doing at SLA. The next time I'm in Philly, I'll stop in when there are kids in the building.

#1 Cory Peppler (Link) on 2007-02-06 15:11 (Reply)

Yep. I know exactly what you mean, even though I didn't have a wonderful conference at my school recently. My brain gets full and needs to digest from time to time. At those times, I feel like if I only had one or two more pieces of information, then I'd really have something - but those "magical connectors" don't always seem to come, do they?

#2 Bud Hunt (Link) on 2007-02-06 21:50 (Reply)

I would like to echo Corey's sentiments. I also had the pleasure of spending two days at the conference hosted by Chris at SLA and it was overwhelming, in a wonderful way. To be fortunate enough to be the company of others who are talking about what the future of learning will look like, based upon what is best for kids and the tools available online was great. I have been learning about blogs, wiki's, social bookmarking, and other online tools for the past year and trying to wrap my head around the possibilities these hold for all of us to learn and express ourselves. Being immersed for two days in this collaborative group was exciting. I want to keep in touch with those who were there because as I told Corey walking to the train station, I was so excited with everything I learned and the impact all of this can have in the classroom, but I don't have anyone in my district to share it all with. Not that no one would listen, but more that Web 2.0 / School 2.0 are terms people have heard of, but don't have an understanding of. I decided on my way home I want to be the model in my district, I want to use the tools to begin to make others aware of what is available and how we can use the read write web in our own learning. So this one of my first steps, it is the first time I have responded with a comment to a blog. Also
I created a wiki on Saturday which I shared with my boss yesterday, with links to those who were at the conference and a suggestion he begin to explore these ongoing conversations himself. Chris, it was a pleasure meeting you, and I hope to see you again. Everyone involved at SLA should be proud of the learning environment you have there.

#3 Robin Ellis on 2007-02-07 15:33 (Reply)

Chris,

Thanks for the nod to my blog in your previous post, by the way! I was just sitting here after coming back from a conference day at our TCEA conference, and the previous day when Will Richardson spoke at our school, and feeling the same way, sort of in stasis or something!

I think I need a day of away time to clear my head so the synapses all start connecting again!

I actually find that refreshing sometimes--to do something completely different, because it's then that I discover these amazing connections to seemingly unrelated things.

#4 Carolyn Foote (Link) on 2007-02-07 17:39 (Reply)

I have been wrestling the swirling idea demons for the better part of this week myself. The conference last Friday crystallized several key ideas for me and really pointed me in a practical direction: start with something you are passionate about. That, for me is the key to getting more of my staff on board.

The number of drafts in my blogger dashboard is astounding as each new ideas starts and then stops becoming a post. I hope I can make some relevant material come to life from them.

Thanks again, Chris for allowing us a glimpse into SLA, and I look forward to following the school's progress and success.

#5 Patrick Higgins (Link) on 2007-02-07 19:32 (Reply)

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Too Many Ideas... and One Overwhelming Question

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Monday, February 5. 2007

Too Many Ideas... and One Overwhelming Question

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