Over the years I’ve been involved with a couple of multi-author blogspaces, both of them rooted predominantly in the American educational scene. First, there was the George Lucas Foundation’s Edutopia project, a highly organized initiative out of California that has developed and grown over the years to include a number of bloggers, networks and resources for educators living and working in schools south of the border.
More recently, I joined the Cooperative Catalyst, a grassroots group of educators committed to supporting each other as we work through thinking about schools and the education system in the 21st century.
As I’ve become more and more immersed in the world of online conversation and social media, especially around education, I’ve often thought that there may room to create a space, much like the Cooperative Catalyst, that offers those working and living in the Canadian context a place to gather, share their writing, their thinking and their ideas about this place we call school.
So, I’m inviting you to consider becoming part of a multi-author blogspace dedicated to rich and diverse conversation about schooling on the Canadian landscape. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, a student, an administrator, a researcher, or a member of the tax-paying public, you have a stake in the quality and success of not only the school in your own community, but in the quality and success of schools right across the country (and beyond!). Whether you hang out on the political right, left, or somewhere in the middle, your perspective is important if we are going to move conversations about education out of the little pockets of resonance that currently exist and into the mainstream. Whether you’re from the East, the West, the North, or somewhere in between (do we have a south?), your unique voice and stories can help us understand the subtleties and nuances of schooling in Canada.
So, I’m looking to get the ball rolling on an idea that has been bouncing around in my mind for sometime now: to create a welcoming, respectful, but challenging muli-autho space for multiple conversations about education and schooling from a Canadian perspective. In my mind’s eye, it would be a place to discuss common themes, introduce new ideas, engage in writing from multiple perspectives, and offer thoughtful reflections on each other’s perspectives.
The space of which I’m dreaming wouldn’t be an end point for thinking; instead, it would offer both participants and visitors a type of collective jumping off point for some powerful and diverse conversations. It wouldn’t replace the current blogs and network spaces in which you already live; instead, it would represent a type of virtual “pub” or “campfire” around which to gather.
So that’s my initial idea and, over the next week or so, I hope to get some feedback on the concept before moving ahead with building the parameters or the infrastructure to support it.
What do you think? Is this something that intrigues you? Would you be interested in participating in the initial stages of building this type of concept here in Canada? Do you know of a place where it is already being done here? Do you have any thoughts or ideas that might help to grow the idea?
Let me know what you think, and we can take it from there. I’m always excited by new ideas; I’m even more excited when ideas become mobilized and put into action!
This sounds very interesting, would you like input from the special ed side of things too?
Hi Gena,
Yes, by all means. I think that the Special Education perspective is always needed, in whatever dreams and schemes we come up with…be they local or national! Often a missing voice!
Sounds like a very worthwhile venture, Stephen. Count me in on this project.
May it become a home for “free range chickens” of all stripes.
Thanks Paul,
I think that there might be a few polka-dotted chickens out there as well!
As a long-time parent advocate for parents both in and outside of the public education system, having founded and directed ParentNetwork Ontario (a 300 member parent empowering support organization), and 3x government parent representative to Ministry taskforces, I can tell you that it would not only be a welcome to see all investors
(I hate the word stakeholders) in education (all systems) at the same table AND at a level playing field.
Perhaps you can do on-line Stephen what governments and school boards have failed to do with School Councils, because your idea is actually the impetus behind the development and mandating of School Councils in Ontario. I’d be more than willing to sign on to this. Just give me the word.
Thanks for the enthusiastic support of this idea Cathy. Your voice will be welcome at our virtual table!
I tried to find parent network Ontario on twitter or internet but no find. I too am from Ontario and after finding out that there was no legislation requiring volunteers in schools to have criminal checks — and here in Ottawa two boards were not following best safe practices. I have also discovered the almost complete lack of legal power the Min. of Ed. here has over the school boards, which lead me to wanting a watch dog agency over schools. SO YES I would be interested to see how other provinces are using the Ombudsman as a watch dog agency. What exactly do we need to ask for politically to make schools safer.
@heathertwins
It will be good to get a sense of where folks’ passions and interests lie!
I stopped PNOnt. in 2003 when, with the permission of my parent members I rolled the membership over to OQE in Waterloo.
I’ve never stopped advocating for parents and supporting their voices and perspectives.
One suggestion I would have for you Stephen is to set out the rules for posting on your forum clearly and stick to them. I have also been on many education discussion forums over the years where posters take advantage, don’t respect all contributors and derail or try to thwart discussion. Something fresh and fair would be welcome.
My experience as well. I’m hoping that, because the impetus will be based quite a bit on contributors own writing, it will be more than just multiple comments on a single entry. I think (!) that might create a different sort of energy…more positive, exploratory and respectful.
Thanks for your insights and experience!
Sounds very interesting. I would be very interested in this idea!
Hi Jeff,
Stay tuned…thanks for your interest. Have you been to the CoopCatalyst site?
Hey Stephen,
Count me in – I would love to be involved. I’ll stay tuned for what is next. A great idea!
Shannon
Thanks Shannon. I was hoping that this would capture your imagination. My thinking right now is a March 15th launch. That would allow the first part of my Spring Break to do last minute things, and some folks a chance to get some initial writing done! It’s a building process, but I would like to “strike while the iron” is hot.
Hi Stephen
This idea is very interesting and appealing- creating a space for voices to post from across the spectrum is a great idea! Hearing diverse perspectives can only help us create greater trust in our public schools. I’m in
Brian Harrison
That’s great Brian…your perspective as an adminstrator will be invaluable! I agree that multiple perspectives will do a lot to moving the trust factor forward.
A nice way to gather contributions might be by simply inviting active bloggers to cross-post relevant articles. Beyong gathering viewpoints in support of Canadian education, you’ll be offering a broader audience to those already thinking very publicly about teaching and learning.
Hi Ron. I agree that the cross-posting idea/option. There is already a great array on the landscape! (like yours). I’m also very interested in exploring the emergent thinking that can emerge when some of those voices are gathered in the same space. What happen then?
Stephen, your recent posts have been thought-provoking for me, and this one is a great way to top them off. I would welcome a space that aims to bring together the many passionate voices this broad land produces. It is time we look past our provincial structures and work at a national discussion of learning.
“Positive, exploratory and respectful,” building trust along the way – I look forward to participating!
Your voice will be important! Thanks Jeannine!
This sounds like a great idea. It would be nice to have a place to share with other Canadian educators. As wonderful as it is to have conversations with people from around the world about education, there are some things that are unique to each country. What would this project entail exactly?
I will send along some furter “entailment” ideas later today. Thanks for your interest!
Sign me up Stephen. Very interested in this idea.
I was hoping!
I an interested in this list. I began teaching elementary school in Ontario in 1957. Following experience: Secondary school, curriculum consultant and Superintendent in First Nations education – Northern Ontario up to Hudson Bay and James Bay (including Attawapiskat), community college administrator, and finally many years as self employed training and development consultant to corporations and government agencies. Retired now but serving as a councillor in my municipality, heavily engaged in the fight to stop the raping of small rural communities by closing their only schools. I am planning to write about the parallels between current school closures and the theft of First Nations children to take them off to residential schools.
Brock Vodden
Perhaps another consideration for this forum would be a security feature that would allow for moderation on the one hand and deter those who land at these forums for something other than a reflective sharing of experiences based on their own unique perspective.
Hi Steve,
Great idea! While education is a ‘political animal’ I would hope the online would be focussed on how people’s dreams and aspirations of how we can help children learn. It seems we already have enough ‘watch dogs’.
Gerry
I agree with that Gerry. I like the “watch dog” metaphor. Like “lighthouses” they kind of warn us away from places rather than invite us in. I think that gathering around the positive dreams and hopes is a great way to begin looking at this!
Stephen, I think your idea is very good and I would be interested. I have been blogging about education (Crux of the Matter) since January 2006, so know how very difficult it is to find a support milieu between both educators and those wanting reform.
It may not be politically correct to say, but there is one hazard in your background. Like me, you are a former teacher. As such, if you ever find yourself agreeing with anything being done in the system today, you will find yourself denigrated by those angry at just about everything happening in public classrooms today and you will be labelled a part of the Education Blog — meaning part of the problem.
Here is a Google page about the topic. (http://www.google.ca/#hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=14&gs_id=17&xhr=t&q=Education+blob&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&pbx=1&oq=Education+blob&aq=0v&aqi=g-v1&aql=&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=a71c10f24abb377d&biw=1280&bih=522)
However, if you really can manage to get all points of view expressed, then a virtual meeting place will work. I guess after six years I am a little burned out. If I get practising educators onside, then I lose the non-teacher reformers. Or vice versa.
In other words, it will take the wisdom and patience of Solomon to make this work. But, such a forum sure is needed.
Good luck.
Hi Sandy. It’s nice to meet you here. I’ve been to your blogspace before and appreciate your work. It’s interesting that educators are sometimes framed as standing in opposition to those who want change. My experience is quite the opposite. That said, I understand how difficult it is to get conversations going between mulitple perspectives without the lines of communication being strained at times.
I’m thinking that with a larger cooperative venture, some of that negative energy is mitigated by the energy of the whole. That has also been my experience. I think that if there were a place where the primary norm was respectful dialogue and sharing of perspectives, as opposed to trying to prove whether one idea was right or wrong, then we might be on the right track.
Thanks for your interest, and for the conversation!
Your reputation precedes you Stephen as open-minded and willing to bring all interested parties together and without casting judgement.
Would love to be part of a collaborative and progressive writing space. Let me know how it’s unfolding
Ron
J’embarque! And I agree on the cross-posting capability. On my own blog (been blogging since 2004), I already find it difficult to make time to write about many things I have in mind. Cross-posting could be my incentive to write more, in English ou en français.
Yes, clear guidelines and rules for all to respect will add credibility to this space.
I think that the cross-posting possibility will not only drive some more traffic to your site, but also allow some different eyes on your writing. Thanks for the conversation on this.
A fine idea,
but,
and this is a big
but for me,
what will make this this blog different from others?
As you know,
I am interested in the
synergistic power of collaboration
to look for solutions
to challenging issues in schools
with a view to passing on our collective wisdom and encouraging policy makers to act on our experiences, knowledge, and insights
A great question. I see two potential differences. In inviting a variety of voices to the project, there is a bridging of some of the gaps when folks are off writing on their own, for their own purposes. Gathering around common questions and ideas could allow for some interesting thought combinations.
I would also see the energy in this project being positive, forward looking and, as you see, an example of “collective wisdom”.
I think this is a great idea! I’d love to help out and share my perspective as a teacher in the non-profit sector working with schools to support students with disabilities.
Thanks Mary-Ann. Stay tuned over the next couple of days as we bring the first stages of this to fruition!