business

This week I have my first conference. I am presenting on connectivism and social learning. I am really excited and have spent evenings home alone, pacing in circles around the little house, speaking aloud and running over what I am going to say. The session is 50 minutes, I have a short slide show, and the rest is just going to be the ol' bla-bla-bla. I have a lot to say and my audience will be pre-service teachers for the most part.

What will I tell them? First to realize that nothing on the internet is private so clean up your social networks. Second, that schools are not connected the way students are connected so figure out the school policies and how to use them to your advantage. Third, think vertically when connecting students. Fourth, connect in your room, then your school, then your district, then your state, then the world.

I have so much to say on this topic. I will probably wax on about growing up in a rural area and networking from an early age, plus my time in Venezuela and Quisqueya.

My mom is coming to my conference and hopefully some collegiate support. If both factors bail I have my mentor/adviser in the room. Just knowing she will be there with her sparkly smile and enthusiasm makes me happy.

This business of presenting and moving forward with professional life makes me happy and like I am heading in the right direction.

My other adviser at school told me to write a textbook. Which makes me giddy. Yes, I am going to write a textbook. I am going to write a textook for teaching modern languages through a social learning/connectivist lens. It is going to be a good, good process for me, the writer and teacher.