For the eighteenth summer in a row, I recently hand-made Thanksgiving Invitations. Now, for me, this is a normal event, hand making invitations for our family and friends. It is labor intensive, but an enjoyable exercise for my hands and mind, and I know the recipients enjoy getting them each year. It makes them feel special, as I mean to make them feel. I also made invitations for a small gathering I'm having at my home in a few weeks. Now, these are formal events that require an RSVP, a head count, so my husband and I know what to order, buy, cook, prepare. Not every occassion calls for this type of preparation, but I am one of those over-preparers - even for a simple class on Google Classroom or Google Docs.
As people, we are always waiting, it seems, to be invited to something... as a child, birthday parties and sports teams; as a teen, cool house parties, prom, or college interviews. Later, in college, bids for sororities and fraternities, internships, grad school, job interviews. Even later, we wait to get invited to the board room for promotions, a seat at the decision-making table, marriage proposals or other important life-defining events.
As people, we are always waiting, it seems, to be invited to something... as a child, birthday parties and sports teams; as a teen, cool house parties, prom, or college interviews. Later, in college, bids for sororities and fraternities, internships, grad school, job interviews. Even later, we wait to get invited to the board room for promotions, a seat at the decision-making table, marriage proposals or other important life-defining events.
This got me thinking (once again, of course) about my upcoming role in my school district this year. I will invite my colleagues to join me in an adventure of learning, discovery, self-discovery and, possibly, transformation. I will invite them to let them know I understand their needs, their concerns and their problems, but most of all to make them feel that they are important to me, as I mean to make them feel. (Because they most certainly are!) This invitation is not mandatory, and they don't really even need to be invited. They can invite themselves to my office, to a class I'm giving, a training I've scheduled on the public calendar, or just email or call me!
I have a Tweet "pinned" to the top of my Twitter feed and it says this:
It's no longer okay to say I'm not very good with technology/won't use it. We have to adapt to the current environment. (Attributed to Dr. Kevin Daniel @kdworkshops)
School has changed extraordinarily in the last few decades, not to mention the last few years! The current environment is fast-paced, technologically infused, and sometimes confusing with all there is from which to choose. As a teacher, one must try, and not be afraid and certainly not wait for one of my hand-made invitations to explore the new an exciting technology available; but know that the invitation for guidance, support, kinship and explorations is an open ended one! Everyone is cordially invited to this party!
I have a Tweet "pinned" to the top of my Twitter feed and it says this:
It's no longer okay to say I'm not very good with technology/won't use it. We have to adapt to the current environment. (Attributed to Dr. Kevin Daniel @kdworkshops)
School has changed extraordinarily in the last few decades, not to mention the last few years! The current environment is fast-paced, technologically infused, and sometimes confusing with all there is from which to choose. As a teacher, one must try, and not be afraid and certainly not wait for one of my hand-made invitations to explore the new an exciting technology available; but know that the invitation for guidance, support, kinship and explorations is an open ended one! Everyone is cordially invited to this party!