For the longest time, I’ve had this recurring dream (and, trust me, I’m not channeling Martin Luther King Jr. here). I find myself in a random location, usually a city. It’s always the most generic and eclectic city at the same time. It sometimes looks like Toronto, occasionally like Prague, but usually an amalgam of Bombay, Stockholm, and Beirut. Basically, a combination of any and all cities in the world. The gist of the dream is that I need to find my way home, yet can never seem to. There’s always something getting in my way. It could be dinosaurs, samurai swordsmen, or a game of Super Mario Kart. At times the dream is terrifying, and, at others, it’s just fun. Have I jumped the shark here with my blogposts, you may be wondering? What’s next, a post about what animals I see in cloud formations? Bear with me, I have a point (sort of). Something has been changing with these dreams of mine. Lately, when I’m lost in the dream, you’ll never believe what I’ve started doing. I reach into my pocket, pull out my iPhone, and … use Google Maps to navigate my way. The app tells me exactly where to go!* Has technology been seeping into your sub-conscious too? *The only problem is I still never get home:(

Watch the original video here. Get the facts straight here. Read different perspectives here. Follow actual writers and journalists in Uganda here and here.

Did you know that I’m an adult with braces? It was strange getting them on a year ago, but, oddly, I can’t envision not wearing them anymore. This is because my orthodontic experience so far has been so pleasurable and… educational. I want to tell you about my orthodontist, and why my dream is for our public schools to even replicate a teaspoon of what they do.* They are a family A family owned and run business, it feels like the Cosby Show living room. It’s hard to describe in words the warmth palpable in their offices. You couldn’t really even call it customer service; I would call it love. They are transparent All the work is done in an open office space surrounded by huge windows to let the sunlight pour in. That means you hear a conversation one hygienist is having with another patient a few chairs down, and you can see the doctor give his/her descriptive feedback and expertise to the kid in front of you. They are collaborative At my orthodontist, it takes the proverbial village to get your teeth straight. No one has any qualms about asking their peer to come on over and give a second opinion, nor do they fear negative evaluation of their worth as a professional. People are honest when unsure about next steps to take with your teeth. As strange as it is to lie below two or three people speaking clinically about your mouth, it is so refreshing to witness the openness and internal connectivity they have. We talk about networked learning all the time, and we celebrate when we achieve it. At my orthodontist, it’s just a way of life. They have a vision and enact it "[Our mission is to provide] the highest quality of orthodontic care, genuine service, and a fun, friendly atmosphere." You can read their clear and concise mission statement, and then you can see it in action. At my orthodontist, actions speak louder than words. They use technology (understatement) State of the art doesn’t cover it. I have never seen technology used like this before. Every patient ‘station’ has a computer which connects to the database of patient information. If it happens, you can read about it immediately on any device in the building. It’s assessment and evaluation taken to another level. Viewing my electronic file is like reading a digital story of my orthodontic journey. You also never see people getting angry with the technology, even though I’m sure their tech has as many hiccups as anyone else’s. And after all the digital awesomeness, it still comes down to a bunch of tiny elastic bands to get the job done. They have strong leadership You can see it, feel it, and admire it. Dear orthodontist, I want to be like you when I grow up. *In the interests of avoiding the impression that I’m giving a formal endorsement, I’ve left the name of my orthodontist anonymous.

We are going through a fairly hot debate in our district right now around specialized schooling. The discussion has centred on a particular arts-based (our only one) elementary school, but if you look deeply, it’s really a debate on public schooling in general. Essentially, the question is: Should public school districts offer specialized elementary schools (such as language immersion, arts, sports, technology, etc.) to students? One side of the debate contends that families need to be given choice in the public system. One size does not fit all, and we need to cater to multiple needs. Many proponents of this view use anecdotes of students that were disenchanted or marginalized in mainstream schools, and were subsequently rejuvenated (for lack of a better word) in the specialized ones. The other side posits that specialized schools leave us with less impetus to change what is wrong with our current system. Similar to arguments for universal healthcare, they contend that as long as people can opt out, there is no need to improve and evolve the status quo. Furthermore, the extent to which the arts, sports, gifted education, or technology is seen as a ‘specialty’ item shines a glaring light on their marginalization from mainstream schooling. Interestingly, both sides will defend the importance of equity in the issue. The pro side says it is inequitable that families cannot choose a specialized school for their children. The nay vista argues the inequity of having to, in some cases, audition or be first in line for these schools (also noting how SES correlates greatly with a family’s ability to do so). I’m likely not doing justice here to the nuances of the argument, so I’m hoping you can add your two cents or more. The reason I am blogging about this is because I myself am really on the fence with the issue, and am interested in sparking more discussion on it. What are your thoughts on, and experience with, specialized public schools? What is best for the greater good?

Love this mashup by Chris Wejr debunking myths on competition in schools:

Join Shannon Smith, Danika Barker, Lisa Neale and I at this year’s #nxnei as we discuss: Social Media in the Classroom - Teaching and Learning with Digital Technologies Today’s students are digital learners in a world of ever-available connectivity.  Many step into their classrooms every morning with powerful mobile devices peeking out their back pockets.  No longer a lonely drudgery, homework turns social as students increasingly connect to learn and collaborate. And yet, schools have been slow to recognize the potential afforded by social media platforms. Are tweeting, texting and facebook the new dog-eared cahier and time-honoured textbook? What are the challenges faced by educators keen to bring classroom learning into the 21st century? This panel brings together a group of innovative educators to discuss the use of social media and online tools in schools. We discuss the push for change within traditional public school models. Specifically, we will examine how social media and online tools provide learning opportunities that nurture the skills students need - creativity, critical thinking and a global perspective. Use the promo code NXNEirocks to get 10% off tickets here. I can’t wait to be a part of this event, and would love to see/meet you there.

Click here to check out the ‘Google+ Manual’ I created as a resource for innovative educators in our board to get connected. Feel free to use it for your own purposes.

Mike Stories are stream-of-consciousness oral stories we tell in our family. It all started over a year ago when Janet was trying to console Jackson after some sort of skinned knee or such incident. She sat our little boy on her lap and told a story about a little boy named ‘Mike’ (everyone in the family knows it’s Jackson but we all suspend disbelief). We now have close to a hundred Mike Stories in our iTunes library. The kids listen to them every night as they go to bed. I’ve thought about sharing them on a blog, or putting them in the iTunes store as a podcast, but have resisted doing this because I just can’t see how anyone else could find these random stories of ours interesting. They are often nonsensical, and full of so many in-the-know jokes to be utterly irrelevant to anyone who doesn’t use our bathtub. Besides, perhaps it’s one of those things that are just for us. Some of our titles include: Mike’s Rainy Day Mike Meets Winnie the Pooh Mike Goes to School Mike’s Trip to the Chinese Mall You get the idea. Esoteric really doesn’t cover it. If you’re looking for a new project/activity to do as a family I highly recommend this. Apart from being massively (and unexpectedly) gripping for the kids, we’ve also seen the impact they are having on literacy. Because of our Mike Stories, my children think it is normal to be authors of texts. They don’t see themselves only as consumers, but creators as well. In addition, you wouldn’t believe how much Mike Stories are enhancing my children’s vocabulary, understanding of narrative, and oral speaking skills. The greatest thing of all being that serendipity really brought all of it on. We didn’t plan this. There is no curriculum. We just go with the flow. It’s more jazz than classical. Bring some spice to your bedtime routine and try this out. It’s pretty cool when your kid says his favourite author is a member of his own family, and when you collectively develop a whole parallel narrative to the life you lead together.

Thank goodness I follow people like Michelle Solomon and Carlo Fusco for alerting me to the following videos of Danah Boyd talking about the extent and implications of our society’s culture of fear. My mind was spinning for days after hearing some of her synthesized ideas. And click here for an interview with Danah Boyd.