"Kind" comments

This morning I received the evaluation summaries for the two ALA pre-conference workshops I did in Anaheim last month. I don't know about others who take the craft of teaching adults seriously, but I give the evaluation comments I receive a great deal of attention. I bask in the complimentary ones and agonize over the critical ones. I really do. Participant comments are really the only information I have to help me improve my professional practice in presenting and conducting workshops.

At the risk of sounding like I am bragging, I am sharing three interesting, and to me, novel comments from the workshop on Web 2.0 tools:

• I really enjoyed meeting Doug in person. He's been kind enough to become an online mentor. He's as kind in person as virtually.
• Mr. Jackson [sic] was excellent, knowledgeable, humor[ous], and kind.
• Great presentation - relevant. Took the angst out of it all.
  

I don't remember ever being complimented before for being "kind." I don't remember feeling particularly compassionate the morning of the workshop. Nor do I remember any particular actions or comments that called for kindness. No one, like, broke down sobbing or anything.

I am just wondering if working library media specialists (and many classroom teachers) are accustomed to, but getting tired of, being beaten up by the "experts" at conferences. They are deflated when constantly told just how much they need to change in order to stay relevant. They are shell-shocked from being bombarded with comments that make them feel out of the loop, left behind, inadequate for not using at least 200 Web 2.0 tools, and lazy for not running a 24/7 virtual library/classroom.

Is the least degree of empathy for the practitioner now what passes for kindness?

I have to admit the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strip from which this graphic comes resonates with me. In it, Calvin is offering at his stand "A Swift Kick in the Butt - $1.00." When Hobbes asks "How's business?", Calvin replies, "Terrible. I don't understand it. Everybody I know needs what I'm selling."

I suspect all of us in libraries and education, myself included, need a good swift kick. And, of course, would like to administer them fairly often to others. But do you suppose people get tired of being too often the recipients of verbal kicks? Doesn't your butt go numb after a while?

Ed psych tells us that rewarding good behaviors gets us a good deal father ahead with people than punishing poor ones. When do we start to apply this principle in creating change within the profession?

Or maybe I am just reading too much into a couple "kind" remarks...

Comments

[AnneM]

This was a great read on kindness. I'm passing on a link - what David Copperfield (magician) learned about kindness. I know he's getting a bad rap these days, but his NPR "I believe" essay on kindness says it all. Kindness is a wonderful byproduct we receive when we are doing what we love and are truly engaged. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5658759 (listen to it....nice voice)

[Lu Marsh]

Doug, I too found you to be most kind when I requested a copy of "think b4 you link". You took time to call my district office and I appreciated that!

I met you in Mitchell, SD this summer and I learned a lot from you and many others--both presenters and fellow educators.

I and many other teachers are overwhelmed with the amount of stuff being thrown at us. I have followed up the Seminar with a class called Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts and next month a 6 weeks class in "Thinkfinity" which all came from the Seminar. I don't feel that any of you have put me down, I just think many of our supervisors, do not want to admit that there is a lack of time for all that is being required and some old geezers like myself, who are very intrigued by all of this, are a little slower than the young ones in being able to grasp and implement it. (I, in fact, believe it helps to remember that not all students learn in the same way or time nor do they have the same foundation to build on!) We would never build a house on a foundation with parts missing, but in education it is expected of us. We need time to digest and use the new technology ourselves. We absolutely don't automatically understand it. Some my age just hate it and get out. Not me! I intend to keep plodding and by gum one of these days I will have it and so will my students. I think the non-native digital person has many other things to add. I am a firm believer in developmentally appropriate learning (an early childhood term) for every one not just the young. Which means we are all at different stages and eventually the light will come on and we will wonder why we did not see sooner!

I think the idea that all the kids of a similar birth date are ready for school is as inane as saying all 63-year-old women should wear a size 10, be 5' 10", weigh 130 pounds, wear a size 8B shoe, and understand all of the new technology etc. Some have lots to build on, some have nothing, and others have parts. Each one requires something different. Technology has the possibility of leveling this field!

I think we all have lots to offer one another. Young or old I think we have to try one thing at a time so we won't be so overwhelmed. Then there are those like me who get some of it and a bunch of other stuff who need to digest it and find the parts we missed or placed in an inappropriate place. We need to learn it well and feel somewhat comfortable before we use it. Then of course we find out we didn't know quite as much as we thought!

The first couple of years I came to this district they gave us 5-6 new programs and told us to use them with 1-2 hours of training, it worked for some and not for others. It is the same way with our kids; they are individuals not testing data. Just because they “pass the test” does not mean they know how to use it nor if they “do not pass the test” mean they don't know how to use it. It is only a picture of a little time. Our students are loosing so much because teachers are being forced to teach to tests that may never have much relation to the life they are leading.

I spend 6+ weeks from my technology class and am expected to cover the 9 months of designated material thoroughly in less than 7 months (The allows for some of the interruptions of starting school, Christmas programs, other programs, and the end of the year activities - all of which are needed).

On top of that many people who believe God created all children equal and they will all learn on the same day if teachers work hard enough. They believe giving merit pay to people who may be working with kids who have a lot of experiences to build on and may lack stressful situations at home. We have tried to fill the gap with Head Start, which to some extent works, but we cannot take away the stressful situations these kids have to deal with that really drain their energy and leave less to work with.

That not withstanding, I believe technology tends to engage them and may be a great vehicle to help us help them. It definitely can be an escape vehicle. I am willing to do everything I possibly can to make these kids ready for the future. A very wise person once told me that we have to put into our pot before we can share it. I felt great after the seminar and I thank each and every one of the presenters for that! I still do -- feel great about it I mean! You guys filled my "pot"

Even though I teach on a reservation and our scores are not as high as the kids with a different background and experiences (with exceptions of course). Many of them also started with way less to build on. Many of them had gains greater than those who made "safe harbor"! Thus my premise: "one size does not fit all!"
WE ARE a COUNTRY OF DIVERSITY!

I am confident that each and every teacher I worked with, worked diligently and not just during the 8 hour work day. I saw young Teach America at school sometimes at 6 AM and there late and on weekends and oh not to mention what they did at home. And to be honest it is not anything more or less than good teachers have done forever.

As I have said, I have never felt presenters have put me down; they are pointing me to new directions! I just feel that a lot of the people who are suggesting we are not working, who ignore suggestions made by our professionals, have absolutely no right to judge us. I know for a fact that everyone of the Teach America Teachers, whom I have worked with for the last 3 years, have become advocates for us and say they view the teaching profession in a much different light than they did before!

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Anne,

Thanks so much passing on the link to Copperfield's piece. I was moved by it, and hope other Blue Skunk readers take the time to read it as well.

It reminded me that sometimes the smallest kindness are the most powerful of all.

All the best and thank you again,

Doug

@Hi Lu,

I promise to get back to everyone who e-mails me in a reasonable amount of time. When I found that your district (or perhaps all of South Dakota) was blocking my emails as spam, I found I needed to call. No big deal and I hope the poster is helpful.

I very much appreciate your comments about being overwhelmed and happy to hear that you never feel put down in training sessions. Sometimes I imagine things!

I also respect your views on the need for diverse training approaches and your observations. Thank you for taking the time to share them with me and the other readers of the blog.

All the very best,

Doug