Social media - overwhelmed and feeling guilty

OK, Utecht, cut it out. I know I should be playing with Google+, but give me a break. I can't keep up with the social networks I have now.

I'm already feeling guilty that...

• 99% of the tweets I receive go by unread and I get to Twitter only a few times a week.
• I skim my GoogleReader, diving into only about 5% of posts.
• I haven't wished anyone happy birthday on Facebook for six months
• I've never had a single useful interaction with anyone on LinkedIn and turn down most requests for connections.
• My blogging is slipping.
• I can't keep up with the half dozen email lists to which I am subscribed.
• Our district is only just getting rolling with Edmodo this year.
• While I have had a Google+ account since they were first offered a year ago, I haven't done anything constructive with it - not even a Hangout.
• Don't even go there with Pininterest, FourSquare, Instagram, and the "social" components of YouTube, Slideshare, Delicious, and other Web2.0 tools.

And here's the scary thing. Unlike most of the young teachers here on staff, I don't really have much of a life outside my professional interests. I don't go to sporting events or watch TV. I don't have a young family that demands my attention. I don't have hobbies like woodworking or car restoring or cross-dressing. (Just wanted to see if you were paying attention.) I enjoy technology and learning new things, but for me this is all becoming overwhelming.

Jeff, I still value a graphic you created some years ago. Uh, it's this one: 

Remember it?

Here's my question: Is the ability to select and discriminate among social networking tools a needed, teachable skill? Or should every tool be used by every teacher?

My thought is that when any pundit recommends a new tool, they be required to suggest a tool that is no longer useful. 

So, buddy, what is getting less attention from you now that Google+ is getting more attention? I certainly hope it is not Ms Utecht or the Mariners. 

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Achieving consistent happiness

Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.
John Stuart Mill

I don't tend to be anxious, stressed, depressed, bored, or angry the great majority of the time. So by default, I must be a happy person. Quite honestly, I don't spend much time analyzing my happiness level - I tend to focus more on how productive I've been. 

For those who are looking for ways to become happier, I'd endorse the recommendations of Joel Gascoigne who wrote "6 things I do to be conistently happy." He recommends:

1. Wake up early.
2. Exercise daily.
3. Have a habit of disengagement.
4. Regularly help others.
5. Learn new skills.
6. Have multiple ways to "win" each day.

Read the whole post. It's worth your time.

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Like Joel, I believe my happiness is a direct result of doing most of the things his lists on a daily basis. I'd also add the following daily habits:

1. Have an interesting book to read and find some time each day to read it.
2. Have something to anticipate - a trip, an event, etc.
3. Spend discretionary money on experiences rather than material goods.
4. Take a lot of photographs, especially of your kids and grandkids, and look at them.
5. Indulge in a guilty pleasure without feeling guilty.
6. Maintain a regular schedule.
7. Always have a project or two that challenge you.
8. Be less critical of both yourself and other people (I think the two are related in some way.)
9. When given a new task at work, look at it as job security and a chance to learn rather than a burden.
10. Enjoy your own company when alone. Turn off the iPod and car radio and think, fanaticize, plan, and dream.

Nothing very profound here. But it seems to work for me.

What do you do on a daily basis that makes you a happy person?

PLSA and tablets

I've described them as creeping in under the fence.

Pesky little things of unproven value but high on the cuteness scale. Shiny. Sexy. Trendy. Hard-marketed. You couldn't keep them out of your district if you wanted to. They will get in.

iPads, of course.

Through grants, building funds, PTO gifts, and even individual teacher purchase, we now have nearly 400 of these little devils to manage - if "manage" is even a term that can be applied. Designed as personal devices, not institutional equipment, the tech department will be giving up a lot of control over this computing tool - and the individual user accepting more responsibility for updates, software installation, and other management tasks. 

I suppose I should have seen it coming.  Using my own  PLSA (Probability of Large Scale Adoption) Predictor rubric ...  

... the iPad scores very high. Simplicity: one button. 20 points Convenience: access it everywhere in the classroom or school. 20 points Reliability: so far, so good. 20 points Usefulness/need: Apple seems to have convinced a lot of educators there is. 15 points Affordability: Half the cost of an Apple desktop or laptop, but as much as a netbook or lowend PC. This category gets only 10 points from me. The rumored $200 7" iPad will boost this score. For now, 85/100 points. Very, very high.

Quite honestly, I've never in my 30+ years working in schools seen as much enthusiasm for a product as I have for the iPad. And even this old curmudegeon is completely in favor of anything that excites teachers and administrators. 

Today we start series of "iPads for Leaders" sessions aimed at building principals, central office staff, grade level leaders, continuous improvement coaches and librarians - even the superintendent.

I hope the enthusiasm remains high. And morphs from being excited about a device to being excited about doing education in more engaging way for kids.

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