It was a crazy first week back at school beginning my 16th year in Catholic secondary education - and by the end of the week I was the one who received a really important lesson through abject effing up.
Monday I frantically prepped last pieces of Freshmen iPad Orientation Curriculum while training many teachers on our new grade book system. Sometimes the hardest part about the job is accepting that you just can't help everyone in short order when you're working with over 100 faculty. It was also Donovan's 8th birthday, which took a backseat to the many duties looming before the big day. It's OK though, having done the cake and dinner thing the night before!
Tuesday we handed out 420 iPads to the class of 2019 at said orientation. I felt like it was the best run we've had yet, and there were many to thank for that - I feel blessed to have such a supportive and competent community helping to bring a collective mission-driven vision to life.
Wednesday I performed a vocal solo with some very talented musicians during mass for an awesome crowd of folks, then trotted off to teach a combined 2D and 3D Animation class, after which I went on to teach our first ever mega class with Exploring Computer Science numbering 66 students in one section, We'll be doing plenty of innovative learning there, with blended and PBL formats. Early afternoon I hammered out some final logistics in getting started back with coaching Cross Country at Presentation, after some thorough longitudinal convincing by my former assistant coach. I then met for dinner with my other employer, Santa Clara University to go over schedule and curriculum for a new group of teachers I'll be working with this year. Excited to get to know the new group!
Thursday I convinced myself that there was no first period, having seen something in the way of a schedule that convinced me so. It was a classic case of confirmation bias; now I had time to prep for the mega-class. Consequently I was severely late to first period..., but thanks to some amazing friends who work in the same classroom, a total loss was averted, and that's when it hit me - my cup had officially run over. In 16 years of teaching, coaching, IT Direction, EdTech Direction, I'd never pulled anything like that. And all at once it hit me, I'm not taking my own advice. Pasted below is the message I gave in a closing speech to our freshmen after the Tuesday orientation about balance. It refers to devices, but applies to all those things that prevent us from being our best, or the Magis, as we say in Jesuit education. One must have balance for the Magis.
This orientation is intended to
convey a message about balance. Balance in your life will lend itself to
another important skill we hope you'll develop here; discernment.
Our message is as much about
putting technology down as it is about picking it up. We hope you heard your
big brothers and homeroom teachers as they attempted to convey the lessons
we've learned ourselves in our use of tech.
I know I've learned to:
Put it down to talk to a friend
in the center
Put it down when it's time for
dinner
When I’m on vacation
When it's time to be with family
When a teacher is conveying
knowledge
When a coach is breaking down
the game
When a priest is imparting
wisdom
Put it down, when I stop playing
that video game or social media app, and the app starts playing me…
When my teachers don't require
the use of the iPad, leaving it in my bag might be the best option…
Pick it up to check email, but
not all the time.
Pick it up to do research.
Pick it up to create movies and
projects,
To record music,
To paint pictures.
And then remember to put it down
and away to meditate,
to sleep.
As you know we don't block, why
do you think that is?
We don't block because we trust
you. Not to always do the right thing, but to make mistakes and learn
from them on your own. And we hope today has helped you gain some
perspective from what we’ve shared. Remember to leave room to be
disconnected, to digest, and process. Because, while in today's society
being a man for and with others will often mean being connected and tech savvy,
you can't be your best version of that man if you're connected to technology
all the time.
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