The comment that became a post

I was surfing my reader tonight, and fell upon this post by Cool Cat.  My comment seemed more like a post once I got finished, so I put it here:

This is always such a hot topic when it comes up on blogs, or in SL, or twitter.  I have a couple theories on why this always seems to hit a nerve.  First, I think that it’s human nature to want to be accepted and connect to others, especially when it is with people who potentially have so much in common that matters to us.  We are not the kind of educators that teach because of the phenomenal pay or the never-ending recognition.  We are the kind of teachers that want to change things, impact the future of education, create the greatest environment for our students!  I want to know you, talk to you, suck every bit of genius that I can out of you!  I feel the same passion for education as you, so of course I want to connect with you.

Second, I think it is especially sensitive because this is perhaps the only group of people we truly feel connected to when it comes to how we think and feel about our profession.  I don’t know about anyone else out there in the tech teaching world, but it’s lonely outside the box…I don’t have much of a sounding board at my own school, just a couple really, so this is where I come to feel  NOT like a freak:)  Of course I want to be invited to the blogger party!  Of course I want to feel connected and valued in this community.  It’s nice to see that I am not the only person who has an unhealthy attachment to twitter, or can’t seem to get their hair to look right in SL.  I mean, if people still talk to you after you turn yourself in to a box on the virtual dance floor how can you not feel some acceptance there!

After kicking it around for a year now, I realize that it is really more of a spectrum of acceptance than a closed circle.  I sometimes pop into a ustream and feel like it is 100 miles over my head, so I sit on the edge and absorb.  Sometimes though, I pop in and realize that I actually know enough to contribute, and usually the contributions are welcome, and I realize that there are others sitting on the edge listening and absorbing from me.  I have felt the occasional “who are you, and why are you talking to me” vibe, but I have learned that for the most part, we are all just trying to soak it up and learn from each other.  I don’t think you can take anything here in this world of virtual connections too seriously, or you’ll lose sight of the real reason we are all out here doing this. That’s just my take on this never ending hot topic….read it..or delete it:)  After 16 years outside the box, my skin is pretty thick- 

Thanks to Cool Cat for the inspiration it took to get me posting again:)

2 thoughts on “The comment that became a post

  1. Welcome back to the blogosphere (or at least posting to the blogosphere!) I love your insight and sent this through my links today (you’ll be on the blog tomorrow.) I just really enjoy your insight.

  2. I have been following the exclusive cocktail party fallout too.

    Hardly anyone at my school understands the edtech blogosphere – so I too appreciate my techie friends online. It’s nice to speak to people who understand my language. I come to listen, learn, absorb, share and just hang out.

    I like interesting cocktail parties. I may never become “friends” with the people I meet – but I always come away with another interesting story to share with a friend.

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