Notes from the Multigenre crew

// November 11th, 2009 // Comments

Here is a great note from one of our friends. We started our journey with our first Edu-video by filming for Laurie’s Class at Concordia, almost 2 years later it is being used as a reflection piece. Thanks to all who collaborated and added to this ongoing education wave.

Dear NYAT
We watched the good ‘ol multigenre video in my Experiences in Writing class today. It, in fact, started off our class and I’ve never used it at the beginning before. But something clicked….clicked like you could feel it moving in the room. (If I could name “it,” I believe my dissertation would write itself.)

It struck me today as I was watching and laughing and remembering those students and their writing that while my teaching and learning essence is unchanged, I am more a teacher than I was when you filmed that class with their work. And it reminded me of what you two remind me about much of the time.

To be a teacher (and learner for that matter) is to never settle, to always move toward the mores, and to continue to rest with and alongside those that believe in vision and the potential that vision can illuminate.

Thank you for the indirect reminder and for letting me grow alongside you two visionaries.

Laurie

7 Responses to “Notes from the Multigenre crew”

Mary Royers says:

November 17, 2009 at 10:02 am

Laurie:

That last bit about “To be a teacher (and learner for that matter) is to never settle, to always move toward the mores, and to continue to rest with and alongside those that believe in vision and the potential that vision can illuminate.” reminded me of Angela Maiers.

I saw her in an OPS seminar a few weeks ago, and she was stressing the importance of always moving and never settling back into a cookie cutter pattern each year for your students. I’m sure you already know about her, but you might want to check out her website anyway.. I always check up on it everyonce in a while for ideas. I’m not a teacher yet, but she is certaintly still inspires new ideas for my future plans in the classroom.

http://www.angelamaiers.com/
Corey Friedli says:

November 18, 2009 at 5:22 pm

I am always inspired by teachers that have a continued desire to grow and open up the minds of students. I also think it is amazing when there are days in class where it just seems like “it clicked” as you called it, I think those are the days I hope to be able to experience when I am an educator.
Maggie Deschaine says:

December 6, 2009 at 3:03 pm

I truly believe that in order to be a successful teacher, one must always be evolving and bettering oneself. What doesn’t work one time can be fixed to work the next time. Just as what works well one time can be adjusted and improved to have an extraordinary outcome another time. I don’t think a great teacher is ever willing to settle with to same old, same old.
Mary Royers says:

December 13, 2009 at 3:13 pm

Sorry for posting freakishly fast after Maggie, I promise I’m not a creepy blog stalker or anything, Zach and I are just trying to get his post to show up on both of our laptops.

Anyway, I completely agree with Maggie. Teachers are supposed to be inspiration to their students, to give them something to look up to. As role models it is our job to demonstrate open-mindedness in our flexibility as teachers.
Ashley says:

December 14, 2009 at 11:04 pm

I agree with the fact that teachers need to be open-minded. If teachers are not open minded, then they are going to have a hard time being a teacher. The unexpected happens in the classroom (I’ve definitely experienced this in many ways and a couple were definite jaw-droppers ) and if a teacher is close-minded on some aspects in their teaching, then there might be issues down the road that could cause greater problems when something the teacher doesn’t agree with and doesn’t want to acknowledge happens.
Kristen says:

March 30, 2010 at 3:32 pm

I visited the site suggested by Mary Royers….wow! What a neat educational tool! The more variety and flexibility a teacher can bring to the classroom the better I believe. I am not yet a teacher, but I can understand how easy it may be to fall into a routine teaching style. However, I really want to work at versatility and variety to keep students engaged in different ways. I think beginning able to utilize different teaching methods and tactics helps keep a teacher on her/his toes and better able to handle unpredictable situations.
Danielle says:

April 14, 2010 at 11:17 am

In my mind, the best teachers make the biggest impact not by telling but by inspiring their students. If they love what they are teaching, that love will be passed on to their students and supply them with inspiration. When all said in done, impossible is nothing. With the knowledge that they can do anything and the interest to do it, there is nothing that can get in the way of working toward and accomplishing dreams.