Why am I here?

I'm giving myself a trip down memory lane this morning, before my teacher-students arrive for their fourth training day in our instructional technology program. As this summer has progressed, I've found myself reflecting negatively about workshops in general. I had scheduled some of what I thought were really terrific workshops this summer - all of them connected to Web 2.0 Tools and 21st Century skills in some way. None of them, so far, have attracted many teachers to sign up. My team is getting interest in some of our 'basic skills' classes, but the others, no. No one seems willing to step out and try these 21st Century tools. Why? Money issues? Salesmanship on our part? I don't know.

So today, I've pulled up videos of teacher presentations I've collected over the years, and I'm doing some reflection. I think it's going to improve my attitude.

You see, as each school year draw to a close, I have each group of teachers I've mentored that year prepare a reflective presentation. In it, they answer four questions:
What makes me a better learner?
What makes me a better teacher?
What makes my students better learners?
How does the technology I have available enable these things to happen for me and my students?

Each year, I get the basically the same reaction from the group, "You want us to what?" Many don't want to do it and think of it as a time-wasting assignment, but with a little grumbling they get it together.

The magic happens at our last group meeting of the year. Each teacher presents to the group. They've been given the opportunity to reflect on themselves both as learners and as teachers, and the results are incredible - sometimes funny, sometimes moving. We get little time as educators for reflection, but when we make the time, the results are powerful. I video the presentations and give each school an edited DVD of their teachers' presentations. This impresses the teachers, and their administrators.

Today, the videos are impressing me again. Reminding me that absolutely, positively, I am doing what I can in my little world to improve education for this generation of learners. Small audiences or large, one teacher, one small group of teachers, at a time.