Just a short update – a little earlier today, I received a phone call from Justin Hamilton, one of the press secretaries behind @EDPressSec. He is in the process of getting some answers to some of my questions and asked me to pass along that he and the Department of Education ARE indeed paying attention. And are terribly busy. (I understand both of those.) It was a good talk.
I look forward to those answers and appreciate the phone call. After we resolve this inquiry, I’m eager to discuss how we might help the Department use social media in the future.
I’ll update more as I know more. Thanks to him and to all of you who are asking questions and politely engaging in this issue.
There’s a big difference between “We’re busy,” which I’m sure they are, and “We only talk to reporters.” I’m glad they’re getting back to you, but put simply, I don’t believe what they’ve said.
.-= Matthew K. Tabor´s last blog ..“I Don’t Want to Ruin My GPA” =-.
So pleased you received a reply. This work- not just to use social media but to engage and converse about what is important… where the rubber hits the road, so to speak, is critical. The grace and clarity with which you approach this opportunity is inspiring. We all are in a better place with you on the team.
i’m with jenna. the grace and clarity you’ve shown are inspiring. i actually refrained from any comments on twitter because i can’t find grace or clarity when it comes to the proposed change for nwp funding.
i did, however, send letters to my congressional representatives.
.-= Nancy Devine´s last blog ..Time =-.
Bud, you’re The Man. I would argue that their response demonstrates your clout in the world of education. Thanks for all you do to influence education, whether through teacher training or informed citizenship.
.-= Ben Bleckley´s last blog ..Mantra 1 =-.
Between this and your last post I think what you are doing here is awesome. And I love you deliberate, polite plowing through—and when you suggest the leveraging of social media, only to ignore their constituents who aren’t “press” the charade around information sharing and Kafkaesque agencies hit home. A constant deferral of truth—or in its absence context—which will make their response all the more interesting. Bully for you!
.-= Jim Groom´s last blog ..“My Students were Teenage Zombies” =-.
Eager to see how this unfolds. I believe the NWP is valuable, but also what you are doing here is an inspiring model on how to solve some problems in the future.
I stayed tuned.
.-= Claudia Ceraso´s last blog ..Learning Together and a Tribute =-.
very classy Bud. thanks for showing us how to make change.
.-= monika hardy´s last blog ..flow =-.
Thanks everyone. One thing that I think is worth saying is that we haven’t actually done anything here yet. I, as an education writer and interested citizen, have made an inquiry. Now, I’m waiting for an answer, which I expect in the next week or two. Then, I’ll share that answer and I’ll take my next step.
I have appreciated all of your support and amplification of this request. I look forward to the next steps.
I hope, if nothing else, that I am modeling one way that you might conduct inquiry in your own affairs. Asking questions is important.
You have done something. So often teachers feel like outsiders in policy making. Perhaps your phone calls may come to nothing, but it’s nice to know that someone somewhere is listening. Even if they may not act on it, they are aware that there are teachers fighting for what they know is right for our students.
For me, it is easy to get caught up in the “I don’t have time” excuse and you’ve been an inspiration to get off my butt and fight not just for what I know to be important for my students, but also for what is important for my own kids.
I’d not be the teacher I am today without my summers learning about teaching and writing with NWP. It is really sound in its content and methods, and is one of the few programs where K-12 and higher ed instructors work together. I will continue to follow your work, so please let us know what we can do to support NWP.
I hope they give you some answers and rationale that makes sense, Bud, and not just some baloney that gets lost in the political sphere. You say you haven’t done much, but maybe putting some toes in the fire is enough, and now, the rest of us need to keep writing and putting our own pressure on DC folks.
Kevin
.-= Kevin Hodgson´s last blog ..Losing the Jabberwock =-.