Angela's Blog (11)

Over the weekend, I had a very long conversation with someone I love about the wars that have been waged over religion. It was suggested that no wars are ever truly about this but that religious differences always provide a convenient cover story for struggles that have everything to do with our quest for power. I'm still chewing on that a bit--it is a compelling argument to consider. Today, I began learning about the Charter for Compassion. The conversation that took place this weekend came rus… Continue

Establishing a new online community is an exciting venture. We've been happy and comfortable watching activity begin to bubble up in small but meaningful ways here and eager for this to evolve as a true community that isn't really led by any one person. This is a learning experience for all of us. Discovering how to engage purposefully with one another is a big part of that learning. Sometimes, when we are new to engaging in online spaces, we aren't sure what the expectations are or how to part… Continue

When Rob Currin contacted me a few weeks back eager to begin connecting himself and his students to a global community of writers, my first thought was to send him this way. I first met Rob in a workshop that I was leading around establishing personal learning networks almost a year ago. I was inspired by his enthusiasm and his energy, and it's been an honor to support him as he's begun this work in various ways. We've been collaborating around how he might align the work of his Global Poetry Pr… Continue

Hi all--quick question for you: has anyone here ever led or participated in a fundraiser to provide relief to a family in need due to natural disaster or unexpected tragedy? One of our closest friends suffered the loss of both of her parents last week. They were killed during a home invasion. The family is now facing a mountain of unexpected expenses and a long legal battle. I would like to establish a fund and a donations process that can help them out, but I want to make sure I do this effecti… Continue

In my work with teachers and kids this year, so much of what we are discussing has everything to do with the pursuit of meaningful essential questions and the creation of real products. I'm realizing that it's possible that all great learning truly IS service learning. If we are asking our students to pursue essential questions and create things that can be of use to others in this world, then their learning comes to make a difference in this way. Incorporating service learning within a curricul… Continue

I'm not sure if some of you saw already, but Sylvia Martinez's latest post and attached article provides some compelling perspective and strategies for those who are eager to welcome students into the conversations that unfold within the field and beyond it. Her focus is on student presenters and conferences, but the points that she makes apply in so many other settings. For exa… Continue

I'm excited to see so many new members joining us here, and as it is the new school year in our corner of the world, many of us are turning our thoughts toward goal setting and the great things we want to accomplish with kids and teachers this year. Jenny and I are eager to begin facilitating stronger connections between those of you who are members of the ning. There are so many different ways to give back, and I think it might be helpful if we were able to identify the causes that our members… Continue

I've been off the grid quite a bit this summer--taking a self-imposed break and investing most of my time in facilitating a writing community for student and teachers. I just wanted to mention how much this space and Jenny's vision for it have been on my mind and how all of that influenced my work with the WNY Young Writer's Studio. I began this writing community last April, eager to bring teachers AND kids together to study what good writing is, how to create it, and how to teach others as well… Continue

I've really been struggling with whole notion of service--especially as a new experience for young children and teens. I don't know if any of you may have read Paula White's recent post, where she ruminates a bit about the challenges of truly engaging kids in learning, but that's how I'm feeling about service lately as well. Service learning is a common thread that weaves itself into my relationships with my fami… Continue

Summer has just begun in Buffalo, New York, and all of us are taking some much-needed vacation time away from new jobs and busy school years. Our family is traveling this week, and this is giving us time to chat about what we've done to be of service to others during the last school year and what we can do in the months ahead, while we are off. Laura was very excited to see this space begin to grow this year, and I have been as well. One of the greatest outcomes of keeping her service blog was… Continue

Watching Laura connect to different causes and serve different organizations has been an incredible learning experience for me. I'm discovering how those who make a real difference work hard to establish relationships with others--including kids. Lately, I find myself reflecting on this quite a bit as it concerns this community and what we hope to accomplish here in the long run. I know that Jenny and I would love to see others take the reigns here and make this space their own, but at the same… Continue