<$BlogRSDURL$>

from a public HS teacher (Gov't, Religion, Soc. Issues), who is eclectic (Dem-leaning) politically and Quaker (& open) on everything else. Hope you enjoy what you find here.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Some musings and reflections for myself 

I have not been posting much here recently. I have had much to consider in my life, and even those things I have written for other sites it did not seem all that worthwhile to put them over here. After all, they are far more likely to be read at dailykos, raisingkaine, streetprophets, and so on, than on an obscure blog to which few link and even fewer read.

But I have a few thoughts I want to record, and they seem inappropriate to post elsewhere, so that gives me an excuse for posting here.

In the next few days I will be dealing with side aspects of my near future. Having withdrawn from consideration for New Leaders for New Schools, through which I could have become a principal in the DC school system with about 1 year's training, I now turn my eyes to two other things. I have put myself back into consideration for the Sorensen Institute's Political Leaders Program. Had I not temporarily pulled myself out of consideration I almost certainly would have been selected this year. I expect some fairly serious questioning on my withdrawal and reapplication, and I may not be able to satisfy them. The two issues had been financial concerns and whether I could give a proper focus to Virginia. The latter is easily addressable, because of the pending refinancing. The latter was an issue with which I was challenged last year. I think I can say that there is enough going on in Virginia that I expect to be political active, including in my writing: there is a primary for the 11th, there is Judy Feder's race in the 10th (and I should probably mention that we will be getting together next month to talk about educational policy among other things), there is the work I do with Bobby Scott's staff, there is Mark Warner's Senate race, a possible serious challenge in the 5th, and depending what Phil Forgit does in the special possibly a contested race in the 1st. No one yet knows about the 2nd. That is a fair amount of stuff federally within the Commonwealth, and the jockeying for the state-wide races for 2090 is already beginning.


The other thing is something that has already been decided, the results of which I do not know. That will be whether Markos has selected me as a contributing editor (I think highly unlikely) or as a featured writer for education (possible, but I think not probable). I would be incredibly honored to be picked for either one, mildly disappointed not to even be picked as a featured writer, and angry or upset only if someone I really think inferior to me is picked for one of the slots - there are many worthies whom I think would be better choices.

My ego would love the affirmation of being picked, and I think I could manage the responsibilities. Realistically I do not think my writing style is such that Markos wants me on the front page, but who knows.

Meantime, I am NOT planning on organizing any panels for Netroots Nation, the newest incarnation of what was called Yearlykos. Perhaps if people beseech me I might reconsider, and if I am a featured writer on education I may realistically have no choice. I have signed up to attend, and I am going to have to see if those dates make it possible for me to do an NEH or Gilder Lerhman workshop this summer. I would think the latter is more probable, as they are only 1 week. But let's go stepwise, and first see what happens with the other two.

I am feeling a bit stale as a teacher, and I need to liven up my classes. I am thinking that after the test on Monday I may try something really radical with my comprehensive kids, although I am not sure as yet what.

I find myself tiring much more easily. And I am falling behind on book reviewing - I will write the one tomorrow afternoon.

And for now, that's all he wrote.

Peace.




Comments, suggestions and even rude remarks are welcomed!
Email accepted at "kber at earthlink dot net"
Preface email messages with "teacherken" so I know they are not spam.

Labels:

Comments: Post a Comment

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?