Wow, I learned something about myself today.  I learned that if I cannot direct my learning at pretty much all times, I feel crazy. . .

Sat in a workshop today where internet access was unavailable.  A friend believes it was unintentional. I believe it was intentional. I spent some time being angry and frustrated that the presenter would deliberately set up a workshop without internet access.  BUT, realizing that was futile, I began to examine that anger and frustration.

I realized the thing that was driving me crazy was not being able to direct my learning.  I was missing tweets from other workshops or learning opps, I was missing being able to do any work on the web and get some things done I needed to do, and I had no access to my email or even my phone. (Cell phones were blocked in this particular workshop location.)

I realized in many ways, I felt powerless—I had to engage with the speaker’s lecture or be bored doing nothing.  I could have taken notes—so I began writing.  Thus, you get to read the angry blog that precedes this one and the reflection in this one.

I felt powerless to direct my own learning in the ways I wanted to, in the ways that I was comfortable with and in the ways that fits my style. I don’t want to be in that place.

So why do we do it to our kids daily?