Choosing How to Engage

If you do a google search on “essential learnings” you will find many school systems use this terminology. Maybe it isn’t grammatically correct, but if you do a search on dictionary.com for “learnings”, up comes learning as a noun, and nothing there says it can’t have an s.

But you know what?  In this context, (and this is my opinion, spoken as a n American who has the freedom to voice my opinion) I don’t think it’s really as important as some comments yesterday seem to imply.

I believe those of us who participate in EdChat want to talk to other educators about substantial topics.  I was the person who submitted question # 4 and I am extremely sorry it precipitated the nitpicking it did.  Good conversation was all that was behind MY submitted question, “What should be the essential learnings that students get from attending school?”

So, in the interest of moving beyond those who want to talk about grammar, I’d like to reword it a bit to say

“What should be the essential outcomes students take away from our lessons?”

and I’d like NOT to waste #edchat space on talking about whether learning is correct with an s or not. I did NOT intend learning to be synonymous to “lessons” as someone suggested. To me, they are two very different things.

I personally plan to ignore any comments made about that or yesterday’s edchat tweeting.  I am not going to engage with those topics.

I care about what others have to say about the chosen topic–what they think should be what kids carry away from school.

I’d like to suggest everyone do the same so we can concentrate on the topic at hand, but it is an open conversation and people can absolutely do as they please.

I simply will choose not to engage in conversations that address grammar or EdChat practices during the chosen topic conversation..

I’m like Steven (@web20classroom) in that my typing does not indicate my intellect, and I spend time on my blogs, wikis and untimed writing proofing and re-proofing to make sure I don’t post misspelled words. So, prior to the speediness of typing tonight, I’d like to ask in advance that you consider the medium and not make judgements about my intellect or thougthfulness based on my poor typing skills.

Let’s choose to engage in conversations around what we believe are the “take aways” kids should carry away from school.

Thanks to all the folks who donate their time to help facilitate EdChat in whichever way they do.  I appreciate the chance to talk and listen to the many people who participate.

And, thank you all for engaging me in thoughtful and thought-provoking conversations!

4 thoughts on “Choosing How to Engage

  1. Pingback: Tweets that mention Choosing How to Engage | Reflections of the TZSTeacher -- Topsy.com

  2. Paula,
    Well said! Anyone who knows you through your writing,whether here or on Twitter, knows you are inteligent, thoughtful and wise. In my view you can add as many esses as you want to any word you like.

  3. Thanks, Chris, for the vote of confidence and for the chuckle you gave me today. Have a great rest-of-the-week!

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