To IM or not to IM that is the Question

Last night I revived my dusty Yahoo IM account, and dropped Allana a quick line. I used ICQ about 1000 tech years ago. I had forgotten how fun it is to IM. It's more immediate than email. It's more personal than blogging. It is...well, it's chatting, isn't it? It's like sitting down at grandma's kitchen table after school and shooting the breeze. It's responsive and involving and energizing. I can see why the "Cool Cat Teacher" chose it as a method to involve reluctant students in discussion. What a valuable tool for extending conversations and as Cool Cat said, correcting errors in thinking. I really think teachers in classes that promote reflection and discussion should use this tool. See comments on Things 1-3 for the Cool Cat link.

Things 1-3

I flew through Thing 1 and 2. But I hit a road block at Thing 3. All chat and instant messaging features are blocked on school computers. So, there will be no IMing at school. Are we (the establishment) too interested in controlling student interactions that we are stifling the learning process?
What would happen if chat were allowed? Would students IM one another while they were supposed to be typing essays? What if they IMd one another about the essay topic?
What if they IMd their teachers for assignment help?
During Thing 1 we learned that learning doesn't just take place with paper and pencil in neat rows behind the lectern. Now it grows. It is dynamic. It is insidious. It spreads from palm pilot to blackberry like a virus. And it frightens authoritarian figures. It threatens the structure of our hierarchy.
Dare I suggest allowing IM? What chaos would ensue? What anarchy?

The Wednesday Letters

I finished this last night with many tears. It was a sweet read. Kind of an "Ahh ain't that sweet" experience. Having said that I have to comment on the ability of Jack and Laurel to forgive. In fact it is inconceivable to me how they could not only forgive an attacker, but welcome him into their home and community... I don't want to ruin the story for anyone, but if you'd like to discuss it. Drop a line.

7 1/2 habits

Habit #1 will probably be the most difficult for me. While I enjoy a good challenge. I usually let them come to me instead of pursuing them. I tend to dither through life, floating on the jetsam of experience. Goal setting and achieving will be an accomplishment for sure.