Exiting the Echo Chamber: CTTCB Social Media Institue

Visit the Center for Teaching through Children's Books

I’m thoroughly amazed by the company I find myself keeping at times. The trip from disenfranchised student to elementary school teacher seems wild enough. To look around the room Saturday morning at the #CTTCB16 Social Media Institute was as surreal an experience as I can remember. Betsy Bird and Julie Danielson have been guiding my knowledge of children’s literature throughout my entire career. Colby Sharp, children’s book heavyweight champion of the world, whose selfless advocacy is forging relationships between teachers and authors-- shifting our profession’s approach to reading instruction, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. At the head of the table, Bill Teale and Junko Yokota. Bill’s work with literacy spans generations. Thinking that is so big-picture that any attempt on my part to understand its gravity would require at least a few more decades of experience. And hopping continents like you or I run errands, Junko is a walking confluence of global ideas. Not a multicultural specialist, a truly special multiculturalist. So, "honored" doesn't begin to cut it (as evidenced by my ear-to-ear smile pictured below).

Left to right: Colby Sharp, Betsy Bird, Mike Lewis, Julie Danielson, Andrew Medlar

It makes sense that those who view children’s literature as both a window into the world and a mirror to reflect back on our personal experiences, would apply that same lens to the day’s events. A quick glance at the program is an accurate reflection of what The Center for Teaching through Children’s Books values: To thoughtfully process a meaningful topic, a wide net must be cast. This collection of social media advocates, spanned disciplines and roles throughout the world of children’s literature and education. Ranging from elementary to the superintendent’s office on to higher ed. and educational law. Before I was presented with the opportunity to contribute to this conversation, I saw social media as tool for communication that has had a significant effect on my life both personally and professionally. To say that participating in this event will have a profound impact on my approach and appreciation of social media, is a gross understatement. 

Junko, Colby and Julie in the Yokota / Teale "Book Storage" Garage*
*May be referred to as "library" (when not in the presence of the Evanston Zoning Board)

In keeping with the concept of mirrors and windows, preparing for the institute provided me the opportunity to think deeply about the role social media has played in my instruction. The one message I hoped to convey was summed up with a metaphor I heard the week before at a conference in Maine, “There’s an seemingly endless amount of drill bits available at the local hardware store but we don't actually need a single one. What we need is a hole. They just don’t happen to sell holes.” When we evaluate the tools we’re using, there’s no limit to what can be created so long as we explore their uses. I shared my experience using social media to expand my interests, networks, and ideas, concluding with how that evaluation process affected my formatting of the multitouch book that I recently completed. As I listened to what my fellow panelists have built using social media, I realized the stars I was seeing from my own planet were actually distant galaxies.

Social media as a creative force panel discussion.

While we can’t hope to name every individual star in the sky, each discovery can help us to better understand our own orbit. The genesis of Betsy and Julie’s work shed light on a dimension of ethics in blogging that I hadn't begun to consider. Colby’s mission driven NerdCamp, a monumental gathering of authors, teachers, and kids is being replicated across our country, showcasing the power of social media to connect us in person across generations. Laura Beltchenko and Darcy Proctor helped us consider the murkiness of our time and why we must all do our very best to share our work responsibly. Picking up on our changing expectations, Bill Teale led us to question how our expectations for self-selected PD have caused us to unintentionally shun the very organizations which predicated our networking for growth through social media. 

Bill Teale presents ILA's Scintillating Studies during the "Managing Internet Culture"

Creative endeavors thrive on thoughtful restraints. The collection of experiences could have filled days which means it would have been easy to walk away feeling less than satisfied. However, what the institute lacked in time was grossly outweighed by the thought leadership of its organizers. Panel discussions were boiled down to their most resonant points, clearing space for Brian Wilson, Eti Berland, Patrick and Elisa Gall who volunteered their weekend, to moderate a series of small group discussions tailored for the needs of each room. This format supported individual needs along with providing the opportunity for panelists to speak extemporaneously and authentically; a recipe to ignite self-reflection for everyone involved. I've always been of the belief that good teaching isn't about clear objectives, explicit directions, and measurable goals as it is about modeling the action we strive to see replicated. Considering the diverse experiences brought together in combination with its thoughtful organization, you have modeled social media at its very best. 

The best time for processing always seems to take place around the dinner table (provided there are desserts).

I want to end with the day’s most salient message for me, personally. I knew nothing about Edi Campbell before this weekend. In an age of divisive governmental stalemates and news sources that lack warnings of confirmation bias, Edi’s caution must be heard with a loud and clear voice, “Social media enables us to find our people, regardless of physical geography. With that reward we have a responsibility to lot let ourselves become trapped in an echo chamber.” 

Edi's speech should be mandatory viewing for all of those who use social media. And you can believe that I will be a regular reader of Edi's blog. 

(Begin at the 1:17 mark)