As a native of North Carolina, I am constantly asked the same thing once people know my full name. Hi. I am Jason Hendrix Burt; however, as a Burt-male, our family tradition is to be called by our last names once you hit the ‘rite of passage’. So when you refer to me, I am just Burt. Otherwise, I might not answer.
So this is my first time blogging. I do not know what I think about it right now. My nerves are jittery. I have retyped this sentence six times because I keep making the same typing errors. But I think that I can do this…
So currently I am taking an online course called Collaborative Leadership Inquiry/Digital Leadership Portfolio. This course is in three parts:
- Participation in a Collaborative Inquiry
- Creation of a personal blog
- Digital Leadership Portfolio
The first session was particularly neat. One of the facets of education is trying to continually improve our practice. This; however, is often complicated by the nature of individuals who struggle in separating their profession with their persona. More often than not, when a practice is challenged, that is asked if it is what is best for kids, we quickly feel that we are personally being attacked and not treated a professionals.
What that first session taught was if we can get educators more involved in the process of learning and reflection, we are all better off in the long run. And a book that I am currently reading, The Answer to How is Yes: Acting on What Matters by Peter Block has really help frame my thinking and intentional use of language.
The second session is what we are doing now.
Putting your thoughts in the airways as part of conversations and dialogues are one thing. It is a whole new level when you are putting your thoughts on print on the vastly growing web for all to see. Is this fearful? HECK YEAH! Should I push forward? Absolutely!!!
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.” — Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
Please subscribe to my blog as we will learn together. And as I keep posting and entertaining dialogue around my thinking I will build my digital portfolio, which is the next portion of this course.
Please enjoy this video of me when I was in a rhythm and blues band in London.
The Thoughts of Burt 