Humble Pie Tastes Good

I find myself short on time--always short on time. But write I must. I just might be--efficient with my words.

This Friday and Saturday I took part in a conference unlike most I've attended. It was called NovaNow and it was held at the Kent Innovation High School. The school itself hosts a not-so-"school as usual". It's a project-based learning school and its physical design is something to marvel. There are glass walls to allow common areas to see what's happening in the classroom. There are common areas built for cross-curricular collaboration. Fascinating, for sure.

But the conference was not-so-"conference as usual". Each presentation was to be a dialogue among those who attended, NOT a sit and get. In six different sessions, I was able to work with educators across Michigan about ideas.

And that's when I tasted humble pie.

There are so many Michigan educators out there who push limits and reign them in, who challenge students by letting them go and help them by reigning them back in.

In every session, even the one I co-presented, I couldn't help but feel that I am just one of many educators pushing to get better, collaborating to improve.

Attending conferences is new for me. It wasn't until my 10th year that I attended my first session. I don't know why. I just was scared to leave my room. Perhaps I thought too highly of myself. I certainly thought too little of the conferences.

Through these conferences, through these educators, I tasted humble pie--and it tastes pretty good.