Sharing

Sharing involves risk. In an individualistic society powered by competition, we are afraid to show our work and express our ideas. Many of us do not want to deliver a workshop to our colleagues for fear that we will be judged and expose ourselves to public criticism. We do not consider ourselves experts.  Many of us write poems in our notebooks or draw pictures in our sketchbooks, but we show them only to our trusted inner circle as we do not want to be labelled different or have our emotions therein conveyed dismissed or rebuked. Without our intent, our gifts and talents shrivel up unfed and watered.

Yet, we must share as it is sharing that moves us forward.  Gutenberg created the printing press to share the Bible with the masses.  Scientists derived a standard tag structure for documents called HTML so that their research findings could be linked and distributed to the world community on a network to be later called the internet.

Sharing seeds new ideas and nurtures strong concepts. Thomas Edison holds many patents for many famous and important inventions.  These inventions were made by teams exchanging ideas and conducting experiments together to find that creative spark. Brainstorming sessions done well maximize the input allowing us to see more. Ideas spring from other ideas.  Excitement builds from the exchange. A framework takes shape and a strong concept blooms.

In the end, sharing is natural.  As friends, our relationships are premised on a mutual exchange of thoughts, feelings, stories and understandings.  Families share meals and support.  Parents share their wisdom while children their awe of life. Teachers share their knowledge so students will grow and share it with others. Sharing is what we were made to do.

You must be brave.  Our students have come forward and taken risks. We must work hard to provide open learning, distributed learning and differentiated instruction: ways to  share and remove the barriers. The world's problems, from pollution to world hunger, have become so large that they can only be solved through sharing.  We need to foster sharing and be a living example.  In this dark night, we must pass on the torch.

Take the step.  Present at the next pd day with a partner.  Imagine everyone in the audience with bald heads.  Post your opinion on the On the Same Page blog.  Know that you are not the only one to do so. Assemble a team and complete an applied research project on best practices to be shared with community colleges across the province and beyond. And after such hard work, celebrate together at a potluck. Create a Google doc and hit the share button. Sit back and watch your collaborators type ideas and comment positively on each other's contribution.  Surround yourself with good people.