Don’t Vote For Me!

I’ll leave it at that. This “voting” season count me, count EFL Classroom 2.o out.

Please read my post from last year or “The Competitive Side of Schooling“. I used to rush for acclaim but now I think it is better we just collaborate and help each other “bring home the bacon”. My job and my joy is helping teachers find the things that help their students and make them contribute to ideas/knowledge/skills. Forget the cajoling and online breast beating. Where’s the beef?

Don’t vote for me!

PS. I do love Edublogs and that’s why I’m here on Edublogs. I want educators to find them and use them. So in no way is this dissing Edublogs, only the Edublog awards.

This video sums things up for me.


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ddeubel

Teacher trainer, technology specialist, educational thinker...creator of EFL Classroom 2.0, a social networking site for thousands of EFL / ESL teachers and students around the world.

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6 Responses

  1. Adam says:

    I’m totally with you on this one, David. Here is how I handled it:

    http://www.yearinthelifeofanenglishteacher.com/2011/11/not-my-edublogs-awards-nominees/

  2. David says:

    Adam,

    You handled it well and a great list! I should do something like that – all I offer is my continued Random Blog Generator and on EFL Classroom 2.0 under the develop tab – a list of recommended blogs in a reader, meant to help new teachers find others.

    I think if anything, they should get rid of the #1 #2 #3 deal. then I’d be more supportive. It would / might also avoid the “vote for me” syndrome that takes over. Like the commercial I highlighted, so many feel “left out”. We don’t want that in our classrooms so we should practice what we preach. IMHO.

  3. Torn Halves says:

    How exactly does that video sum things up for you? It’s a piece of viral marketing, and a tool for a nasty financial institution encouraging people to get into debt. Is there a subliminal critique of breast-beating that I missed?

  4. ddeubel says:

    Torn,

    Point taken about the direct message of this video (stinks but as a society, we can’t avoid these, but this is another issue).

    The other message for me is that awards bring the expectation that “you might win”, they lift you up but in the end with awards, most except one are “used” and put down. There is no celebration of what you are – just a black and white comparison. The kids expression sums it all up for me – he’s brilliant and I predict will be a huge star but to me, he already is. He’s authentic despite the phony premise and intent of the commercial. Let’s all be authentic, do our thing and not be sucked into the “hook” of a shiny car.

  5. Marvin says:

    I took the liberty to use your picture on one of my articles.
    Please contact me if you want me to delete it.
    You can find it here : laroutinedunmarvin.wordpress.com
    Thank you !

  6. ddeubel says:

    No Problem Marvin. Thanks for the link and sorry for my late reply!

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