Webheads and webloggers are amazing people!

For days now, I've been trying to catch up with my work for the two EVO 2005 sessions I've signed up for; namely "Becoming a Webhead" and "Blogs in ESL-EFL." And while I've been learning a lot (and yet never quite catching up!) and finding a lot to interest and amaze me, nothing I've learned so far amazes me as much as the people I've been meeting over the past 4 weeks! I've constantly felt overwowed (if you can come up with weird words like "wiki" and "blog," please don't grudge me my "overwowed" ;-) !!) by all the wonderful possibilities of technology and Computer-Assisted Language Learning, *but* put all those beside the amazing people I have met and they become pretty insignificant! Like usual, I'm too rushed to do justice to the effect you people have had on me, but I just couldn't disconnect today without sending a few words out into cyberspace and asking you all a question:

Is it just that wonderful people go in for this stuff, or does this stuff make people wonderful?

And no, I'm not just still wondering if your day is more than 24 hours (previous posts), although I'll be ... if I can figure out how you all manage! (I'm still embarrassed by not getting around to acknowledging many kind comments on my blog, or repaying the compliment by checking out other people's blogs and leaving comments there.) I'm talking about your wonderful helpfulness and patience, your sense of humor, your selflessness--in a word, the whole package! So whichever of you is still reading my blog (and for the life of me I still can't understand why anyone would want to!), thank you ... for ... (how to put it?) ... everything you've taught me. It goes way beyond anything the syllabuses had led me to expect.

Susan @>---;--


Comments

Nathan Lowell said…
I think the normal distribution still holds here. There's the normal distribution of what Amy Gahran calls vermin.

It's just that the helpful people tend to hang out and ... well ... *try* to help. The unhelpful, don't. The other thing to consider is that the people who signed up for the course are self-selected for their teaching instincts. I think all of us are teachers in some venue.

And *no* teacher can let a question go un -answered! :D
12:05 AM
elderbob - the blog boss said…
Sorry, I didnt post sooner. It has been a real treat to have you in the class. I hope you continue on with the Webheads. We really are an interesting group and we love to get newcomers.

If there were a nomination for person who learned the most in class, I would probably have to nominate you. It seemed that you had some real difficulties getting started but after you were up and running, you did quite well....congrats.

Keep in touch,

elderbob
12:58 PM
S. Susan Marandi said…
A belated reply to Nathan, Azzam, and Elderbob!

Yes, Nathan, I guess you're are right about no teacher being able to let a question go! But I'm not so sure you're right about the normal distribution holding ... ;-)


Azzam, I'm glad you've learned to balance the art of blogging and the art of living! As for me, alas, what happened to the bygone blogless days ...? ;-) A newly-made friend of mine from baw2005, Barbara from Germany, says her husband is thinking of starting a "Webheads Anonymous." I think a "Blogheads Anonymous" center wouldn't be a bad idea, either!
;-)

Last but not least, Elderbob,

I don't know if you'll see this comment or not (I certainly hope so), but out of all the truly wonderful events of the past 6 weeks I have shared with Webheads and Webloggers, your comment was beyond a doubt the nicest thing that happened to me--and that's saying a lot!

Actually, I read it last night and have been thinking ever since how to thank you for a comment which I feel I don't deserve, but which I will try hard to be worthy of.

Thank you for making my day! (Are you sure you're on the right blog, though? ;-) I'm so worried that you've discovered your mistake too late!)

Still at a loss for words,
Susan @>---;--
11:00 PM
Daf said…
Dearest Susan,

Your entry reminded me of what I said at the end of the Webheads in Action EVO session back in 2002. I said that if I had not learned anything about web tools, it would have been ok, because the people I had met was the greatest value I took from the session and they made it worth and repeatable. That's why I am still here, and I feel the same about all our participants this year. Had you ever participated in another virtual graduation ceremony as lively as the one we had? ;-)
hugs,
Daf
5:05 AM
Selga Goldmane said…
Dear Susan,

I have not been very active in the blogging sessions due to too much work , but I would certainly agree that I feel like I have known some of the co-bloggers for years. And I wouldn't be surprised to meet them and just start off a conversation like with good friends. Yes, there is this question whether blogging makes people special or special people choose to blog... :)

Selga
11:04 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Another question requiring courage: Is teaching bad?

I've been attending all the discussions I could possibly find these days. (Believe it or not, today I simultaneously attended Michael Coghlan's talk at YM for the baw2005 group **and** the Tapped In session by Dana and the others for the weblogging group, because I was determined not to miss anything. I just hope I didn't sound too confused, trying to keep up with both!) Anyway, my point is this: In most of these talks, discussions, and conferences, I've received the impression that "teaching" is nowadays a no-no, and that classes should be run differently so as to encourage student empowerment, decision-making, etc. Of course, all our textbooks say the same, so it's no surprise to me, and to a large extent I agree, **but** I have to be totally honest and say that when I look back on my own learning experience, a lot of my best teachers were exactly that: *teachers* (in the traditional sense). I mean, they were authoritative and the center of the
Read more

WAR AGAINST TERRORISM, dedicated to Crusader George

Image
WAR AGAINST TERRORISM , dedicated to “Crusader” George Lips gray-blue, nose still running, streaking his face A grimy white bandage hugging his baby fat His dark wide eyes stare accusingly into mine thru the camera lens Sweet little three-year-old How can I possibly make you see the soldiers only want to set you free? How to help you understand they merely want to save you from yourself by beating the “terrorism” out of your filthy Muslim blood? Alas! You are yet too young or you would now know what your teenage sister will never forget The precious price of “democracy.” * * * * Lovely little darling with those curly long lashes look the other way, please. They are coming again and it’s time to "turn the other cheek." By (Seyyedeh) Susan Marandi
Read more

Khaju Bridge, Isfahan

Image
Here's another historical site to visit if you come to Iran: Khaju Bridge in Isfahan, which was built around in the year 1650. Like Shiraz, Isfahan has many places worth seeing. For more info on Isfahan, you might want to take a look at Wikipedia . Although it's not always accurate with regard to Iran's modern history, it can give you an idea of the more ancient history, at least with regard to architecture.
Read more