In 8 of my 10 years, I have taught 2nd grade - except most recently in 2011 when I went to 1st, but then blissfully looped back to 2nd. The @mssecondgrade moniker worked. But knowing how much I really like 1st, I knew the day would come again when I would need to rethink my digital identity because the idea of teaching one grade for the rest of my career didn't sit well with me - change is good. Change provides a good kick in the pants.
Eduguru - the one who told me to blog, was also about marketing yourself. I'm really not one to do that, even as a former business degree graduate. I come from Asian stock, where the collective is more important than the individual. But I did need to come up with a new online "branding" for myself because change.
Googled all sorts of possibilities - I wanted to be identified as a learner and teacher, and especially primary because I have a firm belief that our primary students lack consideration. Everything is geared towards 10 years and older because I guess they can read and write for the most part...
I have a pet peeve (not to be confused with disgust, or angry annoyance, or protest against) in the world of education. It's the asterisk that primary education receives. At conferences, writers workshops, science, social science presentations, etc, there is usually a little asterisk that notes *can be adjusted for primary students, or *appropriate for 3rd grade and up, or *see this basic, stripped resource to use for younger students... Of course, there are events geared for the primary level, but too often it's stiflingly structured and lacking in excavating the full potential of our youngest learners. And it's boring. There. I said it.
Back to researching what "brand" would reflect what I actually see happening in my classroom and the thing I wanted to direct my focus - what's good in education - because there is a hella good going on. All the usuals were already taken - primary innovators, innovative little learners, primary learning, hacking the primary classroom...blah, jargon, blah, educationese, blah.
What about a play on words... What will communicate what my students can really do?
Can do.
Kan do.
Kando.
"...we find that it’s not just functional value that people desire, but the deeper and more elusive emotional value. Emotional value. And in Japanese culture, we call this kando. Kando translates to mean emotional involvement. The power to simulate an emotional response. The power to make people say, “Wow.” All Sony products must be inspired by a spirit of kando." -Kazuo Hirai, president/CEO Sony
"Creating kando* together.
*Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feelings of deep satisfaction and intense excitement that we experience when we encounter something of exceptional value." - Yamaha
"Kando" is something that inspires the heart and spirit ... That which deeply satisfies ... Appreciation ... Admiration ... An emotional impression or sensational feeling that touches the soul ... Emotionally moving." -Kevin Asbjornson, author & speaker
Japanese-English Dictionary - sensitivity/severity
Swahili - beside, aside, next, side
Nepalese - slang for buttocks
This.
This kando is what keeps me in the classroom. This is the thing that happens every day when I block out the sounds of the politicians, the media, social media, my own frustration...
This is the thing my colleagues and I talk animatedly about at happy hour, on hikes, and much to the patient chagrin of our spouses...everywhere.
This is the magic that happens in public education every day.
This is what I need to focus on as I move into my next 10 years
The magic is in my little kando learners.
This is the kick in the kando I've been looking for!
