It’s that time of the year when we all look to the future to try to make our selves better, and the past to reflect on our accomplishments.  It’s also that annoying time when everyone writes about their top 10 something or another.

So, I figured “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”.  I looked through my Instapaper archive, my Evernote saves, and my Google Reader shared items to find the blog posts that inspired me this past this year.  I settled on nine because… well, it takes less time than ten.  Oh, and because it’s the end of 2009.
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image from flickr user COG LOG LAB

Four months without a post.  Even writing it pains me.  Several authors (whose opinions matter to me) have suggested that “real bloggers” must post on a weekly to daily schedule.  Once, that may have been feasible for me, but the demands of my full-time teaching, my writing over at TeachHUB, and my family now make it impossible.  It seems ridiculous to me that as recently as six weeks ago I was making plans to start up a new website.

In the last few months, many aspects of my professional life have changed–mostly for the better.  In the space of two weeks, I met Alan Alda (at an exclusive press event for his upcoming PBS documentary “The Human Spark”) and was invited to join a district advisory council of teachers.  Later, I found myself in the office of my principal pitching a new position for next year that would focus on integrating technology into lesson plans all over the school.

My stock was soaring, and it still is.  But, the catch is that all of this has left me with some very big decisions to make:

• Do I stay in the science classroom and work on improving my practice (differentiation, formative assessment, building a functional PLC) or do I push hard for this Technology Facilitator position with fewer headaches and smaller paychecks?
• Should I use the occasion of a departing principal to jump ship and try out a new school or stay and reboot my reputation with a new school leader?
• Is it better for me to stay in the classroom or to actively pursue a district-level position that extends my influence?

I have never been comfortable with change in my personal life.  Eleven years ago, I turned down a Fulbright fellowship to start graduate school mainly because I was scared of traveling away from the things that I knew.  I have stayed at my school (where my career began) through some pretty dark times because it’s still safer than the unknown.

But, on the other hand, who can say whether my career (and my life) will benefit more from building a legacy at one school, teaching siblings and developing relationships with community leaders, than taking my skills and personality to a new place and exploring the natural diversity of a huge school system?  In conversations with several more seasoned educators, the suggestions were split, leaving me to seek out my answers in my own way.

Suffice it to say, however, that Scripted Spontaneity will live on.  I hope to post more regularly about less serious topics and rebuild the community that once was.  Because everyone needs a place for their voice to be heard.

The 190th Blog Carnival of Education is up at Steve Spangler’s site.  And, by the way, how cool is it to have one of my entries right next to a mention of appearing on the Ellen Degeneres Show?

There are a few really thought-provoking posts that you should check out in this week’s Carnival, including one about the struggle to encourage voting and one about the dangers of covering for a student.  And Steve’s finale is gratifying to those of us in the second-oldest profession:

To those genuine educators and parents who submitted their own or someone else’s excellent blog post this week, I thank you.  Our children thank you.  And our nation thanks you.

Our schools, whether they be down the block or around the kitchen table, are the hope of the future.  Our children deserve the best . Let’s give it to them.

Thanks, Steve.  Tell Ellen I said hi.

Photo credit: stevespangler.com

All three active readers of Scripted Spontaneity should realize that I am not in the habit of using this space to promote my other ventures.  This week, though, I am going to put my integrity aside to share a little link love.

As some of you already know, I am working with the K12 Teachers Alliance to create a new teacher website which will be launching in January called TeachHub.  To drum up some interest, they have started a new interactive blog here.  There are daily posts about education-related issues of particular interest to teachers, and polls to gauge the perspectives of its visitors.  It’s in a rough state right now, but I would be so grateful if you would meander on over and post a comment or two.  The author, who will be editing the new site, is seeking any and all feedback.

Thanks in advance to my wonderful network of professionals!

photo credit: flickr user wilmmulder

Be sure to check out the latest Education Blog Carnival where a recent post from yours truly is presented, along with some very entertaining and thought-provoking stuff from all over the edublogosphere.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user pbo31