I was reminded recently, while in one of my favourite bagel shops, of the value of relationships. As I stood at the cashier counter I glanced over and noticed some obvious regulars talking happily amongst each other . “They’re our customers and our friends,” the cashier proudly stated. To which I replied, “You taught me something today.” Too often we forget who’s the customer and going that extra mile to make them feel appreciated. It begs the question, do faculties of education train teachers on customer service and managing parental interactions? At times, during my kids elementary school days, I often felt I was interfering when I offered to help or provide resources. The future is open and collaborative. I’m hopeful that the shift is starting to happen.
The CTF survey caught my attention in regards to work-life balance. It begs the question, will the teaching profession be less appealing in the future with the added stress that is clearly reflected in the survey results? You be the judge. Here’s the link.
To further complicate matters, I find the ongoing conversation about the skills gap increasingly concerning in speaking to industry leaders, including Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari. It’s a recurring theme where young people are not equipped with the 21st century skills that industry needs and wants. Bushnell himself stated that he’d rather take a dropout who is passionate about game design than a graduate who lacks the essential skills to succeed in the “real” world. This is further complicated by the fact that students and graduates are facing much higher costs and lower wages than when I did my undergrad. There are stats to prove it. Here’s a link from a CBC report. I recall paying about $1,000 tuition my first year, while making $12/hr working for the local city recreation department. Today, many students are making $12/hr or less.
Here’s a tip in how to get your news to go viral: Infographics have really been very effective for us. Check out Why Should I Attend An EdTech Conference. This was posted on Edudemic and got HUGE play for us.
Leadership is a BIG deal for me and what we do on a daily basis. Here are 10 Things Great Leaders Say Every Week thanks to twitter!
In closing, I’m in the midst of preparing to head down to Niagara for Connect 2014. We’re looking forward to a great conference. I hope to see you there!
Until next time, walk the digital talk!
Cheers, R.
