We, I, have started my journey of “branding” myself for the ADE institute. I recently wrote about my apprehension of using corporate language when sharing my online identity, values, and mission, so I remove my critical hat of the language for the time being (but will continue the thought process and growth on my original post)

In this post,  I want to drink the Kool-Aid a bit so to speak and go through the process with an open mind. I have been given a workbook as a guide to investigate and reflect on my values, mission, passions, and purpose. I have been meaning to do this for some time, so the activity seems relevant. I am, at the moment, not concerned about the brand or the product, but a closer look at what it is I believe in. I have spent most of career looking closely at who I am. Identity in general is a passion of mine, but I see the value in consolidating the pixels of who I am into a bite size snapshot.  And that is what I will be doing for the next few hours.

I love to write and wrestle with ideas through text, so this is where I have chosen to start. I hope to move into media and more dynamic forms of engagement, but words are where I am rooted and this is where I will plan the seed. I apologize in advance for walking through what may seem like a scripted process, but if it proves to be too restrictive I will, as I am apt to do, fly in a new direction.

Step one: Explore my roles…

Father, artist, writer, educator, open/free-sharer, filmmaker, photographer, storyteller, leader, friend, husband, trouble maker, rabble rouser, revolutionary wanna be, critical thinker, button pusher, observer, inspirer, fire starter, a process…in the end I am an ongoing project that will only end, or perhaps continue, upon my last breath. At this moment in time: I am a father, and educator and learner.

I have been asked to look at these disparate roles through the lens myself  as an ADE and a professional educator. I think the three roles that jump out are: open/free-sharer, leader, and artist/storyteller.

Let’s take a closer look at what each role means to me and what that can look like:

Open/free-sharer: I believe that openness leads to empathy, understanding, and authentic human connection. By openly sharing many aspects of our lives with as many people as we can, we connect on a deeper level- we are more than teachers and so we must connect beyond education if we want to truly create a community.

My mission is to lead by example. Prove to people that being open with ideas, dreams, and fears is valuable and liberating. Help others understand that their fears and inhibitions are obstacles. Help students and teachers deconstruct the walls they have built around themselves so we can better see each other- with our flaws and failures, but also to share our light.

This is a passion of mine because I was an awkward shy kid who carried inside me a tremendous weight. I would have loved an opportunity to have access to the global stage now offered digital citizens. The experience of sharing my voice has been a vital shift for me both personally and professional. My whole life I have been hearing my voice, but not able to share it. But that has all changed.

So will this work for others as it has for me? Will it work for you? I am not sure, but I am a believer in these lines from Modest Mouse: I know this of myself
I assume as much for other people. We have to be more alike than we are different, but purpose is to see if I am right

Leader– I believe that leadership is not about pushing or pulling, but by inspiring and modeling. It is about listening and caring. I am not good at this. I know. It is new for me. I am often excitable, passionate, and have been told I am intense. I know what it is  right and I want to prove it to you, but I know this method will not work. We need to be humble and kind. As a mentor working with other teachers, I need to meet learners, students or teachers where they are, not where I want them to be.

My mission as a leader is to learn how to slow down. I want to listen more and talk less. I want to understand why teachers fear technology, not make confident assumptions. I want to learn to lead.

I am passionate about being a leader because I am enthralled by politics and the way we human beings interact. A school is a microcosm of our society and if we cannot learn to function within one of our most important institution how will we ever work toward s a more peaceful, sustainable functioning world.

The purpose is easy. World peace! Not too ambitious right? I have been intrigued by human connections since I was a child. My life’s work is to continue my journey toward self-understanding and peace, in hopes that it will open a window to the global stage.

Story teller/Artist– Novels, music, photography, film, poetry, sculpture, dance, doesn’t matter the medium I love stories. I love exploring how we all, in our individual ways and collectively experience reality.

I want to continually fine-tune my story telling abilities while also helping others understand that they too have a story to share.

Feeling a bit repetitive here. So I will say it all in one line: I want to connect people through stories, so we can see clearly our similarities and our differences, in hopes of creating empathy and understanding.

Now I have been asked to ask a friend about how you feel. As a perfect way to model behavior, I want to ask you, my network to share what you think:

What do you notice about what I have written?
What seems important to me?
What do you know about me that is missing?

Time is of the essence, so please just take a few minutes, read skim, browse and jot down a few thoughts. Thanks!