So 2011 has been weird. Things are seeming backwards to me here. I mean Auburn won a BCS championship. Even more weird and backwards, I’m on my 4th snow day. In Alabama. A snow day. Last year was the first time I had ever taken one. So 2011 is weird.

My whole purpose of this is to point out that it’s 2011. Not 1993 when I was in 6th grade. Not 1981 when I was born. Not 1969 (I just chose that year bc history books make it a crazy year and I like it). It’s not 1911. It’s 2011. So why do 4 snow day make me seem disconnected with work? Why have I not been able to keep moving? Why are teachers in my school stressed because the school closing was not on her google reader (which made my week btw)?

I’m sitting in a noodle restaurant writing a blog post on what my daughter calls “That big iPhone” and tweeting on my iPhone as I write. Yet I have grades that need to go in, and can’t put them there. I have things I want to share with my students as I read through flip book, yet not able to.

I saw a tweet this morning about how Virginia wants to outlaw teachers being friends with students on facebook. Ok I understand facebook, kinda. But OMG people! It’s not about that! Where did I find out schools were closed? Not a school cast that has the wrong number and I don’t know password to change it, but from twitter and facebook. yet my district nor school have sites for the parents/kids.

When will education officials stop looking at social media as a bad thing and start teaching students AND teachers how to use?

Most of my kids don’t have email, but they almost all have facebook accts. They receive them on phones when no access to computers. I wish I could get in touch with them, I can guarantee 20+ will ask if they still have a test tomorrow when we go back. They won’t, but would love to stop that annoyance. Ha!

It’s time to embrace the now. The 2011. Not call it the future, not prepare for it, but embrace it TODAY.