During my EduCon 2.0 experience I participated in many discussions. In one such side conversation we bantered about the idea that we are all just part of an echo chamber. I have come across this idea before in the various blogs I read. It is the notion that we are all just preaching to the choir. To some extent I think this is true, but we all must step out of the chamber and into our districts and schools. Here in our schools we often stand alone speaking a foreign tongue.

So I have decided to think of my network as more of a fermentation tank then echo chamber. Here we explore; the what ifs, look for best practices, fine tune our thinking, argue a little, and garner support. So when we step out of the tank and into our schools we can speak with conviction, offer evidence and stand our ground. Sometimes I lose the leaven and need to dive back into the tank to refuel. Sometimes I ‘stink up the place’ and ‘stir up the pot’ with my ideas, as an administrator once told me. I take that as a compliment, we can not foster change and deep thinking without questioning our current ideas and practices.

So to the fellow members of the fermentation tank lets hope we produce a fine wine or good ale. And remember such a product requires time and a gentle touch.