Upon reflection, I’ve come to the realization that I should have initiated my blog by explaining how the name “Education DIRT” came to be. However, my enthusiasm to write what was on my mind led me to write a few other post before this one. In this blog, I will discuss how the name “Education DIRT” came to be as well as what I hope to accomplish with this blog.
The name “Education DIRT” occurred to me during discussions with lawyers, educators, family, and friends concerning an incident involving my son. Admittedly, I found myself expressing less-than-flattering sentiments about the school. These discussions could be construed as talking “dirt.” Being that I had been an educator, I felt bad about dishing dirt on a school. However, I also realized that being candid about educational issues is something that needs to be done. I realized that I could offer educational insights and guidance from multiple perspectives – as a mother, teacher, MTSS facilitator, and teacher mentor.
In the process of contemplating blog names, several options crossed my mind, but I kept gravitating towards DIRT. This choice was further solidified when I remembered that the term was also associated with a technique used to assist students in understanding and analyzing their work and teacher’s feedback. Recognizing its potential to encapsulate various perspectives, both positive and negative, I concluded that DIRT was the most fitting name for my blog.
While the term “dirt” typically carries a negative undertone, my aspiration is to infuse a sense of positivity into it. I plan to leverage this technique to help me discuss various education topics. Many of the blog posts will be Dedicated to Improving education and Reflecting on what has been as well as what is to come, Time that I hope will help others traverse the complexity of education. Other posts will be personal, a way for me to relay what is on my mind to my readers and hopefully let others know they are not alone in their education journey.
Refer to DIRT: Improving Students’ Minds, One Reflection at a Time for details on the implementation of the DIRT strategy.
