Truths for a Tuesday

Truths for a Tuesday*

I am not a savvy or comfortable traveler. Our family is headed a big fabulous adventure trip, and I am carefully noting addresses in Google Docs and obsessing over clothing choices and worring I have not read enough tour guides. I used to be more at ease with travel, but the past few years, it's thrown me into panic, not possibility. I'm grateful my family is more chill with figuring it all out (because it usually does work out, right?), and I can handle their teasing me about making detailed itineraries and lugging heavy guide books. (We are on our way to Spain - share your Barcelona and Bilbao ideas!)

I get tired after long work days. Achy in my bones (ankles and back, especially) in a way I didn't used to be, hesitant to make a dinner plan if it's been a full day of leading professional development, knowing I'll want quiet, no movement, no decisions. I think it's a combination of age, of needing to stretch more, and of finding so much more challenge in the work of compelling adult learners to learn/grow/change. I'm reading Generations by Jean Twenge to consider ways to strengthen by work across rooms that now contain 5 generations in our teacher/coach/leader workforce. And certainly tired because I do work hard to build community, make connections, find pathways for every learner. Meaningful differentiation for adult learners is key to our profession making progress (and we gotta practice what we preach, too!). I'm admitting here - that work tires my body.

I'm not finding an easy pathway for AI to make my life easier. For instance, I'm reading Jean Twenge's book (ok, more skimming it), rather than asking AI to summarize it for me. I did ask AI a few questions about using typical generational differences to better plan adult learning (and also: what to do over 4 days in Barcelona!). But I still get the guidebooks out of the library, double-check that Twenge's research isn't been shared inaccurately, and it makes me wary (and weary?) to count on this information in a substantive way, so I always double-check. Are you more confident in its brilliance? Do you have a preferred bot? My fear that this technology is going to lead me astray (or learn things about me and use that information to hurt me) feels silly, but yet - I carry those fears.

*The game Two Truths and a Lie inspired this post, but I actually only had truths today! What are your truths this week?