[Year 12 IPM] An Invitation to Lurkers

Fri Nov 11 07:55:02 EST 2005

A great rejoiner, Kevork!
I remember way back when I first discovered this list, followed rapidly
by many of Kevork's others, I simply lurked. Often I felt the urge to
contribute or merely reply, but something held me back. Perhaps it was
fear of criticism, or perhaps I remembered a voice saying "People may
think you're stupid, so why open it and remove all doubt?" We can be so
cruel to ourselves with personal negative thoughts. Even after I had
begun contributing, I received an email from someone saying "Get a
life!" implying that IPM was all I had time for. Gee, the truth hurt!
But so what...
Now I really don't care. Being community is, for me, what it is all
about. For every contribution I make, I get 100 great ones from others.
I feel free to seek advice because in some way I feel that I have earned
the right to ask by freely giving to others.
There is one international photography group that I belong to, and
sometimes you can contribute a photo that you personally feel is your
very best, and the silence is deafening! Real lead balloon stuff. You
feel so empty. And then a comment comes, and wow! You are not alone. It
gives you the strength to try again, and again.
If you enjoy the list, pause and seek this answer - why do you enjoy it?
Perhaps it is because it lives? It lives through the words of those who
take the risk, and contribute. You too can add to its life, breathe
existance into its bones, make it something even more exciting than it
is now, not with a world shattering new idea - they come rarely - but
with a simple few words, that may merely say "Me too."
<<Keith puts soap-box away.>>
Thanks Kevork & Mark!
Keith

On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 22:29:52 +1100, "Kevork Krozian"
<kevork at edulists.com.au> said:
> Dear Mark and IPM teachers,
> 
>   What a beautiful message !!
> 
> Can I just say that apparently there are 552 active ( the messages do not 
> bounce back to the server )  email addresses receiving IPM mailing list 
> messages as at 10 Nov 2005.
> 
> Scanning just this month's archives I see no more than about 35 different 
> contributors posting a total of 86 messages in these 10 days. Considering 
> the Everest for our toil throughout the year is the exam I am sure a few 
> more of the 552 people have a comment, observation , complaint or
> compliment 
> to make about the exam we just had.
> 
> When so many teachers do join in the discussion, and when Mark bares his 
> soul by sticking his neck out with full solutions and a review of the
> exam 
> we have plenty to inspire us to join in.
> 
> This list is for all IPM teachers and no one will be criticised for an 
> honest and sincere ( or even funny ) contribution in the quest for the
> best 
> possible outcomes for our students.
> 
> Keep Well
> Kevork Krozian
> Mailing List Creator and Administrator
> kevork at edulists.com.au
> www.edulists.com.au
> Tel: 0419 356 034
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mark Kelly" <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au>
> To: "Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management 
> Teachers'Mailing List" <ipm at edulists.com.au>
> Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 8:14 PM
> Subject: [Year 12 IPM] An Invitation to Lurkers
> 
> 
> >
> > For all those of you IPM teachers lurking quietly in the lonely gloom of 
> > your school, nervous about standing proudly in the light of the mailing 
> > list and saying what's churning in your innards...
> >
> > Tear off your loincloth and proudly and loudly say what you think...
> >
> > This list is for all teachers of IPM. We like to hear new voices.  We seem 
> > to be always hearing from the same old valuable voices, so it's nice to 
> > hear new points of view.
> >
> > Be not afeared: I have never seen anyone embarrassed or abused here for 
> > daring to speak his/her mind.  We're really QUITE nice. Well... most of us 
> > are nice, if you exclude boisterous motorcyclists like Smee and me.
> >
> > Please feel free to share your opinions - even if you are new to IPM and 
> > feeling fragile about giving opinions or asking for advice.
> >
> > The 2005 exam is the most popular topic at the moment, so please give us 
> > your views.  No question or comment is dumb (except for mine - I have that 
> > rare privilege here.)
> >
> > A loud and polyphonic voice goes to making us stronger and sexier*.
> >
> > If we all crow loud enough, the examiners may hear us!
> >
> > We may not change the world, but we may change the 2006 exam.  Let there 
> > be no more QUESTION FIVES!
> >
> > Love and kisses
> >
> > Mark Kelly
> >
> > --
> >
> > * This may not be *strictly* true, but one can hope.
> >
> > -- 
> > Mark Kelly
> > Moderator: IPM Mailing List
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> > IPM Mailing List kindly supported by
> > http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 
> > and
> > http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers 
> > Association Inc
> > 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> IPM Mailing List kindly supported by
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> Authority and
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> Teachers Association Inc
Keith Richardson
IPM List Moderator
Head of ICT, Leibler Yavneh College
Elsternwick
Ph: 03.9528.4911
k.richardson at yavneh.vic.edu.au