Darcy Moore

Darcy Moore

Welcome to the weekend. This week’s Friday Follow Interview guest and I have shared a rather interesting week. It has been the first week of the new school year and to make that even more interesting was the fact that each day this week our region experienced weather that topped 30 degrees celsius. During the afternoon the apparent temperature was approximately 37 degrees celsius. So, who is this week’s Friday Follow guest?

Darcy is one of my closest followers geographically. Not the closest. We have met for coffee and brews on occasion. As well we have shared workflow ideas, talked shop, gone on small excursions taking photographs and watched the EPL. Darcy is a thorough gentleman, well read and a great thinker. Let’s begin…

1. Please share a little about yourself with the readers.

My name is Darcy Moore and I was born in 1968, Year of Revolutions. I have a partner and two young daughters. We live in Kiama, NSW and I have worked, as a deputy principal, at Dapto High School for almost 5 years.

Prior to that I was an Head Teacher English and classroom teacher in a number of schools in Sydney, the Riverina and England. I grew up in regional and rural NSW spending my most formative years on the mid-North Coast. During my adult life I have lived in Newcastle, Wagga Wagga, London, Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Travelling is important to me, as is change and continuity.

2. Describe the role played by social media in education.

Social media plays virtually no role in most formal education settings. This is a tragedy and one I would implore learning professionals to change. Students (and staff) need to take advantage of what technology has to offer learning. Social media is transforming business, government and all aspects of our lives but education, systems and educators are slow to adapt for a whole range of reasons. There are a growing number of learning professionals using social media but still relatively few do.

3. Tell me about your relationship with social media. How do you feel about social media?

Social media is fundamental to my day. It allows me to laugh, learn, connect and feel part of a vibrant community. I use many tools including, Twitter, Yammer, LinkedIn and Facebook. RSS feeds into my Google Reader are an important part of my routines and I blog regularly.

Like many, I changed to Diigo but I still hold hope that my Delicious page will not have to close. What I find interesting is how I learn differently because of the connections made online. It is easier to talk with ‘experts’ and enthusiasts in any number of personal and professional topics of interest. Recently, I have learnt much about HDR photography and feel that some very clever people are advising me personally. I feel connected and it further stokes the fires of my passion for photography.

4. What do you feel are you strengths?

My enthusiasm and capacity to enjoy a busy life.

5. What advice do you like to share with people?

My favourite quote to personally remember and for people who seem gloomy and pessimistic is from William Blake’s, London. “Mind-forged manacles” are what we all can create for ourselves without even realising. Having said that Kahlil Gibran also has wisdom on this issue for me to remember:

The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose.

6. Are there any questions you would like to ask?

Many but two will suffice, especially if someone posts answers.
1. How do we get the general population to want better learning experiences in schools rather than accepting the status quo?
2. Why do relatively so few educators have an online (professional or personal) presence?

Thank you Darcy. I agree… why are there so few educators represented online? We are indeed a rare breed.
I am grateful for your input, especially at this incredibly busy time of year. You are an indefatigable educator Darcy. I look forward to our next get-together which is well overdue. Now, why not check out Darcy’s presence online at the following sites:

Delicious
Twitter,
Yammer
and Darcy’s blog

Remember, you too can be a part of the Friday Follow Interviews. Simple send me a DM via Twitter to john_larkin. The questions are set out here.