Well, the week after the conference is coming to a close, so it's time for me to step down as the moderator of the Virtual Town Hall. Everyone, thanks for the invigorating discussion, both on RhetNet and on the MOOs. I'd especially like to thank the invited speakers: Eric Crump, Paul LeBlanc, Lisa Gerrard, Karen Schwalm, Janet Cross, Steve Krause, and everyone who subscribed to RhetNet or attended the MOOs. Thanks, too, to Dene Grigar and John Barber who conspired with me to come up with the Town Halls, and who moderated the f2f Town Halls at the Conference. Thanks, too, to Tony Rue and his many helpers for giving this event such prominence, to Cynthia and Jan for letting us use LinguaMOO, and to Eric for letting us use RhetNet. 

I thoroughly enjoyed these discussions, particularly because I couldn't make it in person to the conference this year: too many babies too close together; and, as most of you know, Locke and I are preparing to take on Lubbock as Visiting Professors for a year. Next year in Rapid City, then! 

Speaking of next conference and how it should be run, Eric Crump suggested that all of us with kids bring 'em next time and take over the conference....not a bad idea. We might learn a lot! For instance, perhaps we should run the sessions like I see the Montessori school down the street run things: lots of hands-on experience, a variety of free-range and organized tasks, the opportunity to work in groups of like-minded individuals or alone, a chance to practice what you already know and an opportunity to learn new things, a hug when you need it/want it, everything fun but building important skills of hand/eye coordination, logic, ethics, community, and so forth. Hmmm....perhaps we should flesh that one out! 

Because it's a "virtual" town hall, it doesn't have to stop, of course. So keep on talkin'. 

Until next time, 

--Becky