In contemplating the most appropriate blog name for myself, I thought carefully about what encapsulated my personality, traits and beliefs. I am a passionate, active personality that thinks in the “big picture.” I believe that change is a positive force intended to better prepare us for life and I maintain an open mind and readily seek new means of personal development. By its definition, a catalyst is somebody or something that makes a change happen or brings about an event. Not only is this true in my personal life, it is a fair representation of my professional life as well as an educator. I feel that it is my professional responsibility to provide learning tools to students and to serve as a catalyst, merging their intellectual and social obligations in a form that will aide each student in realizing their maximum potential.
With a posting name identified, it was now time to create an avatar to reflect me. I chose to create an avatar that reflected my personal appearances and sense of style. Although, I was raised on a small farm, my mannerisms and fashion reflect a more modernistic style, so I chose a cityscape background and an argyle sweater. The shoes reflect my interest in golf, which is my favorite pastime. I had a lot of fun in creating the avatar, despite some initial challenges with regards to uploading my avatar on my blog. I found the actual creation of the blog to be very easy. Despite some initial hesitation about blogging, I now view this blog as an opportunity to experiment with a new form of communication and I am looking forward toward acquiring a new found resource.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thing #1
In considering the life learning habits, I began to reflect on my own personal comportment in an effort to determine my current degree of proficiency within the seven and a half habits identified. In an “a typical” fashion, I immediately migrated toward what felt natural, almost second nature in my thought process. This examination into my mannerisms instantly brought me to habit three: “view problems as challenges.” Perhaps it is my eternally optimistic demeanor or my tenure within the hospitality industry that introduced this habit into my life, but whatever the rationale this habit is embedded deep within myself and it is by far one of my strongest traits. Despite the obstacles that may arise, one is still in charge of his or her destiny. For me, I enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that I have strived to preserver any challenge presented in my life and I have taken time to reflect on the circumstances surrounding the obstacle.
Bernice Johnson Reagon once stated “Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are.” The wisdom gained through surmounting obstacles allows one to make more informed decisions and enhances one’s level of maturity. For me, I have weathered my own storm of negative forces from abuse as a child to the absence of a fatherly figure in my life. At times I was definitely down for the count, but I chose to never give up. With this in mind, the challenge in itself became a positive force that called me to action. You too can achieve great things by allowing your own achievements to lead you to determine your own destiny. Don’t stifle your ability to persevere by allowing the negative forces, associated with the term problem, to paralyze your judgment. Instead, focus your energy on engaging your mind, body and soul to persevere the obstacle at hand.
Being a positive person, I found it much more difficult to examine my own weaknesses. I came to the realization that I least associated myself with habit seven and a half, “Play!” Although I enjoy playing from time to time, I surround myself with a multitude of activities that monopolizes my time. Additionally, I tend to take on a little more that I should as I have a difficult time with the word “no.” I have a tendency to place the needs of other before my own in most situations.
I must admit though, my recent transition from the corporate sector into education has awakened a new found energy and general zest for life. During my six month transition, I dedicated my energy toward enjoying life, spending time with family, and tackling the “bucket list” I had created for myself. Ironically the fear of transition in a highly competitive and talent saturated job market subsided and a feeling of bliss engulfed my body. Who knew that taking time to play could be so invigorating? Let’s face it… life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Don’t imprison your personality and general well being by shackling yourself to a desk or task. Rejuvenate yourself and dedicate some time to investing in yourself. Believe me, the benefit is life changing.
As part of the course criteria for “Technology in Education,” we were asked to experiment with Web 2.0 tools. I was amazed at the amount of information readily accessible via the web regarding Web 2.0. Finding this information was fairly simple; however the dissemination of information, to determine what would be best suited for your needs, tended to be a bit more challenging. At times, I found myself enthralled with the creativity and fun various sites reflected. I am definitely looking forward to incorporating the interactive experiences these programs feature into the classroom, as well as, interacting with educators via blogs and seeking their “best practices” and experiences. Introducing Web 2.0 tools into the classroom will be one of my top priorities as a teacher and I cannot wait to continue to grow and learn new ways and of providing a superior learning environment for students.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog as it is my very first. I have found it to be refreshing as I reflect on various components of my life, and much more pleasant than I initially thought. Creating a blog was surprisingly easy. I did experience some challenges with uploading my avatar, but I am very pleased with the final result. This experience is definitely out of my comfort zone as I am very much a “people person;” I enjoy talking face to face. Despite the lack of direct human contact, I have enjoyed this task and I look forward to expanding my level of comfort to include a more proactive utilization of blogs.
Bernice Johnson Reagon once stated “Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are.” The wisdom gained through surmounting obstacles allows one to make more informed decisions and enhances one’s level of maturity. For me, I have weathered my own storm of negative forces from abuse as a child to the absence of a fatherly figure in my life. At times I was definitely down for the count, but I chose to never give up. With this in mind, the challenge in itself became a positive force that called me to action. You too can achieve great things by allowing your own achievements to lead you to determine your own destiny. Don’t stifle your ability to persevere by allowing the negative forces, associated with the term problem, to paralyze your judgment. Instead, focus your energy on engaging your mind, body and soul to persevere the obstacle at hand.
Being a positive person, I found it much more difficult to examine my own weaknesses. I came to the realization that I least associated myself with habit seven and a half, “Play!” Although I enjoy playing from time to time, I surround myself with a multitude of activities that monopolizes my time. Additionally, I tend to take on a little more that I should as I have a difficult time with the word “no.” I have a tendency to place the needs of other before my own in most situations.
I must admit though, my recent transition from the corporate sector into education has awakened a new found energy and general zest for life. During my six month transition, I dedicated my energy toward enjoying life, spending time with family, and tackling the “bucket list” I had created for myself. Ironically the fear of transition in a highly competitive and talent saturated job market subsided and a feeling of bliss engulfed my body. Who knew that taking time to play could be so invigorating? Let’s face it… life is too short to sweat the small stuff. Don’t imprison your personality and general well being by shackling yourself to a desk or task. Rejuvenate yourself and dedicate some time to investing in yourself. Believe me, the benefit is life changing.
As part of the course criteria for “Technology in Education,” we were asked to experiment with Web 2.0 tools. I was amazed at the amount of information readily accessible via the web regarding Web 2.0. Finding this information was fairly simple; however the dissemination of information, to determine what would be best suited for your needs, tended to be a bit more challenging. At times, I found myself enthralled with the creativity and fun various sites reflected. I am definitely looking forward to incorporating the interactive experiences these programs feature into the classroom, as well as, interacting with educators via blogs and seeking their “best practices” and experiences. Introducing Web 2.0 tools into the classroom will be one of my top priorities as a teacher and I cannot wait to continue to grow and learn new ways and of providing a superior learning environment for students.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog as it is my very first. I have found it to be refreshing as I reflect on various components of my life, and much more pleasant than I initially thought. Creating a blog was surprisingly easy. I did experience some challenges with uploading my avatar, but I am very pleased with the final result. This experience is definitely out of my comfort zone as I am very much a “people person;” I enjoy talking face to face. Despite the lack of direct human contact, I have enjoyed this task and I look forward to expanding my level of comfort to include a more proactive utilization of blogs.
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