Thing #5

After a family dinner at Campisi's celebrating the birthdays of 2 precious nephews, I couldn't wait to return to my lesson on 'feeds'...this is so addicting! One more thing to compete with motherhood, wifehood, teacherhood, etc....gotta' watch it! It's a good thing life takes me away from the computer on a very regular basis...it's easy to see how people lose sight of what's REALLY important! I think Google Reader is the neatest thing ever...I really love NPR and the podcasts I put right on my iPod for good listening time on the treadmill. They are really great! Can't wait to explore GoodleReader even more! I skimmed through many posts to find one I'd like to comment on. The one I stopped on caught my attention. It was about a 'day of silence' so it spoke to me by title alone...how I'd love a day of silence....it was actually for a cause somewhat "out of my comfort zone"...that of gay rights, but the message was one I truly relate to. The power of the spoken word. I just had this conversation with a student recently...how words have amazing power to lift, or to shatter, or to heal, or to destroy, or to empower, or to desecrate...how we should use our words carefully. My students have begun to bring in uplifting, inspirational quotes to add to the ones already hanging from my ceiling. They are thinking themselves about the power of the spoken word. That's lovely to me.

Thing #4

What fun! I think I'll become a professional blog reader! AJ....you got any positions like that open in the near future? What a treasure trove of information there is out there...and I love that some of it is written by kids. I also love that there is an avenue for just about anyone to visit. If you dig long enough, you're going to find something that appeals to you. And if you don't find something you like, you have the freedom to start one yourself! Way cool! I found the responses to be pretty positive and supportive, indicating a fairly respectful crowd out there, which is a good thing. I'm sure there are large exceptions to that, though, unfortunately. I really was intrigued by Mark Edtech's blog about his "new-wave" SSR...because it's an issue I've been struggling with in my own room. His kids use blog-reading as their SSR time a couple of times a week. Very cool. I also enjoyed reading a perspective (maybe because it mimics my own?) about the relevance of homework. I like reading things that affirm my personal beliefs, although it's also nice to read something to challenge your own way of thinking from time to time. I kind of think that no matter what your beliefs, you can find something out there that adds validity and proof and makes you feel pretty smart.

I also loved seeing that I've got people following my blog. One is a wacky viking who admits to having Dumb and Dumber on his fave movie list, but I'll take what I can get (wink, wink!)

Thing #2

Wow! What an amazing description of a school I’d love to be a part of…better yet, I’d love my CHILDREN to be a part of! Is this the answer to waking up those minds that seem to be asleep at the wheel in my classroom??? Could it be the “alternative” setting I’ve been saying schools need to adopt for all those kids who want more, NEED MORE? Seems we are spinning our wheels and going nowhere with a great number of our kids. They so need to be engaged by learning…I need to find a way to ENGAGE THEM in the learning that needs to happen in my classroom.

Web 2.0 feels way out there. As comfortable as I am with technology on a personal level, I’ve never stretched myself to utilize it on-the-job. I’ve made lots of excuses…some of them are probably very valid…but until I break out of my rut and attempt some changes, I will always be wondering how cool it would be “if I did that.” I guess I just don’t know where to begin…or how to get to work early enough to make it happen in my classroom, since it all requires transporting of equipment/supplies which I’m not completely familiar with. Can’t get familiar with something if you never put your hands on it, though, so it’s my own fault. Maybe this is the kind of thing I’m needing to put myself in a more positive frame of mind about the job I have ahead of me…maybe it’s the thing to put my kids in a more positive frame of mind about the jobs they have ahead of them, too. Learning should be exciting and captivating and engaging.

Thing #1

Reflections on Lifelong Learning

The habits I think will be most challenging for me are:
"Beginning with the end in mind." I always WISH I'd done this when I end a teaching concept and realize I didn't cover things as completely as I wish I had. Realized that again today as I gave my students a quiz on standard units of measurement conversions. There's always something we didn't cover as completely as I wish I had; and
"Play." Unfortunately for my own children, going back to teaching full time zapped some of the play out of me. I allow the stress from school to creep into my home...totally unfair to my family.

The habits that will be easiest for me are:
"View problems as challenges." I like coming up with a good solution, especially if it comes about as a result of good collaboration with a few good minds. We have so much to share with one another, not enough time devoted to it.
"Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner." I do like being a student, and I feel I can do it very successfully. I love the act of reading and responding to what I've read. Writing soothes my nerves.
"Use technology to your advantage." I do love the computer. : )

The habits that will be most important as the course progresses:
"Accept responsibility for your own learning." Sometimes I breeze over things and don't read carefully enough...got to slow down so as not to miss something important.
"Create your own learning toolbox." I love this term...I have to make the tools I learn mine by USING THEM...too many times I forget all I've learned because the access to the resources isn't convenient or available. I've got to find a way to practice and utilize my new tools...or be resigned to wasting precious hours I don't have to waste.

Where did I get my title??? From Elton Stetson, who was always asking for "pithy quotes" from our readings. I loved that word, pithy. It's just a great word... there were lots of times I felt rather "pithy"...read things that sort of sounded "pithy"...I'm sure I've made people feel "pithy" at times, too. I still find myself looking for pithy quotes when I read, and sometimes I write them down when they really strike me as profoundly pithy. I love words, the pithier the better. They have so much power...they're powerfully pithy.