Stop #2: The creation of this blog.

The experience of creating a new blog has been extremely enjoyable.  In my Sci-Fi Lit class last year, we were required to keep a blog about science fiction with many post themes suggested throughout the semester.  Prior to that, I ran a personal blog that had some success, but I deleted it.  I have a little experience with HTML coding and can create some pretty standard effects on the page.  There are also a few blogs that I keep up with from time to time. 

I am using my real name for posting because when I am applying for teaching jobs, I want to be able to use this blog as a part of my resumé or portfolio.  There is no sense in hiding who I am, since this blog is meant to be professional and an example of my workmanship.

The creation of this blog was quite easy since I do have experience in the matter.  I enjoy personalizing and editing web pages and using the small amount of HTML code that I know to really make something my own.

The avatar I created looks quite a bit like me, and but doesn't reflect my personality very much.  The avatar looks like a plain college girl who is addicted to Starbucks.  Although the Starbucks addiction is accurate, the rest is not.  I am by no means plain.  If I could, the avatar would have included my cat because I am a cat person to a crazy extreme.  My energy and attitude tend to lift others up when I am around.  I am an extrovert and an entertainer.  Making people happy makes me most happy in life.  It is pretty hard to put all of that into an avatar, though, so plain college girl will have to suffice for now.

Stop #1

This is a pretty hefty topic for a first stop: 7 1/2 habits of lifelong learners.  I mean, "lifelong" is a pretty significant period of time...  And learning? During all of that?  I know many people who would shudder at the thought.  Thankfully I am not one of those people.  Learning, both formal and informal (classroom and out-of-classroom), is a vital part of my existence.  When I'm not in school, say for summer or winter break, I am bored out of my mind unless I can find something with which I can stimulate my brain.  Acquiring habits that will help me continue learning by whatever means possible is a necessity.  So there are 7 1/2 habits:

1. Begin with the end in mind.
        This one seems particularly difficult for me.  I like to start projects.  That is all.  I never have a set plan for completing things, I just want to do something new all the time.  This is the habit to form if there ever was one.  Many times I will choose to learn something just because it seems interesting or fun.  I rarely decide how long or to what extent I want to study a topic.
2. Accept responsibility for your own learning.
        Of all habits, this one is the easiest for me.  In all of my classes, I actually read the chapters that are assigned and even some that aren't.  I even read my math book.  Who does that??  If I am curious about something in my everyday life such as how things were invented or why particular processes are in place, I will research it.  Nobody will just decide to teach me things, I must investigate the world of my own accord.
3. View problems as challenges.
        I am pretty good at this as I really do enjoy a good challenge.  Rather than losing my head about something that seems unsolvable, I work my tail off to produce results.  Since failure is not an option, I have little choice but to turn those panic moments into an opportunity to use critical thinking.
4. Have confidence in yourself as a competent, effective learner.
        Being a competent, effective learner is something my mother has instilled in me since I was a toddler.  She began teaching my brother and I how to read and "reason" when we were nary one year old.  She gave us an arsenal of skills to help us keep up with our pre-k learning and those skills developed with us to create the confident, adept learners we are today.  I can hardly attribute this habit to myself; I got it from my mother.
5. Create your own learning toolbox.
        To me, this habit is a no brainer.  I have a vast library already of academic, how-to's, and self help books.  I have a youtube subscription just for how things work.  Many of my friends are in different fields of study, and I can come to them with any questions I have in those fields.  Once you know what information you want access to, you can build a toolbox quickly.
6. Use technology to your advantage.
        This habit is both easy and difficult.  Many technologies are already in my toolbox, like the web and youtube.  Other technologies are foreign to me.  I am not experienced in using video or voice recordings, and the thought of creating and using them intimidates me a bit.  Conveniently, this is a habit that will be improved upon in this course.
7. Teach/mentor others.
        As a future educator, this is the habit I find most important.  The easiest way to learn something is to try to instruct someone else.  When I am at work and someone is learning to do something new, after they train on the job, I suggest they try to train someone else.  The reversal of roles makes a huge impact on the amount of information the trainee absorbs.  Also, as every former, current, or future teacher knows, students teach you just as much if not more than you teach them.

   7.5.  Play.
                This habit is plenty easy.  Observing, testing, and manipulating the world around my is             one of my favorite things to do!  It is important to maintain a playful disposition as you grow           older in order to continue to learn in the most basic of ways.

While most of these habits are innately easy for me, some will require some work to achieve.  And you know what they say, "it takes 21 days to form a habit."  I had better get started.

Filling up the tank...

I am standing at the precipice of a semester-long journey ecstatic about what the future may hold for me.  This is my dream: entering the education field.  Now at long last I can begin cultivating the teacher inside me.  The Gen-Eds are over and the real, career-building, life-changing fun can begin.  This assignment has me excited in more ways than one. I don't really see it as work necessarily, at least not in the burdensome "I have so much homework to do" kind of way.  I think of it more as an opportunity to grow, both in my relationship with technology and in my relationship with my inner educator.  I am also excited to run a blog again.  I ran a fairly successful blog a couple years back (which has long since been deleted) and had to quit due to my lack of free time.  Now that running a blog is a required part of coursework, I will be able to re-assimilate this activity into my schedule and hopefully it will stay there.  Between jobs, family, and coursework, I anticipate this will be a bumpy road, but now that I'm fueled up, I'm ready to get going.  See you at Stop #1...