Monday, September 14, 2009

Reaction to Learning 2.0-#1 & #2

What mostly excites me about Learning 2.o is that it is a resource for exciting technology ideas and that I can navigate it at my own pace.  My problem is always finding the time to really learn a technology and then apply it in a creative useful way. For example, my supervisor has for years been encouraging us to create our own wikis but not until this past summer while attending a world language technology institute did I truly delve into creating one.  

I think I am a lifelong learner. Sometimes my end goals have drastically changed but I am always wanting to learn something. For example,  two years ago I took an accounting and a   professional baking class because I wholeheartedly wanted to become a pastry chef.  

I found the 7 1/2  habits of highly successful lifelong learners interesting. For me the easiest habit is mentoring others.  As a teacher, the mentoring component has always been an innate one.I think that when you mentor someone you become more reflective which always leads to greater learning. 

I also liked the habit about beginning with the end in mind.  As a teacher, I have been trained to think that way. You can't do your daily lesson objectives without having a good overview of the unit. Plus teaching requires organization, planning and forethought which I think is in a way what the learning contract is all about. 

Perhaps the hardest habit for me to tackle is viewing problems as challenges.  Professionally, I actually enjoy figuring out ways to solve problems and meet new challenges. Otherwise I would be bored with my job.  I see it as the means to becoming a better teacher. However,  it doesn't always come so easy in my personal life. In the latter I tend to view things a little more negatively.

More tomorrow...




5 comments:

Akearns said...

Hey don't forget to check our my friend's pastry blog http://www.pastrypal.com ;-)

Terri said...

Hey Mara,

I think it's awesome that you wanted to be a pastry chef!! So yummy!!

As for the learning, I'm kinda the opposite of you with regards to the viewing problems as challenges. I tend to be a glass half full when it comes to most things, and try to find the challenge in a problem and overcome it.

Unfortunately, when it comes to learning I can be very negative and anxious that I'm going to get something wrong!

Mara said...

The pictures in www,pastrypal.com look delicious! It made me want to bake but after meeting over a hundred parents I should go to bed.

John I said...

Mara,
This is awesome. I think that the class should start off with pastry/baked goodies:-) I am certified to teach in NJ (English 6-12 grades) but I left teaching 10 years ago. I have not yet committed to a track in MLIS. I wanted to find out more about the Media Specialist track. See you in class.

Akearns said...

Terri, if you (we) think of it as "play" there is no "wrong"! :-)