THING #3

Reviewing several of the suggested blogs during this project makes it apparent how versatile they can be.  From building a professional forum to sharing classroom experiences, countless advantages can be found in leveraging a blog to enhance your development as a professional.  Soliciting advice from a Personal Learning Network (PLN), posting your or interesting lectures/podcasts, sharing new ideas, or collaborating with colleagues can all help you set a professional tone for who you want to be as a professional educator.

"Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and important members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth."
-Helen Caldicott, author and peace activist

Blogs can be useful in helping you summarize your experience in a venue where your reflections and introspection can materialize not only for your benefit, but also for others within your circle of professional influence.  Sharing plans, new ideas, outcomes of instruction or research can demonstrate a heighten level of self analysis and desire to want to constantly learn and improve; demonstrating to students, colleagues, and leadership you are willing and able to self teach, learn, and lead those who may be of a similar experience level.  Sharing your own experiences can force you to more closely examine aspects of your techniques, methods, and philosophies on how to better cope with issues in your classroom.

Also for us beginners, blogs can help those looking for guidance.  Many senior leaders, significantly well-rounded and professionally developed, share their wisdom in very thoughtful blogs.  Much of their thought process, methods, or action research are worthy of note, and can offer clear guidance and direction for those of us lacking the years of wisdom producing mistakes.  Leaders in the field of education use well-planned blogs to assist in build confident young teachers and setting clear expectations and standards within their school, district, or nation.

“Whatever we possess becomes of double value when we have the opportunity of sharing it with others.”

-Jean-Nicolas Bouilly (1763-1842); Writer, Politician

THING #2

My experiences with blogs are limited to the discovery of Twitter and Facebook: if, those are considered blogs.  I have created dialogue and posted them on Twitter, but only in order to briefly experience what many people make part of daily life and attempt to understand what makes them so popular.  After I satisfied my initial curiosity, I never developed a professional or personal need for blogging.  As I begin to see the influence a well-prepared blog can have within a community of professionals, I hope to be able to build a good blog that reveals my passion and hopefully some good ole fashioned wisdom as it relates to developing new and striving to be “life-long learners.”

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

As for my blog name and my posting name.  I decided on what most accurately described it at the moment.  Simply the title of an assignment and my name, “23 Things” by Clint Underwood.  What are those “things?”  Who is this person.  I don’t completely know, yet.  I could describe them, but my hope is that they transform into “things” I could have never imagined.  “Things” that will change my life, and hopefully become tools, ideas, knowledge and wisdom that become a part of a life well spent learning and teaching others to apply knowledge wisely.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” 
― Benjamin Franklin

This experience of building a blog seemed simple at first, until I “posted” for the first time.  I began thinking of what others may think.  What do I have worthy of contribution?  How will I appear, or not appear?  What part of this experience do I want to hide, highlight, or build on?  So, a thought began to develop.  What is my purpose, and where does this blog play into the big picture?

My Purpose -“To better others’ lives through leading genuine educational experiences”.  Wow, I couldn’t have imagined a "blog” assignment could have brought me here (in my mind) or, that a week ago I couldn’t have conceived this blog could possibly help achieve that purpose.  I have begun to see how such a tool can assist building a professional community; one person at a time.  I think the “easy” part of creating the blog was moving the mouse around, but the challenging part will be to eventually make an impact on others with what I have learned.  I understand that throughout this assignment I’ll be the recipient of the wisdom to be gained.  I just hope, one day, I can share what I’ve received.

The Army looking Avatar…  I picked an Avatar that most closely represents my outward appearance. I also, placed my dog Scout standing beside me.  I love my pooch.   I am very sure there wasn’t any introspection that motivated the choice.  Just wanted to complete the task accurately.

Thing #1

Life Long Learning Habits:

The hardest for me will be to incorporate play.  I don't mean I'm one of those people who can't have fun; however, I don't allow it to saturate my current profession as much as I would like it to in my future teaching profession.  I think, the nature of responsibility and accountability in being a military officer takes that out of our hands at times.  I do desire and have a need to develop that infectious joy that so many in the teaching profession have.  I've seen that "play" make others want to be better lifelong learners themselves.  Developing that passionate play is certainly a personal milestone I have to accomplish during this program.

Easiest for me: 

Use of Technology.  I enjoy exploring what technology brings to anything.  Whether, for convenience, effectiveness or pleasure computers, phones, and tablets are constantly getting better and bringing more capable tools into our lives.  I feel like discovering that capability is, for our generation, analogous to The Race to the Moon for the Greatest Generation.  The only difference is, this race is not taking place at governmental level.  It’s taking place in millions of people’s homes and offices. To say it plainly, I am excited about what technology will bring into the classroom, and I’m certain that using it will be just as exciting.

Based on my limited knowledge of 2.0 web apps.  I believe having a good knowledge base of such tools is crucial to understanding how the students of the future will access, view, and digest information during the learning process.  Anyone receiving training or education on any topic within the last ten years understands the effectiveness of today's technological training and teaching aids.  Ease of access to accurate and well-prepared information is making these modes of instruction irreplaceable.  Especially, when the aptitude and eagerness to use such tools continues to expand to younger and younger students.  Personally, I think understanding 2.0 will not only enhance, but will become critical to a teacher's ability to communicate with the students of the future; and, if, as a teacher, one doesn't understand how to leverage these tools you will not be able to function in tomorrow's education system.

As far as my experience up to this point, I am still a beginner and looking forward to all I have to learn.

Setting up the Blog was very easy: however, being a new MAC user has its own interesting learning curve I most overcome.  Being on the MAC, made finding icons and performing functions slower, but my goal is to not allow that to interfere with my excitement and eagerness to learn.