THING NO. 3 Thoughts of Ways to Utilize My Blog in My Education Program and in the Classroom

Reflection is going to be a consistent tool that I bring to surface within my efforts to finish my teacher education program. A blog is probably the best way to make reflection a structured process. I have an evolved “talent” of thinking about tasks before, during, and after I complete them. A talent I am hardly proud of because I tend to completely over think everything I do. A blog is a great tool for someone like me that needs reflection to be more compacted into a session of writing rather than a daily obstacle. A blog is a journal of our lives in away that is productive when used as a practical approach to recognize one’s strengths and weaknesses. Also, blogging goes a step further than a simple journal. It allows followers and readers insight to our thought processes and if recognizable: behaviors. Collaboratively, a blog allows us to reflect and also allows others to be influenced through perception, based on their personal life experiences. Interesting enough, as colleagues we can learn an array of information simply from communicating with one another through blog format. Insight to who a person is and establishing related connections forms a respectable level of understanding among a group that becomes a valued asset among its users. Basically, a blog builds relationships that can create a sense of community inside a classroom. Reflection and a source of communication within a group are two practical uses of a blog that create knowledge and skills that go way beyond the classroom

THING NO. 2 Thoughts on Creating My Blog and Avatar

My friends are constantly pushing me towards blogging. So, now they can be excited I am finally doing it! I enjoy writing about real life concerns and daily issues that we face...or anything else that comes to my mind on a particular day. I named my blog "Stanley School of Thought" because I once wanted to open a pre-school with that name based on different theories of learning incorporated with extreme psychological influence by educating parents on Behaviorist concepts...blah, blah, blah and whatever else I was hyped on during that time in my life....haha. I am a firm believer that certain mechanics can shape the minds of children to become their best possible 'self'. I believe Psychology as a Science that needs to taught as a subject matter and not sketched beneath the surface of why we do the things we do. Rather, knowledge is power and teaching parents how to raise children based on different theories of learning in collaboration of genetic make-up became very intriguing to me...So, yes, that is where the name came from!

My avatar....She reflects my personality. I love to travel. I just returned from a two week vacation exploring France, Italy, Spain, and Croatia. I was able to fit so much in because it was a cruise...In fact, almost identical to the one you may have recently seen on the news that began to sink after the captain sailed off course in shallow water.  Funny thing, we sailed off course because our captain wanted to get close the island of Stromboli to witness an active volcano. Everyone left their dinner tables on this particular night to stand in the cold to witness nothing but pitch black scenery...never even making out any aspect of the island. None the less, it was one of the most educational experiences of my life. I travel frequently to warm climates to enjoy the sunshine. In the last year I discovered that as much as I love to travel, I would rather spend it visiting places that require only sundresses and flip flops...This may be some type of adaptation to avoiding the misery of packing for cold climates.

I found creating the blog somewhat difficult because of editing color schemes and making the blog as a whole, work well and seem inviting and interesting. To be honest, I may change it around time to time until I get it just like I want it... As I learn more and add more...It may end up looking completely different by the end of the semester. I like color and being creative with color...I have this amazing picture of one of the islands off of Venice, you probably know of Burano...If not, you will feel its beauty in the amazing photo I captured while there. When I locate it I want to post it and really work all the colors together to be complimentary of one another...basically to give justice to the photo...another little hobby I recently picked up...photography!

THING NO.1 -Thoughts on 7 and 1/2 Habits of Life Long Learning and 2.0

I can not ever imagine not being a student. I simply live to stay engaged towards some type of learning process. Contrary to my efforts and natural desires to be a life long learner, it is difficult. In an ever changing world that rapidly takes on new ways of doing things, often even being highly engaged is not enough. It seems impossible to keep up with the latest trends and tools that help advance our lives. Yet, somehow we all want more and more when it comes to technology. We love the simplifications in advancement it brings, right?! Ttechnology simplifies our life!? I do not know some days...What I can account for is how it has allowed this big world to put into a perspective of how relatively small it really is.

When I listened to the tutorial on the 7 and1/2 Habits of a Life Long Learner, I realized that as a life long learner I am very weak at using technology for my advantage. As ridiculous as it may sound, I trust myself more than a computer. I keep a paper copy of everything that I have on the computer. I recently started a new music publishing company and my life would be so much easier if I would trust technological ways of saving information, keeping schedules, and basically every aspect of my business can be facilitated more easily with technology. Yet, I am reluctant. Also, technology extremely hurt the pockets of the music industry. Making CD sales decline and illegal downloads possible. The music business constantly works towards dissolving a problem that cost people like me and my songwriter credit for our works.

I believe Habit 1 comes very naturally to me. I think this Habit is a characteristic of Life Long Learning that may be taken too lightly..not only that some people simply do not have this ability. If they do, they struggle illustrating it to me :). Beginning with the End in Mind is a habit that is going to be so heavily influenced by experience and how a person perceives concepts in order to form basically insight of results. Establishing Goals...most of us assume because it is natural for us that everyone should be able to set a goal and then work on reaching for it until success. Often, I am intrigued that not everyone grasp the importance of Goal Setting. My oldest son really struggles with this. He simply struggles getting somewhere because he can not make up his mind where he is going. Furthermore, He does not grasp the concept when I discuss it with him. So much of how we learn and the priority we place on learning stems from our personality. I chose this habit as the one that comes easiest for me because I have seen so many people struggle with it. I am very fortunate to be able to grasp "Big Picture" concepts to not only set Goals but generate the best possible Goals with the tools, lifestyle, and experiences that I imagine possible.