My semester began as a whirlwind of activity. I started a job (after coming out of retirement for 8 yrs) and graduate school all in the same month-Geeze Louise! I had held off my decision to go back to work until I was secure that my daughters would not be greatly affected by my transition to working mom.Also I am a mother of three little girls and have never left them in other people care. I was unsure how consumed I would become with teaching again, how would my working and going to school affect my family, could I possible juggle it all? My biggest issue was my need to be a perfectionist-perfect mom, perfect teacher, perfect student and perfect wife, perfect daughter etc-its exhausting. I have since let some small stuff go-I know I can't be perfect but I am comfortable with doing the best I can when the situation calls for it. I went back to work with so much enthusiasm and couldn't believe how much education has changed in 8 years. I also started graduate school, something that I wanted to do for so long, with the same kind of vigor. This course was so interesting and exciting for me. I have learned so much in the course of one semester. I am a self proclaimed tech freak so when we were introduced to Second Life, I must confess I couldn't get enough of it. I consider myself to be quiet good at it too. My journey on Second life has open so many new teaching aspects that I once objected to. I hope to see Second life mainstreamed into elementary schools. Handles correctly the benefits to brooded student learning are endless. I hope I don't have to give up my SL persona or my dorm room? With this course I did have to make a conserted effort to post blog and respond I actually added it to my agenda, lol.
Blogging, Wiki's and Video Games I must confess that before this course my knowledge on blogging, Wiki's was null! Goodness gracious-I had never heard of this stuff or maybe it is not that I was not correctly exposed to it. I had seen it in a few websites "check out our blog" but never understood it. Well I am a huge blogger now. I love to write,obviously, just randomly nothing formal-it is so cool. My students also think I am cool. They don;t fully understand what blogging is but I am trying to get my medieval school board to allow me to sign-up and start a blog forum for my student, staff and parents. I can think of a better way to communicate so efficiently with everyone. I think of the learning, collaborating and sharing aspects and it blows my mind! Well everyone knew about my hesitation with regard to video games. I didn't like them at all. Well since I have been exposed to Second Life, Web kins and the WII, I am starting to change my way of thinking-now I am am avid player and participator and fan!
You should be proud of youself! Technology seems to come very natural for you and you've found a way to share your enthusiasm for it with others. Your daughters will grow up with a wonderful role model who always knows how to put them first.
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