Thing #1 Lifelong Learning

Wow! I can't believe I finally made it! Briefly, I will go ahead and admit that I have difficulty when it comes to technology. I found myself feeling very anxious while working on the setup, Learning 2.0, creating a Google account, remembering passwords, etc. I must admit that it was very straightforward and easy to navigate through the Learning 2.0, but I can't help feeling uneasy during the process. However, I know I will get better at it with practice. I've never used a blog before, and if this tells you anything, I don't even have a Myspace or Facebook account! Shocking, right? I do like the Learning 2.0 because you can work at your own pace. The Lifelong Learning and Learning tutorial was a great refresher and reminder of why I want to be a teacher and coach. Surprisingly, I don't look at it just as homework, but something that is helping me to further enhance my career. This makes it all the more rewarding. The hardest lifelong learning habit that I tend to struggle with the most would be #6 "Using technology to your advantage." I have never been the one to sit behind a computer screen for more than ten minutes a day. Most of this stems from a lack of knowledge on how to properly use technology, and my busy lifestyle. I am excited about this class because I want to use technology to enhance my instruction, engage cooperative learning among students, and create a better learning environment for my students. The easiest lifelong learning habit is #2 "Accept responsibility for your own learning." I can remember coming home from college one afternoon and complaining to my father about a horrible physics teacher I had. To make a long story short, my father told me something I really didn't want to hear at that point in time. He said,

"Kathryn, it is truly up to you to decide how much you want to learn no matter the circumstances you are faced with. You have a book, you have a teacher, and you have all the resources that you need. It's up to you to learn. So, quit making excuses and if you have done everything that you can do, you will be successful."

To this day, I have always had the initiative to take responsibility for my own learning whether I'm learning a new recipe, a foreign language, a new offense for basketball, etc. I have found this to be the easiest because this is something I do have control over in my life.