Dena’s Blog

Most Challenging — I think the most challenging habits of the 7 1/2 habits for me are #1 and #5. It’s not that I don’t know that beginning with the end in mind is important, it’s just that I tend to jump in and start immediately without thinking through all the kinks. Of course, if I tried to work out all the kinks, I never WOULD get started. There is no way to anticipate every situation and likelihood that may arise. So I usually begin with the MIDDLE in mind and work my way around obstacles as they occur. Habit #5 isn’t really a challenge for me, because I LOVE adding new tools to my toolbox and finding new toys to play with. Even in my personal life I’m a gadget freak. I just need to remember to keep those tools sharpened. Once I’m comfortable with something, I tend to stick with it way beyond its life expectancy. Even if something newer (and better) comes along, I stay with what I’m comfortable with because I don’t want to “start all over again.”

Easiest – Accepting responsibility for my own learning is one of the easiest things in the world for me to do. I have always loved learning and can’t remember a time when I wasn’t learning. My mother says when my older brother was learning math, I would sit across the table from him and come up with the answer before he could. Reading upside down. Before I started school. I wasn’t doing it JUST to get on his nerves; I just loved the feeling that learning something new gave me. Habit #3 is also easy for me, because I (usually) readily accept problems as challenges. The worst thing I can hear is “you can’t do that.” Because then I’m bound and determined to do it. When I’m working with technology, the most frequent phrase I use is “I want to win!” I want to figure out a way to do something. And I just want to yell it from the rooftops when I discover something new or acquire a new skill. Only no one wants to hear it. Except my dog, and I’m not sure he really understands the significance of what I’m telling him.

Most Important — I think in this day and age, using technology to one’s advantage is the most important thing we can do, especially in the field of education. Our students were born and raised in a digital age, and their own informal learning is born of all things technological. In order for them to see what we are trying to teach as relevant in their world, it must resemble the things they encounter in their everyday communication and entertainment. I also think it’s important to teach and mentor others. I find this one a little frustrating when there are educators who don’t see the importance of learning new technology and think that taking courses such as these is a waste of time. I want to bring everyone along with me, and I’m afraid I’m one of those who gets on other people’s nerves by sharing every little thing with them. Sigh.