Thing #1- Lifelong Learning

Since I have began my career as a teacher, many people have offered the advice that to be a great teacher, you must never stop learning. Throughout the last three years, I have realized how much truth there is to that piece of advice. When I think of lifelong learners, my Great Aunt Ann always pops into my brain. She was constantly reading, traveling, writing books, tracing family history, teaching, and continuing her education trough every possible medium. I remember one particular dinner when she casually mentioned she was considering returning to school for her second doctorate (she recieved the first one in her sixties). As if an eighty-five year old woman returning to college to study something completely new was just a normal, everyday occurance! Unfortantly she didn't get the chance, but I love the fact that she never ruled anything out as a possibility.



After reading the "71/2 Habits of Highly Successful Learners" I started to evaluate my own strengths and weaknesses as a lifelong learner. I would definitely say the easiest habit for me is "Habit 6: Using Techonolgy to your Advantage". I love, love, love being a part of the information age and having the freedom to search the internet for anything I am interested in. I can't imagine how teachers survived before the internet! The most challenging habit for me is "Habit 3: View Problems as Challenges". Computer complications in particular always seem to stress me out, so I really need to work on that throughout this course. I think the most important habit for me is "Habit 1: Begin with the End in Mind". It's always important to focus on what your ultimate goal is when learning something new. I hope I can practice these habits during "The 23 Things" so that I can be fully prepared to pass the "things" onto my students!