Time for lift-off

I've realized recently that there are a lot of people that like quotes as much as I do, so here is a quote that makes me smile every time I read it, mainly because I hear Eric Idle's voice in my head as I read it:

 “There is an art, it says, or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”  Douglas Adams

Trying to reach a level of proficiency with all my classes is a struggle every week: studying hard, participating, and taking on new challenges. ICT has been the class that has pushed me further outside of my comfort zone than I thought possible and challenged me to feel like all the struggle is worth it.

The first great surprise came after being reluctant to start a blog. I trusted that in the process I would learn something useful to share with colleagues and future students and so I plodded forward. Blogging has given me so much more in terms of my personal growth and I am not just saying that.

I have been struggling with the part of becoming a teacher that means I must 'brag about myself', I am all about making connections with the students but telling other adults what is special about myself whether it's for an interview or on a resume, not so much. I like to let the facts speak for themselves and if you have questions I am very comfortable with entering a conversation that way.

So on to the next seismic shift - a web page! A new level of understanding myself as a life-long learner. An e-portfolio/web page is the ultimate 'brag about myself' forum. Will the effect be the same as the first time I clicked 'publish' on the blog? My gut feeling is yes, and the proof of that is that even just thinking about what to brag about is forcing me to clarify the essential questions of who I am as an educator and re-package my disjointed philosophy of teaching.  

The jury is still out on whether the e-portfolio will land me a job or not, however, the process of learning how to create an e-portfolio is a practical one. As a teacher, some of my students and colleagues may have an interest in publishing a blog, vlog, etc. and I know I’d enjoy being able to share with them what I know and help them out. I am also looking forward to helping my two sons expand from their Instagram platform to blogs or vlogs this summer and who knows, maybe even a web page…
This week I attended a workshop on workshops which I would love share more details on another blog. One tech tip that I will share with you right away though is the slide show software that was recommended. It is called Haiku Deck. Our presenter said it will change our lives when it comes to presentations. 
https://www.haikudeck.com/static/img/home/haiku_deck_screencast-solid-color-background_800p.mp4