Can you compare teaching to White Water rafting...

As a teacher, I strive for those glorious A-HA moments where you can see the student has grasped the material I have been teaching.  Unfortunately, all opportunities to teach do not always end with an A-HA moment.  In fact, some end with me pulling my hair out, wondering what in the world just happened.

So I do believe that teaching is just like white water rafting.  No two rafting trips will ever be the same.  Some will be smoother than others; some will threaten to propel you overboard throughout the ride.  Luckily we can all get off at the end and take time to catch our breath and regroup.

I wanted to explain who I do workshops and trainings for. I train early childhood educators who work many long hours and usually only go to trainings to receive the required training hours per year. These trainings can be 2 -5 hours long in the evenings and on weekends.   So not only do I have to figure out how to counteract the " I hope this isn't a waste of my time" assumption, I have to deal with women who spend all day with children and need adult conversation.

When I facilitate trainings for childcare providers the participants vary. The very first training I had went close to perfect, so I assumed that my next one would be just as impressive.  I was surprised that it flopped and flopped badly. The group of child care providers I had were tired, grumpy and super chatty. It seemed like I lost control of the workshop before I even started.

To this day, I am still afraid of this happening again.  No matter what I read or learn, I still start every workshop feeling as if I am in the river on the rapids. In the end, even if I falter, I still believe in getting back in the raft and doing it all again. I do have to say I have gotten better after a few years of reading my crowd , but this feeling of letting it get out of control does keep me on my toes.

Tough Decision

Assignment 1.1 Using the five step decision making process

Step 1: Define the Decision Clearly

My husband and I would like to buy a smaller house on at least 3 acres of land in the country when our last daughter graduates high school in 2 years. 

Step 2: Consider all the Possible Choices

1.       Sell home and purchase land with home

2.       Purchase land without a home on it and build a new home

3.       Rent out current home and purchase new home on land

Step 3: Gather All Relevant Information and Evaluate the Pros and Cons of Each Choice

Possible Choices	Information Needed	Pros	Cons
Sell home and purchase new home with land	·     Need to review comparable value of others homes in the neighborhood to identify what current market value is        Determine sell it on my own or use a realtor Hire a realtor to help us find the home of our dreams	Move to a new location with no neighbors and fresh air        Using a realtor will increase marketing Using a realtor allows us to view more properties ·	Our home has dropped in value        Realtor fees will make us pay to sell the house        Selling on own home means increased work and it takes longer to sell a home
Rent out current home and purchase new home	Research Property Management companies       Obtain copies of rental/lease agreements        Meet with accountant	Investment property        Possible additional income       Hire property management company to manage rental  Tax write-off when rented	Upkeep on rental Wear and tear on home              Securing single family renters with good credit        Additional house payment/insurance      Renters  default on rental payments leaving me with 2 house payments
Rent out current home and purchase new home	Research Property Management companies       Obtain copies of rental/lease agreements        Meet with accountant	Investment property       Possible additional income       Hire property management company to manage rental  Tax write-off when rented	Upkeep on rental Wear and tear on home             Securing single family renters with good credit        Additional house payment/insurance      Renters  default on  rental payments leaving me with 2 house payments

Step 4: Select the Choice that seems to best meet the Needs of the Situation

The best choice  for us would be to find a realtor that will help sell current home and find property with a home already on it.

·     A Realtor is familiar with market trends and can help with selling home and finding new home

·    Obtain more peaceful surroundings in a smaller home since children will no longer be living at home. (I can dream… can’t I?)

· No fear of having 2 payments for housing if the house doesn’t rent or the renters do not pay.

Step 5:  Implementation of a plan of action and monitor the results

·         Agree upon a timeline to sell existing home and buy new home

·         Down size our belongings to fit in a smaller home

·         Contact bank and obtain a pre-approval for home loan

·         Contact realtors to interview and place current home on market

·         Have home staged and de-cluttered for a speedy sale 

·         Schedule appointments to view available homes in the country to buy

·         Close on my old home and move into my new home

Assignment 4.2 Learning Journal

Strength- I think that my strongest learning experience was learning about my own style and how it affects me as an educator. After reading as much as possible about being an auditory learner, I was able to reflect on my styles both in learning and teaching. After pondering my style and how it has taken me from point A to point B. I was ready to learn more about the other styles of learners and how to reach them in my training.

Improvement – I believe that I can improve upon my teaching style by immersing myself in the learning styles in which I am least comfortable. This will allow me to figure out how my learners are learning. While I may not be able to have a well rounded curriculum at first, I believe that I can add bits and pieces that work for my students. This may take some time, but I am willing to feel uncomfortable to engage the student’s styles in learning.

Insight – Learning styles may be controversial, but if we all look within ourselves, we can see that we all have them. I believe that while it is difficult to teach every lesson to all of the styles individually. We as educators can modify our teaching styles to reach the students who are not engaged. Teaching is not about me; it is about the student. I think what it all comes down to for me, it that I want to be the best teacher I can be.

Assignment 3.3

Sometimes standing on a soap box is so powerful. I have to wonder why I do not do it more often. Well maybe because while it is essential to share information with others, it is not as necessary for me to preach it. So I will step off this soap box and ask you to join me in a conversation about learning styles.

The greatest thing about being a human is that no two of us are alike. We are all unique, right down to our fingerprints. We have different physical features, different personalities, individual dreams and we truly do learn differently. Imagine what a dull world it would be if we were all the same.

I am an independent, introvert, global, auditory, cognitive, and abstract learner. That is just to name a few of the learning style labels I have been gifted with. While I do not like being labeled, I love knowing how I learn. I do not know about you, but I am paying for a college education and I want to walk away with more than a piece of paper. I want to walk away taking the knowledge that is given to me and do something with it.

There are so many learning style theories that grace the web. So many confusing web sites that state their learning theory is better than the others. So how do we as educators use the information on learning style theories? Do we try out all of the theories or do we pick just one and hope it works for our students? How is a teacher to know?

I believe that all theories have significance, but what we as educators can do is take bits of pieces that resonate with us and apply them to your own learning style theory. You can even name your theory and develop a web page for it, if you want. Learning theories are a base in which you can build your classrooms curriculum on that engages all the learners. Do not spend hours researching them all, take a few theories and build your teaching style from them.

What if you do not believe in learning theories? Is it because you feel that learning theories are labels that allow students to make excuses? Is it because you like to teach the way you do and feel that if the student is not learning, that is their problem?

Think back on a time in your life when you were struggling in a class to acquire the knowledge that you needed. Do you ever image that it could have been different if the teacher would have engaged you as a learner by complementing your learning style.

If only that teacher took some time to incorporate elements that engaged the visual, auditory and the tactile/ kinesthetic learners in the curriculum. Imagine what you could have done with that knowledge. Knowledge is power…power is knowing how you learn.

We all were born to learn. A learner needs to use whatever tools they have in their tool belt to get the most out of their learning experiences. Knowing how you learn is the most powerful tool you have.

Net generation and learning styles

If the main learning styles are not enough for the average learner to comprehend, there is a new one for the "Net Generation." I know that my children were raised on technology and I know for a fact that they learn differently than I do.

Do you think that learning styles are different for every generation?

I believe in learning styles...

Welcome to Your Style or Mine?

I always knew that I learned better in the optimum environment with teachers that taught to me. Unfortunately, I spent many years struggling in classes with teachers that did not fit my learning style. While there are some people who do not believe in learning styles, I believe they are an fundamental part of every person.

There is nothing like the moment when a student’s light bulb turns on, and you know that what you are teaching just became a part of that student’s knowledge. I know that I did not go into education to teach the students who learn like I do. I went into education to bring my passion for learning to everyone.

As an educator, I want to touch the lives of many. To do this, I need to reach out and expand my teaching to include the many and not just the few who learn like me. I do not know about you, but I believe that I am here as an educator to help anyone who wants to expand their horizons. Even if at times, I have to step outside my comfort zone and try new things.

As a teacher, it is necessary to take the time to learn about your style. Once you gain knowledge of how you learn, you can reflect on your teaching style. You may find that you teach, just like you learn. Ask yourself, what it would feel like to be in a class where the teacher ignored your learning style? How would you feel? Would you be able to learn with ease or would you struggle to learn?

It is the teacher’s responsibility to engage the student’s minds in the learning process. When a teacher adds different elements to their teaching method, they engage the Visual, Auditory and tactile kinesthetic learners. When we step outside our comfort zone, we take risks and eventually become well rounded teachers. Remember to teach is to learn… for both the teacher and student!