Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Blog Post 1

A Bit About Me

Hello everyone! My name is Christie Mason. I am 40 years old, originally from Hattiesburg Mississippi, happily married for 15 years, have two daughters, and two grandchildren. I like to think of myself as a young grandmother and a student who has a bit more life experience. I have a very outgoing personality, sense of humor, and I never meet a stranger! My hobbies are collecting antiques, gardening, reading, crafts, and I love anything southern!

I have often felt that I should have been born and become a mother in a different time. Many friends tell me that I seem like a 1950's housewife with my love of antiques, weekly cleaning schedule, volunteer activities, and cooking hot meals each night; right down to wearing my grandmother's vintage aprons. This was a huge compliment, as I always found pleasure in caring for my family. Now that my children are older (13 and 21), I have decided to do something for myself. It has always been my desire to become an elementary school teacher. After many years of substitute teaching, I have chosen to pursue my dream of obtaining my degree in elementary education.

I am both excited and encouraged to learn the skills which EDM310 offers, as I know they will provide me with the tools needed to be a successful employee and engaging teacher. When I reflect on school days of "Turn to page this and read that. Now answer questions this through that at the end of the chapter", I still roll my eyes and get bored! Teachers are now so fortunate to have creative, useful technology at their fingertips. Why would we not use these tools to get students excited to learn? We've all heard that this class will require a lot of our time. Anything worth having is worth working for. I encourage any student reading this to become excited, determined, and confident! This experience will make us better teachers. Let's do this ya'll!

Time Management

Randy Pausch's video gave me the reassurance that I am already doing several things to effectively manage my time like keeping a planner and making a to-do list. One suggestion Mr. Pausch made was to do the thing you dread first in order to have it out of your way. This is something that I will definitely implement!

Mr. Pausch looked familiar to me. As he spoke, I realized that I had seen his story on ABC's news program 20/20. His upbeat attitude, passion for life, love for his family, and fight against pancreatic cancer was inspirational.

5 comments:

  1. A 50's mother! Welcome to the future.

    We will listen to Randy Pausch's Last lecture later in the semester. I am not surprised you remember him.

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    1. Thank you Dr. Strange! I definitely feel like I am getting in touch with my "technological side". Your class has a, let's just say certain reputation on campus. I'm glad that I did not let the comments of others scare me away. Hard work never hurt anybody, and I have already learned so much!

      As for Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, I will be looking forward to it. His teachings have had a great impact on so many people, including myself.

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  2. Good Evening Christie!

    I throughly enjoyed getting an insight of the "50's decade" and "everything southern" mom and grandmother! Your excitement for life and this class is contagious! I agree with you that this class will be a wonderful tool as future educators. I love hearing stories of a mom going back to school and getting their degree. It proves that no one is too "old" to learn. Also, it shows that you want more out of life, your driven, and have goals that you are pursing. So, I would like to take this time to encourage you. You can do it! Keep pursuing your dreams! You are an inspiration to so many including myself!

    I definitely agree with you about Mr. Pausch's lecture. He makes some great points about staying organized. I guess you could say I was blessed just like you with the ability to stay organized. I believe staying organized and making to-do list keeps us moving in the right directions!

    I am looking forward to learning more about you and your opinions!

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  3. You are so sweet Makenzie! I appreciate your words of encouragement. It was nice to stay home with my children and be an active part of their lives during their early years. Now that my youngest is about to turn 13, she needs me less and this looked like the perfect time to make my dream come true. I also think it's a good example to my children (and future students) to never give up and that anything is possible if you work hard to achieve it.

    It's great that you are a young person with organizational and time management skills. I think you are a diamond in the rough compared to some of the younger students I have had classes with. This is definitely a trait that will benefit you in many other aspects of your life. You seem to be on the right track for success. Keep up the good work!

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