Something I Love Doing or Learning About - Teacher 2.0

Action 3 - Now write down something(s) you love doing or something(s) you love learning about.
Some questions to ponder:

• Why these are so valuable to you in your life?
• Do you spend as much time as you need to focusing on your passions?
• Do your students/children know what your passions are?
• Do you know what your students’/children’s passions are?
• How are passions and talents different? Do they need to be the same?

Hmm! Love doing things with family, and love reading.  But those aside I suppose I have two passions that I love doing and learning about - IT, especially as it relates to education, and Family History. Both are also inter-related as most of my family research is now done using technology that wasn't available when I began my ancestor search.
Each of these passions (family, reading, IT and Family History) are valuable in my life for different reasons.  All involve some sort of relaxation, although the latter two can often be frustrating!  As a passionate educator - now retired due to ill-health - I spent many of my working years as a curriculum consultant.  I was fortunate that part of that role involved opportunities to learn from a whole raft of 'experts'.  I used to soak up those experiences.  I like to regard myself as a life-long learner.  So anything that helps me continue the learning process is valuable to me.  I need something to keep my brain active now I am no longer working - learning new uses for IT helps with that.  So does reading, and the search for family history definitely does.
I'm in the fortunate position of having ample time to devote to my passions since I've had to give up work.
As I don't have students any more I'd have to say that my own (adult) children, and my friends and colleagues are aware of my Family History and IT passions.
Yes, I do know what my daughter's passions are - IT, drama, reading.  I could also list the passions of my step-son and step-daughter, and my grandchildren, although some of the grandchildren are less obvious these days.
Passions and talents are very often one and the same, but I believe you can have one without the other.  For instance, someone may have a passion for Classical Music, but can't play a note.  Likewise, someone may be very talented artist, but not really have a passion for creating works of art.  Someone with a passion for cooking, but not much talent, could improve their talents by taking lessons or otherwise learning all they can about cooking.  So, they aren't mutually exclusive, but I think it does help if someone has passion combined with talent.

One Thing I'm Good At - Teacher 2.0

Decided, at Junita's invitation, to join Steve Hardagon's Teacher 2.0.  Apparently there is a series of challenges to be undertaken to promote personal and  professional growth.  So I decided to give it a go.  You need to record what you do, so I decided I'd use this blog to record my activities.  Perfect place.

Activity 1 was to introduce myself to the group - done.
Activity 2 is to write down something I am very good at.
Some questions to ponder:

• How does using your talent(s) make you feel?
• Do your students/children know what your talents are?
• Do you know what your students’/children’s talents are?
• How do you help others recognize that they matter?

I think I am good at adapting to technology - not so much in regards to what makes it tick - but in terms of making the technology work for you.  Let's say I took to using computers like a duck to water.  I used computers personally long before many other teachers made the transition.  I introduced my students to using computers before they were commonplace in classrooms - in fact I carted my own Commodore 64 to school on a regular basis.  We used it mainly for word processing, but also for Logo - a simple programming language for teaching the computer to make geometric shapes, but catering for the simplistic to the complex and a powerful tool for developing logical thinking.
Towards the end of my (school) teaching career I was employed as an IT specialist working variously with the students and the teachers in two schools.  When I made the transition to adult education I became heavily involved in the notion of e-learning and the use of technology within a training environment.
Yes, I believe I had a well-known reputation with my students, and fellow teachers, as being the person to go to for all things computer (as long as it didn't involve the technical - and even that I could come to grips with if I was shown what to do.)  Before I retired I was developing my reputation as a leader in the area of e-learning in the adult education field.
I believe that I was able to recognise my student's talents and draw on those talents to help the students extend themselves, and to learn from them.  Not only in the area of IT but wherever those talents lay. I am particularly proud of the fact that a trainer who worked for the Community College where I was employed as Program / Training Manager is now an e-Mentor for the Gippsland District because I encouraged her to become involved in e-Learning.  Another trainer completed her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and is now a marvellous trainer of new trainers in her own right.  I could see her potential when she was a student.
I also believe I am able to make people recognise that they matter just through my positive approach to them.  I like to think that I treat all people, be they students (child or adult), colleagues, employees, family or friends as if they do matter - because they do!