I'm amazed! I really never thought that I would have my own blog. It's a little scarey but exciting at the same time.
A garden is a place of wonder and excitement since there is something new every day. Whether a weed or another lily blossoming, it continuously fills me with wonder. This is how I feel about my blog, web 2.0 and sharing ideas of technology as befits the needs of 20th Century learners. I'm certain there will be many weeds amongst the ideas shared but I hope there will be even more wonders to share, use and grow from.
Why am I so surprised that I have a blog and that I am starting to feel just a little more comfortable with this Web 2.0 concept? Well, I am not a new graduate; in fact I graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Education degree in 1976-seemingly a long time ago. I always admired those "older" people in my classes because I knew that learning new things was not an easy task especially when the brain hasn't necessarily been used to taking on new and very different concepts. Well, here I am-the "older" person in class but feeling "young" because I am a teacher of students who keep me on my toes. I have just begun my Masters of Education degree in Teacher-Librarianship and as if that isn't enough, I am taking the course online. I feel very fortunate to be a willing learner, financially able, and capable of using my previous knowledge enhanced by constantly changing new understandings and knowledge. It is my aim to "Cultivate the garden within." to the end of my days.
I was born and raised on a dairy farm near Camrose, Alberta where I learned much about farming, gardening and appreciating the simple things in life. I attended what was then, Camrose Lutheran College, for two years before heading to Edmonton to finish by Education degree at the U of A. Upon receiving my degree, I began my teaching career which has been a long one. I taught in various locals around Alberta but have been in Calgary for the past 27 year. (Not bad because my husband and I had only planned to stay for five years.) I taught with Adult Education, a division of the Calgary Board of Education for sixteen years as I raised my family and then ventured into the regular system where I have taught English at the high school level since. I served as Curriculum learning leader for several years but decided that I needed a different sort of challenge in my life. I have always loved and valued books and learning so it was a natural progression that I became the teacher-librarian.
I have served as teacher of almost every subject and every level but decided early in my career that high school is where my heart is. I love the energy and the inroads that can be made with teens of open mind. While those students less interested in learning are a little more challenging they allow me to stretch my limits as teacher and person.
My family is my priority in life. I am a proud mother of three adult children. They are physically active individuals who have many and varied interests. My eldest son , Alasdair, has been a reservist in the Canadian military, a paramedic with Calgary EMS, and is currently training as a local police officer. My middle son, Connal, is working on completion of a Masters degree in kinesiology at the U of Calgary and will begin medical school at the end of this month. My daughter, Brinna, recenlty completed her Bachelor of Science degree at Augustana Faculty, U of A and is currently working in recruitment at Augustana. All of my children have participated in sport either at the national or provincial levels where they began to truly learn strength of character and honed their organizational abilities as they competed, trained, worked and attended school. My husband, Gavin, works in Yellowknife with the territorial government as Environmental Assessment Manager. Since he works and lives there, he doesn't get home very frequently but enjoys it when he does.
My garden is where I do much of my thinking, reflecting and relaxing during the summer. I enjoy working with the plants as I watch them grow. I enjoy reading there with a cup of tea or watching our new puppies play and investigate the garden and its many wonders. I guess this is the way I feel about my new found abilities and the learning that will take place. I am thankful for being able to think and use new technology, to reflect upon how that technology can best benefit my students, and to relax in the learning as I venture into new areas of the garden of learning.
I look forward to chatting with you about these new beginnings in my librarian's secret garden.
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