Thing 24 Will My Frontier Ever End??

As I look back on my journey into technology, I can honestly say it was an adventure.  Granted it was not an adventure in the sense of climbing a mountain or swimming with dolphins, but it was an adventure none-the-less.  I certainly experienced all the emotions that people normally would if they did those things – I laughed, cried, smiled, got frustrated, felt proud, was nervous, etc.  I went through it all.  Now that this journey is ending, I am happy that I did it.  It took me out of my comfort zone and really forced me to confront my fears about technology.  I would have continued to avoid technology until it would be absolutely impossible to go without it.

            Although each of the 23 Things brought something new to my plate, I think the feature that influenced me most was the overall journey.  After I began completing each task, I was surprised how much I enjoyed them.  Perhaps it was the feat of accomplishing an area of technology that I have never attempted before, or maybe it was showing my children that you should not be afraid to face your fears.  I think I have to give myself a pat on my back.  To start from such a novice background, to being able to create my very own blog, I am amazed that I actually did all of the 23 Things on my own (well, maybe with a little help from my kids); I am proud of myself.  It took a great amount of courage to venture into the world of technology.  I know that might sound funny and silly to some of you, but for me, it is a real fear.  Some people are scared of heights (my husband’s knuckles turn white when he has to go over a bridge), I am afraid of technology.  This class, however, has helped me begin to conquer those fears. 

If I had to pick just one of the 23 Things that I enjoyed most, I would have to choose Thing 22, creating my own Livebinder.  This feature seems most applicable for my purposes.  I am notorious for ripping out articles from magazines, printing information off the computer, and shoving everything in a box.  With every single rip and print, I always say, “I will look at all of this in a few days.”  Well, it has been about 4 years and I have (at last count) three boot-size shoeboxes full of paper just waiting … and waiting for me.  Right at this very moment, I have a bag full of saved articles shoved in my dryer so my husband will not find it! – [Am I in the pre-hoarder stage??] –  Livebinders will save me from all of that though.  Now I can finally organize all my paper scraps and website information in one convenient place, and I can make as many as I want.  This way, I can get rid of the boxes, but still have all the material that I want to keep. 

Although this class was frustrating as times, I am glad that I completed it.  As an older teacher competing against the spring chickens, I will certainly have to step up my game.  Younger teachers have grown up knowing how to incorporate this technology; they use it in almost every part of their lives.  It is the older group of educators that has get on board and conform to the changing times.  With each passing year, technology will have an even bigger impact on education.  It is up to me to take charge of my own education and learn to integrate technology into my lessons.  This class has certainly given me a taste of what to expect, and I will continue to learn and grow in this ever-changing field.

I say so-long to you all for now, but be on the lookout for me in the future.  Who knows, maybe I will be the next Martha Stewart of technology! ;)