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Caring NOT Scaring

I am lucky enough to live in a country that never suffers from the snow that seems to be blighting many of my friends, followers and PLN. With the knowledge that my February is going to be completely bonkers (I start my Flat Classroom Teacher Training Course, we have mock exams, I have to get all the Extended Essay documentation completed, all IBDP internal assessments need to be finished and paperwork submitted, a friend and her toddler is coming to stay, we have parents' evening and reports to write, plus I need to train for my next half-marathon), along with it being my hubby's birthday weekend, I decided to take Saturday to chill by the pool in the blazing sunshine and complete the reading for the virtual book club I have been taking part in. For the background on this see the following posts:


Professional Learning in the Digital Age gave me great insight and the confidence to go on during a time that has been challenging in many ways. Personally, money is tight as we have moved countries twice in a year and survived on one salary whilst my husband went back to school. Professionally, I feel like I have been on a roller-coaster; my confidence has been knocked at work recently as I have been criticised for what I thought was helpful behaviour. Having what you believe is a positive turned on its head into a negative has generally made left me feeling a little out of place.

To read this book and be encouraged that I am doing what other educators think is the right thing has helped me immensely during a weekend that started out with not enough money in the bank and my hubby still without work, whilst knowing there are great jobs out there for him but the breaks aren't happening. It makes life hard and it makes our future less stable as we moved here on the understanding he would find a job... Then I got to thinking about friends back home with two salaries and their own homes - but even still, when I thought about it I realised I would not change where we are. I think about my average day and am grateful. I think about today when I have had the luxury of sitting by the pool chatting with my husband while the sun shines and a cool breeze blows. I think about the wonderful kids I teach and how I am allowed to experiment with my teaching - and I would not change, I would not go back. I am grateful and despite seeming lack of support or misunderstanding of what I am doing, despite the criticism that arises from those who may be threatened, I try to understand. I try to see them as not yet enlightened into curation, reflecting and contribution or the fabulous world of PLN both virtual and real.

Kristen's book has given me the power and confidence to know I am heading in the right direction as well as give me lots of useful tips and tricks to help me on the way. She has encouraged me that "sharing is caring not scaring" and has given me the confidence to keep on keeping on. I will not stop. I will stay positive. I will share and hope that everyone becomes as blessed as I do to have the job I do and the motivation to keep on trying to be the best I can. I know I do my best, I know I try everyday to be the best I can for the kids in front of me. How many people can say they have a truly positive impact on another person's life as often as educators do? I cannot and do not ask for more.
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Keep posted for my Blog on the final part of Kristen's trinity, 'Contribution', something I am trying but has been what has caused me some heartache recently, as discussed in this post.
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Images thanks to:
http://blogs.telestream.net/screenflow/2010/01/sharing-knowledge/
http://elaine-allsopp.blogspot.sg/2012/01/sharing.html
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Past Thoughts

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