How my true love of learning was reignited....
So I just scheduled to take the FSOT again.. on Feb. 11. I scored really well the last time I took it and I hadn't really studied, so I figured all I needed to do is brush up on a few things. Being an elementary teacher with an MBA lends itself to having a plethora of random knowledge in a wide variety of subject areas...especially Social Studies/Government/Humanities/Math/English...oh yeah..and Economics and Management. There...I think I covered all the topics.
So whatever, 5 week countdown...here we go. What is way more interesting than the fact that I'm taking the test again (while concurrently waiting to hear about an interview from USAID) is that I have been totally hooked...okay, obsessed with Discovery Education Streaming for the last 2 days.
Our school provides an account for all teachers and we use it for a variety of reasons (benchmark test scores, lesson plans, streaming videos). So yesterday night I figured out how to get the mobile site on my iPad. Then I started exploring all the videos and before you knew it, it was 2am. I had learned all about the Roaring Twenties, Prohibition, the Dust Bowl, southwestern immigration, civil rights, segregation/integration...and so on. Today I actually fell asleep watching a video on the Vietnam War...which reminds me...I need to watch it again tonight.
When I was growing up, most of what I learned about History, Government, and Humanities was learned in books with some videos/movies occasionally thrown in for fun (though we would have loved to have more of those). These days there are so many cool educational videos out there with real footage, and people, and pictures - and especially on Discovery Education and History.com - that it has totally reignited my deep love for learning.
I love to learn new things...it's why I became a teacher...I love when my kiddos learn. I love when I learn and can share it. I love to watch documentaries on TV, I don't watch reality TV...give me something I can explore deeper and wider.
What has reignited this love is that this time around I can spend time really learning and exploring all sorts of topics using not only books, but really cool videos with pictures and interviews and recordings. Instead of just hearing about the emergence of Jazz, I can listen and watch Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis play! Instead of reading about far away castles and museums, I can tour The Louvre (it's also great in person!) and Blarney Castle with the tap of my finger. Instead of imagining and guessing, I can experience visually. It is so much different this time around. Our kiddos have no idea how good they have it with all the resources out there today!
I will always love learning, but have found that sometimes learning can get a big boring...and the love of learning has to be reignited. In the last 2 days, I have learned more about American History and Culture than in my 4 years of high school.
Goodnight to all...I'm off to find my iPad....the Vietnam War is calling...
~ Bethany
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