Yeah, it's not going to be a FEW words. (Best way to ensure that no one reads it!) I have an interesting relationship with technology. I suppose the best way to explain it is that it doesn't occur to me how I can use it efficiently.
Now, I'm not totally lame. I use a lot more technology than a lot of people my own age (but not as much as most of the people just a few years younger than me - Michele Gorman informed us at MLA that there is a "cutoff age," and as I am well above it, I consider myself to be doing pretty well for myself, because apparently, technology-wise, 33 might as well be 83!)
I make lists - on paper.
I don't carry my cell phone on my actual person - just in my purse. And, no, I don't do anything with it besides call or text people with it. Okay, I take some photos, but I hate the camera on there (it sucks), so mostly I don't. Some people might want to be wired all the time, but I don't. If I can avoid checking my e-mail after 5pm, trust me, I'm going to avoid it.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
7 1/2
I like the 7 1/2 habits of highly successful learners, especially considering there's a 1/2 habit, which I can totally get behind, because I figured it would be the one habit I could master. (The good thing about my brain is that I can entertain a million thoughts at once, but the bad thing is that about three of those thoughts are ever completed. So I was really psyched about that 1/2 habit!)
We were supposed to see which habit is hardest for us and which is easiest, which is like a little quiz for me, so I read through everything first. (No surprise, I am a master at that 1/2 habit!) I had a hard time deciding between Habit #1 and Habit #6 as my biggest challenges.
Habit #1, "Begin with the end in mind," is often difficult for me. I mean, I always have some of the end result, but usually I need to flub my way through things a bit before I can get a better sense of what I do and don't want/need. Yes, I am the person who says, "Let's just go for it," and then figures out all the ways in which I want to change it later. That works for me, but it's not very efficient. I wish I could get a clearer vision ahead of time. It would really save me a lot of time & energy.
Habit #6, "Use technology to your advantage," is hard for me, too. I mean, don;t get me wrong - I love technology. I love gadgets and I can quickly figure out how to play with things. But I guess I'm not in the habit of relying on them. For example, I bought a Palm Pilot three years ago. (Well, a Dell knockoff...same thing.) Anyhow, I bought this thing, and I was psyched. I'm a freaky list maker, and little pieces of paper are my best friend. I thought, I'll get the Palm & make the little scraps disappear. Save a tiger. Whatever. But then I could never remember to charge the dumb thing. And because I would forget to sync it, I'd drain down the battery and wipe out all my info all the time. Then it sat in my kitchen collecting dust for a year. Finally, I gave it to my brother, only know I've lost my software, so he can't sync it, either, and he would actually do that. So he pretty much hates me. And all along I was just proud that I didn't lose the stylus!!! Ah, well. Do you see my problem? I'm just not hard-wired to integrate technology into my life that much. The bottom line is, I'm a paper & pencil kind of girl. I'll visit your desk rather than shoot you an e-mail. But I'm growing. I've had a cell phone for 6 years and I've just started texting last month! Progress, don't you think?
All the other habits come pretty naturally to me, but I suppose the easiest one (besides 7 1/2) is Habit #5, "Create your own learning toolbox." I usually have people in my toolbox (no, I'm not calling you guys tools), but I also have books. Mostly I learn from listening to and watching other people, and I don't care who those people are. I have learned from kids and adults and some pretty unlikely characters. So that comes most easily for me.
I'm not sure about the Learning Contract, though. Maybe it's the word "contract" that bugs me. It sounds like such an obligation. Ugh!
We were supposed to see which habit is hardest for us and which is easiest, which is like a little quiz for me, so I read through everything first. (No surprise, I am a master at that 1/2 habit!) I had a hard time deciding between Habit #1 and Habit #6 as my biggest challenges.
Habit #1, "Begin with the end in mind," is often difficult for me. I mean, I always have some of the end result, but usually I need to flub my way through things a bit before I can get a better sense of what I do and don't want/need. Yes, I am the person who says, "Let's just go for it," and then figures out all the ways in which I want to change it later. That works for me, but it's not very efficient. I wish I could get a clearer vision ahead of time. It would really save me a lot of time & energy.
Habit #6, "Use technology to your advantage," is hard for me, too. I mean, don;t get me wrong - I love technology. I love gadgets and I can quickly figure out how to play with things. But I guess I'm not in the habit of relying on them. For example, I bought a Palm Pilot three years ago. (Well, a Dell knockoff...same thing.) Anyhow, I bought this thing, and I was psyched. I'm a freaky list maker, and little pieces of paper are my best friend. I thought, I'll get the Palm & make the little scraps disappear. Save a tiger. Whatever. But then I could never remember to charge the dumb thing. And because I would forget to sync it, I'd drain down the battery and wipe out all my info all the time. Then it sat in my kitchen collecting dust for a year. Finally, I gave it to my brother, only know I've lost my software, so he can't sync it, either, and he would actually do that. So he pretty much hates me. And all along I was just proud that I didn't lose the stylus!!! Ah, well. Do you see my problem? I'm just not hard-wired to integrate technology into my life that much. The bottom line is, I'm a paper & pencil kind of girl. I'll visit your desk rather than shoot you an e-mail. But I'm growing. I've had a cell phone for 6 years and I've just started texting last month! Progress, don't you think?
All the other habits come pretty naturally to me, but I suppose the easiest one (besides 7 1/2) is Habit #5, "Create your own learning toolbox." I usually have people in my toolbox (no, I'm not calling you guys tools), but I also have books. Mostly I learn from listening to and watching other people, and I don't care who those people are. I have learned from kids and adults and some pretty unlikely characters. So that comes most easily for me.
I'm not sure about the Learning Contract, though. Maybe it's the word "contract" that bugs me. It sounds like such an obligation. Ugh!
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