Prior to my husband becoming a firefighter, I decided to return to school and earn my master’s degree in Organizational Learning Performance and Change (OLPC). You may be thinking, what is that? I know it has taken my husband over 4 semesters to even remember the degree name and is still not quite clear about what my degree means. OLPC is focused on human resources and organizational development, an area that I am truly passionate about and I wanted to grow both professionally and personally. Once he started working, this meant that he was gone for 24 hours and being a single mom kicked in. This new career move for my husband was not going to stop me from pursuing my degree, it just meant that I would have to take a little longer to complete the program. This also meant that my study habits had to change from when I earned my bachelors. Some weeks, studying can be difficult because both boys are in sports and have practices that I shuttle them to and from and then we have dinner and my 9-year-old has homework to finish and at that point a typical bedtime routine. It is not until after my boys are in bed and I have picked up from the evening that my studies begin.
As I sit here watching a TED Talk video by Will Richardson and Seth Godin for one of my courses, they are discussing about the ways individuals are learning differently today from when I was younger and very different from when my grandparents completed primary school. Students have access to YouTube tutorials, blogs, TED Talks, free online courses, also known as MOOCs, which allow students to have greater access to information and seek knowledge from all around the world. Students are able to explore the depths of inquiry by connecting with individuals who provide feedback, thoughts, and engage in online discussions. Students are able to learners of various topics without having to enroll in school or an actual course but rather by navigating the internet to find information that pertains to a particular topic. Look at us, you are reading my blog about how I navigate being a firefighter’s wife. You may not be married to a firefighter just yet and want to know what to expect. You may be a wife or husband and just want to feel a part of a community and to hear about the struggles others are facing. We are learning from each other. We are exploring inquiries about the doubts we have, or seeking tutorials on how to make 30-minute meals, or looking for some inspirational scriptures that nurture the soul. Whatever you purpose may be, we are connected.
These connections have transformed the way our children and our children’s children will learn and we must be willing to use these various initiatives to cultivate an education system that allows for these influences to penetrate the curriculum and pathways to success. To the power of continually learning and improving who we are.
Hi Nicole! I appreciate your thoughts about how kids today have access to tools we didn't have way back in the day. I do think that some (not all) parents and teachers are not as supportive of these educational routes as they can be. I have caught myself a few times thinking about my hyperactive son and how he "should be sitting his butt in a seat because that's what I was expected to do?" But he's a different person in a different time, and it's detrimental to his growth for me to force him back to 1985 when that is not the time or place that he exists.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Whit @ http://churningandlearning.blogspot.com
Hi Nicole! Great blog! Everything from the graphics to the content.
ReplyDeleteIt really is amazing how us as adults are really being challenged to learn the only way our youth know how to learn. That being said, this new way of learning still needs to be balanced with other ways of learning. Yes, information and technology allow us and our youth to acquire information so rapidly. But there is a social-emotional intellect that cannot be learned through efficiency and it’s our job to ensure that we as role models, mentors, parents, etc. provide that balance. This comes from my personal and professional experience working in education but is also supported by literature you can find on the CASEL website. http://www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learning/frequently-asked-questions
I really enjoy reading about your life as a firefighter’s wife and mother of 2 handsome boys! You’re superwoman!
…Danae…