Comments for Teachers #4

This assignment has led me to the blog of Andrea Hernandez.  She is an educator in Florida and author of the blog EdTechWorkshop.  The post I read was titled "The Garden of Tweetin'".  In this post Hernandez discusses twitter in by using an analogy.  She compares twitter to a garden that you decide what to plant in, how often to care for it, and that determines what the harvest will be.  I liked this post.  I am honestly a fan of twitter but have had little to contribute to the stream of information myself.  I am still learning so much about how to use the tools of the internet that have been introduced to me this semester in EDM310 that I feel behind the times still. However the knowledge I have gained is growing and I feel confident that given time (which is scarce with finals on the horizon) I will join the tweets with my own helpful insights.  I hesitate to tweet much as of yet.  I know one proverb that helps me when I am in unsure territories:

"Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." Proverbs 17:28

I will surely feel confident in tweeting more when I am more familiar with the topics or feel I have something meaningful to add.  I hope to continue to monitor tweets and follow links to facilitate my learning.  I left a comment for Hernandez stating how I appreciated her sharing knowledge with me about twitter.  I hope to follow her blog in the future and use it as a resource to help me be a great educator.  

Another visit to Hernandez's Blog revealed a post titled "Brand, Un-brand, Re-brand".  In 

this blog post Hernandez talks about change.  The need to change in order to grow and 

learn.  She voices her fears that change can lead to failure and then asserts that it can also lead to success.  Her point is that progress cannot be made without some risk of failure.  I have to agree that is true.  I happen to own a business that I opened at 24 years of age.  It was a HUGE risk!  I knew that if I stuck to what I knew how to do well the risk could really pay off.  Now almost 7 years later I see that change is a part of keeping my business successful.  I have to constantly trim this and add that to keep up with the tide of current events.  Styles change, expectations change, costs change, and demand changes.  The consistency is that I am always trying to do the best at whatever I am doing.  This is my integrity.  I follow through.  If something fails then I learn to not make that mistake twice and grow from the failure.  This concept is all part of growth both personally and professionally. 

 I am also risking a change again by going to college and changing careers.  I do not know what the future holds.  I do know what my plans are and will follow them through with optimism and commitment.  I know that I have to follow my intuition, temper it with wisdom, season it with patience, and wrap it all in prayer.  I think this is my philosophy.  Change and risk are part of it.  
I posted words of encouragement on Mrs. Hernandez's blog post.  She replied to my previous comments with encouraging words.  I hope that I am able to share my wisdom as she has been able to.  It has been hard earned (mostly through failures).  I am building a PLN with some great people in it.  I am honored to add Andrea Hernandez to that group.  I think if we all share our mistakes in addition to our successes we can grow exponentially!