Madalyn Steiner

Since the first education course I’ve taken at Stockton to this current course, one specific concept has stood out to me- The concept of keeping an open mind when it comes to learning, especially as an educator or an aspiring educator. We should be open to the idea that learning can take place anywhere, at any time, under any circumstance.

From my own perspective, I’ve learned to take everything in life as a learning opportunity, inside and outside of the classroom. For example, when most people are taking classes they prioritize their learning to take place in a classroom or during their study sessions. I’ve realized that one of the most effective ways for me, personally, to learn is in real-life situations. This is my way of practicing lifelong learning– The “ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated” pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. By allowing myself to understand that learning can happen at any time, I allow myself to be inspired by day-to-day ideas that I can research on my own. For an example of this, I’m an actively creative person and have a passion for artwork. I regularly attend art museums and absorb as much knowledge as I can pertaining to particular pieces and artists I’m attracted to.

From this, I can encourage my future students to practice lifelong learning and keeping an open mind for education. In my opinion, those who have this kind of mindset are more likely to be more positive and motivated on a regular basis. A lot of the time learning is involuntary, so people should learn to accept and appreciate the process. 🙂

If you’re wondering how you can get more involved in lifelong learning, visit this site.

For this weeks blog post I’m writing about something completely out of my comfort zone. When I was in middle school I hung out with a group of friends who were all pretty big fans of the Japanese manga, or anime, series Attack on Titan. I never shared the same love for anime they had, but they did manage to get me hooked on this TV series. At the time the show was available on Netflix in Japanese and with English subtitles. I recently learned that the show is available on other streaming sites dubbed in English, but even after learning this I think I’d still prefer to watch the subtitled version. Watching this was my first experience branching out and watching media pertaining to cultural experience completely parallel to me.

To briefly describe the plot- Humanity lives inside enormous walls that protect them from Titans, massive human-like creatures that devour humans on sight. The story revolves around the main character, Eren, his family and friends, and the devastation they endure when the Titans invade their community. The show allows the viewer to see from each character’s perspective which enhances the story so much more. Each character is unique in their own way and plays a different role. For example, Eren enlists in the military following the dramatic incident. This plot decision allows the viewers to see the scenario from a political point of view as they utilize military tactics to defeat Titans. The visual experience this show is portrayed through Anime, which is the Japanese term for animation. This animation style is usually characterized by colorful graphics, vibrant characters, and fantasy-based themes. The visual experience this show provides is another universe in comparison to what I’d regularly watch on a day to day basis.

Throughout the years that I have been an active Twitter user, I have always perceived the app as a place for a quick giggle and current event catch-up. The side of Twitter that I’ve always been familiar with is a whole world of people who express their creativity through a number of different mediums- Memes, music, and art. Since joining this class and being motivated to explore further, I’ve been slapped in the face with the realization that there’s an endless number of communities on the app.

Creating a separate Twitter account for educational purposes has completely driven me to keep an open mind. At first, I found it difficult to find tweets and users outside of this class that I could relate to. Once I got into the swing of things and began to follow experienced educators, I enjoy it almost more than the side of Twitter I used to know. As an aspiring educator, I find it extremely motivating for me to see tweets that teachers post regarding their classrooms and students. I can gather inspiration for the type of teacher I plan to be and take notes on how I can maximize my future classroom.

Twitter allows me to keep up to date on the current events revolving around the educator community. The more people you follow the more likely you are to see topics from a number of perspectives. For example, I follow teachers, principals, and board of education members. A teacher is in a completely different position than a principal is when it comes to a number of discussions regarding educational systems and classroom etiquette. The app allows you to take a glance at the world through other people’s lives.

I think it’s important, at this time in my life, to keep myself motivated and inspired on a daily basis to keep reaching for my goals. At this point, I check Twitter like the morning paper- ESPECIALLY ON THE WEEKDAYS. I wake up and scroll through my feed and it genuinely excites me for the next chapter in my life where I can wake up and teach my own classroom full of students.

Resources

My Twitter – @steinermadalynk

Educators to follow – @GregSederberg , @mraspinall , @SteeleThoughts