Potholes in the Path of Pedagogy

This blog has been a long time coming. Truthfully, it has taken a while to decide to blog because I am totally intimidated by the amazing bloggers out there.  The quality of the thoughts of many professionals and the flair for putting these thoughts into creative, interesting posts simply intimidates me.  I cannot imagine that anyone would be interested in what I might have to say and therefore I have struggled to even to start.  I’m still not sure that I have a ton of information to offer to others.  I do know that after reading so many blogs far so long, I have grown to expect those writers to post and become upset when they don’t.  It’s kind of like when the newspaper hadn’t come and my parents would anxious wait, looking out the window for the delivery.  I am disappointed when my favorites don’t appear in my RSS feed.  I often wonder if people who blog know that they have that type of impact on their readers.  Then I wonder, could I have that kind of impact on a reader?

So, here I sit taking my first leap into blogging and anticipating where this road might lead.  It took me almost 2 weeks to figure out the title to my blog and my buddy Tom at Seeking the Wisdom of the Ages Through Our Student’s Eyes will be sad to know that I did not title the blog My Life with Tom.  I thought my husband might have some trouble with that title and besides it seemed a little vague on the purpose of the blog.  However, Tom, I do value all of the things that I have learned from you and the many things you have yet to teach me about Web 2.0 tools. 

I chose the title Potholes in the Path of Pedagogy after reading the quote:

 Teachers who inspire realize there will always be rocks in the road ahead of us.  They will be stumbling blocks or stepping-stones; it all depends on how we use them.  ~Author Unknown 

That quote made me pause.  A teacher who inspires is a teacher who can really make a difference in a child’s life.  Considering the tools we have today, if a student is inspired to learn, the doors are wide open.  I want to be a teacher who inspires each and every day.  But I do know that there are obstacles in the road of success.  Since I live in the Midwest and it is February, potholes are more of a way of life than stepping-stones or rocks.  So, Potholes in the Path of Pedagogy it is. 

This school year is my 16^th year of teaching and definitely the most challenging one I have ever had.  This year I have had experiences that have challenged me to rethink my thoughts upon teaching, learning, collaboration as I knew it and my beliefs about people in general.  I hope to share some of that as the blog takes shape.  I hope that anyone who stumbles upon this blog will enjoy these thoughts, share some of their potholes and their successes into the path to pedagogy.  The art of teaching is an every changing one and I hope that this blog with help me to become a better one and help others in that path as well.  Wish me luck!

Stay out of the potholes, drive on the sidewalk!