Blog Post #1

All About Me!

My name is Melissa Mark, I am almost twenty years old and currently studying to become a preK-6 elementary teacher. I moved to Alabama about ten or eleven years ago from Virginia. I always wanted to go to college but my mother did not, so she rejected to help me get accepted into college. When I graduated from high school in December of 2009, I moved out and now live with a very gracious couple who helped me attend college and become a better person in life. The woman who helped me enroll in college is a special education teacher. Since I graduated in December, I had a lot of time and so I would ride up to her school with her everyday and help her with student activities. I would also volunteer during big events at the school such as the Fall Festival. When I am not in classes, you will find me at her school volunteering my time learning the environment and necessities to become a great teacher.

I chose to become an educator because it fascinated me and I love working with children, helping them in any way possible. Also, I love to know the aspects of teaching from cognitive learning to arts and crafts,so I decided to attend USA because it has a fantastic education department that goes in-depth with every little aspect of teaching. I am really excited about this class because this is my first education class and so far has intrigued me. This is my second year at South and I hope to continue through to my doctorate in education. For hobbies, I love to go riding on my boat and fishing; pretty much anything that involves being outside. I love to be creative and spending time creating new ideas for the classroom and also getting a better understanding of the learning aspects/teaching abilities of teachers. I have no kids of my own, but will in the future. I have a fiance', which we have been together for almost four years now and counting. I love to draw as well, but I do not have too much time to draw anything decent. :)That pretty much sums everything up about me. I look forward to spending the next semester in this class.

Randy Pausch on Time Management

When the video began, he discusses how he is battling pancreatic cancer and how time management is important to his life. He then discusses time managent in jobs and academic situations. I learned that time management is more than just getting an assignment done "on time". It is not wasting time in life, it is about overpowering big projects or a ton of paperwork just by starting small. Also, it is about always having a plan. Like Pausch said, "you can always go back and change it". You want to know where your time is being spent as well because then you can realize A, where you are wasting time and B, what you could be doing instead to succeed in class or at work. Always have dead time and try not to interrupt people as well as not allowing people to interrupt you. Interruptions cost a lot of time when their added up and Pausch shows ways to shorten those interruptions and sometimes prevent them. Time management is all based on how you spend your time, in which ways your time is being spent and if necessary, with who. Time management creates your day, success, economic status and your life. It is the most important aspect of anyones life in order to be really successful in life. Lastly, if you use technology, only use it if it benefits you timely and efficiently.