Dating the Boss

Posted on April 29th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Relationships, Personal, Omnia Vanitas, Random.

I swear, I think I’m dating Tony Soprano. The swearing, the mood swings, the Vegas wardrobe . . . The similarities are terrifying, except he doesn’t come with the interesting “family” friends. Not sure if that’s a positive or a negative . . . No great Jersey accent or manly balding, either, but I’m on the lookout. :)

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Thank You Wikipedia

Posted on April 28th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Personal, Random.

Well, as flippant as my previous post about Fraser’s possible illness may have sounded, I was kind of freaked out for the little guy. Of course, I always rely on Google to fan the flames of my irrational (read: pathological) fears, but this time it actually offered some comfort by bringing up a Wikipedia entry on the possible diagnosis, which is Selective Immunoglobulin A Deficiency. Sure, they slip in the part about its association with autoimmune disease, but if it really is “a relatively mild genetic immunodeficiency,” I will be able to sleep at night. Apparently, people with this deficiency “lack immunoglobulin A (IgA), a type of antibody that protects against infections of the mucous membranes lining the mouth, airways, and digestive tract.” Explains a lot, including why a few bites of bad fish floored me the last time I was in Oregon. Still, no one likes to be sick, especially when we’re little and don’t understand the joy of bed rest, so please send your kind thoughts Fraser’s way.

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Appreciative Inquiry

Posted on April 28th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Education, Literary, Technology, Sponsored Posts.

Disclosure: The following blog post is based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

As a wannateach, I’m always interested in ways to encourage individuals to flourish. Sara Orem, a faculty member in Capella University’s School of Business and Technology, recently coauthored a book on Appreciative Coaching: A Positive Process for Change. She writes that this text, rather than “focusing on individuals in limited or problem-oriented ways,” uses “appreciative inquiry” in a new way to “guide the reader through four stages – Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny – that inspire them to an appreciative and empowering view of themselves and their future,” which sounds lovely. Appreciative coaching apparently uses “positive questions, mindfulness, and other tools to acknowledge the strengths of individuals and effect change.” Although the book is aimed at “individual coaches of managers, executives, and ‘those who do one-on-one work with people who can influence and create change in their organizations,’” it sounds like it would also be an interesting and useful read for teachers.

I believe that Capella University’s support of such a scholar speaks to their stated commitment “to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth.” At Capella, students can earn a college degree online, an increasingly popular and effective means of changing one’s life through education. Since its inception in 1993, Capella University has worked to develop “graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelor’s degree programs in business and information technology,” containing more than 80 specializations and 16 certificate programs. With more than 17,900 students from all 50 states and 56 other countries, I won’t be surprised if enrollment continues to grow at a rate that outpaces traditional universities into the future.

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Philosophy of Education: Person Projected

Posted on April 27th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Education, Personal.

As part of my Foundations of Education class, I had to write a philosophy of education statement. I don’t think I’ve ever been happy with anything I’ve ever written, so I figured I would post parts of here to see if anyone has any comments. This section is on what kind of person our education system should be looking to develop.

Education must strive to produce learners who are not simply problem-solvers, but active, engaged questioners of themselves and the world around them, able to be both socially and economically productive. They must endeavor to face themselves and the world with both comprehension and compassion. They must truly be “lifelong learners,” the sort of people who collect personal libraries of materials relevant to their personal interests and concerns, and who use these to discover inspiration in identifying and addressing the problems that affect their lives and their nation. They must have the courage, discipline, and confidence in their skills and abilities to believe they can create positive change, whether by improving the world outside or their personal economic, occupational, and social situations . . .

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JLA

Posted on April 27th, 2007 by gail helen.
Categories: Personal, Random.

Oh dear.  Little Fraser has discovered a passionate, almost violent, love of animated comic book characters.  Next comes live action films, and its all downhill from there.  Yesterday we went to Blockbuster and he chose Justice League of America: Starcrossed over Dora the Explorer. He’s already watched it 3 times, and I can tell its going to end up on repeat before it gets returned.  And so it begins . . . On the sunny side, it opens up a whole new arena of toys to spoil him with :)

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