PLN Blogging Challenge

So I was invited to join this challenge… by Greg Miller… my boss.  My first two thoughts were:

1.  How could I possibly say no him?
2.  His unwavering belief in my awesomeness will be disillusioned by this entry!

The first thought was dealt with quite quickly as there really is no way to say no to Greg… he would never ask something of others that he’s not willing to do himself.  The second was tempered by the realization that someone thinks enough of me to encourage me to write and share my thoughts.  That Greg, he’s a wily one… because here I am, a quasi, on occasion, really very seldom blogger… venturing out once again into that frightening world.

One thing that did appeal to me about this challenge was that it entailed a list of tasks and questions.  I can do lists; actually, I’m rather fond of lists.  The orderliness and linear thinking they require is quite satisfying.  And since I am incapable of original thought, I’m going to lay out this blog exactly the same way Greg did.

Here are the guidelines that were laid out by whomever it is that started this in the first place:
1.  Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
2.  Share 11 random facts about yourself.
3.  Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
4.  List 11 bloggers.  They should be bloggers you believe deserve a little recognition.
5.  Post 11 questions for the blogger you nominate to answer and let all the bloggers know they’ve been              nominated.  (You cannot nominate the blogger who nominated you.)

Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
So back to Greg.  The very best thing that happened to our District this year was the hiring of Greg as our new Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources.  And I’m not just saying that because he’s my boss!  He’s an innovative, tech-loving leader who has already brought about positive changes.  He sees the good in people and wants to help them reach their potential.  I could be wrong but I think he actually likes teachers!

11 Random Facts About Me.
1.  I LOVE lists.
2.  I’ve watched all 177 episodes of Star Trek TNG since last spring. Love that too!
3.  I read a lot. Just finished Fahrenheit 451 - awesome, amazing book!
4.  I have seven siblings.
5.  I had 42 aunts and uncles, and 107 FIRST cousins - how quickly can you say French.Catholic.Family.
6.  Somehow I managed to have only two children!  They are 22 and 20 and both away at University.
7.  I traveled to Germany as part of a teacher exchange last summer.
8.  I’m working on my Master’s in Numeracy.
9.  I dislike leftovers.
10. I saw the Grand Canyon from a helicopter.
11. Anyone who knows me, knows how much any list composed of 11 things would bug me.  11 is an odd           number, a prime number...  10 would be much, much more satisfying.

11 Questions from Greg.
1.  What is one new thing you tried in the last year?
     I vlogged my way through Europe last summer.  Rudimentary, inept vlogs… but so much fun to make.

2.  What is the most recent educational book/resource you read, watched or listened to and why that                   resource?
      Neil Turok’s “The Universe Within”.  
     To put it simply, I have become fascinated with science.  The rapid changes in science and technology              have had an astounding effect on our current lives and I’m curious about what the future holds.  It’s                breathtaking to try and imagine.  This book details the coming quantum revolution which will reinvent the        world that I know.  I’m not going to pretend that I understood everything in this book but the truths that        science holds, and science knowledge, in general, are very valuable to me.   

3.  What do you do when you fail at something?
     Very lame and very cliched… but I try again.  I seldom give up on anything.  I’ll search the Internet for help      - Google, YouTube, and I are good friends.  I’ll seek out the advice of others.  In short, I do whatever it            takes - improve my technique, improve myself, - just plain try harder.  One of the quotes above my desk is     “I haven’t failed.  I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.” (credited to Thomas Edison).  

4.  What do you do when someone you are responsible for fails?
     I encourage them to try one of the other 9 999 ways.  And I stand by them while they do.

5.  How do you deal with stress?
     I’m really not a highly stressed person.  I was raised to believe that nothing comes to us that we can’t work     through logically.  Freaking out never helps.  So I make lists:), prioritize, think things through, and try to be       über prepared in new situations.

6.  What is your favourite movie and why?
    The Shawshank Redemption.  
    The lunacy that is hope, the depths of friendship, and Morgan Freeman’s voice.  

7.  How many Smartphones have you owned and which was your favourite?
    I just bought my second Smartphone - an iPhone 5.  Are there any other kinds??

8.  Other than Twitter, what/who makes up your PLN?
    Twitter, YouTube, Google, colleagues, and an amazing friend with whom I have deep, intense conversations     about anything and everything.  He always has a reflective thought, an insight, a new perspective to share.     He challenges me, questions me, and makes me think.

9.  What does collaboration mean to you?
     What she said:  http://shelleylacroix.wordpress.com/2013/10/19/collaboration/

10.  Who would you recommend I follow on Twitter?
       Dan Meyer ‏@ddmeyer - Because math is beautiful.
       Patrick Stewart ‏@SirPatStew - Jean Luc Picard!  Do I have to say anything more?
       Letters of Note ‏@LettersOfNote - Retro inspiration.

11.  What did you have for breakfast this morning?
       Glass of milk, Cheerios, and two peanut butter toast.

My 11 Influential Bloggers:
I chose people from our three local Districts:

Shelley Lacroix @Shelley_LaCroix
Kathy Pardell @KPardell
Shawn Allison @ShawnGAllison
Kate Weber ‏@kate_weber7
Michelle Hair ‏ @smichellehair
Jason Mestinsek ‏ @jasonmestinsek
Jen Clevette ‏ @jenclevette
Geoff MacDonald ‏ @GeoffMacDonald
Melanie Alde ‏ @MelanieAlde
Amanda Gilmore ‏ @Mrs_A_Gilmore
Shawna Bulger ‏ @shawnabulger (She made the mistake of publicly saying she wanted to start blogging.)


My 11 Questions for them:
1.  Do you have a bucket list?  What item is the highest priority?
2.  If you could learn anything new (time, effort, and practicality aside) what would you want to learn?
3.  What is one thing that has changed you for the better in the past year?
4.  What is one of your favourite books?
5.  What is one of your favourite quotes?
6.  What do you believe is your greatest asset as an educator?
7.  If you could travel to another country to see a different educational system, where would you go?
8.  What has been your most memorable professional development opportunity?
9.  What is the most important ‘non-academic’ skill that we can teach students?
10.  What makes you get up in the morning and go to work other than the paycheck?
11.  What’s your favourite thing to do when away from work?