Awareness

   One of the most important lessons I have taken from this semester at ECU is trying to be more aware of what is happening around me and paying attention to how these new awareness's affect me.  From my EDTC class, I have learned to pay attention more to what I am reading and viewing.  This affects the capacity of my learning.  Also with this class, I am more aware of what the Internet can offer me.  There are millions of resources I can use for my daily life to my professional life.  I am also more in tuned with the products available to me.  I see the fun new gadgets on television, and can now tell you what their function is, and possibly how I could use the tool or app in the classroom. 
   From my Diversity class, I have become more aware that life is not just about, "this or that."  Life is about, "this, that,"  and everything that falls in the middle.  Every aspect of our diverse culture is important.  We do ourselves and community a disservice when we don't recognize our differences and have discussions in order to promote a broader awareness of the world around us.  There is more to our world than just our neighborhoods.  (Thank you, Web 2.0 for making this even more possible today than ever!)
   From my other four classes, I am aware of what affects the proper order and harmony of a classroom.  Have I mastered these skills?  Absolutely not!  I am just aware of them now.  Classroom management is going to be the biggest struggle for me.  I know it will be different when I can actually have my own classroom and start fresh with clear expectations on the first day of school with my own students.
   I am so thankful for these opportunities to gain wonderful knowledge that will help me to eventually make my future students more aware of the world around them.  They can become a part of something greater and bigger than the "boxes" they may limit themselves to, unknowingly.