Wow…long time, no see. Seems as if even an author can be lost in a lost and found; but thankfully, I have emerged on the other end of the moniker. Well, it’s good to be back and I guess I will try to some up the happenings since my last appearance.
Educating Rita…For a ‘older’ movie, this was entertaining given it’s relativity to our course. The movie took on Rita’s journey to educate herself and allowed us to see that Rita was not the only character who learned along the way. Movies have to have a central character, but the title of this film could lead one to focus solely on the education of the main character and not her supporting cast. The movie cleaverly created a picture that encaptured lots of the learning styles and theories that we have covered.
Research Paper–I have come to enjoy the task of writing. However, I must say…this particular task has offered its fair share of challenges. I suppose all papers should challenge us on some level or another; therefore, I consider myself to be right on task for a well thought out, organized, and written paper. The fact that we have group members to help promote thoughts and ideas has been very helpful. My group members have been a great resource and I can only hope that I have been just as helpful.
Kolb–Another activity that struck my interest in my absence was the Kolb Learning Styles activity. Although, I am not one to categorize myself into one group or another, I always find it interesting to see where these activities place me. I guess the interesting part is to see where I fit, what I agree with, and what I disagree with. And Kolb did not disappointment; some elements I agreed with and others I cannot accept.
Transformative Learning–This lecture went very well with our view of Educating Rita; the movie gave us an opportunity to see Transfomative Learning before all the formal definitions arrived. Thus, making the reception of its concepts a lot easier to grasp.
President Elect Obama–I know, I know…it is taboo to allow politics and such makes it way into education (let alone a lost and found), but I would feel less than awkward it I followed the norm. You see I am trying to break from what it is normal because I feel so much gets lost when we skirt around our feelings. The election of Barack Obama means more than I think any of can grasp (black, white, or otherwise), because his election means some many things to so many people, not to mention this country…even this world. His election does not mean that racism is dead (oh, how I wish that were true), that our country is healed of the emotion misgivings of our past, the bleak existance of our presence, or the uncertainty of our future. Personally, it means that this country is capable of the transformative learning that we were taught in class (not to letter, but in some many words), that this country can (honestly) tell its youth that no matter what color, gender, or difference–anything is possible. For a moment, let us put aside the obvious (President Elect Obama is black) and focus on how you felt November 4, 2007, 2006…you get the picture and then try to relive how you felt at approx 11pm on 11/4/08 when the projection came in (NOTE: This feeling will[potentially] differ depending on who you voted for); my feeling was one of hope, not just for African American, rather one for a country that was in need of some hope. With a failing economy and other challenges we did not need a black, female, Asian president; we need a president that could give us the good feeling that we needed…a feeling of hope. By and large, I think we have that feeling.
I know all of that was a lot to stomach in one sitting, so I give my word…I will never again, get lost in the lost and found, I hope.
