Nhớ Nguồn

"I began considering myself an adult shortly after moving into my own one-bedroom apartment about a year ago, at the age of 24, roughly two years after becoming financially independent from my parents. This probably says a lot about my personality, but it wasn’t until I lived alone and felt full ownership over my living space that I felt comfortable forming healthy routines. I finally began learning to cook, for example. I kept my apartment clean for once in my life. I began to feel like a competent host. I no longer dreaded coming home, because there was no longer the question of whether there’d be any roommates around that I’d have to justify my actions, schedule, or company to. It’s nice to feel comfortable in your own weirdness; it’s maybe even the most important thing. It’s easier without witnesses." - Tom, a 25-year-old grad student

When you impress the EduTech manager with your programming and Excel skills, you know you've done a good job! My latest accomplishment: I single-handedly built a summative assessment tool based on a 5-point rubric for English language and 21st Century skills that is also of my own design. The tool assigns quantitative values to each of the rubric's criteria descriptors, and then automatically calculates a total score based on what's chosen in the tool's main interface. All of the information is integrated with a report generator that automatically fills in both the student's information and their associated score information into a letter template that can be sent to parents via email.  It's true what they say, computer knowledge  does feel very powerful. And so does getting a round of applause from all your colleagues and bosses for a job well done.

"Broadly, instructional design is the crafting of experiences that build knowledge and skills in a way that is appealing and impactful."  Yes, that's it exactly! That's the job description I've been looking for, and that is exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life.

I live for classes like the one I've got now. It's the class that reminds me every week why I enjoy being a teacher. They give me hope for the future, for them and myself Though it's hard to see clearly, their is great significance in the above picture. Notice the level of detail, the clear sense of joy that went into its creation, and the evidence that a group of like minds and hearts produced it together, all the while engaging the material they were meant to learn. What amazes me most, though, was not only did that group impress me, but they also managed to impress their fellow classmates. During the feedback stage, this group's work had other students crowding around to read the bubbles, laugh at the jokes, and even take pictures with their phones. And that's when you know you've got something good goin' on! That's when the teacher passes on his or her passion to the students, and the students in turn not only receive it, but amplify it fo...

March 1st. Now every day for the next two weeks will be agonizing torture. Have I been accepted? Have I been rejected? Will my career advance? Will I be right back where I was this time last year? I've been told to be patient, keep my head up, to not worry about things that aren't in my control. That's tough going, but I'm trying. How apt, then, that I'd come across this quote again: “I wanted you to see what real courage is...It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” I thought my chances were small in the beginning, but I did see it through. Now back to waiting to see if this time is my "sometime."

I heard that once, during the Vietnam War, the American military planned a surprise attack against the Viet Cong. On the day of the attack, the precisely coordinated Americans got into position.  They lied in wait of the enemy. And then the lied some more. And some more. And then they started to wonder. The Vietnamese, it seemed, were mysteriously absent. However, the Vietnamese troops weren't absent at all. In fact, they had gotten wind of the Americans' plans and had instead...re-positioned themselves to catch the Americans by surprise! And that , according to my friends, is why Vietnamese people are always so late.

Over my head, I see the pastel sky,  Asleep on the black pleather, Still like a sleeping horse in green shadow.  Down the alley between the thin houses,  The vendor's bell beckons Into the distances of the afternoon.  To my right, In the fingers of sunlight between the ancient birches,  The napkins of yesterday's lunch hour  Blaze up into golden leaves. I lean back, as the evening darkens and comes on.  A swiftlet floats over, looking for home. I have wasted my life.