A Literacy Experience

One literacy experience that made an impact on my life is the concept of being vs. non-being by author Tich Nhat Hanh. The idea that an object is not an object, or a chair is not a chair, seems questionable at first. A chair is a label, a word, and a series of graceful symbolic letters that we have invented to give meaning to that which already exists. Consider for a moment that the chair is everything that doesn’t exist. It is the designer who came up with the idea of how to shape it. It is the craftsman who carved the detail. It is the manufacturer who supplied the glue. It is the sawmill operator who planed the surface of the wood. It is the tree itself which once grew in the forest. What began as a simple idea has shaped the way I look at the world. Literacy has allowed me to discover new meaning in the obvious, to relate to the unknown and the unfamiliar, and to freely associate ideas while seeing more sides of an issue. I openly welcome the perspective of others with tolerance. Thank you Tich Nhat Hanh. So what is a chair? It simply is.

Why Blog?

Most of us can agree that blogging forces reflection on many fronts. Professionally speaking, routine examination of our beliefs and best practices is a good thing. Blogging offers the structure that some of us need to learn. It opens the door to dialogue. It allows one to ask questions and filter responses while welcoming contrasting, supporting or neutral points of view. Through video, audio, and active discussion, it presents content in a sensorial rich environment.

Reflecting on the usefulness of blogging, my own critical writing and watching several videos, I was surprised by the comment of a primary student “my writing gets better every time I blog.” Clearly, writing and reflection is a key role of any blogger.
The process of learning includes many stages: direct teaching, knowledge acquisition and transfer, comparing, thinking, self-discovery and assessment. Yet, how does this process manifest itself in practice? Below are six areas of practice that encourage positive momentum in learning: group work, discussion, questioning, social atmosphere, cooperation and reflection. Whether learning takes place in the classroom, at home or on a blog, it is my duty to answer curiosity with curiosity, and to empower children to reach their full potential.

Blogging is like walking into the mist of a virtual “cloud”. It has the potential to add positive momentum to the process of learning.