Photo Credit – Reuben Prensky

This is my 20th year as a teacher.  I am passionate about helping students to successfully navigate the digital world and become better digital citizens.  My teaching areas are Digital Literacy, Photography, Business Education, and Computer Information Systems.

Outside of school I enjoy lots of hobbies, including kayaking, canoeing, hiking, river rafting, scuba diving, playing drums, dancing, singing, and photography.  I also work as a wedding photographer.  You can see my photography at www.cupidphotography.com

Photo Credit – Reuben Prensky

My Favourites

We asked our students to post some of their favourite things in their Edublogs, so I thought it would only be fair for me to follow suit.

My favourite quote – Tom Robbins is a favourite author of mine.  In his book, Jitterbug Perfume, he gives what I think is the best advice of all time – “Should you fail to pilot your own ship, do not be surprised at what inappropriate port you find yourself docked”.

This really speaks to me because I believe strongly in the importance of setting goals, but I tend to be lazy when it comes to putting aside time for goal-setting.  I frequently think of this quote when I’m procrastinating about setting goals, and it helps motivate me to get on with it.  I certainly don’t want to drift through life, hoping I get what I desire.  I’d rather choose what I want, set a goal to achieve it, and put a plan into action that gets me there.

My favourite video – OK, that’s not possible.  It changes on an almost daily basis.  Sometimes it’s a TED talk, other times it’s an amazing breakdancing video, or a compilation of amazing basketball clips of Stephen Curry.  Today, I found an inspiring commencement speech  by one of my favourite authors, Neil Gaiman.  He has some life advice that I think every young person should hear.  Check it out!

My favourite website is kind of boring.  I check cnn.com several times throughout the day for news updates.  I find that their news coverage is interesting, reasonably impartial, and thorough.  They tend to feature articles that I’m interested in, and I feel like I can rely on their team to keep me informed of what’s important as it happens.  I don’t watch news on television, so CNN is how I keep up with world events, sports, and interesting stories.

A photo that inspired me in my life is Ansel Adams’ “Clearing Winter Storm”.  It was taken in Yosemite National Park in California.  Ansel Adams waited for days in the same spot to find just the right lighting and weather conditions for the photo.

The photos that Ansel Adams took of Yosemite helped to convince the US Congress to protect the Yosemite Valley as a National Park.  This reminds me that perseverance pays off, and that each of us really can make a difference in the world, especially if we follow our true passions.

Photo Credit – Ansel Adams

About My Blog

This blog is all about Digital Literacy.  I will post my thoughts on learning with technology, links to interesting articles and videos, my favourite exemplars of student work, and tips on learning about the latest apps and tools.  Thanks for visiting!