I wish I could say taking a class in 21st century skills has been fun, but it honestly has been a lot of work. But I have to admit, I would not have taken the time to sort through a variety of web tools on my own, and to teach that to yourself takes a lot of time, especially when no one is around to ask questions, and help...well..."help" is notoriously bad via web; most sites have computer techies writing the help and they are writing it for other techies I think!
One of the biggest challenges to taking a class is in time management, and for any one who teaches English it is a crunch, no matter when during the school year. My next class will definitely be during the summer or through CEUs because this has been an incredible challenge to fit in with student essays and research papers (grading them is gruelling enough without the added stress of my homework to do!). Not only are there papers--mountains and mountains of papers--to grade, there have been other things to deal with: the mock accident for SADD and t prom stuff, and after prom to take care of, and of course, babysitting for grandchildren, and taking time for a funeral, and illnesses, and and and....oh, and did I mention parent teacher conferences? yah...that too. So time...my enemy...never my friend (((sigh))).
I suppose I could always learn to manage my time better, but then who or what would I cut out? Not take the time to smell the fresh spring spice bush that blooms only briefly once a year? Ignore my grandchildren when they want me to take them out for icecream? (Some day they will be grown up...and I will wish I had eaten more ice cream with them!) Maybe ignore my dog when she wants to go for a walk? How could I ever look into those lovely, patient brown eyes again? So though it takes me time to think, time to plan, time to create (such as it is), time to figure things out and to sort through the technology, I feel I've managed my time as best as I was able. And now...for that...I will pay pay pay because I can hear more papers squealing in my backpack, and my lawn growing into a jungle!
If I have proven more adept at any one skill of late due to my dilligent use of the computer, I would have to say I can now create links on almost anything that allows it. I can also see that a lot of people lose money to many people because they are getting paid squat for some excellent ideas. I wish more people could make more money for what they have posted that has helped out others, but...there are some wonderful people out there who have helped me and have no idea they have done so except for the comments I keep leaving like Easter eggs all over their web lawns!
Overall, continuing education continues; I'll always resent HAVING to take the class, but after it is done, I'm always glad I've taken it and feel more enlightened for it : ) I don't think that is spoken like a true teacher, is it? Ah well.