Perhaps this posting comes about on the account that I have more time on my hands. Perhaps a new thoughts have come to my mind and I am inspired to write about them. Whatever the case, I think I think I need a new introduction.
For quite some time, this particular blog has been dormant. The purpose was to log my progress in grad school; what I had discovered, and the life experiences that I have had out of it. Unfortunately though, this idea fell short, as either I didn't have enough time, or just simply lost interest. Only today does this blog reawaken. And there's a reason why.
Since my last posting (which has been over a year ago) I have managed to graduate from graduate school, land a job within my field, and move back to my home state of North Carolina. I have accomplished some of my dreams as stated in one of my earlier postings. The past two years have not been easy ones, per se. Although life was good, it still had its challenges. Now that I have been able to focus on things other than academics, I can now begin to focus on life as a professional, and life enriching opportunities.
But that's not what this post is about. I don't want to deviate too far away from my point. The point of this blog is to re-introduce myself. It's been nearly two years since this blog was created, a lot of changed, and for those of you lucky enough to trip across the blog as a result of a bad Google search (because I know MILLIONS read it) an introduction is in order.
My name is Mark. I work in the business of dreams. No, I don't work for Disney. I work in the business of accomplishing dreams, reaching goals, and creating new heights. I work in the business of education. The past two years of grad school have taught me that this field is not for everyone. I firmly believe that you have to be "cut out" for what you do. Education is a service industry. It is a people business. Some people will tell you otherwise, but the very core, the foundation of what educators do is to inspire others to develop the discipline to expand their minds, to challenge themselves to new commitments, to learn something new.
As humans, we were given a mind capable of complex thought. Thinkers- Socrates, Plato, Columbus, Voltaire, Nietzsche, Einstein, Hawking, and countless others are no different from you and I. People might've thought these folks were off their rocker a bit, all because they had the ability to think differently. Through centuries, we have been able to take a rock and transform it into a wheel, develop letters and languages, create various forms of art, and engineer a 450 ton machine to take off and soar to 30,000 feet above the earth. Folks, that grey matter in our heads is more than just matter. The brain is a tool, but unlike tools the more you use your brain, the sharper it becomes. All we have to do is put it to good use.
And that's what brings me to the point that I want to make today. So often, I find that students who come into my office face a huge level of anxiety in committing themselves to classes. They are unsure if they have the cognitive facilities to have the means to perform academically. I think they have every right to think that, because if all we have been trained to do for the last 20 years is push a button, and pull a lever, it's all we know how to do. Why would you want to break your comfort zone for a few classes?
It is my job and my goal to take the student that comes into my office saying these things, and to empower them with the desire, motivation, and will to learn, accomplish a goal, and to spread their wings.
So here we have returned to a starting point, and with a new mission in mind. This blog will now encompass the lessons I've learned in life, observations in life, and my own personal opinions (when necessary). It's in the tagline.
Here's to a new beginning. I'm back. Let's do this.
