I would consider myself a life-long learner.  I’m always on the lookout for something new.  Personally, I think that we all should be.  Some are, some not so much.  

      Believe you me, I screw up more than most.  But I immediately fix it and then try to always do better going forward.  I’m not perfect.  But I dang sure try to always improve my statistics.  

       I enjoyed things about high school. I enjoyed a lot about college.  Even though I learned more in my first year of teaching than what I learned in 4 years of college that was supposed to be teaching me about teaching.  

     I can distinctly remember some PI meetings where I learned a specific item.  There has even been a session or two at summer conference where I actually learned something.  I have been to summer in-service trainings where I learned a little and some where I learned a lot.  

      When comparing careers–selling John Deere vs. teaching–without a doubt, John Deere is WAY ahead of the educational world when it comes to educating.  Seriously, that company knows how to educate their people about their products.  New product intros were entertaining yet educational.  Specific training like hay equipment, Dare2Compare in Orlando or skid steer training in Phoenix…..I traveled to as many as I could.  I also took a lot of online classes in John Deere University.  

       Likewise, over the years, I’ve actually learned a thing or three during local school in-service sessions.  Some were repetitive crap from the year before and the year before that.  Yet, every now and then, we have a new one that is engaging.  

       And yes, over the past 28 years of attending careertech crap sessions or John Deere classes, I have skipped a session or four.  And not once, have the attendees told me that “Dude, you missed out.  It was totally worthwhile.”  Sometimes, you just know when it is going to suck and there is no need to attend. 

       I actually think that I can speak for all teachers when I say, “If we have to go, we want to learn something.”  Learn at least one thing that we can use and take back.  Whether it be a motivational tool or a teaching tool.  Maybe even a tool to sell something.  And people, if you think teaching doesn’t involve selling, you are gravely mistaken.  A teacher has to constantly sell ideas to students, to parents, to administration, to the community and to themselves.  Teaching is selling, it just doesn’t involve an exchange of $s.  Likewise, a lot of selling is teaching the consumer about a given product.  

       And sometimes, one realizes that opportunities were missed.  And that is what hurts because that means time was most likely wasted and learning did not occur.  

     In the near future, we will discuss missed opportunities.  Don’t pass up on the opportunity to learn from that upcoming post.