Comes in Three

Welcome to a new year… with a new year, there are new resolutions… I have decided to work on goal setting.  Yup.  Taking the lunge, asking for help, and making the move to narrow my focus into something that is productive, meaningful, and worthwhile… as part of a long process… and not the endpoint of a certain chapter in life.  As I work through this process, I have arrived to several aha’s.  First, messages, hints, or clues… come in three.  For example, as I try to establish what’s really important to me… I have literally bumped into what I was suppose to hear.  One day I heard… go back to school, adult education, and autodidactism… three related messages from three different conversations.  On another day I heard… mathematics education, content knowledge, and student achievement.  And, with my goal setting work I hear… writing, researching, and learning.  The message seems pretty clear to me.  To my surprise, this is something that I really want to do, I am ready to do, and understand that this is only a part of the whole picture.  This is reassuring.  I am also learning about my strengths, limitations, and deepest desires.  The pieces of the puzzle seem to be falling into place and I am driven to continue on this path.  There is no question that I am passionate about mathematics education, professional development, and quality public education.  What I am realizing is that I will have to move forward on this pedagogical journey one step at a time.