First things first. Let's explain the name of this thing.
I've always felt that, for a guy who tries to take as relaxed an approach as possible (as possible while still accomplishing things, anyway) that my name is ridiculously uptight and British. I'm a laid back 24 year old student in Calgary, Alberta who has managed movie theatres since he was 18 and never really let anything get to me. Heck, I have a philosophy degree. What I'm a student of at the moment however, is Education. In learning how to be a teacher, I've had to make my peace with the fact that from a year or so from now when I graduate until the end of my career, I will be known to most people I meet as "Mr. Worthington". That's a weird thought for me.
Oddly enough, it has recently started to feel right. The turning point came when I was sent to observe at an Elementary School last October. Walking around being identified by everyone as "Mr. Worthington" freaked me out a bit for the first day or so, but up to that point it had mostly been adults saying it. When I heard the words "Thank you, Mr. Worthington" come from a 7 year old boy, for whatever reason it fit. Suddenly, I felt like Mr. Worthington was something I could be; even something I should be. The name of this blog is my acceptance of that, and my move towards becoming it. It'll also be something I use to show prospective employers my thoughts on theory and practice as I observe it over the 15 or so months of school I have left in my BEd, and hopefully will continue with as I start teaching, giving parents of my students a window into their kid's teacher. A little transparency never hurt anyone, right? Finally, it will hopefully be a component of my portfolio for a professional development course I am taking, in which we've been asked to track our emergence into the world of teaching. This is my intention with the blog. Historically, I've been pretty bad about remembering to keep up with things like this, so hopefully it does not languish like so much internet detritus. We'll see. Wish me luck, internet.
