Welcome to my blog, or, what the heck am I doing here anyway?

Greetings Friend!
This is the first posting to a personal blog I've ever done, so please bare with me while an old dog learns a new trick or two. And please understand, if you are having problems with my blog, it's not you...I hate technology and technology loves to return the favor!

One of the gifts my precious wife, Patricia, gave me was when I had to close my trucking company due to the economic downturn early in 2008. As we sat in the accountants office and he explained that I could no longer justify operating the business, she simply said "Good. You can go back to school and finish your degree. What do you want to get it in? What are you going to be when you grow up?" Without thought, the words English and History so I can teach high school came out of my mouth. It had to be a God thing, because I had never considered this before. She immediately embraced this goal, and it was through her that I found the strength and courage to return to school. She passed away on November 4, 2008, and I thank God that I lost my business, because it allowed me to spend every day with her for our last seven months together, a time we had never had before because of trucking. You will read more about her, I am sure, and some of the poetry I will be posting is an attempt to deal with my grief. If you find it worth while in any way, let me know. If you find it offensive, keep it to yourself.

So why am I doing this, you may well ask. Good question! I know because I've asked it myself at least fifteen times since starting the title of this post! This blog has been created for three seperate yet equally compelling reasons. First, I will be using it to do self evaluations and reflective learning as I begin teaching this semester for an EXL course I am taking. Second, Dr. Kates said I have to. Finally, the third reason, did I mention I hate technology? I have to learn to use it sometime, may as well be now.

Through the next fifteen weeks, I will be teaching under the guidence of Mrs. Ruth Taylor at Riverdale High School. She will guide me, or I will assist her, as we teach 12th grade English to her students. The curriculum is British Literature post Shakespeare, and I begin tomorrow with my first class. I will only be in with Mrs. Taylor two days a week, and for only one class period each day, as I must keep enough flexibility in my schedual that I am able to earn a living and keep food in my stomach.

Thank you for joining me in this journey! I won't promise excitement during the trip, at least not for you, but I love being in the classroom with the students and for me, its the adventure of a new lifetime!

Submitted for your consideration on January 14, 2009,
Matthew Forman