Chapters

Whatever else I may be good at, jumping into a text in the middle of the chapter is not counted with my strengths. I need an introduction, a framework to help me order the information I am reading into the existing schema in my brain. 

In other words, I need a very deliberate modeling and "this goes here" for information I am processing. Which may be why I haven't been overly successful at online courses in the past. 

I've been an outright failure. With really good excuses. Oh, I signed up for my catechism certificate and only did one assignment? It's because I just got hit with really bad morning sickness. Going to try to get my masters at ASU (now an online program). Sure... no, wait. I don't have the funds because our car died. 

I could have found the funds, and I had nothing better to do laying on the couch during my first pregnancy. But, I had trouble fitting all the pieces of information together and I missed the accountability and specificity that I found in a physical classroom. 

I missed the modeling and deliberate instruction. The activation of relating schema.

Now, with this particular venture, I have more confidence, because I know most of the people I'm studying with. And, it's only a week. 

How bad can I fail in one week? 

That mentality has given me the chance to take risks. And I think the risks are paying off. I already have more than the three required ideas for lessons, and I'm sure over the next two days I will add to it.

So I am for the first time, feeling very successful in an online learning environment.

And, I'm reading the whole dang book, because regardless of my success with online learning, I still can't jump into a text in the middle of a chapter.