Introducing...me!

My name is Stephanie Ritter and I'm pleased to announce this is my first blog entry EVER! I was born June 11, 1980 in La Jolla, CA and grew up in Encinitas, CA. For the first 18 years of my life, I spent every summer day at the beach and in my flip flops, which eventually became permanently attached to my feet. When it was time to leave the nest, I ventured to UC Davis where I completed my undergrad and, as they say, had the best years of my life...truly they were. After graduating I moved to San Francisco where I spent 6 years navigating through one way streets and up steep hills, going to Giants games, participating in Bay to Breakers (anyone else?), and enjoying all that the city offered...yet still in flip flops...even in the fog and rain. To pay the bills, I sold closets. Yes people, I said closets. I worked for California Closets as a Design Consultant and this is where I met my future husband, Tom. We are getting married in Lake Tahoe in August of this year! Tom and I recently moved back to Encinitas and just yesterday we bought him his first pair of San Diego flip flops.

Technology is part of every day for me, but while writing this I’m realizing I really keep it simple. I check email, create word and excel documents, download pictures, use the internet for driving directions, online banking, etc. I have to admit that I am still a paper person. I once tried to adapt to a PDA and almost lost my mind. There is just something about actually writing out my to-do list that makes me feel on track. I have the knowledge and am capable of performing intermediate tasks on computers, but I guess that I haven’t had need to move strongly in this direction. All I need my cell phone to do is make calls and send a few text messages. And I just recently replaced my "hot pink first ipod ever made" with a green ipod shuffle which doesn’t even have a screen. I am very open to learning new ways to incorporate technology into my life and am looking forward to this course. I trust that technology will be an asset and important tool in the classroom. I have always used a PC and actually purchased a new PC just a few hours before our first class last week…and then I immediately met the Mac in class. Sitting down in class last week to find a Mac was exciting because it was probably the second time in my life I had the opportunity. What version of Microsoft office am I using? Well, just a few minutes ago my fiancé began cursing at our new computer…something about Vista and Microsoft….the screen locking up (not sure what is exactly going on, but I’m thinking it is not good). So, I’ve been told that we’re now using Windows XP.

My decision to pursue the program at Cal State San Marcos was based on reputation and the immediate and extremely helpful response I received while inquiring. I researched other California State Schools and was most impressed with San Marcos. I hope to be able to better identify with the mission statement as I progress through the program, but as of now I am drawn to the following few phrases in a self reflective way: “preparing thoughtful educators…exemplified through reflective thinking, lifelong learning….” I believe that I will learn much about myself from my students and this awareness will strengthen my teaching abilities. I will become a better teacher everyday by listening and reflecting on my own teaching experiences. This will require my own lifelong learning commitment to self awareness in the classroom.