NABLOPOMO for September 2015: LESSONS

This month's theme is a natural for me.  Read the email to see why.

It's back-to-school time! Sharpened pencils, unblemished erasers, sheets of reinforcements: it's time to learn.

Learning goes well beyond the classroom walls. There are so many lessons at your fingertips on the Web. Want to learn how to remodel your bathroom? Read a DIY blog. How about find a new recipe for your upcoming dinner party? Try a food blog. Want to learn yoga? You can at home with how-to videos.

This month, in honour of back-to-school time, we're going to focus on lessons: what you've learned over the years as well as what you can teach others. We'll have roundups where you can share your favourite lessons you've learned online, and we'll do our own back-to-school fashion show via our blogs.

It's back-to-school, people. Open those books... er... blogs.
...
Let's learn a lesson together this month.

As I wrote, it's natural for me and a perfect transition from August's theme of KNOW.  After all, I'm an educator and I use this blog to research the topics I explore in class.  I even post lessons here.

There's more.

You can read more about the new NaBloPoMo theme on our opening post.

Follow over the jump.

So what is the NaBloPoMo theme of the month?

LESSON
Even though I stopped teaching years ago, I cannot help but think of every September as back-to-school time. There is something about the end of summer that makes me think I should get all my pencils sharpened and learn something new.

The Internet has changed the lesson playing field. There is so much you can learn from home. There are, of course, the formal lessons you can sign up for on the Web, but there are also the billions of DIY videos, cooking blogs, and educational podcasts to learn from in the comfort of your own home.

I'm going to challenge everyone to tackle a new lesson this month, even if you're not heading back to the classroom. What will it be? Want to take on a home project with the help of some how-to videos? Learn how to cook something you've never tried before? Sew? Play guitar? Learn how to French braid?

You can learn all these lessons without leaving your house. Thank you, computers.

I like the focus from the email better; it fits the way I blog here already.  I share what I learn and teach by expanding my established areas of expertise, not not expanding into completely new fields and skills.

As for the prompts, I'll dispense with today's by saying that I look forward to the Fall Semester.  If nothing else, all my colleagues are back from summer vacation and I get to see them again.  I also get to start the school year with new students.  Both of these are true this academic year as well.  There, done.

Sign up for September's NaBloPoMo and tell us about a lesson you found.

I did so early enough that I'm third on the blogroll.  May I sustain that enthusiasm all month long.