First, I'm rather crazy about personal computers and have studied them avidly for over 20 years. My first programming course was 42 years ago, but I'm more an applications expert. I prefer a computer that will work for me rather than the other way around. Hence, I predominately use a Macintosh although also use and teach Windows operating systems and software.
I am close to an Internet junkie. I love it and am trying to cope with information overload and time depravation. This ties into the following point as I do not use as much money seeing the world when I am stuck in front of my VDU.
I love travel as long as I can share it with someone. But my days of the typical American whirlwind trip are over and I prefer to spend a few days getting to know the places we visit or going back to sample another aspect of an interesting locale.
I enjoy music and singing in particular -- but I do not do enough of it.
I am a private pilot (ASEL), but not current as I ran out of that kind of money long ago.
I love teaching and learning and hope to continue doing this for the rest of my life.
I find it somehow strange that our society pays such superficial attention (lip-service) to the process and problems of educating and learning -- when our very existence depends on the quality of our learning and our future depends on the quality of our education.
I am convinced that collaborative learning strategies are the way forward and will do my part to spread the word and methods.
I hope to do my part in my remaining years to enhance Global Justice and Sustainability.
My wife, Priscilla, is the real teacher in our branch of the family as she trained for it during her BA (History and Ed.) work at St. Mary's College, South Bend, IN. We met in Hawaii while we were both learning more about Asia and Asian languages (hers Chinese, mine Korean) at the East-West Center. She got her MA in Asian Studies from the University of Hawaii and spent half a year in Hong Kong, India and traveling in Asia. (She got all the way around the world as well.) Her first teaching position was in a Maryland elementary school, but the next year we got married and she started teaching for the U.S. DoD Dependent School System.
That was over 35 years ago. She followed me around the world taking work where she could, getting a M.Ed. in Reading, and rearing our two wonderful sons (color me proud) until I retired from the USAF in 1985. She was a reading specialist for nearly 20 years (various locales) before reductions in USAF members and families posted to England forced her back to the elementary school classroom in 1994. She taught second grade (7 yr. olds) at Lakenheath American Elementary School for five years but now teaches compensatory math, reading and writing. We have lived in England for since 1986.
Our two sons graduated from Croughton American High School (DoDDS) and, in 1997, both graduated from British universities. Our older son, Nicholas, [MA (Honours), International Business with French] sells computer products and services to the insurance and banking industry in the City of London. Our younger son, Jason, [BA (Honours), Chinese Studies and MSc (Distinction) in the Politics of Empire, London School of Economics- 1998] is successfully delivering Coca-Cola® to a lot of thirsty Asians and Americans
| Phil Richardson; prichard@faculty.ed.umuc.edu |
Revised
2 Apr. 2005
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