Last month I had the pleasure of reading a book by Max Lucado. He is a great storyteller, so I usually don't mind reading his books. But this one was different. The purpose of the book was to understand myself, as in the Dusty that God created me to be.
If you are a fan of Jennifer's blogs (which, of course, you are), you probably remember that she recommended the book to me while she re-read it. Here's a quote from her post in which she "quotes" Lucado explaining the S.T.O.R.Y. acronym.
S – what are your STRENGTHS?
T – what is your TOPIC? (What gets you passionate?)
O- what are your OPTIMAL CONDITIONS?
R- what about RELATIONSHIPS? How do you best relate with people?
Y- YES! When do you feel God’s pleasure?
After a couple of weeks of thought, prayer, and chillin', here are my thoughts about who I am.
Strengths: analytical thinking, close attention to detail, good at memorization, speaking in front of a crowd, quick wit, able to teach (disregarding a few recent negative evaluations)
Topic: mathematics and statistics, particularly the teaching and learning of these subjects; Jesus' life and message
Optimal conditions: extended periods of time; quiet & calm; easy access to books, paper & pen; culminating in a presentation to an audience
Relationships: I enjoy working alone - this is Dusty the introvert. But Dusty the extrovert enjoys sharing my thoughts with others, particularly the (captive) audience found in a classroom setting. This is where I perform.
Yes! I've felt God's pleasure when I've figured out a tough mathematics problem, seen multiple ways why it works the way it does, and figured out two or three ways to help others see it. I have also felt it when teaching a classroom full of people who claim to hate math, but are enjoying (and understanding) the tasks I prepared for them.
The good news--I believe that I have my dream job as a mathematics education professor. Hooray!
Friday, July 1, 2011
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