Grown-up Unschooling Autumn 2010

Yesterday I wrote a post about why I don’t have a job or a freelance thingie anymore.

Since I want collaborators, mentors and co-explorers, I thought I’d mention what I am doing this season.

Agile Studies

I am learning everything I can about Agile. I can’t get enough of it. Specifically, this means learning about…

• Extreme Programming (XP). Specifically, pair programming with Java using TDD.
• Methods of collaboration, which go by names like Scrum, among others.
• Methods of organization and project management (like KanBan). This is about figuring out what the things are that are hanging over my head, and hanging them up on a wall (in broad daylight!) instead — then deciding what I want to do about them.

Yoga

I left my Karate & Taekwondo teacher in Eugene, Oregon. He was amazing, and taught me life lessons I find myself thinking of over and over again. But it’s time for me to get this cranky fibromyalgia-body moving again.

Compassionate Authenticity

This is a continuation of the process of learning to choose love in the face of fear. Releasing my grasp on judgments, learning to trust.

Teaching

I’ve known for a while that I love to work with folks who are on the path moving from pain to peace, from judgment to grace, and from conflict to connection. I’ve been working on a version of NVC I can live with and I think I might be getting there.

Resources

Here are some of the books I’m studying:

• The Art of Agile Development (Shore & Warden)
• Agile Java (Langr)
• Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change (Beck)
• Test Driven (Koskela)

I’m also spending hours coding Java in Eclipse with JUnit.

And I’ll be reviewing various NVC and other “path” resources, to learn more about what’s between me and what’s called “teaching.”

Lastly, more time on the cushion. Hold me to that. :) Yoga, Java, Agile, meditation, introspection. That’s the plan.

Any other students out there want to explore with me?