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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor Playful Learning. In Mariah's own words:
"Through the Lens: Exploration in Photo Journaling is an e-course that has been created for children (and their grown-ups) ages six through twelve. Participants will gain a new understanding of themselves and the world around them by exploring a variety of photography and writing techniques while creating and adding to their own photo journals. All sessions will be led by educator and writer Mariah Bruehl."
You can follow along with Mariah on her blog, and be sure to see her new book coming out in August, also titled Playful Learning.
SouleMama: Tell us about your background. What path led you to where you are today?
Mariah: After receiving my master's degree, I spent many incredible years as a teacher and then administrator in elementary schools. I was one of those students who would sit at my desk in school and think about how I would do things differently if I were the teacher. As a teenager, I was always attracted to jobs that involved spending time with children, such as being a camp counselor. However, I did not decide to go into education until halfway through college. I was originally a political science major because I wanted to “change the world.” Yet the more I studied current issues within the world of politics, the more I realized that true change could only take place through education. I became fascinated by human development and human potential. I changed my major to child development during my junior year, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I later went on to receive my M.S. in elementary education.
Playful Learning started in June of 2008, after I made the decision to stop working and spend more time at home with my daughters. It seemed like a wonderful way to continue doing what I love, spend quality time with the girls, and to become a part of the amazing online community of mothers and educators. It turned out to be an incredible journey—one that has helped me to find my voice and to create a life (and livelihood) that is fueled by and built around spending time with my family. I am so grateful for the opportunities that the Internet is creating for women. I feel like we are just starting to tap into the potential that it holds for all of us. It is so wonderful to be a part of a community of extraordinary women who are able to create, connect, build, and share their ideas in ways that have never been seen or done before.
SouleMama: What inspires you?
Mariah: I feel very blessed to have numerous sources of inspiration in my life. First and foremost are my daughters. I am always trying to think of ideas for projects and activities that will capture their hearts and minds. I developed Through the Lens with them in mind, as a way to channel their desire to experiment with and express themselves through technology. I simply love being with them, listening to their latest fascinations and theories on life; they never cease to amaze me.
SouleMama: What's the product or offering you are most excited about right now? Tell us about it.
Mariah: After launching my e-course on Playful Learning Spaces, I became very excited about the potential of online learning. I loved the sense of community that was created by the participants. Through everyone sharing and discussing their work, we created an amazing collection of ideas and inspiration. It was a wonderful example of how a collective can became so much more powerful than any one individual.
For today's giveaway, Playful Learning is generously offering the following to TWO winners:
~ a spot in the upcoming Through the Lens: Explorations in Photo Journaling E-Course
(course begins on July 6 and runs for four weeks)
In addition, Mariah is also offering a 10% discount for all SouleMama readers who register by Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Use code SOULEREADER.
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Thank you to Playful Learning & Mariah Bruehl!
To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Sunday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday evening.
Comments closed! The winners are...
This is a fabulous, creative idea - I have a 9-year-old for whom this would just fit the bill. Thanks so much!
Posted by: meg
this would be perfect for my son. he's loving discovering the world thru his camera at the moment
Posted by: grace