Why? -Write a Compelling Blog

"Write a Compelling Blog" is the title of a level 4 elective project in my Pathways Transcript. 
I do hope to capture your interest in my reflections about Pathways, the new online educational program for Toastmasters International.

My assignment for this project is to post a minimum of eight blog posts in one month. I am launching this blog today on November 1st. I do have some expectations that I'll write plenty more than eight posts.

It seems I cannot stop talking about Pathways.

My name is C. Duane Noto.  I am a Pathways Guide for District 6 Toastmasters in Minnesota.  Officially, I became a Pathways Guide on January 26, 2018.  What that meant to me is that I was given early access to Base Camp in order to study a curriculum about Pathways.  Base Camp is the name for the online gateway to Pathways.  I was later assigned ten Toastmasters clubs to visit and deliver an introductory presentation about Pathways before it actually became available to members.  

I was also given access to webinars from Toastmasters World Headquarters.  World Headquarters staff conducted those webinars to answer questions from me or any of the other Pathways Guides in our group of Districts with the same rollout date. Those webinars were given twice a week beginning February 6.  They typically alternated on Wednesdays and Fridays at 11am or 4pm.  Being retired I was able to join almost all of them live.  They were also recorded for access later.  By the time my District members received actual access to Pathways in the rollout May 3, 2018, I had joined 25 webinars.  The rollout date was when all the members in my district gained access to Pathways.  By that date, I had a good understanding of Pathways. The World Headquarters webinars continued for me into August. 

Before and after the official Pathways rollout in May, I prepared and delivered by own webinars to my assigned clubs; providing demonstrations, answering any questions and especially supporting the VP-Education for those clubs.  Those were called Virtual Support Sessions.  I still hold those on request to help Toastmasters members get started in Pathways when they are ready.  

My early access to Base Camp did not allow me to choose an actual educational Path any earlier than other members in my district.  As soon as I could with the May rollout, I chose the Visionary Communication Path and started my own educational curriculum.  I have been enjoying it.

I have been a Toastmasters member continuously since 2004.  I was very familiar with the traditional educational program from Toastmasters.  I achieved my DTM, Distinguished Toastmaster award, representing completion of the full cycle for the educational program in June 2013.  Personally, I felt rejuvenated with the introduction of Pathways.

I have much to say about Pathways.  I hope to use this blog to share some of my experiences and perhaps some advice to those just getting started.  I am just getting started with the concept of blogging. The first step in creating a blog is to choose a topic that matters to you. 

Pathways matters to me.