This week has been tremendously helpful as far as furthering my understanding of education and knowing not just where my students are coming from, but giving me ideas of how these things might be carried forward into high school.There’s a lot that is going to have to happen from within an existing system. As an education student I don’t have much sway with the organization as a whole, but that doesn’t mean I can’t keep notes and track ideas that I have and how they might correspond to improving what we can so that the […]
EDU-5026: Partnering with the Adolescent Learner
Guiding Question: What is the role of a teacher in a secondary learning-centered environment? In a word, I would say that the purpose of a teacher is to be a guide. You are quite literally guiding students through their year(s) in your classroom. You have all the necessary tools and research to back them up and push them to explore the world around them. The real trick is that as a guide, you are pushing them to take an interest. You have to be careful that you don’t over push to the point of teenage […]
EDU-6630: Critical Practitioner
Education is the basis for creating a society that knows how to advocate for itself. In order to do that, we have to push our students to think outside the box, to know what their own limits are, and to have the resources to push for a better tomorrow. Of course, when I put it that way, it sounds a wee bit like I’m pushing the June Rebellion of 1832. “Do you hear the people sing” indeed. But I digress. If this course has given me anything, it would be background knowledge that allows for […]
The Full “Among Others” Book List – By Page Number
Shortly after I began this post – a job I undertook when I decided I’d “run out” of books to read while housesitting and realized I’d brought the needed book with me – I was inspired to buy two books I had yet to read. Farthing by Jo Walton and The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin. You know you’ve picked up a good book when the bookseller talks your ear off when he sees you holding it. I’ve been wanting to make this list for awhile, and if you’ve ever read Among Others, you […]
100 Happy Days: The Final Installment
100 Happy Days, Part 1 100 Happy Days, Part 2 100 Happy Days, Part 3 Last time on 100 Happy Days: Day 75) March 27 Knowing I have friends who can keep me in good humor even if I’m so tired I’m practically falling off my chair at work is amazing. Thank goodness for friends. (I’m sorry… A secret hiding spot for a car is so very James Bond that anyone could have made that mistake.) Day 76) March 28 Friday! Running all over the place, but it was the last day in the costume […]
“I Wonder How It Got On…”
I was introduced to Sunshine on Leith not that long ago, and instantaneously fell in love. Scotland, Proclaimers, Edinburgh, singing, musical… I mean, there was a lot to fall in love with. And unlike Mamma Mia, another “jukebox musical”, this one had a feasible story line. But every time I listen to the soundtrack, “Letter From America” is the song that hits home. It may be a commentary on Scotland itself, but when you’re a descendant from someone who left Scotland, it has an entirely different meaning. It begs the question of where you are, […]
The Identity Conundrum
I’ve thought about it long and hard and I still don’t have a proper answer to the question of what name to go by on my website. There’s my pen name which I eventually plan to publish one of my many novel manuscripts under, and there’s my real name. This website and all my social media currently uses my real name. Those who know me well enough know both, so it doesn’t matter there. But at what point do I use which name? The reality is that ideally you’d like the people who don’t know […]
100 Happy Days, Part 3
100 Happy Days, Part 1 100 Happy Days, Part 2 Last time on 100 Happy Days: Day 50) 2 March THE OSCARS! Also, board meeting. I am so excited about the upcoming social dance we have planned – it will be completely and totally awesome. Speaking of – does anyone know how to do 50s styled hair? I need it for the sock hop! Benedict Cumberbatch hiding behind Brad and Angelina the whole night, and pizza being delivered to the audience. I mean, come on, how cool is that? Shock and amazement that John Travolta […]
Midpoint: Reflection on 100 Happy Days
Now that I’ve gotten beyond the halfway point of 100 Happy Days, a few things have occurred to me that I think need reflecting on. The first being that as I go back and look over some of these snippets from the past 55 days or so, it’s like looking at them through rose coloured glass. Sometimes I was able to write these things in such a way that that’s clear. I’ll have added something along the lines of “sometimes it’s the little things that can make your day”. But that’s not always indicative. I’ve […]
100 Happy Days, Part 2
100 Happy Days, Part 1 Day 25) 5 February SNOW DAY! I can never not be happy when there is snow falling out of the sky. Brought my boss a cookie. I like seeing other people smile. Okay, so 100 days in one blog post takes up a LOT of space. So I’ve decided to break it down into 25 day chunks. Day 25 (re-posted above) is where we left off. So here’s to continuing. Day 26) 6 February Went on a date, during which we went to one of my all time favorite local […]