One of the greatest things about summertime in the Northeast is the multitude of scents you are hit with whenever you walk around outside. Flowers here, fields there, animals in the distance, herbs tucked away in the bushes, distinct trees hanging over your head, gas from the roads, and people EVERYWHERE!. I love just taking a stroll through the park or down the street at home (upstate NY, farm country) and taking it all in. So much to be mesmerized by and so many little things to notice that you would not catch just by speed walking and not trying to smell it all in. Every little thing has its own unique smell just waiting for you to enjoy. It is so easy to be entranced by it all when you are just in an amazing mood and everything smells so good. Except those white trees with the droopy branches that smell like something gone bad or like animal waste left in the barn too long, that is not an enjoyable scent. But even so, you can marvel at how distinct different things smell. Our simple nose can pick up on so many different scents, and humans have an awful sense of smell compared to other animals.
My favorite part about smell is the images and memories it can conjure up. Sometimes you catch a wif of someone's cologne and it takes you back to an old relationship you have not thought of in awhile or maybe just makes you really in the mood and excited. Sometimes you smell a hint of something that reminds you of trips to your Grandmother's house where you would go into her very old and musty garage. Walk past a restaurant and you can get a delightful reminder of mom's cooking, which you miss terribly because you cannot afford to cook anything besides soup and even if you could you are not nearly as amazing a chef as mom. And perhaps the best is when you get hit in the face with a brief breeze from the ocean and instantly are transported back to those summers spent on the Cape with your whole family. Smell is just outstanding! Taking the time to slow down and notice all the different scents can really make you enjoy where you are a whole lot more, and if you are lucky you will be able to remember it years from now when you catch a new familiar scent.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Institutionalized Poverty/Racism?
I just started my first graduate classes at BC for my masters in Moderate Disabilities and Special Needs Education, I know soooo awesome! One of my summer session classes looks at the social contexts attached to education, things like: race, immigration, economic status, gender, cultural environment, etc. The idea being that when you are a teacher, you don't just have Social Studies students sitting in your classroom; behind every desk is an individual coming to school with a heck of a lot of baggage, some even more than others. That being said, you can never assume anything about your students and you can't expect them to learn like the student sitting next to them because they have had many different experiences and an entirely different life other than school. It is so humbling to recognize this because it is very easy to go into education thinking that you can teach future students like you were taught as a child. I turned out well, right? Wrong. The students you teach, no matter the demographic, are of an entirely different generation than you and are coming to school with issues and opinions that are not the same as the ones you had.
So the first step was recognition that students are individuals and need to be treated as such. The next step is taking an active role in their lives by investigating what those differences are, how to best handle those differences in the classroom so that all your students are getting the same skills and knowledge and opportunities for success, and then going even further and asking why those differences exist in the first place. In my social context class we are going to be looking at the factors that may cause such disparities amongst children and trying to see if there is a link between those causes and current day effects like the achievement gap and social class issues.
There are so many questions to be raised in this investigation and I feel like not many of them are going to be answered easily. Do we have instituionalized racism in the United States or are we just filled with racist people? Can we change the system to be more equal or is our way of life so entrenched in greed and money that those changes will never come? Is this a racial issue or a power issue? What started white people to be the "superior race" in the first place? Can our country handle satisfying the intimidating amount of different cultural and community needs that exist or are we destined to always leave some group unhappy with feelings of oppression? Is it possible to have a equal, working, classless society? Is this an American issue or a human issue; will there always be people competing for power and then putting down and taking advantage of the weaker group? How much would our lives change, for better or for worse, if we illuminated class differences? Most of these are very theoretical questions and don't even get into the practical side of things, which is the cause of most concern. Why are black students suffering so much in school and dropping out only to end up in prison; is the the educational system's fault or our societies fault?
I look forward to discussing these questions all summer with my classmates, but I would love people to comment and raise questions of their own. This is an important and relevant issue for everyone as everyone can attest to some form of oppression in their lives for one reason or another.
So the first step was recognition that students are individuals and need to be treated as such. The next step is taking an active role in their lives by investigating what those differences are, how to best handle those differences in the classroom so that all your students are getting the same skills and knowledge and opportunities for success, and then going even further and asking why those differences exist in the first place. In my social context class we are going to be looking at the factors that may cause such disparities amongst children and trying to see if there is a link between those causes and current day effects like the achievement gap and social class issues.
There are so many questions to be raised in this investigation and I feel like not many of them are going to be answered easily. Do we have instituionalized racism in the United States or are we just filled with racist people? Can we change the system to be more equal or is our way of life so entrenched in greed and money that those changes will never come? Is this a racial issue or a power issue? What started white people to be the "superior race" in the first place? Can our country handle satisfying the intimidating amount of different cultural and community needs that exist or are we destined to always leave some group unhappy with feelings of oppression? Is it possible to have a equal, working, classless society? Is this an American issue or a human issue; will there always be people competing for power and then putting down and taking advantage of the weaker group? How much would our lives change, for better or for worse, if we illuminated class differences? Most of these are very theoretical questions and don't even get into the practical side of things, which is the cause of most concern. Why are black students suffering so much in school and dropping out only to end up in prison; is the the educational system's fault or our societies fault?
I look forward to discussing these questions all summer with my classmates, but I would love people to comment and raise questions of their own. This is an important and relevant issue for everyone as everyone can attest to some form of oppression in their lives for one reason or another.
Fruit
Fruit is something that I absolutely love! Biting into that perfectly crisp and sweet red apple, getting a pear at just the right ripeness, cutting up a fresh mango, or popping some delectable berries into your mouth are some of the most enjoyable experiences we can have as human beings. It just feels so natural to eat fruit. Think about it: trees that grow straight from mother nature produce these delicious eatables and we don't really have to do anything to make it happen. It is a gift from the Earth! We just pluck it off the tree or vine and eat away. And the process of eating it is even more natural. No utensils, no plates, and no cooking needed, just bare hands and teeth. Oranges are probably my favorite fruit to eat for this reason. Using my own resilient fingernails to peel off the outer skin, working for my nutrition so I can enjoy a delicious and immune system-boosting treat. MMMMMM.
Now some people may love fruit for its amazing ability to be turned into smoothies or outstanding desserts (oh man apple pie!), but as for me, give it to me raw and straight from the farm and I will be in heaven. My body thanks me for all the vitamins and nutrients I am ingesting and I thank my body for being able to eat these gifts so easily =)
Now some people may love fruit for its amazing ability to be turned into smoothies or outstanding desserts (oh man apple pie!), but as for me, give it to me raw and straight from the farm and I will be in heaven. My body thanks me for all the vitamins and nutrients I am ingesting and I thank my body for being able to eat these gifts so easily =)
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Teaching
I think it makes the most sense to start with what has really truly inspired me and allowed me to appreciate everything that I do. Teaching! I did not always know that I was going to be a teacher, in fact there were a few times in college that I really doubted it was the right path for me. I went into Boston University School of Ed. because I loved history and figured it was a safe career and I could always change my mind later. At first, my classes taught me to appreciate education in a way I never had before, but they did not ignite any sort of a passion. I fooled around a little with other options; maybe the ritzy "sex and the city" life of PR, maybe some political science, or maybe I could marry rich and stay at home with the kids. However, I decided to stick with education for a little longer and took a class on International Education Policy. This was the first time I fell in love. I began learning about how different countries run education, all the problems that exist because of shitty education systems, and how much trouble the US was in. So you mean I don't just have to be a teacher, and teachers don't just teach kids their ABCs? Holy shit wake up call!!! I became so engrossed in this 2-credit extra class that all my other classes seemed sort of pointless. I found my passion and never looked back since.
Currently, I am teaching at Epiphany Middle School in Dorchester, MA. I found this little piece of heaven when the man who started the school came to speak at SED. I went on a visit and signed up to tutor. That is when I met a 6th grade boy with a fro-mohawk who needed help with reading and math. Coming to see him every Friday became the highlight of my week and I am 100% sure that he taught me way more than I taught him. I learned what it was like to be needed, I learned what it was like to be appreciated, and I learned what it was like to be wanted. This boy went through a lot and there were days when he just wanted to shut down and forget school. But we pushed through together and had so much fun doing it. I found out that pushing a child shows them that you care way more than bringing them candy, I realized that all kids really want is to feel like you care about them, and I had the amazing experience of making a new friend simply by coming and talking about Star Wars when the math homework got boring. I decided during this semester tutoring that I HAD to work at this school and be apart of what it does. This school put everything and more into caring about every single child that attends and never ever stops until each child is as safe and secure as possible. They take inner-city children who are not given any other chances and give them the world.
While teaching at this school I have learned more than I could have ever learned in school. I learned what it means to write a lesson that ensures students are learning and not forgetting. To design a class that engages students and gives them a sense of ownership over their knowledge. To talk to students as if they are people and not just children who are simply told what to do. More than that I learned about how the world works. When I see a student, they are so much more than the person that I see in class. They have such vibrant personalities and sadly often have a lot of baggage. The may be calling out or not participating in class because mom and dad are not around or maybe they can't get the right medical treatment. Sometimes you need to be more of a counselor or big brother then just a teacher. But more often I get to see them be kids, with interests. emotions, jokes, and fooling around.
Working at this school I realized that I love children and want nothing more in the world than to make sure that every child I meet has the opportunity to love life, learn, and be whatever they want to be. Children are beautiful and they can make you see the world in ways you forgot how to. It is their right to stay this way, continue to live, love, and play, and one day grow up and use their amazing talents to change the world. I am so proud to call myself an educator and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with children, preparing them for the world.
Currently, I am teaching at Epiphany Middle School in Dorchester, MA. I found this little piece of heaven when the man who started the school came to speak at SED. I went on a visit and signed up to tutor. That is when I met a 6th grade boy with a fro-mohawk who needed help with reading and math. Coming to see him every Friday became the highlight of my week and I am 100% sure that he taught me way more than I taught him. I learned what it was like to be needed, I learned what it was like to be appreciated, and I learned what it was like to be wanted. This boy went through a lot and there were days when he just wanted to shut down and forget school. But we pushed through together and had so much fun doing it. I found out that pushing a child shows them that you care way more than bringing them candy, I realized that all kids really want is to feel like you care about them, and I had the amazing experience of making a new friend simply by coming and talking about Star Wars when the math homework got boring. I decided during this semester tutoring that I HAD to work at this school and be apart of what it does. This school put everything and more into caring about every single child that attends and never ever stops until each child is as safe and secure as possible. They take inner-city children who are not given any other chances and give them the world.
While teaching at this school I have learned more than I could have ever learned in school. I learned what it means to write a lesson that ensures students are learning and not forgetting. To design a class that engages students and gives them a sense of ownership over their knowledge. To talk to students as if they are people and not just children who are simply told what to do. More than that I learned about how the world works. When I see a student, they are so much more than the person that I see in class. They have such vibrant personalities and sadly often have a lot of baggage. The may be calling out or not participating in class because mom and dad are not around or maybe they can't get the right medical treatment. Sometimes you need to be more of a counselor or big brother then just a teacher. But more often I get to see them be kids, with interests. emotions, jokes, and fooling around.
Working at this school I realized that I love children and want nothing more in the world than to make sure that every child I meet has the opportunity to love life, learn, and be whatever they want to be. Children are beautiful and they can make you see the world in ways you forgot how to. It is their right to stay this way, continue to live, love, and play, and one day grow up and use their amazing talents to change the world. I am so proud to call myself an educator and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with children, preparing them for the world.
Long overdue
I have been meaning to start this for a very long time, but seemed to keep forgetting or pushing it off till later. Now that it is summer and the sun is here to stay, I am finally ready to commit.
I wanted to start writing out everything that makes me smile, gets me to think, challenges me, worries me, motivates me, and makes me stop to go "Wow." In short...everything that I love about life (you are going to hear that word a lot because I tend to love many many things.) In a way this is a very selfish blog, what blog isn't I guess, but I also would love for anyone who happens to read any of it to maybe see something differently or start smiling more. In reality, this blog is my small attempt to illustrate what I find beautiful in the world. From little things like how delicious a pear can taste when it is perfectly ripened to major issues like loving the planet and taking care of it. I am just in love with life, every aspect of it, and really want to celebrate and show my appreciation for everything there is in the world. There are enough amazing things all around us that we can love and be happy with that happiness should never be something we hope to one day find, but a state that people always inhabit.
Some posts in this blog are going to simply be me raving about something that I fell in love with that day and some are going to be me questioning an issue or event that is going on in my community or the world. I hope that it stirs conversation and that people contribute their ideas and opinions so that I can keep on learning and growing.
I wanted to start writing out everything that makes me smile, gets me to think, challenges me, worries me, motivates me, and makes me stop to go "Wow." In short...everything that I love about life (you are going to hear that word a lot because I tend to love many many things.) In a way this is a very selfish blog, what blog isn't I guess, but I also would love for anyone who happens to read any of it to maybe see something differently or start smiling more. In reality, this blog is my small attempt to illustrate what I find beautiful in the world. From little things like how delicious a pear can taste when it is perfectly ripened to major issues like loving the planet and taking care of it. I am just in love with life, every aspect of it, and really want to celebrate and show my appreciation for everything there is in the world. There are enough amazing things all around us that we can love and be happy with that happiness should never be something we hope to one day find, but a state that people always inhabit.
Some posts in this blog are going to simply be me raving about something that I fell in love with that day and some are going to be me questioning an issue or event that is going on in my community or the world. I hope that it stirs conversation and that people contribute their ideas and opinions so that I can keep on learning and growing.
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