Happy Halloween!
From my classroom to yours.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Where Have I Been?
I am a teacher.
Over the past three weeks, I have...
...been working many more than forty hours a week.
...created six weeks worth of curriculum for 10th grade humanities (at 10 hours a week, that is approximately 60 hours worth of curriculum.)
...met with two sets of parents at school.
...visited three sets of parents in their homes.
...been trying to inspire 10th grade high school students.
...been inspired by my students.
...encouraged writing, reading, critical thinking, questioning, discussion, compassion.
...received mixed results.
...laughed at (or with) teenagers.
...wanted to cry.
...been exhausted every night (one night I actually fell asleep at 7:30 pm).
...gone home some days feeling like a complete failure.
...gone home other days with a little bit of hope.
Over the past three weeks, I have...
...been working many more than forty hours a week.
...created six weeks worth of curriculum for 10th grade humanities (at 10 hours a week, that is approximately 60 hours worth of curriculum.)
...met with two sets of parents at school.
...visited three sets of parents in their homes.
...been trying to inspire 10th grade high school students.
...been inspired by my students.
...encouraged writing, reading, critical thinking, questioning, discussion, compassion.
...received mixed results.
...laughed at (or with) teenagers.
...wanted to cry.
...been exhausted every night (one night I actually fell asleep at 7:30 pm).
...gone home some days feeling like a complete failure.
...gone home other days with a little bit of hope.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The End
I turned in my paper and presented my capstone project in front of 82 people (Matt counted).
Since I wrote the longest paper of my life to finish my degree, I thought it should have the longest title: "The Role of Education in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding: Case Studies on Bosnia-Herzegovina and Peru."
I am officially done with my master's degree. It is a little surreal.
Here are some pictures from Monday, our last day:
Me presenting and looking serious:
Our cohort called ourselves the Justice League (since our master's is in Peace and Justice Studies). Here we are posing together with the real Justice League in the background:
We had our own type of graduation ceremony after the long day of presentations. Here we are sharing mushy sentimental things about our classmates:
I won this coloring book for winning the award, "Most likely to be turned into a cartoon character," because apparently I am very expressive and make funny faces.
I will miss my regular interactions with these people immensely. I could not have asked for a better group of people to go through this year with. I look up to each one of them in so many ways and have a deep love and appreciation for every one of them.
I finish this post with a heavy heart.
(Pictures courtesy of Greg.)
Since I wrote the longest paper of my life to finish my degree, I thought it should have the longest title: "The Role of Education in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding: Case Studies on Bosnia-Herzegovina and Peru."
I am officially done with my master's degree. It is a little surreal.
Here are some pictures from Monday, our last day:
Me presenting and looking serious:
Our cohort called ourselves the Justice League (since our master's is in Peace and Justice Studies). Here we are posing together with the real Justice League in the background:
We had our own type of graduation ceremony after the long day of presentations. Here we are sharing mushy sentimental things about our classmates:
I won this coloring book for winning the award, "Most likely to be turned into a cartoon character," because apparently I am very expressive and make funny faces.
I will miss my regular interactions with these people immensely. I could not have asked for a better group of people to go through this year with. I look up to each one of them in so many ways and have a deep love and appreciation for every one of them. I finish this post with a heavy heart.
(Pictures courtesy of Greg.)
Sunday, August 23, 2009
The End is Near...
In 17 hours, I will be finished with my master's degree. I just need to hand in two copies of my final paper, give a public presentation on my capstone project, and listen to my fourteen classmates present.
I am feeling:
stressed
overwhelmed
weird
happy
sad
relieved
nostalgic
Tomorrow will be a big day and a milestone in my life.
I am feeling:
stressed
overwhelmed
weird
happy
sad
relieved
nostalgic
Tomorrow will be a big day and a milestone in my life.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Changing the World
We talked a lot in Costa Rica about being an active member of society, living in a way that perpetuates peace and limits injustice, vs. being a passive member of society, merely standing by as injustice takes place in the world around us. Some of the injustices that come to my mind as I think about this are poverty, lack of opportunity, disparity in income, discrimination. The list is probably unfortunately endless. I am still reflecting upon how I live my life and what simple things I could do to be more active instead of passive. I really liked this quote from one of our week's readings:
"Instead of solidarity and fighting for justice, we would sit back and wait for a better world without work, without efforts, without conquests, without sacrifices... But it shall become a reality if we pray, only by our pure and sincere desire of changing the world. As Paulo Freire taught us, changing the world is urgent, difficult, and necessary. But in order to do so, we need to know, read the world, understand the world, not only scientifically but emotionally, and above all, become involved in it, organizationally."
-Pedagogy of the Earth and Culture of Sustainability by Moacir Gadotti
Something to think about.
And here are some butterflies from Costa Rica:
"Instead of solidarity and fighting for justice, we would sit back and wait for a better world without work, without efforts, without conquests, without sacrifices... But it shall become a reality if we pray, only by our pure and sincere desire of changing the world. As Paulo Freire taught us, changing the world is urgent, difficult, and necessary. But in order to do so, we need to know, read the world, understand the world, not only scientifically but emotionally, and above all, become involved in it, organizationally."
-Pedagogy of the Earth and Culture of Sustainability by Moacir Gadotti
Something to think about.
And here are some butterflies from Costa Rica:
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