Summer Musings

Hello all. I hope everyone had a swell 4th of July. We spent the day with Luke's family at the lake. His uncle and aunt have three kids, two of whom are right around Quinn's age and they had a total blast playing together. We did some swimming in the lake and it was a very nice day. I've been out so much this summer that I might actually walk away from this season with a tan. I'm generally indoors so much- and layered with sunscreen- that I never really color. Being outdoors so much for the science class I took the first two weeks of the summer has really shifted my outlook and comfort level with the outdoors so I am trying to embrace the season. I've spent the last week working diligently on my Master's paper at Hamline and I'm hoping to have a draft of the whole thing by Friday. Wish me luck! I'm reading the Twilight series again because I decided to use the first book in a curriculum I need to design for the aforementioned paper. You can't just read one of them and stop so I'm at it again. However, I still have 3-4 books waiting to be read for fun:) The summer is racing by but I intend to live it to its fullest. This coming weekend we move my brother to Des Moines where he is going to med school. He's lived with us for the past 4 years or so and this will be a major shift. Quinn will not know what to do:( But, it's for his bright future and it's the perfect time to figure out skype. I'm super excited to see the new Harry Potter film, though I want to re-read it before I view it. So much reading, so little time. Alright, well, I hope that everyone is having a delightful break from school or if you're in summer school that things are going swimmingly in the mad dash for mad credits. Looking forward to fall classes and seeing you all again. Cheers!

Science Class Update

Life in Science class is moving along swimmingly. We're in the second week now and we all can see the end in sight. The grant the course in funded with involves classroom work throughout the school year so we'll be partnering with these educators in the fall. The class itself of students has bonded a great deal and there are fun non-verbals and understanding between us as we bond as a unit. I have reaffirmed for myself why I don't lecture to classes. It's simply not something I find interesting to listen to. I also reminded myself why I should have something on the board or a handout to at least offer students the chance to do two things at once. I wonder how people will respond to me teaching science concepts or ideas...

Quinn turned 3 yesterday. I have a three year old.:)

Day 1 Reflection for Becky's Summer Science Class

I often need to step into my student's shoes to understand where they're coming from, both in their approach to English as an academic subject and also in their personal approach to education and school. So, it was good for me to be silenced today with an absence of coherent and intelligent thought. I was blown away by the knowledge contained in the pre-test and astonished that even my strong reading skills couldn't help me deduce a possible answer. What brilliance it must take to create a test in the sciences?! Back to my opening line. So there I am, standing on Mississippi River Road, staring at the damn without a clue as to what to do. I kept peaking glances at my peers and was depressed to note that everyone else seemed engaged and alive with the activity. All I could do was to keep my pencil moving and try to describe what I was feeling. The emotions I experienced? Frustration. Anxiety. Fear. And so in that moment, I chose to consider how and why my students might feel that way. I considered something like "Sonny's Blue's", a dense short story about a young man's struggle against an urban living that included drug addiction. The story is told through this brother's eyes. Most of my students- after their first read- find it dull or too difficult to "get into", just as I was feeling about looking at this wall of rock. When I teach it, I am all enthusiasm and joy, because I know and love the tale, how it is written, what it provokes in me. As I glanced at the three teachers of ESST, I saw that same vigor and familiarity in how they spoke about the wall of rock. Others in the class, with more background knowledge than me, had something to connect to, a starting place. For me, I felt like a person carrying an empty toolbox. And that is something I have to remind myself of with my students every single day. They look around at other people furiously writing in their notebooks or blogging off of one of my writing prompts and they wonder what to do, what to say, how to even phrase a question... This course will be enormously challenging for me and at times I may want to crawl away and sink into a novel that is familiar and safe, but that would be the cowardly thing to do. My students deserve better of me. I need to know and understand what their brains are being asked to do other hours of the day so I can respond in a way that builds off of that and complements those practices. I need to expect of myself that I can learn new, foreign knowledge even at this age.

Summer reading

Last week I was psyched to get not one, but two gift cards to Barnes and Noble. One was a belated birthday gift and another was from a graduating senior's parents. Gift cards to book stores are pretty freakin' sweet and it took me no time at all to spend them. Now, I've completed two of the 5 books purchased and feel charged to start my summer reading binge. I have a Hamline class for two weeks starting next Monday, but I'm sure I'll sneak in some social reading too. I've got a masters paper to finish this summer, as well as trying to squeeze in another 4 credits if possible.

SO, to my first book. Twilight. I finished it yesterday afternoon and immediately went out to rent the movie, though that was a dangerous move. My ability to watch a movie from start to finish is hampered by my curious son. Obviously, vampire flicks aren't meant for Quinn's eyes, so I have to wait until he's asleep.. and I digress. Immediately, the film irritated me because the lead actress was blinking annoyingly often and Edward wasn't as Edward as I wanted him to be, despite his ravishing looks. Alice, Emmitt, Rosalie and Jasper fit their descriptions alright, as well as Charlie, but... and Jessica looks exactly like a former CAHS student. I have only gotten through about 20 minutes of the movie and it's changing and cutting things right and left, much to my chagrin. I want to read the second book, if only because I read the teaser section at the end of Twilight, but I should try to hold that as some sort of reward for myself...

What was the last novel you read cover to cover? What are your early memories with reading and books? Do you read on your own time?

Good morning Fair Students

There's something in the air. I know, it smells like summer vacation. I can almost taste it! I am so excited for everyone to have some much needed time off from school and schedules. Even though I'll be attending a Hamline class starting almost immediately after school ends from 9-4 each day for two weeks, I am anxious to learn new things that can be used for next year's teaching!

We are at an end of the academic school year and this course. The final thing I would like you to do is this: I want you to read every single blog you've written since the beginning of the term and I want you to write a self-assessment of sorts that explains what your blog reveals about you, both as a person and a writer. I look forward to your reflections. Similarly, I would like you to select one student in the class and read through the whole of their blog. Take time to craft a thoughtful response to them and share with them what you learned, what you liked and what form you imagine their blog (and perhaps life) may take in the coming years.

Thank you!

Today's Task for Wednesday

Please follow the link below to read the article for today. Then, respond. What are your thoughts about the representation or absence of women, people of color, the GLBTQ and other marginalized or historically oppressed people in movies, tv and the media?

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/06/dear_pixar_from_all_the_girls.html

What movies from your childhood have stuck with you? Who did you admire or emulate? Are there female heroes for girls to emulate? Why are most women secondary characters? Why does that matter to you?

This week's assignments- and today's 6/2

This week, I'm asking you to do some critical reading and thoughtful response. At the same time, I am doing my best to showcase bloggers who, like you, write for an audience and with the intention to process the important events of our life and our world. All of the items I am asking you to read, are written by bloggers/journalists, a new brand of writer and researcher that seeks an audience that is atypical and wonderful. Read the article below. How can you break the silence? Then, I want you to start reflecting on where your blog will go once this course is over. How will you turn this into something that remains a positive vehicle for you? Will you also seek an audience? I'll return to these questions. Article link below and also on the sidebar of my blog.

http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/silence-is-the-enemy/

There are multiple blogs and tasks for today. Be sure to read on. Cool. Thanks!