News

Well, I finally found out where I’m moving and what I’m doing.  My new co-teacher called me and we have an appointment to meet today. Talking on the phone with her, she seems like a cool lady. Very energetic. I’m hopeful. I’ll also see my new apartment on Monday. I will have to move. I had been hoping that I could stay in my old apartment, but that is not to be. However I’m pretty happy so far.  — wow! I’ve accumulated a rather large amount of stuff.

Also I got 3 out of 4 grades back – 1 A and 2 B’s I’m still not sure about the grade for Literacy….. however I’ve decided that I’m cool with having to re-do the class if I have to.

I’m thinking of getting a new blog just for my bike riding. I will just have to remember to bring my camera along more often.

 

Campy

So today was the second day of summer camp. Usually, this would mean I only have 2 or 3 students show up.  Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) my students know this will be our last summer camp, so they showed up.   We played a game where they had to figure out who killed me (murder is my favorite camp!) – it is kind of like alibi, but I give them all the information. Just not all at once.  Each student gets one clue, and they have to ask each other to get them all and figure it out. They did a good job, and they did a very good job explaining why they chose the suspect they did. I left pretty happy.  Tomorrow we will play “Clue” –

I saw Ms. Woo, my co-teacher. She was looking very cool and fresh despite the heat. I don’t know how she does that. I must admit I”m a bit jealous.  We talked about the new school. I won’t know where I’ll go until the 13th, so I’m looking at websites for teaching young children, but I really don’t know what I’m looking for. I guess general ideas.  I also don’t know if I’ll have to move or not. I’ve decided that even though I have WAY too much stuff accumulated, I”m going to be happy either way. Either I can stay in my apartment that is being newly organized, and I’ll get to ride my bike to work or I’ll get a new apartment, and I can start fresh. Either way I’m detehrmined to be happy.

I’m very grateful I have a nice place to hang my hat.

Well, it has been a long time

I’ve been thinking about this blog for a while. It is like an old friend you haven’t e-mailed or called in a while, and every time you don’t call or write it seems more difficult to get to it.

I am finished with the epic mistake of taking 4 classes at once. I did pretty good on three classes (but I’ve emotionally and intellectually made peace with the fact that I will probably have to re-take the Literacy class. It makes me sad, but I’m still standing.. barely.)

I am also thinking of re-taking linguistics. I really enjoyed the class, but right now I couldn’t tell you what I learned. I think the recommendation of only two classes a semester has some merit.   I’ve never run into my wall, I’ve always been the one who does a bit too much, but then I like being busy so it is a good thing.

With that, I will say that I’m taking two new classes, and a class on rock climbing (even though I’m a little more than a little  fat, and I’m old and out of shape) – and I’m back on my bike, with a new plan for a long term bike ride.

I’ve decided to take it a bit easy this semester, because I’m going to be starting something new. Elementary school. eeek.  The little ones scare me a bit, and I’m just now starting to look at lesson plans and materials for them. I’ve decided to have fun, and to get in touch with my inner child.  (since I’m really a 12 year old in a 46 year old body, it shouldn’t be too hard)

And that is me, and I’m going to try to get back, and be a better blog hostess or whatever we are called.

 

I think I made a big mistake

I’m taking 4 classes for summer. Grad school is harder than it looks, and I shouldn’t have taken so many classes at once.  The hard part? I really enjoy the classes I just feel like my brain is pudding and I can’t seem to take a proper break. Every time I turn around it seems I’ve forgotten to do something so I’m always a bit behind. I still haven’t caught up in Linguistics. I am however making a pretty decent grade in Multi-lingual and Multi-cultural education. I think what the best thing for me to do is the best I can in Linguistics, accept the poor grade and re-do it next semester. Sigh

I will probably NOT be posting regularly.

Whaat to do?

I’m trying to get back into the whole blog thing again. I really like writing, and I have a ton of ideas, but it seems like every night I think, I really should write my blog, and then I do something else. I think I’ve kind of burned out a bit.

I am trying to find the passion again, I do have an opinion on the whole brouhaha over the SMOE decision to let us all go by 2014, and I have some strong opinions on some of the articles I’ve read on education reform. I am also excited to start my winter camp.

As my taekwondo teacher used to say, step by step.

 

That went surprisingly well.

My students have to take a speaking test. This usually drives even the most confident of students to tears. I don’t like driving my students to tears, so I try to make it as painless as possible. I tell them to breathe, and set my face in the most sympathetic and encouraging expression I can muster. 

Most of my students do pretty well, and I can tell they studied the questions, but like all teachers, I have The One Class. The class that sometimes drives me to tears. So I had already told the class that if the majority did well, I would have music and games, but if the majority say “pass” to all the questions, we would study instead. 

Well, I almost didn’t bring the music clip because like I said, this is The One Class. I was most pleasantly surprised today. One student who is normally very shy and doesn’t speak much tried, and although it wasn’t an A, she did make more of an effort than I expected. I told her I was proud of her, and she looked at me like I was crazy. But I was proud, because she went out on a limb, and did something that was very difficult for her. Her spine straightened a bit. These are the moments I love.

The rest of the class did well, and I had a few more surprises, so we listened to some music and I gave them some free time and talked to them and tried to encourage them.  Even though it was a Monday, it was a pretty good day.

I didn’t realize…

I had been gone so long. So far grad school is going well, and my students are still pretty awesome. I am going to try to work a bit more on this blog, and try to get more of my teaching philosophy in.

A friend is doing an online teaching portfolio and all the cool teachers have a teaching philosophy, so being a semi-cool teacher, I want one too.

I can tell you what I love about teaching- it is creative, no class or day is the same, I work with people who want to make the world a bit better, my work is something of value. I believe that education is a key to happy life. It can help bring people out of material poverty and mental poverty.  I love that ah ha moment when one of my students finally get something I’m teaching. I love working with my students, I love planning a lesson and tying to make sure that the higher level students are challenged and the lower level students can build on their language.

But I don’t have  a  philosophy of teaching. That is going to be my new project – after the final project for grad school.

 

Where I try to explain why I haven’t written in a while

And make even more excuses why I probably won’t write for a while.

Today it rained. Again. It has been bringing me down, and I usually love rain.  Today I finished my dental stuff, so yay, and I went to get my health check (surprisingly painless).

The past couple of weeks I have signed my new contract, gotten things ready for summer camp, did a post-card swap with 4 other schools and I’m patiently waiting for their cards (although I did get two from England so far) , finished 1/2 a sweater,  balled up a ton of yarn a friend gave me when she left, finished dog sitting for another friend, and met a friend of a friend and showed  her around a bit of Seoul.  I have also registered for classes at University of North Dakota’s ELL program, ran into a glitch on ordering the books, and didn’t do much of the homework for the online speed reading course.

Next week I will have to order my books, finish my sweater, re-pot some plants, write the speech for Toast-masters.

It could be worse, but I had hoped July would be a mellow month before school starts, but I don’t think that is going to happen

I’m in

Yes yes yes yes yes yes

omg– I’m so happy

University of North Dakota has accepted me to their ELL program. I will start in August

OMG!!! YES!!!!

can you see me jumping up and down?

I am not a Christian, despite my name.  I like the message Jesus gave, but then it is a very similar message Buddha, Mohammad, Krishna, and other peaceable sorts have been giving for, well, forever. I am also not anti- Christian, as many people in my family are quite devout and although most just try to live their lives the best they can, and take comfort in their church and community.

One of the reasons I am not a Christian is the concept of hell as preached and written by most churches. I found it horrifyingly un-just, and the result of a fevered imagination from an evil entity. That a loving God would condemn people to an eternity of punishment and torture for finding the argument provided by preachers unconvincing, or being born in the wrong place, just a monstrous proposition.  I remember asking one of the mega-church leaders in my community about this, I asked, if I convert to Christianity, become a Christian, and I go to heaven,  but my friends, family and loved ones don’t, and they go to hell, how is heaven, heaven if I know my friends and loved ones are suffering?  The answer: God will make you forget them.  I was appalled. I turned my back on the church at that time, and so far I haven’t found a new one that has made me feel comfortable.

According to the theology I am most familiar with, Gandhi is in hell, because he wasn’t a Christian, but the spewers of hate and vile misogyny  and homophobia are in heaven. I would choose to spend eternity with Gandhi.

I read Fred Clark at Slacktivist  and I find his theology quite compelling. That is where I heard about Rob Bell’s “Love Wins.”  It is a very easy read. The words are simple, the paragraphs small, and even though I am not a speed reader, I found it quite a quick read. That isn’t to say that I found the thesis simple or uncompelling

Rob Bell believes God loves everyone. The saints and the sinners alike. He makes a case similar to C.S. Lewis, that hell is the absence of God. That the earth can be heaven or hell depending on how we treat each other and how close we follow the words of Jesus. His Christianity is very inclusive, and he makes a case that since God is love, we humans will always have a way to heaven.  An all roads lead to Rome view of spirituality that I agree with.

Rob Bell’s God is not Jonathan Edward’s Angry God, quick to condemn, and quick to pass judgement.  I read somewhere that the final battle between good and evil will be won, not by force of arms but by the forgiveness of Satan and his being embraced by God. I don’t remember where I read it or I would attribute it, but I like it a lot better than the usual sermons on the end of times.

Although Bell makes sure to be clear that rebellion and rejection of God’s love has consequences, the end result is that God wants us to be with him, but he does give us freedom and infinite chances to embrace his redemption. He would have Gandhi in Heaven, and the vile spewers of hate no matter how they identify themselves, given another opportunity to find love.

Although I don’t necessarily believe everything Bell has written, I find his theology of redemption, love and forgiveness quite comforting.

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Wins-About-Heaven-Person/dp/006204964X