So I know we are all in study mode. The next few weeks are stressful, and can even push us to the verge of a nervous breakdown. To keep all of you focused and sane, I have decided to share one of my favorite new bands: Chromeo. It is a two man band that is a mixture of funk and pop; they sound like they belong in the 80s. Their music is very entertaining and addicting, but the complexity of their lyrics also surprised me. Sometimes I think we forget the value of musical lyrics, and I plan to use music a lot in my classroom. I think we have all seen the rolling eyes, the groans of despair, the sunken shoulders of our students that come when we mention poetry. We need to remember that there are brilliant voices in today's world. Poets are no longer confined to paper; song is just as powerful an instrument.
"There must be another way
When she's gone to a better place
And loneliness will hurt you if you can't get through the night
Then the moment starts to fade
And dawn is just an hour away
I feel she's watching over and it gets me through the night"
Whenever you are finding a moment of pure stress, a moment when you just need to smile, check out their music.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Such a Quiet Home
My husband and my two dogs have gone to Chicago for the weekend. My husband and his dad are going to the Northwestern game together, and I'm terrible jealous. The worst part is not that I'm missing the game, the worst part is how quiet my small home is without my family. I have never lived alone, and now I know why. I have two televisions on just to make it feel like I have more people here!
I thought that my weekend would be peaceful. I have a long list of homework that needs to be done. There are dishes to put away, laundry to do, but none of it feels right without one of my corgis being too close to my feet. My queen bed feels too big to sleep on, so I plan to sleep on my couch. My dinner that I cooked was too large, so I guess I have lunch for tomorrow. At least I have this blog to distract me for a few minutes...
Perhaps it is sad that I'm so uncomfortable being alone, but I think it shows how important family is to me. So while I sit here in the too quiet stillness, I'll just remember that they will be back in a few days. Too soon, they will be annoying me again!
I thought that my weekend would be peaceful. I have a long list of homework that needs to be done. There are dishes to put away, laundry to do, but none of it feels right without one of my corgis being too close to my feet. My queen bed feels too big to sleep on, so I plan to sleep on my couch. My dinner that I cooked was too large, so I guess I have lunch for tomorrow. At least I have this blog to distract me for a few minutes...
Perhaps it is sad that I'm so uncomfortable being alone, but I think it shows how important family is to me. So while I sit here in the too quiet stillness, I'll just remember that they will be back in a few days. Too soon, they will be annoying me again!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Vote!
Tuesday night was a fantastic experience. My professor and I went to West Liberty and helped our students from our English education program vote for the first time. We were able to help five people, who had never voted before, exercise their rights as American citizens. Seeing how exited they all were to be able to vote, to share their voice as citizens, was inspiring.
Most of us are handed the right to vote. I was born in America. I grew up expecting to vote. All I had to do when I turned eighteen was show up, and I got to vote. I didn’t need to prove that I knew how the government worked, or that I knew who the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives was, or that I knew who took over when the Vice-President could no longer lead the country. Our country believes that because I was born here, I naturally have the right to vote even if I don’t know a single part of our government.
For immigrants, the road to voting is much longer and more difficult. To gain citizenship, immigrants must take a test that covers everything from naming a State Senator, to knowing the role of the Supreme Court, to explaining the difference between the executive and judicial branches of our government. I would wager that 90% of our voters would not be able to answer these questions. That is why I have so much respect for the students in our program.
They come every Thursday night after working all day and going home to make dinner for their families. The students come when they are tired, when they are sick, just to work on their English skills and gain their citizenship. The work that they put into becoming citizens is astounding. That is why Tuesday night was so special: they had earned the right to walk in and put their years of waiting and work behind them by casting their first vote as Americans.
I was so proud of them. We all walked in as a group, and I’m glad I was there to support them. I saw how nervous they were; many of them had brought every piece of paper they had that proved their citizenship so that they could not be turned away. I saw the pride in one student’s face as he showed me his voter registration card he received in the mail after passing his citizenship test. His eyes were intense, but his smile was wide as he pointed to the physical proof that he would be able to vote for the first time. Years of practice with English, months of memorizing names and parts of the government, and hours of anticipation all came together in just a few moments as they stepped behind the American Flag curtain that covered their voting booths.
As each student walked out, we cheered as a group. It wasn’t about what party was being voted for; it was about the reality that citizenship was in their hands. There may be people who will always look at them as outsiders or foreigners; all of the practice and hard work in the world cannot change everyone’s mind. But my students walked out of that building proud, realizing that they ARE citizens, and seeing that their hard work paid off.
Most of us are handed the right to vote. I was born in America. I grew up expecting to vote. All I had to do when I turned eighteen was show up, and I got to vote. I didn’t need to prove that I knew how the government worked, or that I knew who the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives was, or that I knew who took over when the Vice-President could no longer lead the country. Our country believes that because I was born here, I naturally have the right to vote even if I don’t know a single part of our government.
For immigrants, the road to voting is much longer and more difficult. To gain citizenship, immigrants must take a test that covers everything from naming a State Senator, to knowing the role of the Supreme Court, to explaining the difference between the executive and judicial branches of our government. I would wager that 90% of our voters would not be able to answer these questions. That is why I have so much respect for the students in our program.
They come every Thursday night after working all day and going home to make dinner for their families. The students come when they are tired, when they are sick, just to work on their English skills and gain their citizenship. The work that they put into becoming citizens is astounding. That is why Tuesday night was so special: they had earned the right to walk in and put their years of waiting and work behind them by casting their first vote as Americans.
I was so proud of them. We all walked in as a group, and I’m glad I was there to support them. I saw how nervous they were; many of them had brought every piece of paper they had that proved their citizenship so that they could not be turned away. I saw the pride in one student’s face as he showed me his voter registration card he received in the mail after passing his citizenship test. His eyes were intense, but his smile was wide as he pointed to the physical proof that he would be able to vote for the first time. Years of practice with English, months of memorizing names and parts of the government, and hours of anticipation all came together in just a few moments as they stepped behind the American Flag curtain that covered their voting booths.
As each student walked out, we cheered as a group. It wasn’t about what party was being voted for; it was about the reality that citizenship was in their hands. There may be people who will always look at them as outsiders or foreigners; all of the practice and hard work in the world cannot change everyone’s mind. But my students walked out of that building proud, realizing that they ARE citizens, and seeing that their hard work paid off.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Working with Buddies
As I was discussing with Bonnie during our break last week, I really love having buddy letters as part of my classes. It is so easy to become lost in the theory and the texts that we are presented with. Sometimes I need a reminder that the entire purpose for my education is to educate students. But the buddy letters can bring more than a connection to students: it takes me back to the mindset of being a student.
My favorite letters that I've received this semester was two weeks ago. My student's class was lucky enough to get a grant that brought laptops into their classroom. The students were really excited, but the administration failed to have the proper internet setup. The students can't save their items, they have no way to use the computers for research, and it is impossible to print from them. Such a wonderful opportunity was given to the students, but the lack of communication created a huge dilemma.
We need to remember as teachers that when we act for students, we need to be ready for their reactions. The students in the classroom with the laptops are so frustrated that they don't even want to use them anymore. Middle school students have a short temper and an even shorter attention span. We need to keep our promises and keep them excited in our classrooms. I hope that I always remember that if I make a promise or have a great idea, I need to follow through for my students.
My favorite letters that I've received this semester was two weeks ago. My student's class was lucky enough to get a grant that brought laptops into their classroom. The students were really excited, but the administration failed to have the proper internet setup. The students can't save their items, they have no way to use the computers for research, and it is impossible to print from them. Such a wonderful opportunity was given to the students, but the lack of communication created a huge dilemma.
We need to remember as teachers that when we act for students, we need to be ready for their reactions. The students in the classroom with the laptops are so frustrated that they don't even want to use them anymore. Middle school students have a short temper and an even shorter attention span. We need to keep our promises and keep them excited in our classrooms. I hope that I always remember that if I make a promise or have a great idea, I need to follow through for my students.
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