There are many moments in my life that I consider to be iconic. They're like snapshots, memories trapped in a sequence of stills and burned onto a never ending movie reel in my mind. They bring waves of emotion and sensations crashing into my soul with every rehashed clip.
The thought of the moment I found out my Uncle passed away brings flash floods to my eyes, and scenes of my accomplishments in my Irish Step dancing career make me want to spontaneously burst into a jig the makes my heart flutter with excitement. It's something that can not truly be explained to perfection.
There is not one single moment of my history that I can pick out as my most favorite. Every one has its own emotion and stirs its own special reaction. Even the saddest memories, I have found, I have come to love, and I shall tell you why...
Every feeling, every pain, every fear, sorrow, joy, and excitement is a constant reminder that I am alive. As long as I have that, I have a reason to keep persevering. It's what makes life worthwhile. I've begun to embrace these ups and downs. The things that tear me apart, they will no longer defeat me, but make me stronger. And the things that make me inexplicably happy, are what fuel my fire to do something fantastic with my life.
I guess that's where teaching comes into play. There will be aspects about it that will undeniably make me doubt my career choice, of this I am sure. But there will also be an abundance of overwhelmingly remarkable moments that will prove to me the importance of my profession. And just like life, these ups and downs will fuel my career.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Bullying and Finding a Solution
Undeniably, bullying is one of the largest central conflicts in the lives of children of all ages. We've seen it over and over yet can't seem to stop it. And in my opinion, it is time for us, as teachers, to take a stand. The influence we have on students could change the course of this problem for the better. So what can we do?
Well, honestly....I don't know. I know that's not the answer you were all looking for, but its the truth. Who really knows the answer? A psychologist? A mother? A father? A specialist? There's no one right answer. Its up to everyone to make an impact on such a large conflict in the lives of children. We need to somehow find a way to bring everyone together again. Whether it be through a way we can show their talents or talk about how everyone is not all that different after all, its up to everyone to show each other they care.
On another note, it's not just the bullied that I worry about. We must not forget the bully in these situations as well. Although they are viewed as the bad guy, the one that caused the problem in the first place, they are also the victim. We need to dig deeper and find a way to connect with them and find out whats missing. We need to believe that they aren't a reflection of their actions and that there is an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. If we rebel against the bully, we in turn become the bully. With that being said, finding equality, a balance between peers may be where we need to start.
Take a look at this video, Band of brothers rally around boy to stop teasing, a remarkable story of how kids battle bullying in a non attacking way that builds the confidence of the bullied student and doesn't confront the bullies. Although it is an admirable act of kindness by the students peers, you can see that the bully is forgotten as far as this video goes. We help the bullied but we also help the bully. This is the path we need to explore if we want to make movements in such a central adolescent conflict.
On another note, it's not just the bullied that I worry about. We must not forget the bully in these situations as well. Although they are viewed as the bad guy, the one that caused the problem in the first place, they are also the victim. We need to dig deeper and find a way to connect with them and find out whats missing. We need to believe that they aren't a reflection of their actions and that there is an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. If we rebel against the bully, we in turn become the bully. With that being said, finding equality, a balance between peers may be where we need to start.
Take a look at this video, Band of brothers rally around boy to stop teasing, a remarkable story of how kids battle bullying in a non attacking way that builds the confidence of the bullied student and doesn't confront the bullies. Although it is an admirable act of kindness by the students peers, you can see that the bully is forgotten as far as this video goes. We help the bullied but we also help the bully. This is the path we need to explore if we want to make movements in such a central adolescent conflict.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Admiring the Unexpected Hero
Growing up I always seemed to have a special place in my heart for the underdog character; the unlikely hero. They came in all shapes and sizes and for some reason never seemed to fit in! My favorites ranged from the Brave Little Toaster, Little Foot from the Land Before Time and of course, Thumbelina, the tinniest of all heroes that proves that even the tiniest person could make big moves.
I guess right about now you're thinking that these are strange characters to be mentioning in terms of heroes. But that's exactly what I like about them. I like the characters that no one thinks could ever save the day. The ones that jump up and surprise you and find incredible strength by simply believing in themselves. So why, you may ask, do these kinds of heroes appeal to me so much? Because they remind us what we should be doing in all our endeavors.
As teachers, we should be MOST aware of this out of anyone. These heroes give us hope. They make us realize just when we thought we were going to fail, that we can still shine through the mistakes and the cloudiness of confusion. These are the types of heroes I wish to make my students believe that can BE.
I want them to push themselves toward greatness. I want them to strive to shock the masses. I will teach them to reach for the stars, for things bigger than they think they can be. Then, and only then, will they truly see the importance I see in the underdog...because they will become one!
I guess right about now you're thinking that these are strange characters to be mentioning in terms of heroes. But that's exactly what I like about them. I like the characters that no one thinks could ever save the day. The ones that jump up and surprise you and find incredible strength by simply believing in themselves. So why, you may ask, do these kinds of heroes appeal to me so much? Because they remind us what we should be doing in all our endeavors.
As teachers, we should be MOST aware of this out of anyone. These heroes give us hope. They make us realize just when we thought we were going to fail, that we can still shine through the mistakes and the cloudiness of confusion. These are the types of heroes I wish to make my students believe that can BE.
I want them to push themselves toward greatness. I want them to strive to shock the masses. I will teach them to reach for the stars, for things bigger than they think they can be. Then, and only then, will they truly see the importance I see in the underdog...because they will become one!
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Ode To My Cat- A stab at poetry
Sometimes you're pushy; a little impatient.
Sometimes you're just in the way.
Sometimes you talk a little too much.
And Sometimes you stink a lot.
But when I am upset you comfort me.
And when I am cold, you snuggle close.
When I am gone, you wait for me.
And when I am home you never leave.
As faithful as a loyal steed,
and always ready to follow my lead.
How could one say you do not know,
how much I truly love you so.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Making a Picture Book
It sounds easy right? Think of a basic story line, write a sentence or two per page and draw a couple pictures and there you have it, a picture book.That simple, right?
WRONG. Here's why:
It starts with an idea, maybe a character or theme pops into your head.
You feel confident and on your way. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.
Then you pick up the nearest sheet of blank paper (a napkin, a receipt, etc.) and try to put sentences to the ideas in your head.
BOOM: you've hit your first writers block. as you begin to form coherent sentences you struggle between too complex and too simple to form a coherent story for the age group of your target.
So how do you get out of this rut?
QUICK, run to your friends, talk out loud with them about your story. Have a paper ready and jot down ideas you come up with as a team to form a better plot for your story.
NEXT, organize your thoughts and brainstorming into a sequential pattern. Number your ideas in the order they will appear in your book.
GOOD, you've got your flow back. Time to sit down and begin a mock up of your story. Open a power point document, it looks more like the format of a picture book and may help when developing your story.
FINISHED? Picture time. Don't worry about editing just yet. Let your draft lie for a while until you can come back to it with a fresh approach. In the mean time print out your draft for a general reference point. Go through your story and draw tiny, quick sketches of what you want to draw on each page, and stick them to their appropriate page.
TOO QUIET? That's what I thought. Turn on your favorite tunes and immerse yourself in drawing the final pictures. Forget it's a project or some sort and just have fun with it. Pretend you're a kid again and let your childish imagination come alive in your new creations.
COLOR. Yeah you heard me, time to pull out that old crayon box and go wild. This is the part of your project where you can relax. Turn on the television in the background, and just enjoy. Use it as an opportunity for stress relief.
BACK TO THOSE WORDS. Ok, ok, I know you've been dreading it but it's time to review those sentences. Go over it and make your own corrections a couple times through. Then give it to a friend. Don't be shy, they'll love it no matter how many mistakes there are. They'll also give you the fresh pair of eyes you need to really make sure your picture book is age appropriate and grammatically correct.
ASSEMBLE. Cut, glue and finish. Put those last touches on it that make it really special. You have now completed your first ever picture book.
At least, that's the process I took when tackling this surprisingly difficult task. There are really an endless amount of ways to approach it. However one this is for sure, make sure to pace yourself. Don't bite off more than you can chew in one sitting. Give yourself enough time to get it done at a comfortable pace and take your time. Better results come from those who are patient with it. It can and will be an enjoyable process if you make it such.
WRONG. Here's why:
It starts with an idea, maybe a character or theme pops into your head.
You feel confident and on your way. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.
Then you pick up the nearest sheet of blank paper (a napkin, a receipt, etc.) and try to put sentences to the ideas in your head.
BOOM: you've hit your first writers block. as you begin to form coherent sentences you struggle between too complex and too simple to form a coherent story for the age group of your target.
So how do you get out of this rut?
QUICK, run to your friends, talk out loud with them about your story. Have a paper ready and jot down ideas you come up with as a team to form a better plot for your story.
NEXT, organize your thoughts and brainstorming into a sequential pattern. Number your ideas in the order they will appear in your book.
GOOD, you've got your flow back. Time to sit down and begin a mock up of your story. Open a power point document, it looks more like the format of a picture book and may help when developing your story.
FINISHED? Picture time. Don't worry about editing just yet. Let your draft lie for a while until you can come back to it with a fresh approach. In the mean time print out your draft for a general reference point. Go through your story and draw tiny, quick sketches of what you want to draw on each page, and stick them to their appropriate page.
TOO QUIET? That's what I thought. Turn on your favorite tunes and immerse yourself in drawing the final pictures. Forget it's a project or some sort and just have fun with it. Pretend you're a kid again and let your childish imagination come alive in your new creations.
COLOR. Yeah you heard me, time to pull out that old crayon box and go wild. This is the part of your project where you can relax. Turn on the television in the background, and just enjoy. Use it as an opportunity for stress relief.
BACK TO THOSE WORDS. Ok, ok, I know you've been dreading it but it's time to review those sentences. Go over it and make your own corrections a couple times through. Then give it to a friend. Don't be shy, they'll love it no matter how many mistakes there are. They'll also give you the fresh pair of eyes you need to really make sure your picture book is age appropriate and grammatically correct.
ASSEMBLE. Cut, glue and finish. Put those last touches on it that make it really special. You have now completed your first ever picture book.
At least, that's the process I took when tackling this surprisingly difficult task. There are really an endless amount of ways to approach it. However one this is for sure, make sure to pace yourself. Don't bite off more than you can chew in one sitting. Give yourself enough time to get it done at a comfortable pace and take your time. Better results come from those who are patient with it. It can and will be an enjoyable process if you make it such.
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