Happy Memorial Day!
I've had so much fun this weekend...honestly, it was the perfect introduction to summer. On Friday night I went to the Radio K listener appreciation show, which I feel I deserved to be at for two reasons, even though I didn't have a supporter card:
1) I supported them even when I didn't listen
2) It's now #6 on my car radio, which, although it sounds like an unappreciated placement, is actually prime button property, since it's where I hit first (without looking) as I speed down the highway to work.
On Saturday I can't remember what I did. Oh, right. I woke up at 7 a.m. and did all my organization work for school, then walked up and down all of Nicollet all afternoon searching for candy from around the world. This whole week all my students will do is a pinata project involving international candy, so it was an essential errand. However, it's impossible to find African candy. I even hit the local Somali "mall" (the best place to find long dresses), but all I ended up with was a huge box of Saudi Arabian chewing gum, which I think is supercool anyway. That evening, I drove to a friend's family's house in the suburbans to hang out and eat cake:)
On Sunday, I went to early church with my grandma in Edina, but the church had a very different demographic than mine and wasn't as warm and welcoming. After that, I met my friends (and more of their friends) for brunch at Maria's, which is a pretty good brunch spot, but no Barbette:) French fries beat burritos in any taste test. Then I went back to my apartment and whipped myself into a cleaning frenzy! I cleaned everything, plus finally found the elusive technique to get my wood floors clean: it turns out is a vacuum, swiffer wet-jet, vacuum pattern that catches the elusive cat hair.
Then I spent Sunday night in NE Minneapolis, at a house where one of my friends was housesitting. All of my friends grilled out, talked, drank, and spent the night. Then in the morning, I actually turned into my mother, got up early, and got coffee for everyone (which is exactly what she always does- and I did it too, even though it drives me crazy!) I also realized that my parents would love living in NE. The new Lunds is so beautiful;) Plus, there's so much to walk to, and so much going on...and if my dad needs his skyway fix, the city is very close. Now I'm at my twin cousins' 4th birthday party; I can't believe they're that old!
Anyway, I have four more days of teaching this school year! I'm so exciting to have a relaxing, friend-filled (and hopefully soon to be guy-filled) summer.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
This is what I read when I'm bored at work :)
"What is especially disturbing about [pluralistic ignorance] is that it lends itself to control by the noisiest and most visible. Psychologists have noted that students who are the heaviest drinkers, for example, tend to speak out most strongly against proposed measures to curb drinking, and act as “subculture custodians” in support of their own minority views. Their strong vocalization can produce “false consensus” against such measures, as others, who think they’re part of the minority, keep quiet. As a consequence, the extremists gain influence out of all proportion to their numbers, while the views of the silent majority end up being suppressed."
-"A New Silent Majority" by Mark Buchanan (The New York Times, May 23, 2007).
I wonder how much of school culture is controlled by pluralistic ignorance. There are many attitudes (both positive and negative) that I may overextend to include more teachers than the number that actual subscribe to them. For example, I usually feel like everyone worships the teacher union and that I am the only one who feels like it's actually holding back the progress of modern education. But, that belief hasn't coerced me into liking them more, just inhibited me from speaking up against it (mostly for fear that nasty union members will whack me, like in those tales of teamsters...but that's probably wrong, too, I hope.) Buchanan explains that feeling like one is the member of a minority (whether one truly is or not), leads to a desire for social separation from that perceived majority group. This is probably why I don't hang out very much with other teachers...also because they drive me crazy! This is a direct quote from a teacher (today):
(Preface: a student had broken a pencil in half. When the teacher told him not to do that anymore, he had replied- rudely, I admit- "There's more where that came from." So the teacher comes into a room I'm in and tells the kid's classroom teacher about it, followed by...)
"Shit. I just wanted to drop-kick him."
Honestly, when you start feeling that way about any human being, it's time to check into anger management. And when you're a teacher, there's no excuse. That's the reason why I avoid teachers (pluralistic ignorance or not!) and why I definitely don't hang out with them at Applebee's for happy hour.
"What is especially disturbing about [pluralistic ignorance] is that it lends itself to control by the noisiest and most visible. Psychologists have noted that students who are the heaviest drinkers, for example, tend to speak out most strongly against proposed measures to curb drinking, and act as “subculture custodians” in support of their own minority views. Their strong vocalization can produce “false consensus” against such measures, as others, who think they’re part of the minority, keep quiet. As a consequence, the extremists gain influence out of all proportion to their numbers, while the views of the silent majority end up being suppressed."
-"A New Silent Majority" by Mark Buchanan (The New York Times, May 23, 2007).
I wonder how much of school culture is controlled by pluralistic ignorance. There are many attitudes (both positive and negative) that I may overextend to include more teachers than the number that actual subscribe to them. For example, I usually feel like everyone worships the teacher union and that I am the only one who feels like it's actually holding back the progress of modern education. But, that belief hasn't coerced me into liking them more, just inhibited me from speaking up against it (mostly for fear that nasty union members will whack me, like in those tales of teamsters...but that's probably wrong, too, I hope.) Buchanan explains that feeling like one is the member of a minority (whether one truly is or not), leads to a desire for social separation from that perceived majority group. This is probably why I don't hang out very much with other teachers...also because they drive me crazy! This is a direct quote from a teacher (today):
(Preface: a student had broken a pencil in half. When the teacher told him not to do that anymore, he had replied- rudely, I admit- "There's more where that came from." So the teacher comes into a room I'm in and tells the kid's classroom teacher about it, followed by...)
"Shit. I just wanted to drop-kick him."
Honestly, when you start feeling that way about any human being, it's time to check into anger management. And when you're a teacher, there's no excuse. That's the reason why I avoid teachers (pluralistic ignorance or not!) and why I definitely don't hang out with them at Applebee's for happy hour.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Quick hits:
*Correlation between a drop in barometric pressure and obstreperous students: it's true! They're crazy!
*Yesterday, I ran out in the street to retrieve a blind man's shoe that had fallen off. Since I am the clutziest person this side of Mr. Magoo, I always drop things in the streets (especially right before a green light) and have to race around to pick everything up and balance it awkwardly in my arms. Once, it was an entire bag of groceries, including a redbull, which exploded all over me, to the amusement of the first row of cars. I can't imagine how prepared that man must always need to be to simply get by.
*The most romantic song I've ever heard is this.
*I can't wait to have the summer off. I desperately want to work on my writing, but I need huge blocks of time to sit, read it aloud, check and double check, etc. And all the researching! Yay! I'm going to bring back the ever-ready notecards and re-establish my amazing organizational system. Look out Starbucks:)
*7 more days of teaching! My brother is definitely going to be a coerced volunteer at track and field day.
*The first annual lock-out! You know what it is. But, it needs to happen soon, like this weekend or next, when we're all still fresh and happy. I think some of the night should include the skyways, because I've been there before and it's eerie...like the ghosts of accountants are walking the halls.
*I LOVE running. I went for a run yesterday and counted off the feelings I missed: the wind on my face, the sense of freedom, smiling at depressed corporate cronies and children, speedy window shopping, the dehydration shivers! I missed it all, so I'm going to take up my running routine from less summer, only less rigorous. I'm going to do yoga 3-5 days per week and run two days. I hope that keeps my shin splits at bay.
*Correlation between a drop in barometric pressure and obstreperous students: it's true! They're crazy!
*Yesterday, I ran out in the street to retrieve a blind man's shoe that had fallen off. Since I am the clutziest person this side of Mr. Magoo, I always drop things in the streets (especially right before a green light) and have to race around to pick everything up and balance it awkwardly in my arms. Once, it was an entire bag of groceries, including a redbull, which exploded all over me, to the amusement of the first row of cars. I can't imagine how prepared that man must always need to be to simply get by.
*The most romantic song I've ever heard is this.
*I can't wait to have the summer off. I desperately want to work on my writing, but I need huge blocks of time to sit, read it aloud, check and double check, etc. And all the researching! Yay! I'm going to bring back the ever-ready notecards and re-establish my amazing organizational system. Look out Starbucks:)
*7 more days of teaching! My brother is definitely going to be a coerced volunteer at track and field day.
*The first annual lock-out! You know what it is. But, it needs to happen soon, like this weekend or next, when we're all still fresh and happy. I think some of the night should include the skyways, because I've been there before and it's eerie...like the ghosts of accountants are walking the halls.
*I LOVE running. I went for a run yesterday and counted off the feelings I missed: the wind on my face, the sense of freedom, smiling at depressed corporate cronies and children, speedy window shopping, the dehydration shivers! I missed it all, so I'm going to take up my running routine from less summer, only less rigorous. I'm going to do yoga 3-5 days per week and run two days. I hope that keeps my shin splits at bay.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
May
I've been so busy lately. Busy, tired, sleepy, and otherwise satiated with malaise. Did I mention the ennui? Yes, I love that word and that's what it is. I'm bored with all the busywork. And arguments with friends and family have left me mentally exhausted, too (even though they are over). I need a vacation from emotions, just to check out to a deserted island for a while...which is why I do yoga, I guess.
*Big questions: where did my favorite radio station go? Drive 105- amor of my FM dial- is suddenly gone. And replaced by LOVE 105, which almost made me sick. I didn't want to abandon my sacred 105.5, but after listening to a whole Bryan Adams song, I was over it. I have no loyalty when cheesy, lite pop is involved. Number 5 on my radio programming buttons is now the Current. I'm sorry, my friends...at least I held out that long, right?
This last month of teaching is difficult. Last year I did a fun video essay project with all of my classes ("This is what we learned in 3rd grade..."). But this year, there are some students who have basic English needs I need to address, so I made the ridiculous choice of developing personalized goals for each student, hoping that they learn these needed skills in the next three weeks. Grr. I have a pattern and it's called "killing myself with unnecessary work." Well, not totally unnecessary, but overwhelming. For example, I opted out of a conference last week and managed to finish all of my report cards and filing in one day! But this week I'm a mess. I have a bad summer cold (I sound like Barry White when I wake up), I'm not getting much done at home, and I completely forgot about a meeting today; the substitute showed up and I had nothing written down! I felt like such a space cadet! I just gave her mad libs and told her to ad lib. Haha. As much as I'll miss my amazing students, I can't wait for the end of the school year.
I've been so busy lately. Busy, tired, sleepy, and otherwise satiated with malaise. Did I mention the ennui? Yes, I love that word and that's what it is. I'm bored with all the busywork. And arguments with friends and family have left me mentally exhausted, too (even though they are over). I need a vacation from emotions, just to check out to a deserted island for a while...which is why I do yoga, I guess.
*Big questions: where did my favorite radio station go? Drive 105- amor of my FM dial- is suddenly gone. And replaced by LOVE 105, which almost made me sick. I didn't want to abandon my sacred 105.5, but after listening to a whole Bryan Adams song, I was over it. I have no loyalty when cheesy, lite pop is involved. Number 5 on my radio programming buttons is now the Current. I'm sorry, my friends...at least I held out that long, right?
This last month of teaching is difficult. Last year I did a fun video essay project with all of my classes ("This is what we learned in 3rd grade..."). But this year, there are some students who have basic English needs I need to address, so I made the ridiculous choice of developing personalized goals for each student, hoping that they learn these needed skills in the next three weeks. Grr. I have a pattern and it's called "killing myself with unnecessary work." Well, not totally unnecessary, but overwhelming. For example, I opted out of a conference last week and managed to finish all of my report cards and filing in one day! But this week I'm a mess. I have a bad summer cold (I sound like Barry White when I wake up), I'm not getting much done at home, and I completely forgot about a meeting today; the substitute showed up and I had nothing written down! I felt like such a space cadet! I just gave her mad libs and told her to ad lib. Haha. As much as I'll miss my amazing students, I can't wait for the end of the school year.
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