Alternative

With all of the holidays looming around the corner I am sure that many of you are pondering what to give your loved ones for those gift giving events. I am sure that many of you will be taking part in the time honored tradition of "Black Friday," but if not, I would like to offer another alternative.
I came across a fantastic website not too long ago that allows people to not only purchase ecologically friendly goods, but also donate to a variety of charities and organizations. For example, last year I gave a gift in my mother's name to a butterfly habitat in Mexico. She loved it!
So, for those that have everything, give a gift that will allow them to give back to the world. Visit: http://greatergood.com/

"Random acts of kindness"

A couple of days ago I was waiting in line in a store. Something had fallen off a display onto the ground. The woman in front of me promptly looked down and simply kicked the object out of her way. When I was able to move up to her where she was standing I bent down, picked up the object, and placed it back on the display. Not because I could, but because I should. It took me three seconds.

While waiting in line in a different store I watched as a customer who was unable to use a coupon gave it to the woman who was waiting behind her. I thought, "Wow, that was nice." The new recipient of the coupon happily watched as her goods were scanned and then passed her newly received coupon along to the cashier. After the final payment the woman scanned her receipt and asked why she did not get 40% off her entire purchase instead of just one item (the coupon that she did not have when she walked in to the store, but was graciously given while in line was only for one item). She left the store disappointed.

Now, if I was a more aggressive person I would be the one yelling, "Hey, rather than kick that thing so someone can slip on it, pick it up!" or "Lady, you just got a free coupon, take what you can get." But, I watch, and I listen, and I just take it all in. Then, I wonder. I ponder. I reflect.

It seems as if the term "random acts of kindness" is right on the money. I am not sure when kindness, graciousness, and overall consideration was thrown out the window, but it seems as if these acts have indeed become random.

But it does not have to be this way...

When you come across something that is out of place, return it to where it should go. When you enter a building, glance behind you to see if you should hold open the door.
When you come across something that you know would make a friend happy, pick it up for them.
When you encounter a gracious act or a kind person, be gracious and kind right back.
And, when you encounter someone who is neither, be the bigger person and treat others how you would like to be treated.

Travel Anyone?

My family has opted to invest in a vacation for Christmas rather than buying a bunch of small gifts for everyone. We will not be traveling during the holiday (thankfully) and our trip could take place anytime after December.

Although I have a couple of things in mind (I am the master travel planner in the family) I would love to get some suggestions. I know many of you travel often. What are some of your favorite places? Why would you suggest them? My family loves to explore, eat yummy food, and balance relaxation with fun.

Sharism

During one of my graduate classes, a fellow student wrote her final post on collaboration in education (or the lack thereof). Her main premise was that collaboration needs to exist on all levels within the education world - nation, state, county, school, administrators, teachers, parents, students. Unfortunately, as we all know, this is not the case. My students complain about getting conflicting messages from teachers, teachers complain about getting students who have not been taught "basic" skills, and administrators complain about the lack of parent involvement.

Since education directly leads to how one lives their life it is no surprise that we have created what is dubbed the "Me Generation." Sure, educators promote cooperative learning projects or peer buddying but these activities are usually limited to the classroom. In the quest to promote social skills and collaboration in our individual classrooms, we have forgotten the big picture. The big picture goes beyond our classes, our subject areas, and our selves.

Which brings me to the inspiration for this posting - Sharism. I came across an interesting website arguing for the Sharism philosophy. According to Isaac Mao, "Sharism is also a mental practice that anyone can try, a social-psychological attitude to transform a wide and isolated world into a super-smart Social Brain." He goes on to argue that "The more collective our intelligence, the wiser our actions will be. People have always found better solutions through conversations. Now we can put it all online." And if it has not been obvious by the classroom practices that I try to promote, let me just state, I completely agree.

Please take some time to read about Mr. Mao's Sharism ideas. Maybe afterward you will become a "share-a-holic" like me!

It may be a small world, but it is not a small universe

I always try to remember that there is so much more out there. Sometimes, when the day is especially tough or awful things happen, I forget that the world does not in fact revolve around my life. We all do every once in a while. But, when I encounter a story like the one that was released this week, "First Extrasolar Planets Caught on Camera," I am forced to ponder the vast nature of existence.

So this weekend, make an effort to remember that the opportunities available to us are endless. The discovery of entire universes out in the great beyond reminds us that we can always learn more, be more, and grow more.

The Life of a Teacher

It dawned on me today (and not for the first time) that I have an odd job. When I tell adults that I am a high school teacher, my declaration is always followed by what I like to call the "I feel so awful for you" look. This look is usually followed up with a phrase like, "Bless you, I don't know how you do it" or "Wow, that must be really tough" or even, "You must be a saint" (this is always my favorite one since I am no where near a saint). My response is always something along the lines of, "No, it is great, I love my job." Now, after admitting that you (gasp) love your job, you would think that most people would respond positively. But apparently no one really believes me when I say this about teaching. People often think I am lying to them, lying to myself, or a crazy masochist.

And this is where I am lost.

Does teaching have such a bad rap that "non-teachers" can only feel pity for us educators? Does everyone just assume that our days are full of drudgery and abject torture? If this is the case, which I can only assume it is by the reactions I get, then why are teachers so under appreciated? If it is known that we have a tough job, why are we not paid more or even respected enough to get benefits that are offered to those working, dare I say it, less important jobs?

Now before my dear readers mistake this posting for an angry rant, let me state that I dug myself into the teaching hole early on. I knew from the beginning of my career that I would make little money and get little respect in the capitalist world. But I teach because not only do I think it is important, but also because I love it. This is not me complaining, this is me questioning what I view as a hypocritical concept in this nation.

So I ask, is education viewed as being as important as it should be? Lawyers get paid by the hour for their knowledge and expertise. Doctors get paid a hefty salary for their knowledge and application thereof. Athletes get paid millions for hitting a ball or running at full speed toward another human being with the sole intention of stopping their progress. Teachers get looks of pity and a salary that would make one cry.

Teaching is Conversation

This is the first year that I have incorporated a student blogging assignment into my curriculum. I can honestly say that it is one of the best teaching and learning practices that I have ever utilized. My students constantly blow me away with their blog postings both on their personal blogs and their comments to peer blogs. I am so proud!

The idea of conversation being one of the greatest "teachers" is one that I have long held near and dear to my heart (hence my constant incorporation of discussion into class activities). And this is why I think the blogging is working so well. Will Richardson mirrors this sentiment when arguing for the use of the web in education:
"By publishing content to a wide audience, we say 'these are my ideas, my understandings of the world.' That in itself is empowering, and with it comes an expectation that our voices will be heard. On their own, our students are learning that their voices matter, that people are listening and responding, and that their ideas count."

But this is just the tip of the ice berg when arguing the merits of blogging. Not only have my students learned that their voices count, but they have also been able to reflect upon their ideas through comments from readers. This reflection process is unmatched in the education sphere. Yes, teachers give feedback on essays or ask for student responses during class discussions, but these experiences rarely have the same effect as an impassioned discussion amongst readers from all over the world.

My brave bloggers, I implore you to continue to share your ideas. Never forget that great ideas never end, they evolve, and it is through conversation that this evolution takes place. So please, pass along your blog URL to friends and family and ask them to keep the chain going and continue to pass your URL to their friends and their families. The conversations this will start will provide you with some of the best education out there.

Too Much Information

It is easy to become overloaded with information these days. There are countless news stations and websites. ESPN has how many stations broadcasting sports? It has to be over a dozen (take pity on my lack of knowledge of the exact number). And I don't even want to get started on the plethora of useless cable stations and websites that convey propaganda advertising 24/7. How are we to figure out what is worthy and valid and, dare I say, beneficial to our lives?

The answer is that there is no answer. What is valid to me may not be valid to you.

Yet, I feel that it is my duty to teach my students how to muddle through it all. There are so many fantastic technology and web resources out there. I would love to teach my students about many of them but I worry that they will continue to rely on old favorites - MySpace, Facebook, Google and YouTube. What would it take to make students approach information gathering in a new way?

My Vote Counted!

I feel compelled to join the thousands of other bloggers out there and write about today's election...I apologize for being so predictable :)

I found myself giddy with excitement as my husband and I walked (yes, we even are voting in a "green" fashion) to our designated voting spot. The morning air was crisp and the line at the poll was relatively short. We chatted it up a bit as we were waiting until all of a sudden - blackness! Yes, the power went out. A cry erupted in the room and I turned to Aaron and said in my most sarcastic voice, "This better not be a ploy to get people to stop voting." Of course I did not mean it - sort of - and was eternally grateful when the lights flickered back on.

We waited about ten minutes for the computers to boot back up and again the line was on the move. As I waited I found myself people watching. I couldn't help but marvel as the diversity in the room. White, Hispanic, black, Asian, young, old, handicapped...At that moment it did not matter to me who would win today. I just felt proud to be a part of a process that includes people from all walks of life.

When my turn came I was handed my ballot (a glorified scantron sheet) and directed to a voting cubicle. I promptly filled in my votes, making sure to completely bubble in all circles. Double checked, triple checked, and finally glided on over to the optical scan machine (a glorified scantron scanner) to run my ballot through. At last I accepted my "My Vote Counted" sticker and headed back home.

It was only a half hour of my life but every one of those 1800 seconds felt special. Even in the 21st century there are still countries that do not allow women to vote. There are countries that do not hold a vote at all. To not look at what today in America is all about with awe is to forget the beauty of what we have and how far we have come.

Camus said, "Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better." I know that this country can be better and I know that we are the only ones to make it so. Today I made sure my voice was heard because I want to make our lives better. I hope that you feel the same way when it is your time to voice your opinions.

Is Your Voice Being Heard?

My husband and I ventured out this morning with the intention of waiting in line to vote early. We arrived at the closest early voting site an hour before it opened. The line was already stretched around the building and out to the nearest main road - at the very least, a 2-3 hour wait, if not more. We opted to wait until Tuesday, when more voting sites are open and lines will, hopefully, be shorter.
Now, I know that no matter how long the line is on Tuesday, I will wait to vote. But, as we shuffled back to our car, I could not help thinking about how many people will not be able to vote on Tuesday. Not everyone has the day off or understanding bosses that will accept late arrivals from lunch breaks. And not everyone has the time to wait in long lines during the early voting days.
Many countries hold important votes on weekends or days when the majority of the population does not work. Australia even makes people who do not vote pay a fine. We do neither.
Are we doing enough to allow citizens' voices to be heard? Or, is it in politicians best interest to make voting difficult?