I have a student named Nico in my fourth grade class. He is a native Spanish speaker, and his English is pretty good. However, he is a funny kid to begin with (his hair is always a mess, his belongings are everywhere, his is very distracted and never quite where he is supposed to be) and then he says interesting/hilarious things that are really just language mistakes. Here are a few examples...
Me - "Nico, you are an odd duck!"
Nico - "What? Odd duck? I thought ducks only came in evens."
Me - "Nico, you need to be in this room in ten seconds."
Nico - "What?"
Me - repeating Nico, "What?"
Nico - he laughs, "Ha, now I have a slogan!"
Me - "Nico, you better put those erasers in your pocket or you're going to lose them in the museum."
Nico - quickly drops everything all over the parking lot, "Well, I guess its a tradition!"
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, February 09, 2009
Favorite Places I've Been
Grand Canyon
Las Vegas
Taj Mahal
Niagra Falls
Venice
Great Wall of China
Yosemite
Tianamen Square
Red Square
The Dalmatian Coast
Tuscany
The Gobi Desert
Halong Bay
Maroon Bells
Angkor Wat
St. Petersburg
New York City at Christmas
Monterey Aquarium
Rome
Cappadocia
Meteora, Greece
Alhambra
Czech Republic (the WHOLE country)
the High Tatras
Rila Monastery
Terracota Soldiers
Plitvice
Tortuguero
St. Peter's Cathedral
Hungarian Baths
Turkish Baths
the Ganges River
Luang Prabang
Auschwitz
Lake Baikal
the Great Plains
Old North Church
Santa Barbara
the Statue of Liberty
Savannah, Georgia
Charleston, South Carolina
Las Vegas
Taj Mahal
Niagra Falls
Venice
Great Wall of China
Yosemite
Tianamen Square
Red Square
The Dalmatian Coast
Tuscany
The Gobi Desert
Halong Bay
Maroon Bells
Angkor Wat
St. Petersburg
New York City at Christmas
Monterey Aquarium
Rome
Cappadocia
Meteora, Greece
Alhambra
Czech Republic (the WHOLE country)
the High Tatras
Rila Monastery
Terracota Soldiers
Plitvice
Tortuguero
St. Peter's Cathedral
Hungarian Baths
Turkish Baths
the Ganges River
Luang Prabang
Auschwitz
Lake Baikal
the Great Plains
Old North Church
Santa Barbara
the Statue of Liberty
Savannah, Georgia
Charleston, South Carolina
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Outdoor Ed
I've just returned from a 6th grade Outdoor Ed trip, skiing up to the Shrine Mountain Inn above Vail. This was my first trip on skins and with a free heel! I'm pretty impressed with myself and my ability to push through and take on new challenges. The kids did a great job, and my "competition" were eleven year olds - but I'm feeling good anyway.
The phrase, "see one, do one, teach one" is feeling very real to me right now. I've seen my friends lock into their tele bindings and take off. I followed their lead and locked into my skiis, and then could help my students.
I love going on Outdoor Ed trips, because not only can I help provide that experience for my students, but also learn so much myself. I would probably have never pushed myself to do a hut trip, because I always think things will be harder than they really are. We take the kids on these trips to teach them about the backcountry, but also to help them learn about themselves. As the leader, you will also learn about yourself - and here is my lesson.
Always push yourself. Don't give up and ask more of yourself than you think is possible. You'll always find a way to accomplish your goal.
The phrase, "see one, do one, teach one" is feeling very real to me right now. I've seen my friends lock into their tele bindings and take off. I followed their lead and locked into my skiis, and then could help my students.
I love going on Outdoor Ed trips, because not only can I help provide that experience for my students, but also learn so much myself. I would probably have never pushed myself to do a hut trip, because I always think things will be harder than they really are. We take the kids on these trips to teach them about the backcountry, but also to help them learn about themselves. As the leader, you will also learn about yourself - and here is my lesson.
Always push yourself. Don't give up and ask more of yourself than you think is possible. You'll always find a way to accomplish your goal.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Turning Thirty
With a month left of my twenties, I find myself taking serious stock in my time thus far. Are my choices leading me to the life I really want to be living, to the person that I really want to be.
One of the things that I do not do enough of is take risks. I have attended colleges that I knew I could handle, taken jobs that were well within my grasp, attempted hobbies that would not push me too far. I'm not trying to be arrogant, but there comes a point when things have come too easily, and you know that you are either lucky as hell, or not trying hard enough. There should be some failure in your life, right?
Well, with thirty-two days left to be a twenty-something I took a risk and plunged off the edge in to Baby Ruth. No, I did not take a candy bar challenge or anything. Instead, I let myself follow my friend Emily into a ski run in Snowmass that yesterday or even this morning, I would have said was well past my ability level. The first part of the run is steep, narrow and full of bumps. Big bumps. Actually more like large mounds. I slowly eased into the run, burying my skiis in two feet of powder. I was making turns, not great ones, but I wasn't always facing the same direction. After a little traverse and a few small but steep downhills we were cruising through trees and ducking branches. I was deep in powder, a little bit scared and loving every minute! It was the greatest thirty minutes of sheer skiing pleasure mixed with the exhiliration of success. I asked myself to push my comfort level and it paid off. Just as I'm ready to head on over to Buttermilk and join the serious X-Gamers with my newfound skills, I make the last little jump down to the catwalk and eat it in the snow. Brought quickly back to reality by the powder up my jacket, I realized that my goal for the day was not to hit a 1280 switch in the halfpipe - but to ask more of myself and of my life and that is what Baby Ruth means to me today.
One of the things that I do not do enough of is take risks. I have attended colleges that I knew I could handle, taken jobs that were well within my grasp, attempted hobbies that would not push me too far. I'm not trying to be arrogant, but there comes a point when things have come too easily, and you know that you are either lucky as hell, or not trying hard enough. There should be some failure in your life, right?
Well, with thirty-two days left to be a twenty-something I took a risk and plunged off the edge in to Baby Ruth. No, I did not take a candy bar challenge or anything. Instead, I let myself follow my friend Emily into a ski run in Snowmass that yesterday or even this morning, I would have said was well past my ability level. The first part of the run is steep, narrow and full of bumps. Big bumps. Actually more like large mounds. I slowly eased into the run, burying my skiis in two feet of powder. I was making turns, not great ones, but I wasn't always facing the same direction. After a little traverse and a few small but steep downhills we were cruising through trees and ducking branches. I was deep in powder, a little bit scared and loving every minute! It was the greatest thirty minutes of sheer skiing pleasure mixed with the exhiliration of success. I asked myself to push my comfort level and it paid off. Just as I'm ready to head on over to Buttermilk and join the serious X-Gamers with my newfound skills, I make the last little jump down to the catwalk and eat it in the snow. Brought quickly back to reality by the powder up my jacket, I realized that my goal for the day was not to hit a 1280 switch in the halfpipe - but to ask more of myself and of my life and that is what Baby Ruth means to me today.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Simple Pleasures
Turning thirty...My younger sister bringing her serious boyfriend home for Christmas...The relationship I want to be in is not happening...A career somewhat stalled out...
I feel like I'm being handed some big stumbling blocks, and in my infinite maturity and wisdom, I know the solution lies in the simple pleasures in life. I trust that these challenges will only serve to strengthen me in the long run - but right now I'm struggling!
Here is my list of the things that will sustain me, and that I plan to add LOTS more of to my days.
1. Surprises... I love being surprised... like finding money in your pocket, like getting a call for drinks when you thought you would spend the whole night in, like finding a solution to a problem, when you thought you were sunk...
and although I can't make other people surprise me more, I can stop analyzing things so much so that I've already thought of all the possibilities and created an expectation. I need to let life happen, and be excited with the results.
2. Baking... Arranging all the ingredients on the counter, creaming butter and sugar, finishing with a beautiful, creative, sweet product.
3. Storytelling... hearing laughter as a result of your mishap and retelling.
4. Fountain drinks... crushed ice, effervescent energy in your mouth
5. Seeing a smaller number on the scale than was there yesterday
6. A good run, with a good friend and good conversation that leaves you breathing hard and dripping with sweat and happier than you've been all day
to be continued...
7. A good hair day ... when you've got body, bounce, curls, confidence
8. Blue groomers ... I like to ski - fast.
9. Basketball ... I love the smell of the gym, the thrill of the well executed play, the tight-knit family of the team, the blue of the best jerseys in the game
10. My camera ... I love playing with the settings, like I know what they all do, and surprise! find a great photo
11. Creation ... a painting, the perfect playlist, new furniture arrangement ... there is nothing like making something out of nothing
I feel like I'm being handed some big stumbling blocks, and in my infinite maturity and wisdom, I know the solution lies in the simple pleasures in life. I trust that these challenges will only serve to strengthen me in the long run - but right now I'm struggling!
Here is my list of the things that will sustain me, and that I plan to add LOTS more of to my days.
1. Surprises... I love being surprised... like finding money in your pocket, like getting a call for drinks when you thought you would spend the whole night in, like finding a solution to a problem, when you thought you were sunk...
and although I can't make other people surprise me more, I can stop analyzing things so much so that I've already thought of all the possibilities and created an expectation. I need to let life happen, and be excited with the results.
2. Baking... Arranging all the ingredients on the counter, creaming butter and sugar, finishing with a beautiful, creative, sweet product.
3. Storytelling... hearing laughter as a result of your mishap and retelling.
4. Fountain drinks... crushed ice, effervescent energy in your mouth
5. Seeing a smaller number on the scale than was there yesterday
6. A good run, with a good friend and good conversation that leaves you breathing hard and dripping with sweat and happier than you've been all day
to be continued...
7. A good hair day ... when you've got body, bounce, curls, confidence
8. Blue groomers ... I like to ski - fast.
9. Basketball ... I love the smell of the gym, the thrill of the well executed play, the tight-knit family of the team, the blue of the best jerseys in the game
10. My camera ... I love playing with the settings, like I know what they all do, and surprise! find a great photo
11. Creation ... a painting, the perfect playlist, new furniture arrangement ... there is nothing like making something out of nothing
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Back on the trail
I'm back in Hanoi, and passing it off as work. My friend and fellow teacher, Sarah and I have been asked to speak at a workshop in Cambodia and for a free plane ticket we'll do about anything.
We decided to take off a few weeks earlier and travel around Northern Vietnam before going to Cambodia. Thus far we've seen Ho Chi Minh's body, a sad sight inside his giant marble mausoleum surrounded by small booths and shops selling his likeness in many a fashion. Amazining how the communist leaders keep spawning such great capitalistic endeavors!
Until later I am, Melting in Vietnam
We decided to take off a few weeks earlier and travel around Northern Vietnam before going to Cambodia. Thus far we've seen Ho Chi Minh's body, a sad sight inside his giant marble mausoleum surrounded by small booths and shops selling his likeness in many a fashion. Amazining how the communist leaders keep spawning such great capitalistic endeavors!
Until later I am, Melting in Vietnam
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Classroom Laughs
The Hot Seat
It's an interesting job to bond your students to one another. However, the better they work as a group, and love each other as a family the more distance you can cover academically.
In order to accomplish this we've been moving through the class - taking turns on the hot seat. Each kid gets to sit on the special chair in the front and their classmates get to ask them questions. Then we all share something we appreciate about that student. Yesterday, Julia was on the hot seat, and we were hearing "she's such a good friend" "she's very kind" "Julia is a good helper" "Julia is definitely an optimist", which was quickly followed by "Better than a communist!" from Emery. That brought a quick end to Julia's turn as we all erupted in laughter.
It's an interesting job to bond your students to one another. However, the better they work as a group, and love each other as a family the more distance you can cover academically.
In order to accomplish this we've been moving through the class - taking turns on the hot seat. Each kid gets to sit on the special chair in the front and their classmates get to ask them questions. Then we all share something we appreciate about that student. Yesterday, Julia was on the hot seat, and we were hearing "she's such a good friend" "she's very kind" "Julia is a good helper" "Julia is definitely an optimist", which was quickly followed by "Better than a communist!" from Emery. That brought a quick end to Julia's turn as we all erupted in laughter.
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