tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66909023553375905202024-03-13T10:24:45.821-07:00ResLife to Rez Lifems. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-74588247445849277682014-08-16T16:55:00.002-07:002014-08-16T16:55:52.278-07:00The 2014 ALIXIRS!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This has been one hell of a fecund summer: so much so that it doesn't bear going into much at this moment. I've made some big life decisions - like, several - and so stay tuned to hear those ruminations. But for today, I'm announcing the ALIXIRS! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Last year I read 60 books and it was pretty darn cool. This year I read 58. I think this is still pretty good; furthermore, I think that it merits an awards post! So, this is the 2nd annual Alixirs awards: wherein I sort and rank the myriad and random assortment of books I've read over the past year.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Like the Oscars, each of the books nominated in the award categories (aside from the 'groaner' group) is a fabulous read and comes highly recommended!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">THE ALIXIRS!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">First, the basic demographics:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Written by a woman: 60%</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Nonfiction: 22% </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">450+ pages: (approximately) 22% </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Young Adult Literature: 21%</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Written by a POC: 12% (shameful!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">LGBT-themed: 12%</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Re-read: 2% (just <i>Catching Fire</i>)</span><br />
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<a href="http://static.oprah.com/images/201208/omag/201208-omag-books-semple-284xfall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.oprah.com/images/201208/omag/201208-omag-books-semple-284xfall.jpg" height="200" width="173" /></a></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Funniest Read All Year:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>You Shall Know Our Velocity - </i>Dave Eggers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Where'd You Go, Bernadette?</i> - Maria Semple</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Beautiful Ruins</i> - Jess Walter</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Ask the Passengers</i> - AS King</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to. . . <i>Where'd You Go, Bernadette?</i>!!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.nevilshute.org/Misc/Graphics/otb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.nevilshute.org/Misc/Graphics/otb.jpg" height="200" width="115" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Wherein I Took Breaks to Cry it Out:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>On the Beach</i> - Nevil Shute</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Sky is Everywhere - </i>Jandy Nelson</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>White Teeth - </i>Zadie Smith</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Tell the Wolves I'm Home </i>- Carol Rifka Brunt</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to. . . <i>On the Beach</i>!!! (by a teardrop)</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Most Searing Memoir:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Are You My Mother?</i> - Alison Bechdel</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Wild - </i>Cheryl Strayed</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight</i> - Alexandra Fuller</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Goldfish Went on Vacation</i> - Patty Dann</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Into the Wilderness - </i>Kim Barnes</span><br />
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></i></b>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to . . . <i>Are You My Mother?</i>!!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://devicq.com/assets/images/Tell_the_Wolves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://devicq.com/assets/images/Tell_the_Wolves.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Could Not Put Down: Or, the <48-Hour Club:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves</i> - Karen Joy Fowler</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Tell the Wolves I'm Home</i> - Carol Rifka Brunt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Where'd You Go, Bernadette?</i> - Maria Semple</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Girls I've Run Away With</i> - Rhiannon Argo</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to. . . <i>Tell the Wolves I'm Home</i>!!! (for shortest time)</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Kick-Ass Girls Not Afraid to Tackle the World:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Swamplandia!</i> - Karen Russell</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Hangman's Daughter - </i>Oliver Pötzsch</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Girls I've Run Away With - </i>Rhiannon Argo</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Where'd You Go, Bernadette?</i> - Maria Semple</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Tell the Wolves I'm Home</i> - Carol Rifka Brunt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Green Glass Sea</i> - Ellen Klages</span><br />
<a href="http://www.tubeplus.me/resources/posters/927893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tubeplus.me/resources/posters/927893.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Serena - </i>Ron Rash</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Catching Fire - </i>Suzanne Collins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Ask the Passengers -</i> AS King</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Year Of Wonders</i> - Geraldine Brooks</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Fingersmith</i> - Sarah Waters</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Letters From Skye</i> - Jessica Brockmole</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves - </i>Karen Joy Fowler</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Into the Wilderness - </i>Kim Barnes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to. . . <i>Who am I kidding? All of them: Ava to Magdalena to Rosemary to Susan!</i></span><br />
<a href="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9781435126053_p0_v2_s260x420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9781435126053_p0_v2_s260x420.JPG" height="200" width="138" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></i><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Important Social Reads:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>One Hundred Years of Solitude - </i>Gabriel García Márquez</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>There Are No Children Here - </i>Alex Kotlowitz</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks</i> - Rebecca Skloot</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Tess of the D'Ubervilles</i> - Thomas Hardy</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to . . . <i>One Hundred Years of Solitude</i>!!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://lizosisek.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/aristotle-and-dante-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lizosisek.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/aristotle-and-dante-cover.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Big-Hearted, Beautiful YALs:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Green Glass Sea - </i>Ellen Klages</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Sky is Everywhere - </i>Jandy Nelson</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - </i>Benjamin Alire Saenz</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Ask the Passengers - </i>AS King</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Mockingbird:</i> Kathryn Erskine</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to. . . <i>Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe</i>!!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://thebooksmugglers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Ask-the-Passengers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://thebooksmugglers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Ask-the-Passengers.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">If You're a Lady-Loving Lady:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Pages For You - </i>Sylvia Brownrigg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Ask the Passengers - </i>AS King</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Are You My Mother?</i> - Alison Bechdel</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Girls I've Run Away With </i>- Rhiannon Argo</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Read all of them. SRSLY. Or you'll no longer be a card-carrying member.</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Misfit Dudes:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Last Policeman - </i>Ben H. Winters</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Gamal - </i>Ciarán Collins</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Grendel</i> - John Gardner</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao</i> - Junot Díaz</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Wonder</i> - RJ Palacio</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to. . . <i>The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao</i>!!!</span><br />
<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1351285384l/6604794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1351285384l/6604794.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Most Accurate Portrayal of Grief:</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Sky is Everywhere -</i> Jandy Nelson</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Tell the Wolves I'm Home - </i>Carol Rifka Brunt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Still Point in the Turning World</i> - Emily Rapp</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Goldfish Went On Vacation</i> - Patty Dann</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it goes to. . . <i>The Sky is Everywhere</i>!!!</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Groaners (not a one bad, but the lowest-rated of the year):</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Sarah's Key - </i>Tatiana Rosnay</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Ship Breaker -</i> Paolo Bacigalupi</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Uglies </i>- Scott Westerfield</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Bossypants - </i>Tina Fey</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I won't single out these poor guys further!</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">FINALLY! All the 9+ Rated Books of the Year (in chronological order):</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Swamplandia! - </i>Karen Russell</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>On the Beach - </i>Nevil Shute</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Maddadam - </i>Margaret Atwood</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Tenth of December - </i>George Saunders</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Goldfish Went On Vacation</i> - Patty Dunn</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Pages For You - </i>Sylvia Brownrigg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - </i>Rebecca Skloot</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Grendel </i> - John Gardner</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>White Teeth - </i>Zadie Smith (the only perfect 10!)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Where'd You Go, Bernadette?</i> - Maria Semple</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Beautiful Ruins - </i>Jess Walter</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves - </i>Karen Joy Fowler</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Sense of an Ending - </i>Julian Barnes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>One Hundred Years of Solitude - </i>Gabriel García Márquez</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Tell the Wolves I'm Home - </i>Carol Rifka Brunt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Sky is Everywhere - </i>Jandy Nelson</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Congrats! Now, get reading! I know I will! (I'm about halfway through <i>The Bone People</i> - fab!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over and out ~</span><br />
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<br />ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-45462596361357088222014-05-20T20:13:00.002-07:002014-05-20T20:13:29.285-07:00(Re)claiming 'Nurse'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And here we are, at the end of May. It's been a wild ride of classes (micro and patho, this past semester); I've traveled the spare sage brush of literal and figurative distances. Through the high peaks and dusty bottomed-out roads, however, I've had the constant of my little pre-k ones.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That is, until today. Yesterday, I got up, got dressed, and hopped over to my school. I chatted with a couple of the teachers in the sunny entryway, and with it reflected in my daily <i>bendición</i> of how my Spanish has improved over the last six months. I picked up my babies from the bus - now, even the quietest little girl will point out purple flower or a sparrow alighting on the roof. In her gruff little voice, she announces: "<i>Mire. Un gorrión."</i> To volunteer 'sparrow' when she was once pressed to say 'bird' before is a great and tiny triumph.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I showed our little scholars the recently-hatched Painted Lady butterflies, fetched snack, exchanged pleasantries with the parents. . . and then I left. For, you see, I was dressed in scrubs. I drove straight over to Santa Fe Community College to begin my first day of my accelerated BSN program.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was a long day - 8.30-3.30, with a lunch break spent wrestling with registrars for transcripts - and one full of mandatory introductions and handbook-reviewing and sitting sitting sitting in a persistently air-conditioned room. My token of comfort through that long day (in the way of pivotal days, yesterday seems simultaneously a long time ago and still continuing) was the card in my scrubs pocket: <i>Maestra Alix</i>, it says, <i>Nunca te olvidaré</i>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'll tell you, more than once yesterday I wanted to turn tail and run back to my primary colors and Crayola paints. If being an EA wasn't a criminal salary, I'd be highly tempted to just do that for a couple of years. Every day, I got practice in patience, compassion, creativity, love, and plain out fun and laughter. I'm getting saccharine, so I'll cut myself off. But really, I knew I needed to just remember the end in mind. Though it's pretty far out of my realm of experience, justice through healthcare is the aim.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This reminder was helped by a long walk through my Santa Fe neighborhood, a chat with a good friend, a satisfyingly-gross Baskin Robbins novelty flavor, and my favorite agave in the entire world. The bees and tumbling hedge of yellow roses didn't hurt either.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Today, I had a wonderful time. This lunch - and WOWZERS, does an hour-long lunch feel delectable! - I had with a few of my program-mates (there are 13 of us in all), and then lounged in the grass reading <u>Wild</u> by Cheryl Strayed. In terms of academics, we had a basic math lesson in conversions, a morning of therapeutic communication analysis and lecture, and an afternoon chock full of the history of nursing, the art and sciences of professionalism and caring, and a brief discussion on the changing political and social landscape of healthcare.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So, I am happy to claim my SFCC patch: Student Nurse. I have for a few years been thrilled about the various opportunities subsequently available to me: most notably, midwifery, birth assistance, L&D, women's health, hospice, and school nursing. However, I honestly don't think I had quite realized the incredible competence and autonomy, as well as the altruism and compassion, of this inspiring profession. I will be posting more on this, as I learn more. For now, suffice it to say that it - like the other 'female' field of primary school education - is an immensely under-recognized field.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yes, we love our nurses. We love our teachers. But our society does not yet give either their full due of professional respect. Nurses hold the whole web of public health together, and do so at all levels of technical and intellectual expertise. It seems we should look more to the Brits, with their Olympics tributes and lovely BBC <i>Call the Midwife</i>, to understand more fully the prudent, professional nurse.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's a tall order, but damn exciting one.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over and out ~</span>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-78078857329787785232013-12-13T14:54:00.003-08:002013-12-13T15:01:57.177-08:00La Capitán<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Happy Friday the 13th, all. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It seems we have already had some frightening news today; keep all in and close to Arapahoe High in your thoughts. I was going to write 'unlucky' news, but unfortunately, luck has very little to do with it. It is time to talk about bullying seriously, and mental illness, and education, and gun control. Just as with so many social justice issues, these are not political issues - these are human rights issues. This is a public health danger, an epidemic as real as any other. If you find yourself struggling with epidemiology, with 'hows' and 'whys' and 'what do we do,' I will be true to form as an ELA teacher: do a write to learn. Find the errors, find the true points, and try to sift through.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Here's an assignment from my mum's notes on <u>Frankenstein</u>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">She alludes to Columbine. When I taught the text last year, however, we had a dozen more horrifying examples, and the photographs of 20 little children. We didn't write, but we did look at this cartoon, coupled with the recent tragedy and <b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother-mental-illness-conversation_n_2311009.html" target="_blank">this op-ed</a>. </b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We didn't have any dialogue about school violence at Nye this past Thursday. That's probably because in the last two months I've taken a position for the remainder of the school year at a pre-school: I'm an assistant (basically, Spanish-speaking co-teacher) for a class of SPED three-year-olds. It is an absolute delight. Where I enjoyed the spontaneity and randomness of the 'hook-up culture' of day-to-day subbing, I adore the placid constancy of the Phyllis Nye community.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Every day:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I arrive and walk to the bus. I pick up one of my little charges, often helping him down the tall bus steps. He reaches his tiny warm hand for mine and I ask, "Cómo estás?" He projects an enormous grin out from under his Micky Mouse cap and says, "Bien!" We walk to our portable, where Teacher Janice is setting up play-dough or painting or kitchen, usually "Juanito" or "Cinco Elefantes" playing on the stereo.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I walk over to Nye and wait for the last bus. When it comes, I usher off our other morning bus student. She walks over and takes my hand and I ask, "Cómo estás?" She just looks at me; she's a serious little critter, and none too verbal. So we walk to the portable, on the way picking up our snack.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* We arrive. We play. We wash hands. We eat.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* We have circle. We sing the welcome song and then read a book or tell a story with a felt board. The greatest successes have been Goldilocks and the Three Bears and <u>The Mitten</u>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(Don't worry. I am always sure to push the progressive agenda - conservatives beware! For instance, while Janice tells that 'Mama Bear made the breakfast' in English, I say that 'they all made breakfast together' in Spanish. In this same trajectory, my girls are often brave, my boys are often beautiful. We have a lot of little boys who like to play with dolls and little girls who like to dress up as monsters. When we play house, generally there are two dads. This is a practical, as well as progressive, move; all the female figurines have gone missing from the Choices dollhouse.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* We play outside. We play in Choices.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* We come back to class. We make a craft - yesterday, it was egg carton orgugas (caterpillars), and Wednesday it was paper-bag puppy puppets. We glue, we color. We sing goodbye. I walk the four to the bus and we all say, "Hasta mañana!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It is delightful and beautiful to see little ones learn words, concepts, manners.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In the afternoon, I often go with Janice to the Head Start. Sometimes, however, I'm nabbed for a Nye SPED class, and those are perhaps my favorite days. I think this is because it is a class of very difficult little kids being managed very well. It is incredible to see how little ones thrive on loving structure. Just this week:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* One little boy said 8 intelligible things.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* Another, whose role model is the Incredible Hulk, consistently made sense when he spoke. He also self-regulated enough to remove himself and start doing 'belly breaths' (watch the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mZbzDOpylA" target="_blank"><b>charming video here</b></a>).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* Another put a dot on a paper and beckoned me over. He said, "Pequeño!" I agreed with him, and asked him what it was. "Es una semilla." I must've expressed admiration, because he nodded, and then started scribbling on it, enlarging. "Mira," he said, "está creciendo." Well, then.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I also love this class, because we get to go outside with Osiris' class. There's a boy in her class, bright-eyed and gap-toothed, who (with a slight spelling difference) shares my name. He also shares my imaginative sensibilities. For when we go out with their class, we play "piratas." We look at the map, we bellow, we charge and fight ghosts, we gallop on horses and haul great chests of gold onto our ships. He - unprompted by anyone - calls me "La Capitán." Even when we can't all go and be wild buccaneers, we salute when we pass one another.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It is little wonder I am often bodily exhausted when I arrive back home. However, it is the perfect frame of mind (productive, at ease) to curl up and study study study!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Here we are working very hard.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Fortunately, all that remains this semester is my nursing entrance exam on Monday. The verdict? Four As in four classes: A&P I, A&P II, Stats, and Psych. Wahoo! Also happily done? A childbirth class and ongoing volunteering at the Birthing Tree Parenting Library. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In a little less than a week, I'll be headed back to the Heartland for Christmas and New Years. I wish all of you safe travels. And, on the Eve of Sandy Hook, please be mindful. Send a thought or a prayer to those families in Newtown. And please send thoughts and prayers to Trayvon's family, and to Renisha's, and to all the children's families whose tragedies did not and do not make the papers.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And then realize in the midst of all of this, our school of three- and four-year-olds still sings good morning, and learns its colors, and hugs goodbye.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /><a href="http://www.upworthy.com/watch-this-grocery-store-erupt-in-song-for-the-man-the-entire-world-loved?c=ufb1">http://www.upworthy.com/watch-this-grocery-store-erupt-in-song-for-the-man-the-entire-world-loved?c=ufb1</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-8762640677004628472013-09-28T13:48:00.003-07:002013-09-28T13:48:28.217-07:00As the Seasons Turn, Turn, TurnSo, it's been 3 weeks! And perhaps this is a better way to blog and not bore; you get less of the hectic details and MORE of the pictures. So, no complaints, eh?<br />
<br />
My first week, the week of the 9th, was:<br />
Monday: SFCC First Aid, CPR, and AED<br />
Tuesday: Farmer's Market and Doula Presentation<br />
Wednesday: SPED EA for an austic boy in kinder<br />
Thursday: (ditto to Wednesday)<br />
Friday: Psychology and then the weekend!<br />
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Monday was a trip - our instructor was a former EMT with a flair for macabre humor (don't they all) as she guided us from 9am-3pm. The highlight was probably her wailing falsetto as she belted <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_izvAbhExY" target="_blank"><b>"Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees</b></a> as we pumped on the chests of our mannikins. To be fair, it IS the exact tempo. Though it was a lot to take in, I feel pretty confident in my ability to make a tourniquet, flush out an eye, and use an AED. It's also a wonderful (though hopefully never used) skill as a doula and aspiring midwife.<br />
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Tuesday started out nice and slow with a bike down to the Farmer's Market. From the pic, you can see I got quite the haul: summer squash, three giant onions, four peppers (4 for a dollar!), a big jar of last year's raspberry jam, and half a dozen ears of sweet corn. The corn farmer, a wry middle aged guy perched in his truck bed, gave his whole spiel to a newcomer to the stand (as was I, but this woman was a little closer to his age range ;). He shucked back the husk and presented a perfect white-yellow cob. He asked her to taste, saying that his late father always said, "If it ain't good fresh, it ain't ever gonna be good." Raw and steamed and sauteed, I'm still enjoying the tail end of this bounty.<br />
The Doula Presentation that afternoon was wonderful! I got to introduce the topic of labor support with a group of 6 pregnant students at the Santa Fe High School Pregnancy Center. They were very attentive, if a little shy, and the lead teacher was just great. I was treading carefully to be highly birth PC, and then she'd ask, "Well, could you explain the cascade of interventions." Well, well, I could indeed. I left my contact info with each student (along with a handout), offering my volunteer services. So. . . we'll see!<br />
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Wednesday and Thursday I was an assistant to a fairly high-functioning autistic boy. After the horror story of my last entry, I was so relieved to have a GOOD teacher and a GOOD SPED coordinator. I was given comprehensive instructions and support, and thus had a much easier time. I enjoyed the most spending time whole-class, however. The students were adorable, and caring, and so thrilled with the new knowledge that hour by hour came seeping in. The lead teacher was very good. I found her perhaps a bit strict - kindergartners need extremely clear boundaries, for sure, but also you need to accolade the heck out of them. They just glow! One little girl especially (Marlastar) I felt was always corrected, but her intelligence and kindness not rewarded hardly. Working with her and my charge, though, I had the extreme pleasure of showing them how the index in their little first-reader book worked.<br />
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Oh! AND I got a cupcake (with a sweet Transformer ring) at a student's birthday party the second day.<br />
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A moment redolent in humor and stress was when the little boy, not understanding the concept of sharing, threw himself upon the ground in 5-10min of sobs after another little boy got 'his' ball. I sat with him quietly, and said, "Okay, now, ______. Are you ready to be a big boy now?" He lifted his head, glared his tear-stained face into mine, and said, "NO!"<br />
I was exasperated, but confronted a similar specter that same night when I was nearly reduced to tears and yowling by the frustration of a math problem in my stats class. The juxtaposition helped me to smile through the situation.<br />
I will also note that this kinder class had an Isaiah, an Ezekiel, AND an Elijah. "No wonder," my dad quipped, "that there was so much brimstone in the little guy."<br />
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Week Two (the week of the 16th):<br />
Monday: AP Psychology and History.<br />
Tuesday: 1st & 2nd grade.<br />
Wednesday: 5th grade.<br />
Thursday: HOMEWORK<br />
Friday: Psychology & TFA interviews<br />
Saturday: Celebration For Mother Earth<br />
Sunday: Church fiesta and TFA Interviews<br />
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Monday, as you would expect, was an utter treat. I was unsure of whether to sub, being so overwhelmed with work. But, of course, I was able to give the lesson, supervise the students, answer any questions, and still get a ton of A&P coursework done. This shot of me is with <i>The New Yorker</i> article they had to read and annotate for the class.<br />
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Of course the teacher was fabulous - he was there in the morning, and explained everything to me, and left me his number for contact in case of questions. His classes were as such that the only question I had was where to leave the slab of Mexican Independence Pineapple Upside Down cake, since several students had brought it to him in recognition of his great teacher.<br />
It was a wonderful gig, but as my mom put it, "Well, great. There's another instance of the 'gifted' kiddos getting all of the goods." Truth. Also, in case you were feeling too optimistic about the Achievement Gap today: 5/7ths of the kids in the AP courses were white. The one elective (non-AP) course he taught? 17/22 were POC.<br />
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Tuesday: Well, Tuesday and Wednesday were SUPPOSED to also be sugar days. I signed up to be a kindergarten bilingual EA. Awesome, right??<br />
Unfortunately, the school where I was subbing must've had 12 vacancies. No joke. So, when the vice-principal asked if I could lead teach, I wasn't not going to say no. So, that's how I taught 1st and 2nd grade combined on Monday. It was looney tunes. Sure, the kids made Constitution books and colored them and we discussed the nature of government and played fun counting games and completed worksheets and had silent reading time! But they also cried and ran and kept the noise level at an abominable decibel reading. Fortunately, there were a few darlings who lavished hugs and did exactly what they were supposed to do.<br />
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Wednesday, I biked over with renewed hope. Surely TODAY they would me be my bilingual EA identity. Not a chance. This time I got the 'hardest class in the school.' In addition, there were no plans. Yep, you read right. I took a deep breath - the little hellions were at PE first thing in the morning - and then did this:<br />
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PE 'til 8.55</div>
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"* Literacy / Breakfast</div>
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- Journal with breakfast (9-9.30), after brief show don't tell lesson (DETAIL!</div>
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- Then read silently</div>
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10-11</div>
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Math</div>
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- Brief lesson on adding / subtracting decimals</div>
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- Do #1 & #2 together</div>
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- #15-26 independently or with a partner</div>
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11-11.50</div>
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Lunch</div>
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11.50-12.50</div>
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Science/Math</div>
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- Go outside and get three rocks each</div>
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- Identify, if possible, with charts on wall</div>
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- Share with class</div>
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- Sort into small, medium, and large (tracing in math notebook)</div>
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- Assign them the following prices (small = $1.37, medium = $2.09, large = $3.13)</div>
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- Add up your total 'money.' Pool your money with your partner. Take away two rocks.</div>
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12.50-1.50</div>
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Literacy</div>
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- Read beginning of several books (Stargirl, Series of Unfortunate Events, etc)</div>
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* Do action, setting, character (INFERENCE)</div>
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- Do same analysis for "Art School," then answer the questions</div>
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1.50-2.40</div>
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Social Studies</div>
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Centers!</div>
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- State / capital flashcards (play)</div>
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- Money Matters sheet (summarize in journal)</div>
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- Preamble to Constitution (read original and modern text, understand)</div>
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- Bill of Rights (choose one and journal why important)</div>
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2.30-2.50</div>
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Math game!</div>
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Two teams at board</div>
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2.50</div>
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Pass out parent flyer</div>
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Clean up</div>
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Head out"</div>
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Yes, they were still loud and disrespectful, but I wasn't giving an inch. I had worked damn hard making those plans (culling from state standards, the ambiguous pile of stuff on the teacher's desk, and neighbor teachers) and we were going to do them, by God.<br />
Just as we were finishing up the rock lesson (and after confiscating scissors from students who somehow thought because we hadn't made a rule against it, it was okay to 'shave' their rocks and send sparks around), the secretary came in.<br />
Her chagrin made me nervous, and rightfully so. She handed me a sheet of paper. Ah, so it seemed the teacher had emailed in plans after all. Well, then.<br />
So, the end of the day was Stress City. The kids worsened, if anything, and then I had to try and reconcile these new arrived plans with what we had been doing all day. The icing on the cake was that then I did bus duty. "You'll find the orange vest on the peg by the door" was all the teacher's note said. Well, great.<br />
It's no surprise that when my Lyly called and asked a very basic question (concerning weekend plans, I think?) after school, I simply burst into tears. "I'm sorry!" I sobbed. "I just had a really hard day." I made quite the lachrymose picture, standing in a lot of weeds with my bike propped against me.<br />
The day was partially redeemed by one of my first grade tinies running up to embrace me in the bus line, and the secretaries said that they had "heard about me." Oh no, I thought. But apparently, they had heard 'really good' things. What the hull? was my thought. What was this class normally like??<br />
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Fortunately, that night I got to unwind with Lyl. She helped me study for my Nervous System exam (YEAH those are flashcards), and we snarfed food and generally enjoyed a brief respite from the week.<br />
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That weekend, TFA interviews were good! For the sake of confidentiality I can't say much more, but it was an honor to get to talk with so many expectant (and mostly current) teachers with so much energy and hope.<br />
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What I can talk about was the wonderful Tewa Women United's Celebration For Mother Earth. What a beautiful time of fellowship - good food, good conversation, and good music. (highlights were the Appalachian and Maori music) I tabled for Breath of My Heart, and, as ever, it was heartening to have so much love and support for 'Body Sovereignty.'<br />
Lyly came around 2, and we got some fry bread and strolled around the fair. There were hawks and honey, seed networks and some good social dances. A few images:<br />
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What a day~</div>
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This past week has been another good, another full one!</div>
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Monday: 1/2 Day SPED Teacher</div>
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Tuesday: Pre-K EA</div>
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Wednesday: Elementary Music Teacher</div>
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Thursday: homework and meeting with a local midwife</div>
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Friday (Yesterday): class, work, and frolicking</div>
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Monday I was subbing at the same classroom that I wrote about in my last entry - namely, the godawful one. Fortunately, it was a bit better this time! Now, this was still my reception:</div>
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Me: Hi, I'm subbing for Mr. ____.</div>
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Lead Teacher: What?</div>
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Me: (repeat)</div>
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LT: (angrily) I didn't know he wasn't here today. Well, that changes things. I guess I'll have to teach now.</div>
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Me: Well, I can teach.</div>
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LT: He normally teaches first hour. Now I'll have to.</div>
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Me: Just get me his lessons. I'm a substitute teacher. I can teach first hour.</div>
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LT: Um, NO. (laughs sarcastically) </div>
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Me: Excuse me?</div>
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LT: I don't know where his lessons are. I'll have to put something together.</div>
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So, she did, and it almost passed muster. Like, there were two different assignments for the 15 or so differently-leveled SPED students. That's ALMOST differentiation.</div>
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Later, though, I stood my ground when she was mis-teaching inference. Yep, you read that right. Her way of defining an inference was, "What are three FACTS you know about this picture." A bit later:</div>
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LT: Like, you can't say that this is during WWII. That's not an inference.</div>
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Me: Actually, I am inferring that this is from WWII. I'm inferring that this is from Berlin during WWII.</div>
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LT: (uncertain grimace smile) But that's from your background knowledge.</div>
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Me: Exactly. I'm making an educated guess from the architecture, the evidence of bombing, the woman's demographics, and the photographic style. That is an inference. Not a fact.</div>
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At this point, she allowed me to help the students in the class.</div>
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Anyway, it was still a good experience: though the teacher had no recollection of me from my last subbing venture, the students did. They remembered my name, our inside jokes, and my closest student asked the moment he saw me, "Can we write another story?" I left him an armband as a day-late birthday present. Hope as a little persistent bird indeed.</div>
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Tuesday was a romp. I've gone on too long already, but suffice it to say it was delightful. The staff was supportive, we sang songs in English and Spanish, and we played and played and learned. A little autistic boy was calmest wearing a Belle dress (as I quipped to the lead teacher, 'Mira! Es una Bella y Bestia en una persona") and a little girl kissed her friend goodbye on the lips. God love three-year-olds. This is also what their (indoor) playground looks like. </div>
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I'm happily going back there the week after next.</div>
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Wednesday I got to WALK a couple blocks to school. Oh, delectable! I taught music from no plans (but again, a pile of stuff to sort through). It was a mixed bag - 5th & 1st grades were awful, Kinder & 2nd & 3rd were AWESOME - but I managed, in each class, to figure out what stuff applied to each class and then create a lesson around each.</div>
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We did warm-up dance / rhythm game to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BeCUZ8igoY" target="_blank">Batoumambe</a>. (my own insertion)</div>
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For some classes, we did singing to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA_uQ7NR15w" target="_blank">Iguazú</a>.</div>
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And for 3rd grade, we did a scarf dance to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28Qi4jLtigc" target="_blank">Arabesque</a>. </div>
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(click on each song to hear it)</div>
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It was a sheer pleasure to get to sing and bang on bongos and dance, especially with a roomful of hugging kindergarteners. It surely doesn't hurt also when they run up, grin, and tell you "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!" Well, thanks, Guys.</div>
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Thursday I had the opportunity to do a lot of work, ace my cell test, and then meet with a local home birth midwife. It's wonderful how giving this community is - with their time, experience, and advice. It's one more meeting to catalog in my 'soul-searching,' and all of that.</div>
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Last night I had a delicious (both gastronomically and intellectually) time with Lyly; we grabbed some delectable Chinese food at, like, non-SF prices (so affordable!) and then had ice cream. Long after we finished our Baskin Robbins, we sat side by side at the table and just shot the breeze. What a way to spend a Friday night. :)</div>
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Over and out ~</div>
<br />ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-86774885316345293672013-09-08T21:58:00.000-07:002013-09-08T21:58:11.192-07:00Sayonara, Old Man Gloom<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">With a week of narrowly-avoided bear maulings, a public dissection, and watching someone burned at the stake, I feel like I have barely made it out with my 8th Amendment rights secured. To be fair, the dissection was that of a sheep's brain and the conflagration was that of Zozobra. . . but the bear was real. But I get ahead of myself.</span><div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">On Tuesday morning, I happily biked over to the nearby high school to be a 'one-on-one SPED EA' for that day and Wednesday. I was so content to not have to drive, and also pleased that the sidewalk leading to the school wasn't remotely congested. How lovely! I was chaining up my bike when I heard a security guard shouting.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Get inside the building!"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I straightened up, shrugged on my backpack. The guard in question was herding the few students in the courtyard into the academic wing. I started for the door as he repeated, "Get inside, everyone! There's a bear on campus."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Well, then. I was more than willing to schlepp inside, especially when I learned that the bear in question was in fact a mama bear AND her cub. It was a legendary night at Colorado College ('09) when my friend and I were on RA duty, there was a bear on campus, it was Homecoming, a terrible ice storm had coated everything in a half inch slick casing, and Safe Ride had ceased to operate in light of the inclement weather. We were convinced that all the inebriated alums were going to slip, slide into the road, be crippled by a passing car, and then devoured by the lurking bear.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Despite the fine weather, I think this must've been the fear of the local police / guards, for I spent the first two hours of my sub gig on ursine 'lock down.' ULD, apparently, consists of allowing any and all students in your classroom to get on their phones, chat wantonly, and generally do whatever they want for the duration. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Eventually, the ULD was lifted. . . but you wouldn't have been able to tell in my classroom. The phones certainly didn't go away. No academic content was covered the entire day. The. Entire. Day. When I asked students or aides what lesson we were supposed to be doing, they shrugged and continued doing whatever they wanted. Some students went to electives throughout the day, and together with a super-friendly CP student I instigated writing a story (about zombies & Bigfoot, pretty cool), and for about 15 minutes toward the end of the day they counted money. . . but that was the extent. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Trying to withhold judgment, I assured myself that it had been the bear. "Tomorrow," I thought, "tomorrow will be a better day."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was, in that there was probably 30-45 minutes of academic action / instruction. We'll ignore the fact that though the teacher:student ratio was close to 1:1, they still decided to do whole class instruction. When you have a severely autistic kid all the way to a close-if-not-on-grade-level student, there are some inherent problems with whole class instruction. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I felt superfluous at best, and outraged at the system for a lot of the time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Some 'high'lights (low lights? darkness?):</span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> The classroom operates a school-wide store where the students sell all sorts of junk food to their peers. This would be okay - a little unfortunate nutrition-wise, but good social schooling - if it wasn't monopolized by several over-makeupped, overbearing aides whose only concern (or capability, for that matter) seemed to be carrying on horsely about the 'Jazzy Café.' They completed all purchasing, planning, and the majority of the actual transactions. Who is supposed to be benefitting, again?</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> The students are only allowed two electives, but sit in lunch for an hour and a half each day. This is so they can work shifts at the store? Have extra time to eat? So far as I could tell, this was time to eat at the pace of their peers and then chat idly for the next hour.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> I witnessed a teacher make fun of a student and the other aides laugh. They asked what class a certain SPED student was in - if you care to know, a delightful, articulate, sweet, easy-going guy - and one aide piped in, "Oh, I think it was advanced chemistry." The other aides cracked up. Oh. My. God.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> On the second day, a teacher was trying to get a(n extremely sensitive) student to get out a pencil and write her name on the top of the sheet. Of course, he had to bark his remonstrations at the front of the room rather than sending one of the 8 idle adults to quietly re-direct. Finally, the student said that he had yelled at her, so why should she listen to him? They commenced an argument. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The teacher decided he should demonstrate. "No," he said, "I was raising my voice. See, this is what it sounds like. I am not shouting." Then, he shouted, "This is what yelling sounds like." The student in question furrowed up further, but a Downs girl in the front row was terrified and burst into tears. The aides, predictably, sniggered.</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">These were the silver linings I dredged:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* The students were WONDERFUL to get to know. I got to write stories, chat, help as best I could. One student looked exactly like the former ZHS ELA chair who terrorized me, but she was fortunately as sweet as they come. The student I wrote stories with insisted that I come back for his birthday party at school in a couple of weeks. I got to chat in length in Spanish with a guy who's half Chinese, 1/4 Navajo, and 1/4 Mexican and whose cousin is Noel Torres. The aide sitting near us commented that I should teach ESL and then went back to playing solitaire on her phone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I also created this awesome poster on the prompting of one obsessed student and then taped it on another student's folder.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I chose Louis, of course, because he was the only one still available. One student had sole dibs on Harry Styles. . . Through all of this 'chilling time,' however, I couldn't help but think and think, as my mother said, "This is their one, precious education." Well, well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* One aide is just incredible. He has an incredible rapport with the students, sings corridos all over the place, and always has a ready, gentle smile. He shared the 'Cholo mantra' and stories of his first interactions with hippies in the New Mexican mountains in '66. I wish he had felt more initiative academically, but he at least made the students feel loved and safe. As he professed, he feels that the students are truly special, that they have something that we lack, and that he feels honored to work with them. (What's important, is I could tell he was genuine in that sentiment - it wasn't just some <i>Lifetime</i> claptrap.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And THAT was my subbing experience from the last week. I still haven't decided whether I need to keep my distance for a while or if I want to try to worry my way in. It's just so terribly frustrating - on top of all the enraging things, I felt SO helpless to do anything. I wasn't just a sub, wasn't just an EA; I was a SPED EA, in the same room as a teacher CHOOSING to do nothing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">On Thursday, then, after a good but exhaustingly long meeting at the birth center, it was highly instructive to get to burn Zozobra. It was wildly cathartic, especially after those two days, to watch Gloom burn to cinders, and then smoke. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">However, it was also more than a little eerie. . . Zozobra seems more than a little animate in the way he groaned and cast his head about. When he burned, though it was exhilarating, it was also a little sad. His eyes flickered, and his flung-about arms were tethered to wires. Of course, the wires enabled his hands to move, but it had a sinister look - it was as if he was chained and helpless as the fireworks lit up his insides. Eep!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Despite all the Gloom from the high school, I was back there that very next day (Friday). This, however, was under very different circumstances: I was a guest presenter for the Anatomy & Physiology class! Ah, how fun. (This is what happens when you go to a teacher begging for a dissection kit) In between mini-lectures about the hypothalamus and negative feedback loops, I showed them the different lobes of the sheep's brain and how to perform a midsagittal cut.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was ideal! Because I had to teach the material, I had no time to be fussy or messy or half-attentive. I was well-prepared and didn't have any time to feel disgusted or sentimental. An attentive, passionate high school class has some of the best energy in the world, and I was privy to surf on it on Friday afternoon. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This was an action shot as I was setting up for the demonstration. I hope you appreciate that I have spared you the actual dissection pictures.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The weekend has been a delightful whirlwind of Fiestas (YES VEGETARIAN Navajo Taco), the movies, curtain rod installation and other home improvement, homeworking, delectable walks and conversation, and even some fabulous cooktime. Lyly and I created this delicious layered nacho confection (replete with homemade chips), and she christened it Blue Corn Nachagna. It's pretty dang delectable.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over and out ~</span></div>
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ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-54014731228806334722013-09-03T15:54:00.002-07:002013-09-03T15:54:44.759-07:00Babies, Blessings, and Bad Teaching<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(NOTE: there are pictures at the end. I promise.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Happy Tuesday!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I intended to write this post, like the others, right on the tail end of the week. It was full, though, stem to stern, and so I find myself tappling away of a morning. This week - due to labor day, class, and the birth center - I'll sub only two days. But this past week was a full, three-day teaching adventure.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Monday</b> I took off so that I could have a lovely meeting with a local midwife. As a CNM, she could more succinctly address the history of their role in this community, and the progress that's been made. We drank delicious ginger tea, ate ginger cookies, and I branched into new avenues (doula program at St. Vincent's?)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Tuesday</b>, however, was the opposite of 'taking off.' I subbed in a bilingual 4th grade classroom; it was by far the position that had worried me the most. I had trouble falling asleep in that at each last-second-before-REM another word in Spanish that I didn't know popped into my head.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">At first, my fears were all founded. I found my way eventually to my hot and remote portable and was then confronted with a pile of 'notes' that consisted of nothing more than an agenda for the day, attendance roster, and sheafs upon sheafs of worksheets (I think the poor kiddos did 6 throughout the day). I was madly trying to print a "Valor Posicional" handout from the internet when the morning announcements came on and I froze.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Those of you who teach elementary school will know why. I myself had two housemates who were elementary teachers last year.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Namely: The morning announcements came on and I had no students. Moreover, I knew from experience that I was supposed to go and get them. . . but I had no idea where.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Fortunately, the prodigious youngsters who had raced ahead of the pack brought me back to their line, I introduced myself, and we were off on what was to be a fun day.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>**HS teachers who are subbing**: Never fear taking an elementary school class. They're on their best behavior, want you to like them, and are lavish with their compliments.</b> In one day, I was told:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"You're cool."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"You should always be our teacher."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"You're pretty."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"That was the best cartwheel I've ever seen." (Context: I was picking them up from recess when a tiny grabbed my hand and escorted me to where they were having 'cheerleading practice.' Oh, dear hearts)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So though there was some decidedly squirrelly behavior - also probably due to the tedious worksheets - and some moments of genuine panic on my part, they were all resolved through the adequate Spanish on my part and the graces of many of the students. By far the highlight of the day was helping them with their 'writers workshop.' It was a far cry from an actual WW, but the worksheet asking them rudimentary questions was a least a small way to learn little snapshots into their lives.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Wednesday</b> I was biking off to a nearby mid school as a SPED EA. This was another fun day, largely spent escorting a few perky girls to their English, chorus, and PE classes. The highlight, however, was helping out Arturo (name has been changed). He's a 7th grader with Cerebral Palsy, and exhibits all of the tenacity and good humor one would expect. He ranked as a little behind his grade level, but I wonder if this is a learning disability as much as the scourge of low expectations, which plagues SPED students far more than any other. I found him witty and a whippersnapper. Fortunately he was my wingman, because I found myself in one of the worst classes I have ever witnessed.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As I wrote to my mother that evening, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;">She just put the kids' curiosity and creativity into a mortar and pestle and ground it like she was doing perverse alchemy." </span> Another friend, when I described the classroom, marveled sadly that she was "killing the joy of learning."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">They were both true. I actively witnessed this teacher quash curiosity, undermine adolescents' confidence, exhibit zero creativity in a lesson, and shoot down a student making an excellent text-to-self connection. It was infuriating and very sad. I left mourning for the students and mourning for the teacher.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>I think her failure was trifold: that in management, that in content, and that in student rapport. I feel that if you have an inkling of two you can be a decent teacher. </b>But her management was yelling at students to 'pay attention' and 'get it right' and 'stop that racket'; the content was two workbook pages of underlining nouns and answering stock questions from a third grade level paragraph about bats; the student rapport was nonexistent. When a student - and an angry, loner-ish type at that - reached out with a cool comment that she had once cared for two bats, the teacher had the opportunity to acknowledge the connection, commend her compassion, question what kind of bats they had been and whether they ate insects or fruit. No.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"You! Stop talking. Go to the corner and do your work." I kid you not.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Arturo and I counteracted this negativity by chatting about bats, what makes a mammal, and what my supper plans were for the evening. To be fair, at least the teacher didn't ignore Arturo like I have seen happen so many times before. She was the same unpleasant pedagogue for him as all the rest, which was a blessing. I don't think we could've mustered any saccharine pity from her.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Also the same, I aim to sub for her sometime in the future.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>Thursday</b>, my final sub day of the week, was back to bilingual - this time 6th grade social studies. As I learned first hour, the teacher had left the school for a different position. She had 'planned' at least until the end of the week - the students were assigned to copy vocabulary terms from the glossary for 50 minutes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>This is the first time I said "No."</b> I didn't throw the plans out the window - that would've been irresponsible, no matter how tedious the assignment - but I refused to leave it at that. They were taking down vocabulary regarding different modes of government. So, this is how the class went instead:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">- I introduced myself in Spanish and English.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">- I did a mini-lecture on Syria (in Spanish), starting with its geography and Arab Spring. Most of the students didn't know it was a country, and none had heard about the weapons violation or our precarious position of war.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">- They had a mini-discussion with their neighbors: using their information, should we attack Syria? Why or why not?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">- We took a vote. (Every class was sharply, often vociferously, divided. I explained that this is how things were shaking down in our government too.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">- THEN they took down vocabulary terms. I gave them two minutes a term, we did CFUs for each, and that way we rocketed through the list.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A highlight was certainly when a student came up shyly said how 'awesome' it was when I demonstrated speaking with a Spanish accent (Thiudá Estao for Ciudad Estado) because she speaks with a Colombian accent. "Oh," I replied, "Qué suave! Eres de Colombia?" </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Nah," she said. "I just like the way it sounds."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So there.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This rip-roarin' week of teaching (not to mention taking classes) kept up the pace with a fun first Psych class AND visits from three friends. Much good food and company (and dancing!) was had by all. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Also, my friend and I created this mural with my flower pictures!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Annnnnnd, we found the perfect mounting shelf for Gerburg Garman's lovely <i>Ondine</i>. Of course the shelf was curbside, ready to be picked up as trash the next morning.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Q1PCrqqi4Q/UiZnEUXwCpI/AAAAAAAAAPg/_zXuv2SnBU8/s1600/Photo+on+2013-09-02+at+21.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Q1PCrqqi4Q/UiZnEUXwCpI/AAAAAAAAAPg/_zXuv2SnBU8/s400/Photo+on+2013-09-02+at+21.16.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Also wonderful was the grand opening of the Breath of My Heart Birthplace. It was a successful event, full of excellent conversation, delicious frito pie, and that BEAUTIFUL new birth room. Check it out!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Job-N3pG5ec/UiZnRErhGBI/AAAAAAAAAPo/LSm8_dxdtdw/s1600/IMG_3799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Job-N3pG5ec/UiZnRErhGBI/AAAAAAAAAPo/LSm8_dxdtdw/s400/IMG_3799.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The birth room! (I removed the paint tape and scrubbed that door frame!)What you can't see is the gorgeous big tub. [These photos courtesy of <a href="http://www.breathofmyheart.org/">www.breathofmyheart.org</a>] </i></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmdWlDrWWOk/UiZnZTtrPsI/AAAAAAAAAPw/3d9JW4TPbiI/s1600/IMG_3830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OmdWlDrWWOk/UiZnZTtrPsI/AAAAAAAAAPw/3d9JW4TPbiI/s400/IMG_3830.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Fellow doula and aspiring midwife! We were talking, I think, about her path to midwifery?</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We all ate, drank, and were merry, and at the celebration's close we had a lovely ceremony in the new room. A woman gave a blessing for the birth center and for us all. She invoked the Creator, La Virgen de Guadalupe, and we fanned cedar smoke to the four directions.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What a prosperous beginning for a beautiful place.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over and out ~</span><br />
<br />ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-73283398879553342722013-08-23T18:27:00.002-07:002013-08-23T18:32:30.533-07:00Heaven, Jesus, and Eden; Or, The Nature of Grief<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was second hour on Wednesday. I was subbing for a film teacher at Capital High, and so I found the students a familiar and endearing breed of quirky. Before we began </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>The Artist</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, I took roll. I generally got through the names, though it's always a gamble whether "Hugo" is "Hew-go" or "Oo-go," for instance. After I finished, I raised an eyebrow and addressed the class. In the background, George Valentin and Peppy Miller jitterbugged silently.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Guys, we're in trouble." The class, with varying degrees of interest or alarm, looked up. "It seems," I continued, "we're missing Heaven, Jesus, and Eden."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This week has been preposterously big, though I didn't quite realize it until I recounted it last night to my parents. When teaching at ZHS, the weeks naturally coalesced into units. Though day-to-day subbing is nowhere near as demanding as teaching, it does creep up on you. I think this is because the days are so self-contained, they don't really form the shape of a week. For instance:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Monday and Tuesday I worked as an inclusion SPED aide at Aspen Mid. I went to classes with a low-level academically but high-level socially girl (let's call her Bella), helping her with her work and generally doing odds and ends around the classroom. It is funny to think that my hand-lettered daily schedule signs may stay up on the boards for weeks or months to come - a clash of transience and continuity for sure.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I really enjoyed being Bella's aide, though with four other adults in a class of 9ish students (varying abilities, but not atypical mid school students), I had the luxury of feeling a little superfluous. It was enlightening, however, to peer into other classrooms from a different perspective. One of the elective teachers, for instance, was in many ways a swell teacher! She had cool projects and clear management. However, there were a couple of times when Bella's hand was the only one in the air. She did not call on her. I'm sure too she won't use Bella's monochromatic self-portrait for the rainbow they're building. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I suppose that this was still better than another elective teacher, who referred to Bella as 'this person' and just let her do whatever she wanted. But, then, she spent a majority of the class threatening the students shrilly, so I suppose Bella wasn't an exception.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Wednesday I was the film class teacher. Just delightful. I mean, come on - I watched <i>The Artist</i>, hung out with performing arts peeps, and devoured <u>Serena</u>. No complaints.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thursday (aka yesterday) I picked up an oak filer in Mesilla for Lyl's trailer, then headed up to Breath of My Heart Birthplace. Oh! And I had a Craigslist present for them. Earlier in the week I had found a brand new seat hammock for $25. Um, yes. This is roughly what it looks like:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0eWPBRL1oU/UhgEapdZmQI/AAAAAAAAAPA/uBbFSG0UP20/s1600/traditional-outdoor-products.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0eWPBRL1oU/UhgEapdZmQI/AAAAAAAAAPA/uBbFSG0UP20/s200/traditional-outdoor-products.jpg" width="144" /></a>(Can't wait until it's installed in the birth room!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> It's generally an exciting time, what with the birthplace's ribbon-cutting ceremony next week and our groundswell monies coming in soon. This is me tabling at the Rio Arriba Health Fair last week. (photo nabbed from www.breathofmyheart.org) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(Michelle told us to look like we were 'working super hard')</span></div>
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<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">The midwife to my right is
Jessica, who yesterday super graciously invited me to a home visit of the
family of a two-week-old baby who she delivered at home. They too received me
generously, and it was a delight to get to see how a "medical" visit
could be conducted so informally, thoroughly, and pleasantly.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">Now, today, I've lopped off a
day as a high school chemistry / biology teacher. I don't know if I would've
taken the job if I had known just how much chemistry was involved today.
There's nothing to make you feel ridiculous like not remembering gunk like 'sig
fig' rules; though, as a plus, I did gradually remember scientific notation and
the like. </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">However, it was generally a
relaxing, though freezing day. At one point in my two preps (these Capital
folks are spoiled!) I contemplated draping my canvas lunch bag over my
shoulders to try to warm up. </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">I tried to immerse myself
in <u>The Last of the Menu Girls</u>, but I fear it seems like one of
those books where very little happens. It's a legitimate form! But just as
entirely plot-driven books bore me, so do books where it is little more than
impressionistic memories fraught with symbols and snapshot metaphors*. Give me
a good, gorgeous book in the middle. Recommendations?</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">Anywho, the day went very
well. I found the students largely very respectful and attentive, though 7th
hour was a veritable mess. Like, actually. What. A. Mess. There was yelling,
and pencil breaking, and eraser throwing. It was all good-natured, but
good-natured like a poorly house-trained puppy that is also teething and
probably a shepherd mix. We managed to get work done, but I was highly ready
for the weekend.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">The first few hours of said
weekend, however, have been decided lackluster. I spent the better part of an
hour at Target wearily deciding between two backpacks (and then choosing
another). Came home to a bag of Checkers' cat litter open on my front steps - a
stunningly non passive aggressive way for my landlord to tell me that this
morning I spaced taking the bag to the trashcan and left it by the fluff's
litter box. I tried to recuperate the evening by a trip to the library -
perhaps to get <u>Pale Fire</u>?? and certainly to return <u>Ash</u>, <u>Miseducation
of Cameron Post</u>, and <u>Serena</u> - but discovered it closes at
6 on Fridays. Mayhap after this I'll just go to bed.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">But then again, there's
always putting things in perspective, no? </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">Rewind back to Monday.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">When I first met the lead
teacher at the SPED classroom, I was a little taken aback by her brusqueness.
She leads a tight ship, and possesses a commanding presence - neither of which
are bad things. But she seemed relentless and stinging at points. I was trying
to acclimate when one of the co-teachers sidled up to me and murmured,
"She just lost her partner to cancer. She had been fighting it for a year.
We had the memorial on Saturday."</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">"This Saturday?" I
mouthed, wide-eyed.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">She nodded, and made a
movement with her hands that bespoke complete sympathy. </span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">The lead teacher shouted,
high-fived, guffawed, made good-natured but off-color jokes over lunch, and
generally plowed through the day.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">It struck me, then, how in
her coarse humor and jean shorts she was managing just as gracefully as an
austere madame in widow's weeds. More than a message of putting things in
perspective (which is certainly did), it was a heavy reminder to reevaluate
convention and norm. It leaves one with a highly subjective view on what is
'right' and 'good.' But as Mary Oliver reminds us, we do not ultimately have to
worry about that either. We only have to announce "our place / in the
family of things."</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">May we all do our best at
that tall order.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">Over and out ~</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #860004; font-family: 'Courier New';">* Unless it's Marguerite
Duras. She can do whatever the hell she wants and I will love it</span>.</div>
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ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-63664623904589767792013-08-16T17:05:00.002-07:002013-08-16T17:05:58.617-07:00My Day as a Containment SPED Teacher; My Day as a PE / Health Teacher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
First and foremost:</div>
HAPPY FRIDAY!<br />
<br />
After I explained to one of the janitors that the classroom where I had subbed (today) was unlocked, he thanked me and said "que tenga un buen fin de semana." He then laughed when I realized that it was indeed Friday and grinned mightily, wishing him the same. Yes, yes, it's offish: it takes TWO days of teaching to be grateful for a weekend.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VjNkbetvPNg/Ug6yr0wLVqI/AAAAAAAAAOU/T6tnYDiE72A/s1600/Photo+on+2013-08-16+at+17.10+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VjNkbetvPNg/Ug6yr0wLVqI/AAAAAAAAAOU/T6tnYDiE72A/s400/Photo+on+2013-08-16+at+17.10+%232.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thursday was my first day of SFPS subbing. As I alluded in my title, I was one of four SPED teachers / aides in a classroom of four autistic students. Oh! Great, you say. That's 1:1. Piece of cake, no?</div>
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No. </div>
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This was the text I sent to Lyly at the end of my day: 'Phew. I've been drooled on, sneezed on, had my hair yanked, dripped on by a rogue boy in the shower, and had my toes rolled over by a boy on a tricycle. Haha!'</div>
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This was all true. By the end of the day, however, I readily gave my contact info to the main teacher when she tentatively asked if I would ever sub in her classroom again. I suppose part of it is SIS*, because there were definite low points. I remember thinking - "Did we miss lunch?" and then realizing it was barely 11am. My cute outfit (not pictured) underwent some modifications: I removed my earrings so they wouldn't be torn out, I put up my hair several ways, and I had slavered jeans and Cheeze Ball crumbles all over my purple shirt. It is also disconcerting to have to facilitate learning with a student who doesn't always recognize his name.</div>
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But it did have a meditative quiet to it, too. We were slow-moving and patient. We sang songs. I redirected and redirected and redirected, and then lavished praise when my student matched the velcro that we were / weren't going outside at that moment and didn't respond with screaming and hair yanking. Since it was 80% orienting to social cues and routines, all we had to do is repeat and repeat. Match numbers, letters. Pick up the backpack. Close the door. Jump on the trampoline. Pick up the backpack. Match numbers. Place placemat. Pick up backpack. </div>
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And so on.</div>
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A huge takeaway, of course, is that the theme of this post is an enormous paean to containment SPED teachers. I'm not going to say anything stupid like, "Those poor children!" or "Those poor teachers!" Pity is a tiring emotion in the special needs world. But admiration I will give. I am unfazed by physical disability; my older brother had severe cerebral palsy, and I well know that brilliant intellects can find themselves housed in less than obliging bodies. I stand in awe of those, however, who dedicate their days to working with the severely intellectually disabled. And I mean DAYS. Whole days. My five-minute lunch was spent scarfing a sandwich and a few strawberries; there wasn't pressure placed on me from my colleagues, but I knew that with my meal they were short-staffed. No breaks for specials, for meals, for recess. </div>
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I mean DAYS: when the main teacher was pulled into a meeting, I was swinging the student (on the therapy swing) I was working with. There were two other aides, and still somehow a student managed to run into the bathroom, strip completely naked, and jump into the shower. He had messed his undies and was taking great strides to try to clean them. They were forgotten, however, when I was toweling him - and he spotted an earwig. "BAHH! BAHHGI!" And then we had to snuggle the earwig for a while. </div>
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All of this transpired in the last ten minutes of the day, of course.</div>
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And that was day one.</div>
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While the cat did this, I breathed deeply and then signed on for another day of subbing.</div>
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Day Two? </div>
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Today, I went to Capital High School and was a PE / fitness / health teacher. Though I got ready all in good time, I was still late. It's the traffic! As surely as I'm not used to city driving, traffic is such a novel concept. For instance, it's 3.7 miles from our trailer to ZHS. It's not quite 5 miles from my house to Capital High School. The trip to ZHS took about 7 or 8 minutes. The trip to Capital took close to half an hour (once I got parked). </div>
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All the same, the day generally went well. I walked around the track with the PE and fitness students, though the 6th hour abjectly refused. What does one do? Especially when the other PE teacher is also a sub and the permanent sub who came to 'help out' shrugged and said, "They're bigger than we are." Well. I hadn't ever really thought of it that way. </div>
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The highlight (and low point) of the day was simultaneously 7th hour health class. Oh, Lordy. Let me set the scene a little: all of my classes were near or far above 30 students (26 - 38). Health is largely a 9th grade class. So, 30-some freshmen. 90% or so Hispanic, but some stray melikas and one kid named Abdallah. Small classroom. Not enough books. 85 degrees or so. No windows. </div>
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At the most chaotic: Abdallah had a brown bag dino puppet, two students were calling out to me ("Mrs. Jacona," wtf?), Habram was whispering "maestra!", half of the students were dutifully finishing the assignment, another hunk sat chattering (having finished), and Priscila belted a bolero. No joke.</div>
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It's definitely not what I would want for classroom management for my own students, but it was a start. For instance, they all got at least most of the assignment done. AND, each table presented one aspect of how surroundings can influence your health (there was a media table, an environment table, etc). It meant keeping them after three minutes, but hey! It got done. And I got to speak Spanish!</div>
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OH! Other highlight. The permanent sub asked if I was "Spanish." I suppose if my surname was Jacona, that would make more sense. Hudson, not so much.</div>
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Last, I had TWO preps today: though I definitely projected my voice more and sweated like a mad wildebeest, I also had two and a half hours to work on my anatomy & physiology, read NPR, eat, and relax. Pretty chill.</div>
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Well, I must be away: it IS a Friday, after all. Time to seize the night!**</div>
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Take care, and stay posted.</div>
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Over and out ~</div>
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* Subbing Invincibility Syndrome: like seriously. All you have to do is give your darndest to a bunch of kids for ONE day. Staff expectations of subs are generally preposterously low, so it's easy to feel like a superstar for doing the most rudimentary things. </div>
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** By 'seize the night' I mean have supper, maybe dessert, and go to bed early.</div>
ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-50617991537505287922013-08-14T20:26:00.003-07:002013-08-14T20:26:43.586-07:0060 Books<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Hello, hello!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This promises to be a short post. For one, I think I've gotten out all my current anatomy & physiology textbook woes for now. I've forded through the multitudinous chapters on body systems, and am now finally sailing through reproductive organs. So the irritation has mostly folded to teenagey innuendo. So far, so good. :)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I just wanted to have a quick post announcing the end of my literary year (August 10-August 11). It corresponds nicely with the end of many fiscal years, but really marks a complete calendar year since I began my second year teaching. For the past year, then, I've kept close track of what I've read - first to model for my students, but increasingly for my own curiosity. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(This was also a rudimentary self-review for my statistics course in the fall)</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The verdict: 60 books.</span></span></b></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The breakdown?</span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">YALs </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">= 18%</span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Nonfic</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> = 10% (but overrepresented in my top books)</span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Books by women</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> = 62%</span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Books by People Of Color</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> = 27% </span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Books with 450+ pages </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">= roughly 25% </span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Re-reads</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> = 12%</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Annnnnnd, the superlatives:</span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Funniest?</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lucky You</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Carl Hiaasen</span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Cried the Most? </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. . . all of them? Perhaps </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Prayer For Owen Meany</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Irving) or </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Carhullan Army</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Hall)?</span></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Couldn't Put Down?</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Gone Girl</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Gillian Flynn</span></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And then my favorites! (categorized by having at least a 9 of 10 and by NOT being a re-read, and ordered chronologically in my year):</span></span></b><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Prayer For Owen Meany</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by John Irving</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Woman: An Intimate Geography</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Natalie Angiers</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Bee Season</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Maya Goldberg</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Birds of a Lesser Paradise</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Meghan Mayhew Bergman</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Cry, The Beloved Country</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Alan Paton</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Empress of the World</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Sara Ryan</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Heart is a Lonely Hunter</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Carson McCullers</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Round House</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Louise Erdrich</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Raisin in the Sun</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Lorraine Hansberry</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Best American Short Stories 2012</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> ed. by Tom Perrotta</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Streetcar Named Desire</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Tennessee Williams</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Things Fall Apart</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Chinua Achebe</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Salvage the Bones</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Jesmyn Ward</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Gone Girl</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Gillian Flynn</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Pushed</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Jennifer Block</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We Band of Angels</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Elizabeth Norman</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Alas, Babylon</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Pat Frank</span></span><br />
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Omnivore's Dilemma</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Michael Pollan </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm currently and happily devouring Karen Russell's </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Swamplandia!</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> Tomorrow will be a day of lesser reading, though, I predict: IT'S MY FIRST DAY OF SUBBING.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Though I've been perennially bad at updating regularly, I will do my best to share reflections after I try a host of different classrooms. For tomorrow? SPED paraprofessional at a magnet school. Well, well.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Wish me luck?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over and out ~</span></span><br />
<br />ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-85314950469801710672013-08-02T12:48:00.002-07:002013-08-02T12:53:09.297-07:00Not an Object<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Hello from Santa Fe! </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">It's a lovely August morning; I've been largely much enjoying my metropolitan life, rife with local food and lots of biking. My parents visited for five days this past week, and that was a delight of food (restauranted and home-cooked), Goodwill & Craigslist hunting, and generally exploring the fringes. Due to my as of yet frustration and ineptitude with downtown driving, we mostly skirted the metro center. I know it sounds a little ridiculous, but you have to remember, I am accustomed to relaxing rez driving: everyone pulls out from their dirt lots, goes 20mph, swerves around the various animals in the road, and then parks in another dirt lot. It's the life. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I also have had the privilege to become a volunteer for the up-and-coming </span></span><a href="http://www.breathofmyheart.org/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Birth Of My Heart Birthplace</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, which will open soon in Española. The name comes from a phrase in Tewa (
</span></span><!--StartFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Navi
pin haa un mu)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, emblematizing its culturally-responsive concept. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I am so excited to continue working on the organizational narrative; as well as helping out, it is infinitely helpful to my discernment and path. The research on different birth risks (C-section, lack of breastfeeding, PIH, SGA, etc), has also made it painfully clear how present - and linked with race & SES - disparities are in wellness in our country. Along with the Achievement Gap, we have the Health Gap. Figure in the Legal Gap of civil rights (in the wake of the shameful voting-down of the VRA), and it's a veritable chasm. Troubling but important work, indeed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">A small excerpt from the "Causes" section I've written, this one concerning Nutritional-Related Disorders in Pregnancy:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Though there are
accessory catalysts to each of these conditions (some of which unknown), PIH, </i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>gestational diabetes, and anemia all result in some part from sociodemographic
factors. As above, race is linked with SES is linked with health; women of
color are disproportionately affected by the effects of poor health. For
instance, anemia is linked to smoking, PIH to type II diabetes, and gestational
diabetes to being overweight prior to the pregnancy. </i></span></span><w:sdt citation="t" id="294191202"><!--[if supportFields]><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'>CITATION Lin00 \l 1033 </span><span
style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>(Adebisi, 2005)</i></span></span><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--></w:sdt><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<w:sdt citation="t" id="1566682402"><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>CITATION Ree12 \l 1033 </span><span
style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>(Reem & et al, 2012)</i></span></span><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--></w:sdt><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> </i></span></span><w:sdt citation="t" id="-1718578989"><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>CITATION LiH13 \l 1033 </span><span
style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>(Li & et al, 2013)</i></span></span><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--></w:sdt><w:sdt citation="t" id="-142579743"><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman"'>
CITATION Ber92 \l 1033 </span><span style='mso-element:field-separator'></span><![endif]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> (Berkowitz & et al, 1992)</i></span></span><!--[if supportFields]><span
style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--></w:sdt><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I have e-mailed the Teen Parenting Center at Santa Fe High, so hopefully I will be able to work / volunteer with student-parents there. I would ideally work as a volunteer doula; as I've written before, the politics and justice and healthcare of teen parenting is something I am very passionate about.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I've additionally written The Birthing Community of Santa Fe, hoping to be able to assist / volunteer at their organization in exchange for sitting in on their prenatal classes; it'll fulfill my DONA requirement, but also be great to get more experience with the Birthing From Within approach.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">As you see, at this point I have largely thrown my various hats into rings - doula, substitute teacher (with ID badge!), writer - and so am waiting for responses. I spend my days biking, reading, studying </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Hole's Human Anatomy & Physiology 13th ed.</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> (I am taking A&P I & II in the fall), and rationing the fabulous </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Orange is the New Black</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">***</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Though it is a little dry for summer reading, I have generally very much enjoyed my daily portion of anatomy and physiology. I have just finished chapter 15, and so this afternoon it's onto the Lymphatic System. Other than the baffling endocrine system (ENDLESS hormones!), it has generally been a sensical and interesting read. I have also, numerous times, been thankful to my AP Bio course. Though I took it six years ago (oh geez), it's refreshing and delighting to see how quickly so much of it comes back. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Now, you can expect some angry posting on here once I arrive at Chapter 23 (Pregnancy & Birth); I look at it whenever I'm feeling especially ensconced and confused to reassure myself that I really do know quite a lot at least of certain parts. Mostly, it's a pleasant romp of fetal states and maternal health. But then I see a line talking about episiotomies being done to 'aid healing' more than a tear and the enjoyment ebbs. News report: tears heal faster (jagged edges adhere to one another much more easily, and do not rip further as easily as cuts do). The only thing that is easier is suturing them.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Anyway, that example is representative of the thing I do find sometimes problematic; the book is written so entirely from a physicians' point of view. What's the problem with that? you say. Indeed, it's a text designed for those up-and-coming in the health field. My issue is that the extreme polarization can lead to a lack of empathy and even to the objectification of the patient.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Objectification, true, we generally think of in sexual and patriarchal terms, but in this case, the text is objectifying the patient in the form of case studies. (For a working definition of objectification, go </span></span><a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-objectification/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">.) The book has little half-page sections inserted into the body of the text; they're case studies that closely correlate to the content of the chapter. The object of them is to familiarize students with a certain condition. It just reads as coldly clinical when these people are given names and symptoms in a paragraph, and then often die in the next one. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">From a utilitarian perspective, this makes perfect sense; the point of the book is to be information-rich, not a novella of people's lives, wishes, personalities. There aren't enough pages to give justice to a single life, let alone the dozens in the book's case studies. But doesn't it seem superficial, then, to include their name and then nothing else? Why not leave the case studies in hypothetical terms? I have no idea if Carl, who collapsed from an embolism and died several days after his flight, was a real man. But it seems an injustice to him, to have this clinical remembrance, much less formal than a four-line obituary. It's like the authors sought to impress upon the reader the importance of the material by implicating a life, but then shied away from addressing the patient as anything but his assemblage of relevant parts. It's an assumption, instead of the 'immortal' desires and dreams of an individual, of clinical dissection and eventual mortality. A blogger posting on </span></span><a href="http://kittywampus.wordpress.com/2009/02/28/on-medicine-and-objectification/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Medicine and Objectification</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> puts it well when she says: "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Seeing someone as merely as a 'case' makes it very difficult to view a patient as a whole person with complex needs and desires. The result is condescension, fragmentation, and silence."</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Is there a viable alternative? I would argue absolutely. Here it is:</span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQQMVYBJN2U/UfwBN9rG4kI/AAAAAAAAAMk/-WfCsE_2ubU/s1600/Photo+on+2013-08-02+at+12.56+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQQMVYBJN2U/UfwBN9rG4kI/AAAAAAAAAMk/-WfCsE_2ubU/s400/Photo+on+2013-08-02+at+12.56+%232.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></a></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Okay, okay. I realize this isn't a textbook textbook; forgive me, but I'm not well-accustomed to medical texts yet. But, if you've read old </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Ina May's</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> book, you'll probably understand what I'm getting at. Before the explicit chapters on anatomy and prenatal nutrition is 125 pages of birth stories told by the women themselves. They write about their pain and pleasure, joy and frustration, and almost always there's an accompanying picture. There are stillbirths; there are hospital transports; but most of all, there is an autonomy I have not seen in my anatomy and physiology textbook. How hard would it be to have the case studies written by the person depicted, or one of their loved ones? Now that would be an experience in the intensely human, as well procedural, world of medicine. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Ina May goes further, though. She writes in her introduction: </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>It almost goes without saying that the birth stories told in Part I differ from those of most American women. Overall, the stories are too positive; there is too much talk of joy, ecstasy, and fulfillment. These stories do not describe the usual proportions of forceps, vacuum extractor, or cesarean deliveries that are representative of these interventions... Given these differences, you may wonder whether these stories, and the overall experience of the women whose births were attended by my partners and me, can have any significance for you. If the women who shared their birth stories were special beings, the answer would be no. But if it is true that the women who gave birth at The Farm are much like other U.S. women in their intrinsic physical capabilities - and I am certain this is the case - then our experinces </i></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">do</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> have something to teach. Enfolded within the stories are lessons that can empower you, too...</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">In other words, Ina May not only humanizes her 'patients' (and she would never use that rhetoric), but she also finds commonality with them. We too, she assures, can empower ourselves to make health (in this case, birth) choices by ourselves. She counters the 'condescension, fragmentation, and silence' with respect, community, and dialogue. What more can we ask for?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">This sort of industrial objectification is everywhere: in our food, in our commodities, in our politics. Just a few days ago I saw this meme on Facebook (the x and text is my own, obvi):</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HMBQlyuhVDw/UfwItw8pCFI/AAAAAAAAAM0/oSJ3PfHkGRk/s1600/objectification.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HMBQlyuhVDw/UfwItw8pCFI/AAAAAAAAAM0/oSJ3PfHkGRk/s320/objectification.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Clearly, this is going for the shocking, silencing factor. Other than the gross oversimplification of Planned Parenthood and the Choice movement (that, as a Pro-Choice doula and midwife-to-be, I seriously resent), the true disgust comes from the objectification of the woman. I added "Where is this woman's face" because it drives the point home: Who is not the person here? The creators of the meme, supposedly PersonhoodUSA, are invoking the viewer's sympathy for this fetus. But in doing so, they objectify (condescend, fracture, silence - even behead!) the mother. Her autonomy, dreams, wishes? Gone. Foregone.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">But before I get too glum, I think of the alternatives to polarizing discourse. For one, Michael Pollan's </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Omnivore's Dilemma</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and every local grower everywhere are staunch arbiters of the dialogue of how our country gets its food. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">And when I see a meme like that, I think to myself.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">May every child be:</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">* Wanted & Needed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">* Prepared for.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">* Birthed with dignity.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What more can we ask for?</span></span></div>
ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-9095293566860009642013-06-02T07:55:00.000-07:002013-06-02T07:56:56.670-07:00Summer, Summer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Hello, bloggers. . .</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Once again, I have no excuse for leaving you on the precipice of my ambiguity; though, from another perspective, it's been quite merciful. The last few months have been a riot of elation and regret, depending how I felt at the moment. I have stuck to my decision to move to Santa Fe, however. It's been one of the biggest changes I have made in my life - and so, as you know, it was messy. It still is. Add that to school - a riproaring semester of one acts and AP exams and NMSBA and </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Angela's Ashes</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and the zillion other things we pour our hearts into on a daily basis - and it's been one crazy semester.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Though it may continue to be lackluster, I do intend to persist with this blog. Its new title, at least in a couple of years, may well be: "Res to Rez to Res on Rez." I am compelled and excited to do my residency work at IHS and other on-and-off the reservation communities.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">On with the news:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Friday was the last day of school. I wouldn't say it was anti-climactic, but it was placid. In order to not weep like a toddler - which I did at one point, when I sat staring at my blank walls on my prep - I just continually moved. I filed, I joked, I ran errands. Highlights were organizing the big beige cabinet with my 3rd blockers and then playing dress-up with our props closet; sticking one of the drama students into the cardboard, self-made dumbwaiter (and then traipsing around the halls popping out and spooking folks); and just chillaxing with a couple of students as we sat in the grass and on the curb for 50 minutes while the fire department discerned that in fact a student had merely burned the popcorn.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t2gjR0sCfNY/UatY78OjQjI/AAAAAAAAALY/Ekkpj5w6avI/s1600/dumbwaiter!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t2gjR0sCfNY/UatY78OjQjI/AAAAAAAAALY/Ekkpj5w6avI/s320/dumbwaiter!.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">This is what the dumbwaiter looked like (we ceremonially destroyed it afterwards). You can imagine onlookers' interest when </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">that</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> toddled down the hall and then a student's face popped out of the door.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">In the tradition of my mom, and also cognizant of the fact that I 'sound better on paper' (students got a kick out of that phrase), I shared a letter for them on the last day of school. I sniffled (along with my students) when reading it, late last week, with my senior AP-ers; that gave me the fortitude to share honestly, but not lachrymosely, with my other students. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Here 'tis:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">***</span></span><br />
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Here I am waiting, I’ll have to leave soon,
why am I holdin’ on?<br />
We knew this day would come, we knew it all along.<br />
How did it come so fast?<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>I
know, I know; I’m stealing from Maroon 5. But really. Just as last year, when I
sat in my car in disbelief, we knew this day would come – but somehow it seemed
far off… until today, really. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>A
couple weeks ago I watched the Baccalaureate Mass at Colorado College, where I
went to school. (explain what that is) It was a nice trip to nostalgiaville,
but really I watched because Carol Neel was giving the speech. (explain what a
BAMF Carol is)<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>She
began by speaking about Augustine and Petrarch – two philosophers from
antiquity. Both of them believed that the outdoors make us lose ourselves in a
way. There we are in the big world fabric, just little stitches. Today, though,
we often go out into nature to find ourselves. We leave the tumult of our
schools and homes and find some quiet. I urge you to do some of this over the
summer. Go up into the mesas; watch the kingbirds swoop and pick up the insects
in their beaks; hunker over nutria and watch the water striders announce the
center of the universe. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Carol
Neel also pointed out that Shove Chapel is cruciform, or in the shape of a
cross. She talked about its religious significance, linking it to the windows.
Knights and saints and the humanities are all depicted in the stained glass
windows. But cruciform is also the shape of the human body, lying on the
ground. Shove Chapel is like a human form made of Pikes Peak granite, lying on
the ground.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Now
here, our school is more in the shape of a bow or a crescent moon. A kind of
lumpy crescent moon. The school may not be made of DY sandstone – and thank
goodness for that! The last thing we need here is a quarry scar on that
beautiful mountain – but there is a connection to the land. The windows, for
one. Not stained glass, they don’t even open, but on one side: the twin buttes.
On the other, the Zee hills and Dowa Yalanne. We have a welcome Keshshi sign,
and pottery and the shumak’olo:we in the glass cabinets by Toshewana’s. This is
a start, but so much more needs to be done. Behind glass is not where we want
Zuni culture. We want it living, very much as bold and elegant as DY. We’ve
come a long way from boarding schools; as we all strive to preserve dignity
through culture and rights, don’t forget your role in all of this. With every
mastered test and every dance, you are helping preserve this utterly unique and
beautiful place.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>And I
have seen a lot to be proud of! One day, as a parent or a teacher, you’ll
understand that...well, very physical warmth and elation that comes the day a
student GETS IT. I’ve seen those light bulbs go off. I’ve seen non-readers
blossom into passionate ones. You have done elegant, pithy, spot-on work. Every
time we have a discussion, I learn far more from you than I would’ve tinkering
around on my own. You have shown true collaboration, whether on stage or
exploring a poem, and it has been an honor. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Let
what you have learned here shape in some way the work you do. Let it, mixed
with the pinyon smoke from the ovens, create a picture of what we can do to
follow our individual paths. Don’t let this year fall by the wayside. As Frankie
McCourt’s teacher said, “You cannot make up an empty mind. Stock your mind,
stock your mind... it is your palace.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Carol
Neel noted that just as Shove Chapel is made of granite and light, so are the
mountains and thus our interior selves. If we find ourselves in nature, we must
be part of it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>We
might wilt under these incandescents, but soon we’ll be out under these
cerulean skies, the sharp juniper tang, and hot June sun. Enjoy, and savor it,
because it is you as much as you are it. You are sandstone and sunshine. Don’t
you forget it.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Thank
you so much for your hard work, your growth, and most importantly your
fellowship. It means so much that you have shared this space with me. I will
miss you so much.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>In leaving, I’d like to give you the last few
lines of Mary Oliver’s “Wild Geese”:<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> Whoever
you are, no matter how lonely<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> The
world offers itself to your imagination<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> Calls
to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> Over
and over again announcing your place<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> In
the family of things.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>So go. Embrace your summer with your
knowledge and your imagination, and please keep in touch. Walk forward into the
light.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">***</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The other speechifying I did this semester, other than the daily this and that of READ and THINK CRITICALLY and the like, was for NHS Induction. It was a great honor to be asked to speak; though there was some conflict on the buffet as I spoke, and so the attention wasn't as rapt as I hoped, a student still said, "That was a really cool speech, Ms. Hudson" the following day. And you know? That means as much as anything. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Here it is:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">***</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
</div>
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<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>First, thank you for having me. It's such an honor to be here with so many talented young minds and the people who have been formative in igniting them. To the inductees, congratulations!</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>To be honest, I don'</i></span></span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>t</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> remember my National Honor Society induction very well. I remember putting on pinchy sandals and a skirt - I remember getting "the look" from my mom when I bemoaned the fact I couldn'</i></span></span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>t</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> just wear jeans and a </i></span></span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>T</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>-shirt. (And now look, here I am in a skirt and sandals of my own volition.) I knew it was an honor to be invited, and I was proud. But above all that pride, I was 17 - I was far more worried about wiping out on stage or how ugly my signature would look in the register. So to all of you, breathe. You'll be fine. You'll be great.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>What I do remember, though, was my big brother's induction in NHS. Now that was pride. I was eleven, and even though I thought I was pretty hot stuff for the 5th grade - my Hose Elementary basketball team had just won the inter-school tournament, and I had probably played two WHOLE minutes. Even though I was a big old 5th grader, I remember how impressive, how honorable, how </i></span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>cool</i></span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> my brother was. He wore a navy blazer with gold-colored buttons and nice slacks. He had a rose with a blue-and-gold ribbon and a long, elegant candle. His certificate was embossed. I remember how it was so crystal clear that this was what growing up should look like.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>So, think on that: I know you're fretting about your hair, or about your reading for English class (sorry about that), but take a moment and think about just how proud you are making those who love you. Okay. Don'</i></span></span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>t</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> get too sappy.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Look forward to your hours of service. Don'</i></span></span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>t</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> just think of them as yet another requirement, but as an opportunity to reaffirm to your school and your community that they made the right choice when they put their pride in you.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>With the right attitude, when you donate your time, your willing hands or your spare change, you’re creating that expectation both for yourself and for those looking up to you. It’s easy to complain, and lollygag your way to a volunteer opportunity. </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>But is that really what being a National Honor Scholar is about? Good grades and a lackluster attitude? I don’</i></span></span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffffcc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>t</i></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> think so! Expecting excellence for yourself is no more than setting positive habits. </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Though some of us are born more enthusiastic than others, that’s also a trait that can be practiced, and bettered. Find something you care about, and pursue it whole-heartedly.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Make your little siblings, who may think they’re the top dogs at DY, take a step back like I did, way back in 5</i></span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>th</i></span></span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i> grade. Make them admire your classy grades, your classy outfit… but most importantly, your classy attitude. Make them say: “In six years, that’s gonna be me.”</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>I’ll leave you with a quote, one that I thought belonged to Voltaire or the Dalai Lama, but is actually from. . . Spider Man. Oh, well. Remember: with great power comes great responsibility. It might not feel like you're Peter Parker swinging to combat evil when you're picking up litter for your service hours, but believe me - they amount to the same thing. You are setting a powerful foundation for the rest of your life, and you are sending a powerful message that you are proud. Proud of yourself, your family, and your community.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>Congratulations again, inductees!</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">***</span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">It's a lovely June morning. Em and I (and some other teachers) are headed to Ancient Way in a couple of minutes, so I have to keep this blessedly short. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">(Ancient Way as of this winter. . . huevos rancheros, here we come!!!)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">When I was sorting through which resources to keep and which to donate to my department (I culled 40-50 books and donated several hundred), I came across a series of quotes that my mother bundled up with Peace calendar pages. My far and away favorite, though all struck a chord, was Rainer Maria Rilke's: </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i>I like to beg you, dear Sir, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves…Don’t search for the answers , which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">So, as I pack my books, prepare my fabulous Santa Fean adobe house, watch the flycatchers snatch their skeeters and eye me casually, I have tried to love the questions themselves.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">May you do the same.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Over and out ~</span></span></span></span></div>
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ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-61038087530293894282013-01-19T13:46:00.000-08:002013-01-19T15:01:34.216-08:00Specialization is for insects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Where to begin?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">It is surely hard to know when you've been a most negligent blogger, so I posted this picture of Dowa Yalanne. My friend Anna came and visited at the end of the semester, and so we drove out toward the Corn Mountain. It was a cold day; I had no voice from aggressive laryngitis, but whatever I would have was taken by the fuzzy horizons - DY ahead, the Twin Buttes leaning against one another, the murmuring expanse of sage brush.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Soon we would hike up Inscription Rock at El Morro, devour huevos rancheros at Ancient Way, drive up and over the Continental Divide. Chewing osha root, we traveled mesas to pine forests to mountains to roasted chili Pojoaque to the Santa Fe cathedral.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Then, we flew home for Christmas break.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">It was quite the blessing to have that quiet, uneventful trip - both over the mountains and across the west - because the week before break was anything but.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">That weekend was our play. Three nights, three snowy nights of moderate success. My kids did a fabulous job, though, in their own words, "we understand now." Only after the stress and pressure and ultimate not full memorization did they realize the full psyche commitment required of full-length plays. Some actors were hard to understand; two actors, for differing reasons, couldn't come to the show (yes, I played 14-year-old Mary all three nights. A 17-year-old was my grandmother); our biggest audience was about 30 people. BUT my actors were emotive and persuasive; the costumes were great; there were two moms in particular who came every night and critiqued and curled hair and generally saved my sanity. And Lyly came, totally by surprise, toting candy and endless right-thing-to-say-at-the-moments.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">I taught Monday of the last week of the semester exhausted but confident.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">That night I was awakened by the telephone at 12.46am. After shaking off some of the confuzzlement of sleep, I recognized a friend of mine from the hospital - a doctor whose prenatal group I helped with for a session last summer. She apologized for the late hour and then explained there was a woman in labor whose family was stuck coming back from Albuquerque. She would really like a doula, if I was at all available. I paused very briefly. "I'll be there in 20 minutes," I said.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">When I arrived (a little more than 20 minutes later because I hadn't realized the ER was the only door open), the woman had progressed from 5cm to just a cervical lip.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">We got straight down to business. After very brief introductions, I asked her what she wanted from me. "Just a hand to hold and a focal point." I smiled. "That I can do."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">We breathed and bellowed through contractions, the held hand swiftly becoming my two hands in a visor grip and then something resembling a headlock around my shoulders. It was a fast a furious labor, but handled beautifully by mom. She delivered a beautiful boy at 2.06am: 6lbs 15oz and 18in. There were some non birth-center protocol, for sure, but I was pleasantly surprised by how hands-off IHS was. Once he was born, he was kangaroo-cared onto his mama's chest where he latched on and looked around curiously. We had mandatory baby adoration time, during which I was asked to inform her mother: "What? Already?!" And then also took a message from the hospital phone. I: inspected the placenta, fetched juice and water, helped mom get up, chatted quietly with her, sat quietly with her, ferried messages, and talked with the nurses. The nurses and I got along very well too.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">The mother asked me to leave her my contact info, which I did. She told me thank you thank you, and that she couldn't have done it without me. Of course she could've! She did a beautiful job! It was just so lovely to hear.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">At 4.40ish, she lay down to nap before her family arrived, and I bowed out.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">I re-scraped the ice off the windshield, and drove back. When I walked in the front door at about ten of five, my half-asleep housemate making coffee was the picture of confusion. "What. . . Where. . . Where have you been??" I explained, grinning, and then conked out for two more hours.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">After that, the rest of the week was an insane blur - I lost my voice, I graded portfolios like a madwoman, Anna arrived on Wednesday, I ended the semester with a fun cheer rehearsal that Friday.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">And then we were back to that peaceful mountains drive.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">This is what break was like:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">I read, I slept, I drank copious amounts of tea. We decorated a tree and hiked to the movies and Goodwill in a blizzard (a good tribute to "The Hobbit" indeed). I saw friends and drank champagne and some days just hibernated with my parents. It was sheer delight. My only regret was not getting to meet up with Rixa, birth advocate and blogger extraordinaire. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Then the compass swiveled. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">I came back to Zuni sick with the ambiguity of a decision.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">That decision is this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">I have decided not to teach next year.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Next year, I will move to Santa Fe and begin classes at SFCC for nursing. Suddenly, another year and a half was just too long - too long to live so far from Lyl, too long to wait to begin what I sincerely believe is my calling as a midwife. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Do I feel guilty and sad? Am I going to miss my students and my trailer and my doctor community? You betcha. But over the top is a bouncing euphoria, a thrilled laugh. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">In Santa Fe I can do the doula mentorship, I can volunteer with the theatre or Planned Parenthood or the library; as Lyl said, "We can go to poetry readings!" I'll be in school for what I love and subbing during the day. Two years of recreating the wheel in terms of doula & theater work have worn me down. I am excited to learn and participate in existing structures! I am excited to generalize all over again:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">'A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, writing a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently die gallantly. Specialization</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> is for insects.'<br /> Robert Heinlein (credit to my mum sending the quote my way)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">As for Zuni, if I want to keep in touch with some of those juniors, what's to stop me? What's to stop me from having a monthly book club with them? What's to keep me from visiting or writing recommendations or generally corresponding? </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">And now? </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Now I will be the most baller teacher I can muster for this last semester. </span></span></div>
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<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Their Eyes Were Watching God</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> starting Tuesday with my juniors, Shakespeare conceptualization projects with my drama kids, and </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Cry, the Beloved Country</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> with my AP students. The latter is a fabulously beautiful book, though a bit didactic. "That's okay," said my best friend over break, "high school kids love didactic."</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Truer words were never spoken. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">So when I can explain my next year plans to my students, hopefully they will get some sort of lesson about following your heart's path.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Over and out ~</span></span></div>
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ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-41945327451630956142012-10-14T15:30:00.005-07:002012-10-14T15:35:48.216-07:00Infinite<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The house is shaking. The computer is shaking, the pumpkins on the table are shaking, and even the tinsel still up from last December is shaking. I'd like to say the vibrations are from the sheer volume of intellectual pursuits raging in the trailer, but the truth is we just have thin walls and one of the more persistent washing machines this side of the Continental Divide.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Outside, it's one of those sweet autumn days; it's a day when the warmth of the sun is so velvety and unexpected it seems to have a physical weight. These nights are getting cold - when Em gets back from her best friend's wedding out east, she will have missed the indelible shift from late summer to fall. I've been accumulating layers as I sleep, and the garden has given its last hurrah. The squash plants are sad black-and-green tentacles wound in nets on the ground, the yellow eyes of half-started squash staring dully. The tomatoes are shrugging against their stakes. The corn is raspy, dry and whispering, and the peppers have slumped off their last fruits. Only the cabbage and onions are persisting, and I think I will harvest those today.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's not a wonder, then, that I find myself a bit akimbo as well. Yesterday was a fabulous trip to Albuquerque - errands, the ABQ Friends of the Library Book Sale, and the wondrous "Perks of Being a Wallflower" - and today is the inevitable letdown of a house empty of human company and full of the household and scholastic obligations that hover ever near.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The book sale was more expensive on my pocketbook than I had reckoned, but I think my students will be thrilled - while writing their analytical essays (examining how imagery and figurative language create meaning and the theme of their choice of Emily Dickinson or Walt Whitman poem), they each added a recommendation to the book list. Though there were no zombie books, I got a TON of quality Native literature / non-fic, mysteries, and drama. I just wish time had not run out so quickly; Lyly was able to come down for the joyous "Perks," but had to jaunt back for work so soon after. It seemed there were so many books, such an infinity of combinations and stories and opportunities, that all had to be ignored, shut up, truncated.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I found myself longing for that Charlie moment in the tunnel - found myself wishing for loud music and ticking lights. Wishing for a moment in which I could "swear we were infinite."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lest the melancholy dominate the mood, I must say this year is going beautifully. I am all but sure that I will teach again next year, and happily. When my sophomores from last year - a perpetual frustration, if you remember - come up in a steady stream saying how much they miss my class, I find myself assuring them that I will be their teacher next year for their AP Literature class. The resultant cheers and smiles and delighted eyes reassure me. I have many of that crowd in my drama class semester as well, and they are a daily testament that I want to see them graduated, accepted, excelling.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ah, yes, drama.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We have decided on our plays - yes, playS - and we are performing Pinter's "The Dumb Waiter" and Hellman's "The Children's Hour." Opening night is November 15. Oh, man. My nerves are matched only by my excitement. My assistant directors largely run rehearsals, my stage manager helped reserve the stage and my assistant stage manager is learning how to locate / run our dimmer board (as well as helping largely with the tech). Everyone else, in addition to their (large or small) roles, is taking part in production teams. Our sound group has planned out the cues and planned location of speakers; lighting has figured out the "looks"; costuming has designed everyone's costume; hair and makeup is learning how to do the curls of the 1930s; we have basic designs for all three looks of the set. May I mention that our plays were cast only the Thursday before last? Yes, it'll be tight, but it will also be "tight."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Before this theatre bonanza, we dug up Greek stages back behind the school (shhhh) and performed "Oedipus Rex," watched "Oedipus in America" and wrote reviews, made 1/4"-scale models of Greek plays, and learned the basics of stitching. N.B.D.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">AP Literature also swings along nicely. We finished with a rousingly-successful Boot Camp and then began </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Beowulf</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. Those two weeks were a little cramped, seeing that I had to purchase my copies (7 for the 14) and then they shared those. But, hey! Who doesn't love the monsters and the gorgeous verse of the Anglo-Saxons? We had beots and scop contests and Stephen King. They also learned the basics of Dialectical Notebooks and analyzed "The Seafarer." I am happy to get to revisit that "hard-bitten mortality" that dominated the culture when my father visits and speaks first-hand about the translation process!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Next, of course, was </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Canterbury Tales</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> and all the resultant anthropological bawdiness. First was a day of The Story of English - even though I could not show them the fabulous documentary, we could explore together how Old English trammeled and traveled into Middle English. Normans and churches and Chaucer, oh my!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We're now taking a week off before launching into "The Tempest" - yes, yes, THAT will be interesting from a Native perspective!! - to start the Common App and do non-SW college profiles (while reading a few romances / ballads). Yes, I'll admit to having ulterior motives. I want my AP kidlets to realize that liberal arts colleges are fabulous - most of them have no idea of colleges beyond New Mexico institutions. Again, I don't aim to pressure them, but merely expose them!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Finally, my English 3 kids are kicking it along too. As part of our 2nd unit (1800-1870)'s Essential Question: "What is our place in nature in society?," we're focusing heavily on the debates and election issues. So, since we've wrapped up a rigorous week and a half on poetry analysis, we're now doing a weeklong project where students choose ONE topic and ONE candidate and prepare a 2-5 minute presentation on how their candidate believes that topic should be handled. Should be great! We've already had some swell discussions analyzing the performances / beliefs during the debates.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And as all this goes on, the independent reading improves slowly and steadily. It is hard to keep new books until the end of the day after a good pitch; students are sharing more and more with their neighbors, friends, and with me. It's slow going, but I think we're building the positive culture of reading we set about from the get go. Huzzah!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ah, yes. Here seems a good place to embed my list of purchases yesterday - in no particular order. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">59 books for $83. Not so bad:</span></span><br />
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<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Letts, Billie. Shoot the Moon.</div>
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Smith, Alexander McCall. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Suskind, Patrick. Perfume.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Parkhurst, Carolyn. The Dogs of Babel.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Hungry Wolf, Beverly. The Ways of My Grandmothers.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
ed. Trafzer, Clifford. Earth Song, Sky Spirit.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Silko, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Andrews, Lynn. Medicine Woman.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
McCarthy, Cormac. The Crossing.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Nafisi, Azar. Reading Lolita in Tehran.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Lawrence, DH. Selected Poems.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Brown, Vinson. Crazy Horse.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Welsh, Louise. The Cutting Room.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Simmons, Leo. The Sun Chief.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
ed. Evans, Max. Hot Biscuits.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Hillerman, Tony. Skeleton Man.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Allen, Paula Gunn. The Woman Who Owned the Shadows.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Sandburg, Carl. Selected Poems.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Frost, Robert. You Come Too.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
ed. Barnstone, Aliki. A Book of Women Poets.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Colton, Larry. Counting Coup.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Browning, Robert. My Last Duchess and Other Poems.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Selected Poems.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Willoya, William. Warriors of the Rainbow.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Dickinson, Emily. Essential Dickinson.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
ed. Keillor, Garrison. 77 Love Sonnets.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Sobol, Donald. Two-Minute Mysteries Collection.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Beah, Ishmael. A Long Way Gone.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Prather, Hugh. Notes to Myself.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Burroughs, Augusten. Running With Scissors.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Alvord, Lori Arviso. The Scalpel and the Silver Bear.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
ed. Mullett, GM. Spider Woman Stories.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Cummings, William. Ghost Ponies.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
See, Lisa. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Gregory, Phillippa. The Other Boleyn Girl.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Dunn, Mark. Ella Minnow Pea.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Interpreter of Maladies.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Larsson, Stieg. The Girl Who Played With Fire.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Erdrich, Louise. Love Medicine.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Sebold, Alice. The Almost Moon.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Fitch, Janet. White Oleander.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Cisneros, Sandra. Woman Hollering Creek.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. </div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
ed. Binchy, Maeve. Irish Girls About Town.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Dubus, Andre III. The House of Sand and Fog.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Erdrich, Louise. The Bingo Palace.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Roy, Arundhati. The God of Small Things.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Kingsolver, Barbara. The Poisonwood Bible.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Schlink, Bernard. The Reader.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Winspear, Jacqueline. Maisie Dobbs.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Golden, Arthur. Memoirs of a Geisha.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Braun, Lillian Jackson. The Cat Who Wasn't There.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Pullman, Phillip. The Golden Compass.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Proulx, Annie. Brokeback Mountain. </div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Duras, Margueritte. The Lover.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Yates, Richard. Revolutionary Road.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Picoult, Jodi. The Pact.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Picoult, Jodi. Sing You Home.</div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">On the doula front, things have stagnated but frizzed - like Erdrich's "burst ropes of stars" in "</span></span><a href="http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2011/09/16" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The Glass and the Bowl</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">." I've been doing a lot of thinking about my path after next year, and it's awfully convoluted. One thing I KNOW I want to do is the doula mentorship run by the Birthing Tree Cooperative in Santa Fe. The program is </span></span><a href="http://www.thebirthingtree.com/mentorship.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">exactly what I'm looking for</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">; perhaps I could check it out some weekend soon and / or begin this summer?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I've also been pursuing the thought of teaching parenting classes, ideally in the high school setting. I have no doubt huge changes and improvements can be made in the elementary and secondary classroom, but I also have no doubt that excellent prenatal care / education could do the most good in terms of closing the achievement gap. Oh, what do I know?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oh, wait. Diane Ravitch agrees. "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Last year, at an Aspen Institute conference, the education historian Diane Ravitch was asked her wish list to improve schools. At the top of her list: universal prenatal care — which, of course, has nothing to do with the classroom. Or so it would seem." (</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">New York Times</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/opinion/sunday/can-great-teaching-overcome-the-effects-of-poverty.html?_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/opinion/sunday/can-great-teaching-overcome-the-effects-of-poverty.html?_r=0</a>)</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">As I've voiced again and again, it is difficult to become involved in the birth world in this small, beautifully-close-knit community, but I'm doing my best.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Speaking of prenatal / postpartum care, below is my latest endeavor, approved through the nurse, counselors, and principal a couple of weeks ago. I have yet to have any takers, but I'll keep at it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">New Mom
Outreach<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">THE
FACTS.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">From: <i>Source: </i></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">New Mexico Youth Risk
and Resiliency Survey,<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">State
Department of Education and Department of Health<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In 2001, the birth rate (per 1000 teen
girls for 15-19 year old Native American girls is<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">58%, as
compared to 66% for teens as a whole in NM. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
birth rate has grown 12% in the last two years. <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">From <i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;">Diploma
Attainment Among Teen Mothers.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></b><img src="webkit-fake-url://B54D6790-92B6-4A79-AD97-E8ADACF76977/application.pdf" /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><img src="webkit-fake-url://72D2EAC8-8CF5-4030-8DDF-4C07B229B3CE/application.pdf" /></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">By Kate Perper, M.P.P., Kristen Peterson,
B.A., and Jennifer Manlove, Ph.D. January 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">From my own
experience:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Anecdotally – in my first year of teaching juniors at ZHS
– I noticed that roughly 20% of my students were parents. Additionally, every
single one of my female students who dropped out was pregnant or a new mom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">From New Mexico Teen Pregnancy Coalition:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> There was a program, between 1997-1998,
called “Future Voices.” It focused on: life skills, prenatal education,
counseling, tutoring, home visits, and child care. It was met with positive
outcomes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">MY IDEA.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">As a doula as well as a teacher, I am
passionate about the achievement of our student parents. So, I would love to be
Zuni High School’s New Mom Outreach person. This would be a voluntary, unpaid
position! What I would like to do:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Meet the mom in
the prenatal period (ideally, around 8 months gestation). We would talk about
how her pregnancy and school are going, and her plans for the birth and
postpartum time period. Ideally, it would be after school so I could also meet
with whoever will be the primary caregiver for the baby after the student
returns to school. I would explain my role and offer any resources for her
concerns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">She would fill
out a sheet with her teachers – a sort of anticipation guide – outlining,
roughly, what they will be covering in the postpartum time. This would be
photocopied. I would keep one copy, and she the other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">After the
birth, I would first meet with her 1-2 weeks postpartum. That gives mother and
baby enough time to begin to adjust to life together. I will call and schedule
an appointment with the two (at a convenient time and place). We will meet and
talk about the birth, breastfeeding, sleep, life, etc. Then, I will go over the
homework, explaining any concepts and tutoring her on the work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">This schedule
of meeting, delivering work, and aid with homework, will continue 1-3 times a
week until the student mother is ready to return to school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: text1;">W</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">ell, I really ought to be turning to that grading about now.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Please keep up your good work, whatever it is and in whatever infinite ways it manifests itself.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Over and out ~</span></span></span></div>
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ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-61650860824952187802012-09-03T11:23:00.001-07:002012-09-03T11:23:37.625-07:00OF ALL THE MOTHERS: or, why we need Planned Parenthood<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Johnny Wheelwright's mother, at least according to Owen Meany, has "THE BEST BREASTS OF ALL THE MOTHERS." </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yes, I have finished </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Prayer For Owen Meany</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, and am still befuddled in its wake. A fabulous read? Yes. An incredibly-intricate world crafted in 637 pages? Yes. A bit off-putting, ambiguous, and unimaginatively-written for women? YES.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Finding myself unable to parse out all the sentiments, I launched pretty much immediately into </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Patron Saint of Liars</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Ann Patchett. (Yes, a rebound book.) Other than an uncanny presence of God similar to </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Meany</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, it bears little resemblance. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It takes place at a home for unwed mothers in Kentucky, and is really a very lovely character study of a leaving woman, an intuitive nun, and a man so achingly real and good he can carry hope on his broad shoulders. Puffs on the inside cover echo a similar sentiment - they say the book is a success because it propels itself even with an unidentifiable protagonist. I'm not sure if I agree. I think they mean that Rose, the woman who cannot stay, is not the woman we wish to be. At no point, however, was I unable to identify with her. Would I have made the same choices? No. But I think it is short-sighted to write that her choices are totally inscrutable. What do you think?</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://fightthestupids.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/the-patron-saint-of-liars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://fightthestupids.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/the-patron-saint-of-liars.jpg" width="208" /></span></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Next up is </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Scalpel and the Silver Bear</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. It too has borne its criticisms, but I'm excited!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Also, last week, my housemate and I went to our first Zuni book group meeting and discussed </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ms. Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. (I guess my themes have been Home, God, and Strange Kids.) It was a delightful time of delicious food and good conversation. It was also nice to be known as a doula first, then an English teacher.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">At any rate, reading Patchett's book made me wonder if there are still homes for unwed mothers in the country. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My subsequent rage was the impetus for this entry.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Oh yes, there are still homes for unwed mothers, and I'm sure many of them are lovely places of prayer and reflection for girls on the cusp of adoption or motherhood. What, of course, was the majority of the facade was the retchingly self-righteous Anti-Choice rhetoric. I am afraid, and I am nearly certain, that girls are being coerced into certain options because it is the Only Christian Thing to Do. I could not find ONE home or shelter or center that treated pregnant women with the respect and autonomy they deserve. They would go to the home not because they had thought long and hard, come to the decision that is right for them and their body at the time, and wanted a place of further reflection and parenting instruction. No no, they purportedly go because it is the Right, Good, Blessed thing to do. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But then, of course, the other side can be just as condemnatory. An article on Jezebel, which I am frequently interested in and impressed by, has an article that is not much more than trashing the Catholic church. Now, have they - and many other denominations - been responsible for a lot of coercion in the name of Good? Yes. But by no means is that a reason to condemn an entire church - especially using such self-righteous rhetoric. Ah, there it is again.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">You see, we cannot be left with these polarized options:</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TvmZ29s0amc/UETtHZ9H0RI/AAAAAAAAAJs/uaJnNwQzKgA/s1600/Mary+Shet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TvmZ29s0amc/UETtHZ9H0RI/AAAAAAAAAJs/uaJnNwQzKgA/s400/Mary+Shet.png" width="400" /></span></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6TH1P5fQk_U/UETtKGC4ViI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/91KojJIQGDY/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-09-03+at+11.45.53+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="368" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6TH1P5fQk_U/UETtKGC4ViI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/91KojJIQGDY/s400/Screen+shot+2012-09-03+at+11.45.53+AM.png" width="400" /></span></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">THIS is why we need Planned Parenthood. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A sample screenshot from their website:</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2bS3FpEdtrY/UETuVNlwg6I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/9EJqAKAcF3E/s1600/PPFTW.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2bS3FpEdtrY/UETuVNlwg6I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/9EJqAKAcF3E/s1600/PPFTW.png" /></span></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">HERE is a place women are treated - or, at least, purportedly treated - with honesty, dignity, autonomy, and respect.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As you can imagine, I called PP (they were obviously closed for Labor Day), mostly congratulating them for their work but also inquiring what kind of "training" the staff goes through. I want to get on that bandwagon!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Anyway, moving on --</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">TEACHING</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Oh, right! I've also taught three weeks. What do you know?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm a little tuckered out from </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">my</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> self-righteous rhetoric, but I'd like to send two thumbs-up to the interwebs. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Teaching has been going wonderfully. Of course there are the frustrations, and the hiccups, and the massive amounts of work, but I am learning to intuit the timing of a lesson, the ethos of a classroom, and the shaping of a unit. Huzzah!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">ENG 11: My juniors are a fab bunch this year. The first week was focused on diagnostics, so I did a writing (AP), grammar (ACT), and reading (Gates) tester and tracked the results. My students are, on average, three years behind. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This made a natural segue to examining the reading data and launching on their independent reading program. I can't tell you how peaceful it is to begin every class with 10 minutes of reading, or already have talked more about independent reading (hey hey, there's some autonomy and respect!) this year than in the entirety of last. Also, we've been focusing on exploration narratives and the cultural biases of writers. These last couple of days, in addition to workshopping a second draft of our "Avatar" essays, we've been studying William Bradford, a segment of </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1491</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, and an "As I Please" editorial by Orwell. We then have been analyzing the unreliability of history, and how Power creates Discourse. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was successful in all classes, and WILDLY successful in 2nd hour. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This coming week, I'm excited to tackle les Puritans, and study in turn how their cultural values are reflected in their art.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">DRAMA: Oh, Gosh, what fun.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We've been doing our introductory unit on "How to Read a Script" and what performance is, and all of that. So, we performed Beckett's "Play" twice. They did it once, then received notes, re-imagined characters, rehearsed rehearsed, </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiEtsVPpjyM" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">watched a professional version</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> and then performed again. Additionally, we learned the basics of drama warm-ups, method acting, and script analysis. We're finishing up our history of theatre presentations / activities (which have informative and a hoot!) tomorrow, and then onto the Greeks!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">AP LITERATURE: We're fast into Boot Camp with my AP Lit critters, and they have been keeping up! Boot Camp entails tackling one element at a time (Characterization, Setting, now onto POV this week) and working deeply with two short stories and two one-page essays a week. As we've studied "My Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn," "Miss Brill," "Araby," and "Blue Winds Dancing," I've also woven in related </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Catcher in the Rye</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> activities a couple of times a week: paragraph on Jane Gallagher, timeline, symbolic impact of setting on events, central images, etc. This, topped off with a classic independent reading program and a once-weekly in-class AP essay write, make it a tough but worthwhile class. We'll see what they make of "The Yellow Wallpaper."</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">CHEER: Like all things, is much easier this year. Our housemate and fellow teacher Ms. Skalican is helping out with mounts and jumps and tumbling, so my girls are excited and making A-frames! Woot! I'm also capable of teaching the cheers, and we've got some good new blood. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When working concession on Saturday, we made 500 dollars. We'll see if we can't get those new uniforms / enough uniforms / attend the playoffs.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have to hop off to grade "Avatar" essays, book reviews, and in-class essays analyzing the connection of setting and self in Mary Oliver's "Crossing the Swamp," but do know that our little garden is chugging along. Pictures soon of our hand-length yellow squash, orange pumpkins, little ears of corn, burgeoning burgundy beans, two-fist cabbage, big sandia peppers, and ripening tomatoes. Yum!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over and out, and happy Labor Day!</span></span>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-80174417618815072702012-08-12T13:33:00.000-07:002012-08-12T13:33:09.707-07:00a new patent on the wheel<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">T</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">oday's been a lovely morning. I woke up tangled in dreams of giant looms woven into book-mouths and theaters with red drapes, so I stretched, snuggled Checkers, and went right back to sleep. When I eventually got up, I spoiled our little garden with lots of water. I realized that you have ZERO pictures of our horticultural efforts this year, so a brief photo-history:</span></span><div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hLfyaleCnt0/UCgABvbzAfI/AAAAAAAAAGo/is45ghbpQdQ/s1600/DSC02247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hLfyaleCnt0/UCgABvbzAfI/AAAAAAAAAGo/is45ghbpQdQ/s320/DSC02247.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">These are our little starts, most obtained from Ms. Purdy at the mid school. Cabbage from DY. The basil plants - now flourishing enough to create enough bruschetta for a party of a dozen - came from Holiday Nursery up in Gallup. The traditional corn, beans, and summer squash are ours from seed.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aevlvhVjswI/UCgAHeTBCxI/AAAAAAAAAGw/Q6tKjTXFzU4/s1600/DSC02248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aevlvhVjswI/UCgAHeTBCxI/AAAAAAAAAGw/Q6tKjTXFzU4/s320/DSC02248.JPG" width="240" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Tiny corn!</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I_aE-jozo34/UCgANG25RtI/AAAAAAAAAG4/HTFJhgkjPYU/s1600/DSC02250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I_aE-jozo34/UCgANG25RtI/AAAAAAAAAG4/HTFJhgkjPYU/s320/DSC02250.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Doesn't my old dresser have potential as a raised bed?? Unfortunately, it was just too hot and dry (without any irrigation possibilities) in June for our beets or carrots or potatoes to sprout. BUT! You can see evidence of the waffle style garden. I dug a foot down or so, and then we mixed soil (manure or compost, tree soil from the hills, sand, bags of potting soil) to supplement the iron-rich, veritable clay soil of Zuni. Believe me that the sides of these waffle holes hardened to an adobe hardness in the sun. </span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LEDqNVdO9Wk/UCgAbbqPjjI/AAAAAAAAAHA/57hpDGeBQ2g/s1600/DSC02265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LEDqNVdO9Wk/UCgAbbqPjjI/AAAAAAAAAHA/57hpDGeBQ2g/s320/DSC02265.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Three sisters garden! Our traditional beans kicked the bucket, but the corn and squash continued the sorority. Here they are, fresh from transplanting.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oqHZmQOdLok/UCgAfvR-L4I/AAAAAAAAAHI/lXuqaGcAWIc/s1600/DSC02270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oqHZmQOdLok/UCgAfvR-L4I/AAAAAAAAAHI/lXuqaGcAWIc/s320/DSC02270.JPG" width="240" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Yeah, we made this bread (see the last entry). N.B.D.</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Fast forward a couple of months and -----</span></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Ta da! Here's the same garden - look at our corn go! (and everyone else, too)</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9vlN92vcEg/UCgCp0yTA8I/AAAAAAAAAHY/mCdw8gYa7zg/s1600/DSC02319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M9vlN92vcEg/UCgCp0yTA8I/AAAAAAAAAHY/mCdw8gYa7zg/s320/DSC02319.JPG" width="240" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Here's our corn first tasseling about a week ago. Now it's a riot of aphids, the ants gently tending their little charges. So far no damage to the plants, just some nice mutualism.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l8DFLJA7ihY/UCgCvcqETQI/AAAAAAAAAHg/ZmsnBGzRTRI/s1600/DSC02335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l8DFLJA7ihY/UCgCvcqETQI/AAAAAAAAAHg/ZmsnBGzRTRI/s320/DSC02335.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">This cabbage was planted the day before our spring break. It has survived drought, a hard frost (in late May), and a violent plague of flea beetles. This critter is giant among brassicas.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1e7JHzgUDEI/UCgDNDU13CI/AAAAAAAAAH8/sBWGTbCyplU/s1600/DSC02347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1e7JHzgUDEI/UCgDNDU13CI/AAAAAAAAAH8/sBWGTbCyplU/s320/DSC02347.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Yeah, that's my breakfast. Check it! Our little (2') row of beans is producing like crazy.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9dgwRH8Lg34/UCgDU0RwDFI/AAAAAAAAAIE/uJxi_rofg5Q/s1600/DSC02333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9dgwRH8Lg34/UCgDU0RwDFI/AAAAAAAAAIE/uJxi_rofg5Q/s320/DSC02333.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Our first volunteer squash (of about a dozen, no joke) of the garden is named Katniss. This is her fruitful endeavor. Hopefully the other squashies of the plot will take notice.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What? You aren't growing ristra peppers in your backyard? Bummer. </span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">It's strange to think since the last time I wrote here my plants have grown from little two inch seedlings to real veggies in their own right. Also, in this time, I have:</span></span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">gone to a tremendously wonderful AP conference lead by the intellectual guru, Linda Davey.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">chatted with a couple midwives up in Española, sharing my own thoughts and sharing excitement of a possible birth center in the planning.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">taken a lovely trip to Iowa and Indiana (aka the homelands) with Ms. Lyl. We gloried in Quimby's 150 centennial celebration, playing carnival games and devouring the big pink ice of watermelons cut straight out of the truck. Indiana was a tizzy of late-night car rides, a New Mexican meal, other delicious food, wonderful people, and a gorgeous hike in Shades (after a scrumptious cook-out breakfast). We took the train home to Santa Fe, spending the afternoon in Chicago with my best friend Sarah. All thoughts to her on her first days of teaching! . . . the remainder of the train trip was gorgeous as well. </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I've read another hunk of books. After tearing up maybe four times in a three-minute preview of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," I have pushed that text to the top of my reading list. So while I'm also communing with Holden and Ina May and Martha Ballard and Charles Mann (</span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1491</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, still exceptional), I'm right there with Charlie. Totally recommended: </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">La Partera: Story of a Midwife</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. It's the narrative of New Mexican Jesusita Aragón, and it's wonderful. Also recommended is </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Lolita</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. I can't wait to read more Nabokov, though old Humbert Humbert certainly knows how introduce pathos to a road trip (I listened to it on CD). </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">received 40 copies from dear friends and relatives of </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Angela's Ashes</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. Now I can teach it at the end of the year with a unit on the essay (along with Kingsolver's "High Tide in Tucson" and McKibben's "End of Nature." </span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">had a lovely visit from my friend, Julia! We had delicious Indian food, fry bread, Ancient Way, blue corn pancakes (home made). We went hiking at El Morro and took a long stroll all around the plains surrounding the pueblo: twin buttes ahead, sunset on the left, DY on the right. Behind us, the deep rain clouds of the monsoon season. Mmm. She also helped weed the garden and set up my classroom. She made an excel spreadsheet of ALL my classroom books. Yes, there are about 400 in my person free reading section. Yeah, that's not counting the school's sets of books. Here we come, independent reading program!</span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oh, yes. Right. Do you really want me to talk about the elephant in the room? Well, here he is. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">School starts tomorrow. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oh, buddy. . . I'm not quite sure how to react, really, because I'm actually kind of excited and not very nervous. My room is lovely, my plans are made, I had a successful community theatre meeting, and I have a co-coach for cheer. And, as my mum said this morning, "It's like you turned from a Dickens novel into the end of a Shakespeare comedy." Truth. For, dear readers, my department is like Christmas to a three-year-old: I LOVE IT! Our three new teachers are sweetness and light: Anne, our new chair, is a lovely and sage woman from whom I cannot wait to learn. Ed is a delightful new teacher from Long Island, who accepts all help with such gratitude and has wonderful ideas for journalism. And Bret is our Neropa-divinity-degree-clown-Southern-gentleman who is pure fun to be around. It's looking to be a true, sugary year. In our two meetings, we've collaborated, laughed non-sarcastically, and I've been listened to with openness. None of these things happened last year. . . bring it on, 2012-2013!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">And, hey! To top it off, another photo history:</span></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oh, hello there. Sorry, I'm too invested in reading towards my 25-book goal for the school year to really acknowledge your presence.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XiACdyXhgXo/UCgL7LiMX2I/AAAAAAAAAIo/hupx6nfeUks/s1600/Photo+on+2012-08-07+at+16.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XiACdyXhgXo/UCgL7LiMX2I/AAAAAAAAAIo/hupx6nfeUks/s320/Photo+on+2012-08-07+at+16.29.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oh, wow! There's even a rug, and soon to be bean bags. I'll just have to keep reading. Feel free to look around the classroom, though.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6BnCW-cg-yY/UCgL-MrwjvI/AAAAAAAAAIw/CFhGajYo0ZU/s1600/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6BnCW-cg-yY/UCgL-MrwjvI/AAAAAAAAAIw/CFhGajYo0ZU/s320/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.27.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The door is perhaps even more fabulous than last year. Featured: the "Go in the direction of your dreams" quote by Thoreau, Lady G encouraging everyone to pass the NMSBA, the infamous Safe Space sign, CC, nature quotes, 20 ways to bring goodness into your life by the Dalai Lama, Think Indian, and ZPSD "weaving the future."</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8xf-n2Ma0tU/UCgMAs7ilFI/AAAAAAAAAI4/A4boRcQqp3k/s1600/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8xf-n2Ma0tU/UCgMAs7ilFI/AAAAAAAAAI4/A4boRcQqp3k/s320/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.28.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oh, yeah. I have TABLES. I have tables AND a circle. This year, it's kind of a blastocyst-shape, with two little bulges at a diagonal from one another. Also visible is my junior timeline, reading corner, "Like Chicks?" poster, and the edge of my cabinets. One is storage that doubles as a Shout-Out Board; the other is going to be my journal and props closet. YES.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TsZkhnUZmPs/UCgMCl38KxI/AAAAAAAAAJA/KTns2t5PNlg/s1600/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.30+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TsZkhnUZmPs/UCgMCl38KxI/AAAAAAAAAJA/KTns2t5PNlg/s320/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.30+%232.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Here is my cabbage poster ("Grow your brain. . . BIG"), Bloom's verbs, and the featured texts from unit 1. My students made the posters at the end of year one. The other half is a Call Board, for theatre.</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EGjklOcznNs/UCgMJA_RMkI/AAAAAAAAAJI/-7muKYPQ2Mk/s1600/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.32+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EGjklOcznNs/UCgMJA_RMkI/AAAAAAAAAJI/-7muKYPQ2Mk/s320/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.32+%232.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Yup. All my students, in one way or another, will be using "The New Yorker"</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">as their introductory text into my course. </span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Vx67VKDiRg/UCgMK44ElnI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/hY8FjyPM_Y0/s1600/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Vx67VKDiRg/UCgMK44ElnI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/hY8FjyPM_Y0/s320/Photo+on+2012-08-10+at+18.32.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">You bet I look smug. Behind me are ALL my copies for my first day. Huzzah!</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_qUekI-W748/UCgMM-Uh7DI/AAAAAAAAAJY/rEFd7GiY3ig/s1600/Photo+on+2012-08-11+at+15.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_qUekI-W748/UCgMM-Uh7DI/AAAAAAAAAJY/rEFd7GiY3ig/s320/Photo+on+2012-08-11+at+15.53.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Here is my Long-Term Plan for my juniors. Yup. I've got a list of all my texts for the year with the standards they correspond to. </span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I am SO thrilled to teach my critters. We'll be working with real literature and real issues, and slipping in my natural birth agenda as is appropriate.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My AP Lit seniors are reading (in their entirety or excerpts):</span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Both contemporary and classic short stories and poems</span></span></li>
<li><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Catcher in the Rye</span></span></u></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Beowulf</span></span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Canterbury Tales</span></span></i></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Tempest</span></span></i></li>
<li><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Frankenstein</span></span></u></li>
<li><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Invisible Man</span></span></u></li>
<li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">A Streetcar Named Desire</span></span></i></li>
<li><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">House Made of Dawn</span></span></u></li>
<li><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Metamorphosis</span></span></u></li>
<li><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Cry, the Beloved Country</span></span></u></li>
<li><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Poisonwood Bible</span></span></u></li>
<li><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oryx and Crake</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and other dystopias</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Inde reading off an AP list</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My juniors, like last year, are doing a survey course in American Literature. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Their essential questions for each unit.</span></span></div>
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<li><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Unit 1:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Dawn of time to 1800. 5
weeks.</span></span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
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</li>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Essential Question: What
is literature? How is literature Power?</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Unit 2:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> 1800-1870. 4 weeks.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Essential Question: What
is our place in Nature and Society?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Unit 3:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> 1850-1914. 6 weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Essential Question: How
do we face Adversity? </span></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span></b></b></span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span></b></b></span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Unit 4:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> 1914-1946. 10 weeks.</span></span></span></div>
</b></b></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span></b><b></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span></b></span></div>
<b></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Essential Question: What
is Heroism in the modern age?</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Unit 5:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> 1945-1970. 3 weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Essential Question: What
does it mean to be Post-War?</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Unit 6:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> 1970-Today. 7 weeks.</span></span></span></div>
</b></b></b></b><b><b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b></b></span></span></b></b></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Essential Question: How,
then, shall we Live?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Borrowing liberally from the genius-y Donalyn Miller in </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Book Whisperer</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, my kids will be reading 20+ independent reading books this year. Hence the 10 minutes at the beginning of each hour, hence the excellent in-class library. . . let's see if we can't get the NMSBA scores up!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">And don't even get me started on my drama class. In the words of Barney Stinson, it's going to be "Legend- wait for it - dary!"</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Well, I should be off to review </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Catcher</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and plan my board decoration assignment (soles of summer? New Yorker cartoon captions?) </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">If you've made it this far, thank you thank you. I hope that all is well in your world.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Wish me luck?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Over and out ~</span></span></div>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-16141189515825713742012-06-15T14:13:00.003-07:002012-06-15T14:17:51.853-07:00Sweeping the Corners with Juniper Brooms<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">These past few weeks have been incredibly rich. I feel like I am holding a musty shoebox full of Polaroids, shuffling around through their overwhelming and jumbled hues. One here of me slowly kneading the thick floss roots of one traditional corn seedling from another; another of me tearing through </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Little Children</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Mr. Pip</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> in our new circle chair named the Egg. Ah! Here's one of me processing up the aisle with my blue-and-gold corsage. I'm wearing a black dress instead of robes because central office returned my package bearing them (after giving their address to my father). There's a tumult of photos from the last day of school: happy, sad, frustrated, climactic, anti-climactic. Oh! One's a closeup of the letter I read to my students. It says:</span></span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Here
we are on June 1</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">st</span></span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, 2012. This morning I spaced out in the parking
lot listening to “Pay Phone.” It was totally cheesy, so I didn’t bring in the
song and make you listen to it. But I did have the line – </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">where has the time gone?</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Truth, I have no clue. I was reminded of a
time in September where I sat in the car on a Friday morning and tried not to
cry. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">It’s Friday</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">, I thought to
myself, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">only one more day until the
weekend and I can totally do it</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Because
yeah, like or not – or really like it -, you guys have made me cry. To be fair,
I’m a crier. It’s not a big deal. A cute ad can make me tear up and both </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Smoke Signals </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">and </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Whale Rider </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">made me cry all FOUR times I watched them with you.
Your sharp words and apathy have hurt me; your kind or insightful words have
moved me more than you know. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I
know I’m a teacher. My job is to encourage you, keep in school, show you things
to learn. But I don’t sugarcoat, not really. Sure, I may have said, “good job”
when really I meant “keep trying,” but the comments were always accurate. Same
thing in class discussions. When I said, “EXACTLY,” I meant, exactly. When I
say, “That’s brilliant! You’ve got potential. What a great mind and great
talent!” I meant exactly those things. I meant that you can articulate and
beautifully craft – like a weaving or a painting or a prayer – you can
beautifully craft ideas that I wouldn’t have ever thought of, that </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">no one else</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> would have thought of ever.
That is the grace and great beauty of being a critical thinker.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I
heard a couple of seniors yesterday say, “Why would anyone ever become a
teacher?” On a lot of days this year, I thought the exact same thing. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What have I gotten myself into?</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> I
thought. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">No one cares.</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Of course,
this couldn’t be farther from the truth. You care, I care, and together we can
make something incredible. I live for your analyses of Mr. Hooper, Tom
Shiftlet, Janie and Frederic and Paikea. I live for your thoughts about where
birds go for school and the color of the sky, the ducks like Black Hawks and
your life symbolized by a loaf of oven bread.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I
treasure these gems; my memory, like a student once said regarding Walt Whitman,
like the fitful flame of the bivouac. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Most
of all, however, I’d like to thank you. I know you weren’t 100% every day;
heck, I wasn’t 100% every day. But overwhelmingly, what I saw was a dedication
to me, to school, and most importantly, to literature. So thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">And
nurture it! This summer, take time to breathe in the air and sink your toes
into the red earth. Read a book that you’ve never seen before but looks
interesting. Listen to NPR. Write a story, write a poem, write a 5-page
persuasive essay on something that makes you angry. Revel in your good mind and
your good soul and your good self. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">I
will miss you. I will miss every single one of you. But it’s just a summer.
Live it up! And in one way or another, I’ll see you next fall.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Cheers,
and best of luck in all your endeavors!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">And,
as Garrison Keillor says on his Writer’s Almanac poems, “Be well, do good work,
and keep in touch.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Perhaps here too are a couple of pictures of my students applauding and a collective sigh of summer and community. To accompany, of course, some fraught pix of department head nonsense and a student or two who chooses to be a turkey even on the last day. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Oh! Another closeup. This one's of my book log for the 2011-2012 school year. Here are the titles, at least:</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Ina May's Guide to Childbirth </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Love that Dog </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Giving My Body to Science</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Big Mouth & Ugly Girl</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Poisonwood Bible</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Esperanza Rising</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Keeping You a Secret</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My Name is Memory</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Angela's Ashes</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Fahrenheit 451</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Light in the Forest</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Saving CeeCee Honeycutt (GROSS!) </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Sources of Light</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Our Babies,Ourselves</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Operating Instructions</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Room (*****)</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Red Scarf Girl</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Matched</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> The Hunger Games</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Best American Short Stories of 2011</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Catching Fire</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Mockingjay</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Midwife, Monster</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Giving Birth</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">A Farewell to Arms</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Their Eyes Were Watching God</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> Feed </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Hanna's Daughters</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Everything is Illuminated</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Kissing Kate</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Protector of the Small: First Test</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Geography of the Heart</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">A Girl Named Zippy</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Hobbit</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Luv Ya Bunches</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">This is shared mostly so you, dear readers, can exhort recommendations on any of them if you so choose. The summer list has 6 titles, and I'm currently gnawing away happily at </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">1491</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and dutifully on King Lear. The latter is for my AP conference next week, and so I'm trying to really delve into the text. My first time round, I found it (sorry! sorry!) boring. This time, I find it perplexing so far. I have yet to see why Goneril and Regan are the "bad guys." I'm also irritated that Edmund, who had such a beautiful don't-discriminate-because-I'm-illegitimate speech, has turned out to be a. . . bastard.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">But back to my figurative photo box. There's another snapshot of my AP Literature kids requesting to be in my course next year and receiving their copy of </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Catcher in the Rye</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> and their quest to find a good free-read book. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">And then, for last, two of my fondest images since the beginning of the summer. The first is the brightly-colored group prenatal room at the Zuni IHS Hospital. I am presenting a short workshop on labor support and we are all trying greeting breaths as a group. There's one of an expectant mom's sister, grinning with surprise at the double-hip squeeze, another of a devoted dad massaging his wife's back. Oh! And great. My figurative paparazzo did a great job with closeups. Here's the last, which is the handout (three-hole punched, notes scribbled in the margins) for the session:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">LABOR SUPPORT & DOULAS<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What is a Doula?</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">·</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek
meaning "a woman who serves." It is now used to refer to a helper who
provides </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">continuous</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> physical,
emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during, and just
after birth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">·</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">A doula is not
a doctor or a midwife, just as she is NOT a replacement for your family or
partner. She seeks to affirm the dignity and involvement of all you have chosen
to attend your birth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Models of Care.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">·</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Sometimes, a doula is on call with a birth center or
hospital and just comes for the birth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">·</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Sometimes, a doula has a more long-term schedule with an
expecting mother. In that model, she usually has 1-2 prenatal visits to go over
introductions and hopes, concerns and plans. She assists at the birth, often
coming to the mother’s home for early labor and then transitioning to the birth
center or hospital. The doula also often makes one visit one or two weeks
postpartum.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">All Doulas Provide Support With:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">·</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Relaxation</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Visualization: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">centering
on a physical or mental picture.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">- Breathing (with
the flow): </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">yoga, down your back,
greeting, full chest, butterfly, sheep’s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">- Music: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">do you want a birth playlist? Any songs to
be sung?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">- Mantras: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">think of phrases or prayers in Zuni or
English that you can <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> repeat over
and over again.</span></span></span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">- Massage: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">back, shoulders, thighs, feet, hands<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">·</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Energy Maintenance:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-Positions: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Standing, squatting, kneeling, leaning,
lying, swaying, with <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> the Kaya
stool ... see the Labor section of your notebook! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-Eating / Drinking:
</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">hydration is essential! Think of light,
high-energy <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> snacks to
have during labor: honey sticks, soup, crackers, fruit, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> cereal…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Cow noises /
Opening: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">focus on opening your whole
body. Low sounds – “cow sounds” – help open more than high-pitched ones, which
can constrict.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">- Resting in
labor: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Remember: if you and Baby are
well, labor should go at YOUR pace. Follow your body’s rhythms. If you can,
it’s often helpful to rest in early labor to prepare for the hard work ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">·</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Communication:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">With family
members<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">With healthcare
providers<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Doulas never speak FOR you, but act as advocates for
what YOU have expressed you want.</span></span></span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">·</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">
</span></span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Immediate Postpartum:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Breastfeeding: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">positions, good latch-on, signs of hunger</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 115%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Chores: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">cleaning, organizing, etc.</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Pictures<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">-</span></span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Anything else<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Remember:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">It’s your body and your labor. You choose what is
best for you!<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">This
sounds appealing during labor:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">My
birth partner(s)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Their
role<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Yesterday brought a whole album of mental photographs - some carefully composed, others hurriedly shot. I, along with Emily, headed to a friend's house and helped bake 60-some loaves of oven bread for the rain dances. We fed the fire in the hornos and watched the creation of the juniper brooms (long poles with bunches of juniper branches trimmed and bound to the pole with nylons. "Careful, Ladies," one woman said as we untied the nylons. "Don't put a run in those. We use them for graduation." and we all laughed). We ate and ate and ate and then grabbed the apple-bobbing-size-buckets of dough. We kneaded, our rounds and loaves sadly bumpy and wrinkled compared the shining beauty of the other ladies'. As soon as we had laid them all on the boards, it was time to knead them again, and this time fold and cut them into their shapes. Roses, rabbits, mesas, mountains, twin peaks rose from the dough. Then, they swept the ash from the ovens with their juniper brooms, their clay sides still radiating an air-rippling heat. We were quiet, except for the hiss of the wet juniper fronds cleaning the oven's brown floor and the shovel of charcoal into the metal barrels. They were "tested" for their heat (a mysterious process involving handfuls of tossed flour) and then we were put to work hauling the boards of bread to the ovens. In they went, with large paddles resembling 10' pizza paddles. Midway through, they were rotated. Then, the air a riot of juniper and smoke and fresh bread, Audrey paddled them back out into their buckets. We lay them on blankets on the floor and took one loaf, saying it was clearly "going to break soon any way." We grinned and placed the fresh bread, still steaming, in our mouths.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Emily and I headed home after watching the Zuni pilgrims return, feeding the ancestors, and watching the welcoming ceremony in the plaza. The rest of the women returned to feed their pilgrim a meal and begin to prepare the stew. The stew, and some of the bread, will be brought to the Halona Idiwanna today. The women, dressed traditionally, will bear the vessels on their heads.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Anyone who doubts traditional "women's" roles as less important or less sacred has clearly never baked oven bread.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">***</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Enough, enough. The lid goes back on the shoe box. But now, I'm ready to take some more summer snapshots! Onto the garden, onto Albuquerque.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Happy summer.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Over and out</span></span> ~</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTQZeTPLdls/T9umTO-WN9I/AAAAAAAAAGc/NK-21Tz6qgg/s1600/Photo+on+2012-06-07+at+12.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTQZeTPLdls/T9umTO-WN9I/AAAAAAAAAGc/NK-21Tz6qgg/s320/Photo+on+2012-06-07+at+12.22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-7500447225111253942012-05-28T11:31:00.003-07:002012-05-28T11:31:40.272-07:00Luv Ya Bunches!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The following is a review I wrote up for Lauren Myracle's book, </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Luv Ya Bunches</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. It's part of a series entitled "Where Are the Gay Parents in YA?" hosted on http://krisasselin.blogspot.com/. Look there for more info and some excellent books in the field! </span></span><div>
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<a href="http://www.abramsbooks.com/uploadedImages/Books/9780810942110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.abramsbooks.com/uploadedImages/Books/9780810942110.jpg" width="270" /></span></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">From Lauren Myracle regarding her first installment of the "Flower Power" series:</span></span></span><div style="border-collapse: collapse;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">“A child having same-sex parents is not offensive, in my mind, and shouldn’t be ‘cleaned up.’… Over 200,000 kids in America are raised by same-sex parents, just like Milla. It’s not an issue to clean up or hide away… In my opinion, it’s not an ‘issue’ at all. The issue, as I see it, is that kids benefit hugely from seeing themselves reflected positively in the books they read. It’s an extremely empowering and validating experience.”</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />After trolling through the internet, searching for a good YA book with gay parents, this quote struck me. In October of 2009, Scholastic threatened to ban her tween novel, </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Luv Ya Bunches</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, from its book fairs. Its complaints? Language (instances of "geez," "crap," and "[oh my] God"). . . and Camilla's parents. Camilla, one of the four protagonists, has two moms, Mom Abigail and Mom Joyce. So, I sought to find out just what kind of objectionable portrayal Myracle had wrought in this novel.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When the book arrived at the Post Office in a package from Amazon - (unrelated, but) along with </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> and </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Marisol</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> - my jaw dropped. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but 335 pages of flower power was not it.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Oh, Gosh," I thought to myself (lest Scholastic censor this review for language). I was willing to commit to 150 pages of goofy tween drama, but 300+? Ay. All the same, I curled up on the sofa and opened to the first orange, swirly-curly flowery page. Some four hours later, I turned to the last orange, swirly-curly flowery page. As is Myracle's trademark, the writing not so much compels as gale-force-wind whirls you through it. Much of the novel is IM, or takes place on the "Flower Box" chat platform that Yasaman, one of the four, creates. This internet narrative, as well as the school scenes, were initially baffling to me. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I teach high school English on a Pueblo reservation in New Mexico; my housemate teaches fifth grade. Though many of our students are avid texters, the virtual reality seemed utterly alien to reservation life. The privilege - Katie-Rose with her new yellow camera, the liberty of classroom instruction with the Potato Olympics, all four girls with their bedroom PCs - was odd and read as unrealistic. All the same, I kept reading. And despite the trite facade of these girls' lives, I found there were very real issues at work.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">best</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> quality of the book, however, was that these real-world problems NEVER demand whole-hearted attention. To a critic, this could be criticized as trivializing these themes. I think, however, Myracle does a lovely job of normalizing. In fact, this is normalization at its best. As her above quote reflects, she is clearly seeking to empower her readers. Instead of puffs from publishers or professional reviewers, she has quotes posted on her website from tween readers. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A look at the four flower girls:</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yasaman comes from a very traditional Turkish family. She wears a hijab and fears her kindergarten-age sister Nigar will be teased. At the same time, Yasaman is a computer whiz and has designed the very cool BlahBlahSomethingSomething.<wbr></wbr>com. Never fear, as the fabulous four come together, it is renamed </span></span><a href="http://luvyabunches.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">luvyabunches.com</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. (check it out!)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Katie-Rose is half Chinese, half Anglo. She is the videoing whiz, has a quick quirky wit, and is widely regarded as an eccentric nerd. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Violet is the African American new girl. Her family moved to California so they could be close to her mother, who is in a mental institution. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And Camilla, who at the beginning of the novel is wildly popular, but can't decide whether she likes her queen bee compadres. She also has two moms.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">With a cast like this, the text could easily be bogged down by the melodrama and hurt of prejudice based on: race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and mental illness. But for these girls, while their differences aren't ignored, the main conflict is finding Camilla's Tally the Turtle and thwarting the mean queen bee Modessa. Myracle chooses, rather than having her protagonists struggle against larger issues of homophobia or racism, affirm acceptance by having their differences lead to a far stronger result. Separate, they are all lorded over by Modessa and Quin. Together, they are - at least by 5th-grade standards - UNSTOPPABLE.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As you can see, this book is a highly offensive piece of smut. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A closer look on how artfully Myracle handles Camilla's two mothers. Mostly, </span></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">the references are a kid's to a parent. Mom will pick her up, give her advice in the car, Mom Abigail and Mom Joyce gave her her beloved Guatemalan bobble-head wooden turtle, Tally. Her friends ask casually about her moms in the some way someone would ask a question of any parents. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span></span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">There are only two instances of the book where Milla reflects on her lesbian moms. The first is on page 55, when Milla is experiencing inner turmoil about her summer friendship with Katie-Rose (the "weirdo") and her school identity as a Mean Girl. She thinks, "Sometimes Milla feels different from the other girls at school because of having two moms. Sometimes MIlla feels different from her two moms because of being. . . well, just a plain old normal girl, the sort who would rather be the same as everyone else than different." The first sentence is one of occasional alienation, but the next idea is admiration of her mothers. Here are strong women who aren't afraid to be themselves!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The second is on page 255 when Milla and Mom Joyce are driving to school in her convertible:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"Getting caught in rainstorms and having to put the top up are two of the many reasons Mom Abigail teases Mom Joyce about owning a convertible. Mom Joyce counters that Mom Abigail is a soccer mom in her bright red minivan, which isn't true, because Milla doesn't play soccer. She takes dance. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But Mom Abigail says </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">pff</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> to mom Joyce's soccer mom comments, reminding Mom Joyce that a minivan is exactly what she needs for her catering business. 'Anyway, I love my bright red minivan,' Mom Abigail says breezily. 'It reminds me of cherries.' </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Her moms are so different - and yet they fit together perfectly.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Just like people can be different and still be friends, </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Milla thinks</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. They can be different and still. . . click."</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Luv Ya Bunches</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> is not a Newberry Honor Book. It does not transcend issues or shift paradigms in artful prose. What it does, however, is capture beautifully the nature of what friendship and love should look like in America today. It's a fast, easy read that has aesthetic and narrative appeal to kids both younger and older than our fictional heroines. For girls (and boys, given context) struggling with difference, it's ideal. It is a book that teaches us to not make assumptions (about a person or the caliber of a book by its cover). It also teaches us, through Milla's moms, that differences make us stronger. </span></span></span></div>
</div>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-25159602848990452762012-05-19T14:57:00.003-07:002012-05-19T15:00:03.973-07:00What a Week!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">It's a sunny day in Zuni land!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">To be fair, 95% of the time it is a sunny day in Zuni land. It seems the earth is finally catching up with the skies, for it feels like summer: a street ball tournament at the nearby playground, our little garden growing, the breeze in the 70s, and even a handful of little leggy yellow flowers peering upwards towards our living room window.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">I have two weeks left of the school year, which seem as unbelievable as the fact that I still have 9 days left to teach. It's May NINETEENTH, which seems impossibly late in the year. It's hard to figure out what seems more surreal - the fact that a year ago last Wednesday, I was spraying champagne at my fellow class of 2011, dancing on tables and living, for the afternoon, carefree . . . or the fact that last Wednesday, I was celebrating Native American Day at my school, speaking broken Zuni and watching my students perform the deer dance and living, for the day, carefree.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Another bit of cognitive dissonance came with our periodic CC alumni newsletter:</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EmdBYHv9iW0/T7gKxduZtxI/AAAAAAAAAFo/PB0yoVqpKis/s1600/famous!.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EmdBYHv9iW0/T7gKxduZtxI/AAAAAAAAAFo/PB0yoVqpKis/s400/famous!.bmp" width="400" /></span></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Of course, it's not the CC garden today. . . it's the CC garden almost 2 years ago. I'd like to defend my (anonymous) position in the newsletter, however, to say that if they saw our backyard, they wouldn't be too disappointed: a chicken run for which I dug the posts and strung up the wire, a chicken coop crafted from a dog house, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes (numbering 27 plants total) each planted in their separate waffle plot, a 3-sisters garden in potentia, and the beginnings of a raised bed for potatoes.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">But enough about plants.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">To the week: </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">First off, I had NWEA testing MT-TF this week, so it was the after school schedule largely that was so demanding.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">MONDAY: I presented at the School Board Meeting to try to get a drama class / 2 productions approved for the coming year. I was petrified; people make the false assumption that because my major was in the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">performing</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> arts, and since I corral 100-some kids every day, I would be not nervous in situations like this. Incorrect! That being said, I do believe my presentation went well. I don't remember much, other than that I went into "I-Love-Theatre Dreamland." I remember twining my fingers together and speaking of the cultural relevance and richness to theatre. The board was thrilled, I am happy to report. When I was defining dramaturgy (the course is a semester survey in history, performance, and technical theatre), I used for example a production concept of doing </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Our Town</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> in 19th century Zuni. They grew agog and smiling at this, trying to find ways to get me funding and help with the course. It was unanimously approved! As was my colleague's forensics course. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">All this, I may add, after the chair of my department opened the school board meeting by not-so-subtly telling the board to NOT approve our courses. She cited finances and the irrelevance of it. Too bad it's cost-neutral and wildly relevant. Needless to say, a big battle this week has been trying to be kind to her.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">TUESDAY: Two words: Sports Banquet. Again, fighting the odds, we had another successful evening. They put me at the end of the coach's long table, so I sat next to no one and across from the Ranch dress - no matter! They forgot to print my non-lettering girls' certificates - no matter, I'll take the time for supper to print my own. They put the wrong girl's name on my Most Spirited award - oh, geez, I guess I'll just make a joke to poor L.L. and get it fixed tomorrow. But on the bright side, I made the crowd laugh pretty uproariously when I retold my story of becoming the cheer coach. (". . . and they said, 'Will you please be our cheer coach? and I said, '. . . sure?'") 6-9pm. But there were cheese enchiladas!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">WEDNESDAY: As I've mentioned, my Native American Day was a blast. Instead of showcasing my fearsome sunburn, I'll show this:</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7AFZVzRJ1Sw/T7gOZ72W2eI/AAAAAAAAAF0/V66hzV_YjvU/s1600/Photo+on+2012-05-18+at+17.40+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7AFZVzRJ1Sw/T7gOZ72W2eI/AAAAAAAAAF0/V66hzV_YjvU/s400/Photo+on+2012-05-18+at+17.40+%232.jpg" width="400" /></span></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">1-3 periods were my ever-popular Nature walks. I began first with a little blurb about my culture - a tough enough job, in my entitled culture of power / Western European mutts, which I communicated to them. I did, however, wear my mother's feedsack dress that my grandmother had made for her at the end of the 1950s. 1. I look more than a little cute in it and 2. I could say, "it represents a culture that wasted as little as possible and had a deep connection to the earth." These values, I know transfer through to this culture. . . generally, it was a lovely segue into nature + book talk: "in my family's culture, the two most precious things you can give someone are an appreciation for nature and appreciation for the written word as a means to understand and change art and the world."</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Then, I gave them the middle handout. I bet you have NEVER handed out a similar sheet. On it, painstakingly searched in a dictionary and run by my savant student En.T., are a list of local plants and critters in Zuni. I set them loose - suffice it to say, by the end of third hour, I knew more of the words than a good deal of the students. My thrilling COMPLETE sentence I can say in Zuni: Ho' k'ets'i</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">łdo t'sana u:lakkya. (I saw a small cricket.)</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">5th hour we met up with Iralu's class and traipsed to the Eagle Sanctuary. Yes, we have an Eagle Sanctuary full of golden & bald eagles within walking distance. Don't you? The speaker was obsessed with us knowing every facet of these birds - including the coloration of the pinion feathers of the juvenile birds - but was quite knowledgable. Standing in the sweltering in my off-the-shoulders dress (reader, here is where the sunburn enters), I would've preferred more time actually studying the birds. All the same, it's a really cool project - the Zuni traditionally practiced eagle husbandry, and so they're bringing that back with non-releasable birds given to them from the US Department of Fish and Wildlife (as opposed to euthanasia). The rest of the day was watching our students, in full regalia, doing their social dance performances and presenting the Zuni Native Ambassadors for the following school year. If you're interested in what the dance clothing looked like, these aren't my students (obviously), but the costumes are the same: (buffalo dance) http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_orhTdiiWvaM/TEUSpKiac8I/AAAAAAAAAh0/6D912BqMF3E/s1600/IMG_9686.JPG and (deer dance) http://blankinship-web.com/intertribal/Zuni_Deer_Dance_017.jpg.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">When the bell rang for the end of the day, they all processed down the hall, the deer dancers moving their heads in the uncanny way of seeming actually animal. In their wake were the drummers and proud parents. I took a picture with my cellphone. If it hadn't been so blurry, I think I would've sent it to a few friends with the message: "how we end every school day in Zuni Pueblo."</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">THURSDAY: I judged 8 5th-grade portfolios. Enough said. It was delightful! AND we got fed chips + delicious salsa and a GIANT bowl of guacamole. YUM. Of the presentations, most were alternately sweet, impressive, fidgety, moving, and adorable. I got home, again, about 9pm. I sat on the porch steps in the dark, processing that sweet early summer air.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">I've already been writing more than I've intended to, so I'll leave off fairly soon. But first, the mandatory book update:</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">I finished </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Geography of the Heart</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">. It was my birthday gift from Ms. Lyl, and it was exactly the moving portrait of love and loss I hoped it would be. For a great blurb from NPR: http://www.npr.org/2012/03/29/146866399/love-isnt-all-you-need-3-relationship-building-reads. I'm plowing through </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">The (delightful) Hobbit</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">, which my sophomores are ACTUALLY reading and ACTUALLY enjoying. Some fun monomyth / archetype study about heroes! And, as of today (and on the recommendation of my Indiana Read judge father), I'm more than halfway through </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">A Girl Named Zippy</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">. Talk about a delight of reflection, pith, and general Hoosier affection! I heartily recommend it for anyone in need of a laugh, a think, or a reconsideration of small-town, Midwest life. Ina May's </span></span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Spiritual Midwifery</span></span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> continues to be a nice bedtime read.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">On that note, both the prenatal group moderating doctors at the Zuni Hospital are thrilled at the prospect of having a doula attend / help out / etc. Alllllllll right!</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">And, to wrap up this monolith of a week, another "you know you live in Zuni when:"</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">You pet sit for three periods when a student / cheerleader brings you a kitten she found abandoned that morning. Some cute pix to thank you for reading this far:</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Over and out ~</span></span></div>
<br />ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-33149100686173162072012-04-23T19:34:00.000-07:002012-04-23T19:34:11.677-07:00CommitmentToday, while my students were watching part of the (odious) 1932 version of <u>A Farewell to Arms</u>, I looked around at my 7th hour. They were watching intently, some annotating their Venn diagram of novel vs. film. One student was fighting sleep, until Catherine whopped Frederic across the face and everyone laughed at the overblown sound effects. I was then reminded of a quote from someone while I was visiting up in Colorado Springs for spring break. I was telling her (I think it was a her?) about TFA, and she said, "Oh, it's two years?"<br />
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I replied, "Yeah. It's two years - but you can stay longer if you want to."</div>
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"Wow," she said, "That's a big commitment."</div>
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<br />
Geez, it is. I am realizing it more and more. Far more than a big commitment to myself, it is such a commitment to a region, to a kid, to a people. But, looking at them, who wouldn't try to give them your absolute best? Your absolute, absolute best?</div>
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Lest you think I am going soft in the head or being undone by sap:</div>
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* Today I said, "you are wasting time with your talking of stupidity!"</div>
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* Today I said, "ew. stop playing ear footsie or whatever the heck that is."</div>
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* Today I put the following picture on their vocab powerpoint: <br />
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<a href="http://www.decoycollectors.com/tidca/images/fakedecoy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.decoycollectors.com/tidca/images/fakedecoy.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
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(it was the perfect example of decoy! to be fair, I did say: "you objectify women, this is what happens!")<br />
* Today we just named our toaster Tea Cake, due to his endearing, yet occasionally histrionic (read: hydrophobic) behavior<br />
<br />
Okay, phew! Now I feel entitled to enjoy a little more sweetness and light.<br />
<br />
First, I got to see some of my cheer girls after school. I have to do uniform inventory and was having them vote for Team Awards. It was delightful to see them as an excited, enthusiastic group. I heard several "I miss cheerleading!"s and I was glad to feel a similar sentiment. I am happy to coach again next year, but I had been dreading the time commitment. Again, I realize this is a commitment I am bound and happy to make.<br />
<br />
Journalism was an excited mess. Let the record show that for the final issue, my kids <i>wanted</i> to write two articles (as opposed to one). I said, "How will we make this work?" And one of my editors said, "We should make a mega big 16-pager." The class cheered.<br />
<br />
Finally, Ninja Doula is back again! One of my students is out on maternity leave, and the paper came requesting the work for her "homebound status." I had thought about this before, and so, instead of trying to paraphrase the lessons we are doing in class, I took the same objectives (writing to invoke emotion and crafting a research paper) and applied them differently. Here is the cover letter:<br />
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<h1 style="margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Century; mso-themecolor: text1;">Hello, A____!<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Century;">I hope you are having the most beautiful time with
little Ryan Alexander. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Century; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Century; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Century;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Century;">I know your first priority is on your little one,
so my makeup work is focused on the same topic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Century;">The two things I would like you to do:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Century;">I would like
you to keep a journal of your baby’s first days. First, write an account of the
birth: what you remember, what you’d like to share with Ryan when he’s old
enough. Write a little every day: how are you feeling, what new things have you
noticed / is he doing, what are your thoughts about being a mother or being you
or whatever? Ideally, you’ll continue this journal the whole first year – or
beyond! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Century; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Century; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Century;"> (I will only check this off. It is, of course,
yours to keep.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Century;">Read the
attached articles. They are from Peaceful Parenting websites, which promotes
gentle mothering and disagrees with some popular ideas in our culture. After
reading all of them, write a reflection paper on what you liked and / or
disliked and / or have more questions about. Make sure to address: What is the
birth culture in the US / Zuni? Also, how do you feel about self-soothing,
breastfeeding, co-sleeping, and even babywearing?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Century;">Let me know if you have any questions, comments,
concerns: 765-376-5786.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Century;">Come back to school <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">when you are ready</b>. You’re embarking on a big, lifelong journey, so
make sure you have your foundation when you return. We miss you in class! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Century; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Century; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Century;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Century;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Century;">Ms. H.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Century;"><br /></span></div>
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Attached, then, was a 9-page packet of the benefits (including, of course, copious amounts from Meredith Small's <u>Our Babies, Ourselves</u>) of these different practices. </div>
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This reminds me of a paper I've written recently in my Issues in Secondary Ed class. Right. Am I allowed to say I have been SWAMPED from my three classes at UNM this semester? It's been manageable, but really only barely. Anywho, sometimes I'm allowed to really explore my passions with teaching. First, it was a 10-pager on the benefits of theatre in the ELA classroom (entitled "Those <i>Glee</i> Kids Must Be On To Something") and now "Hush Little Baby: an inquiry into student mothers and an educator's dearth of resources." Largely, I wrote about exactly that - how there are myriad pregnancy prevention programs (as there should be!), but very little prescriptive guidance for teenage mothers. This is an excerpt from the paper:</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
I want to do – and have talked to the school nurse and need to start talking to
my moms about – is get them to start an advocacy group for young parents at
Zuni High School. I know they are frustrated and tired so much of the time, and
I think it may take an organized effort on their behalf to secure the rights
they are properly deserving of under Title 9. They should fight for a longer
maternity leave, alternative schedules, and, most of all, recognition by the
faculty. Schoolwide policy should guarantee these students such accomodations
(not modifications). I feel too often the attitude is “it’s their problem and
their responsibility.” It’s funny that in one sentence, such educators can
denigrate their students as “children” and then, apparently, “responsible”
adults. Young parents are forced to straddle a strange, liminal space between
childhood and adulthood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How I can begin, then, is by
renewing my commitment to my mothers (and fathers). Some mothers are on top of
their game, but most I find highly capable writers (above average) but highly
overwhelmed. It will do them no good to pity her and drop assignments / grade
too easily just as it does no good to treat her as a student with the average
number of commitments. I need to make sure I’m helping them figure out a time
to do schoolwork, timelines for turning work in late (planned before a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>large assignment is due), or alternative
projects if need be. I want to make sure, especially in Native communities
where young motherhood is so prevalent (and not necessarily unusual), that
those students have the resources and rights they should.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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There it is again, that powerful word.<br />
Yes, it seems I'm committed.</div>
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<br /></div>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-62594755978867446432012-03-16T20:46:00.001-07:002012-03-16T20:51:42.428-07:00Ninja Doula!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5r07XzOYmE/T2P5d5AtUpI/AAAAAAAAAEI/hmYGJMvZrLg/s1600/Photo+on+2012-02-22+at+15.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5r07XzOYmE/T2P5d5AtUpI/AAAAAAAAAEI/hmYGJMvZrLg/s320/Photo+on+2012-02-22+at+15.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. . . I'm not so sure what Rush Limbaugh would make of me. I'm hoping for "scarlet woman" because "slut" is so last week. We were comparing HD's "Pear Tree" and the symbol of Janie's nascent sexuality in </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Their Eyes Were Watching God</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, Sir, nothing funny about women's rights. Off to the right is a diagram of a Greek theatre for my 5th block class; let's talk about society-ordained condemnation of women!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But, seriously, hello! I'm sorry for my poor writerly habits; I suppose I'm going to play the I'm-a-first-year-teacher-with-3-UNM-classes-and-just-finished-coaching card. I've been journaling better the past week or so, and I'm glad Res to Rez followed suit. It's a Friday, and Checkers and I look roughly like this:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVwad83deCk/T2P6uJ8nQ4I/AAAAAAAAAEU/oMb5HikFe-w/s1600/Photo+on+2012-02-09+at+21.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iVwad83deCk/T2P6uJ8nQ4I/AAAAAAAAAEU/oMb5HikFe-w/s320/Photo+on+2012-02-09+at+21.37.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's more than impossible to summarize two months of teaching and craziness and such, so I'll just provide a snapshot or two.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">FIRST, my literary snapshot. Yesterday I finished </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Feed</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, the devastating technocratic dystopia by MT Anderson. Well written? Yes. Enjoyable? No. Anderson captures the voice of a "null bro" at the end of the 21st century, and very likely the end of the world. The YA novel hits a little too close to home (especially having read about the "Google glasses" and the new iDoodad in the past week); the America of the future is one where the majority of Americans have chips implanted in their brains that broadcasts their "feed," or personalized internet stream. Think of it as </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Star Girl</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> meets </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Fahrenheit 451</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> meets </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Oresteia</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. The setting is Bradburyian, the characters / symbolism is Aeschylus, and Star Girl is Cassandra. Dang it!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">For an even more riveting read that's less like a proverbial curb stomp? </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Hunger Games</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. Yes, what they said is true. They are well written, the premise is disturbing and beautifully-imagined, yet the Romantic aesthetic of nature and pure emotion still has a prominent role (it is obliterated in </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Feed</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">). Let's just say my grading, sleep, teaching, coaching, homework, and social skills suffered the 5 days in which it took me to read the trilogy. They come STRONGLY recommended.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My current baby reading is Ina May's </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Spiritual Midwifery</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. Classic, groovy, and great! I'm enjoying the birthing stories, rife with rushes and smooches and spiritual highs, but especially look forward to the advice for parents and midwives section. However, I came across two other FABirth reads, and where else but in the biblio-Mecca of Gallup Goodwill? (The best part of the past sentence is that I'm completely serious) The first is simply called </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Midwife</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Jennifer Worth; it is a memoir about her experiences as a midwife with the House of Nonnatus (yes, midwife nuns) in the impoverished East End of London in the 1950s. Compellingly written, but the stories are the true incredible portion. It pushes no agenda, but makes a strong gentle birth message just by recounting her history. I also just finished Catherine Taylor's </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Giving Birth</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. Also great! It was made sweller by taking place in New Mexico, where Taylor herself lives. She very meticulously wove together field experience, her own doula training, research, and her own second pregnancy. It's a very satisfying read that tracks her own dawning self awareness as a powerful being in agency of her own body.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">SECOND, my cheerleading snapshot? My girls' season wrapped up beautifully, and all had a lovely time at our supper at Chu-Chu's. They also produced this for homecoming: </span><a href="http://youtu.be/16SWObNNw-c" style="color: #0000cc;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">http://youtu.be/16SWObNNw-c</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> . Yes, I know they're wonderful.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">THIRD, my UNM snapshot. Cor. Overwhelmed. I got a bit behind when I missed a couple of classes for cheerleading and coaching / judging at the State Speech and Debate meet in Santa Fe two weeks ago (that's a whole story within itself), so I have 9 assignments for ONE of my classes. 2 assignments for another, and 2 for the third. Um, ridiculous? Qué sí.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">***</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But my true reason for writing - the namesake of my article - is this:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_OWeRFTYygU/T2QBjK6KHQI/AAAAAAAAAEc/zUbPU0fF-5U/s1600/Photo+on+2012-03-13+at+10.55+%233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_OWeRFTYygU/T2QBjK6KHQI/AAAAAAAAAEc/zUbPU0fF-5U/s320/Photo+on+2012-03-13+at+10.55+%233.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">First, OMG am I cute or what?? Kidding, but I was thrilled about my outfits this past week. Last weekend I pulled out all the stops for my Ms. L - we're talking blue-corn crepes filled with ricotta & wild rice and topped with peach salsa, an appetizer of a butternut bisque, and manjar brownies for dessert here - and I shaved my legs to top off the Beyonce look. (If you're confused, look up "Jay-Z & Beyonce's Baby" on SNL. Emily played "White Butler") So, for the first time since probably September, I could wear knee-length skirts without fear of more dyke accusations!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ahem, ANYWAY - you can't see clearly in the picture, but I am holding up </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ina May's Guide to Chilbirth</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, Penny Simpkin's </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Birth Partner</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, my binder from my DONA conference, and </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Gentle Birth</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> by Barbara Walters. This is because I was a NINJA DOULA! My 2nd and 3rd periods of English 11 had just finished Hemingway's </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Farewell to Arms</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. Beautiful book? Yes. Troubling in terms of its portrayal of pregnancy? YES. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A bit of background: When I was in high school, I was terrified of pregnancy and birth. I was convinced I would die in childbirth. By no fault of my family, I had been inundated by scary birth stories; </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Farewell to Arms</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> did nothing to assuage it. In fact, it worsened significantly. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What IS the deal about the mother-dead-in-childbirth trope?? From "Cinderella" to "Whale Rider" it floods our collective unconscious. I know it's symbolic, but come on!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So I was determined - especially for the sake of my students who are moms (9) or currently pregnant (6 that I know of) - to make meaning and de-mystify Catherine's death. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">On Monday, then, we worked with the symbolic reasons for why she "had" to die. We traced the foreshadowing and looked at Frederic / Hemingway's life philosophy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tuesday, however, was my day. I made five groupings of the desks and called them "Birth Centers." (and then laughed about it heartily) Each had a theme: hemorrhage prevention, family present during labor, eating / drinking during labor, beneficial birthing positions, and dangers of cesarean sections. They had 7 minutes at each section to read the handout and take notes on the key points. At the end of the hour, then, they wrote up a paragraph on "Why did Catherine die? What could've been done better?" A lot of the guys cracked up about the nipple stimulation and turned in half-serious notes, but some were real gems! I must admit it was exceedingly edifying to read this one:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Cat died because she bled too much after birth. If there was somebody there to comfort her, her delivery would have gone more comforting and more smoothly. If she had tried different positions and ate or drank during so that she would have more energy. After the delivery, she should have rubbed her lower abdomen by herself or had a midwife do it to her so it would have closed faster. This is also known as fundal massage. I still say it would have been better if someone was also in there comforting her."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ninja doula!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Seeing that 5th block (my sophomores in their drama units) were working on their Conceptualization projects for </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Antigone</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> and my 6th and 7th block juniors were doing a "moving blue book" (three questions, one at each clump of desks) about </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Their Eyes Were Watching God</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, it was a pretty good day.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Wednesday too, since it was my self-proclaimed "Why We Love Literacy Day" with a book share, statistics on the value of independent reading, and a quote discussion - it too was swell. </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ender's Game</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Atonement</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, and Dante's </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Inferno</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> were snatched up by the end of the day. Other excellent finds? </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Never Let Me Go</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Bean Trees</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Animal Dreams</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Silent Night</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Mists of Avalon</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">StarGirl</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Red Tent</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Notes From a Small Island</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">, and 10 more. Yes, the GoodWill workers have begun to notice me and give me discounts. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">To give you an idea of the average haul, I made a list of the books I got from my previous trip (February 12):</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"></span></span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">To Kill a Mockingbird</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Harper Lee)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Reader</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Bernard Schlink)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Persuasion</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Jane Austen)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">All Quiet on the Western Front</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Erik Maria Remarque)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (James Joyce)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Alexander Solzhenitsyn)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Lovely Bones</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Alice Sebold)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thurber Carnival</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (James Thurber)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Great and Terrible Beauty</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Libba Bray)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">A Yellow Raft in Blue Water</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Michael Dorris)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Izzy, Willy-Nilly</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Cynthia Voigt)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Ann Brashares)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Watership Down</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Richard Adams)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Candide</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Voltaire)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Cloudy Patriot</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Sarah Vowell)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Dark Wind</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Tony Hillerman)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"A Raisin in the Sun" (Lorraine Hansberry)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Time Traveler's Wife</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Audrey Niffenegger)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Bridget Jones's Diary</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Helen Fielding)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Van </span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(Roddy Doyle)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Something Wicked This Way Comes</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Ray Bradbury)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Girl With the Dragon Tattoo</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Stieg Larsson)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Mark Haddon)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In the Lake of the Woods</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Tim O'Brien)</span></div><div><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The City of Falling Angels</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (Berendt)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And that is that.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's approaching 10, so I should hop off to write / read / perhaps watch </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Away We Go </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">or </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Casa de los Babys</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">. Tomorrow I have to wake early so I can knock off some of those wretched UNM assignments before the rest of the day is dedicated to celebrating old St. Pat! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yours in literacy, education, and empowered birth.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Over and out ~</span></span></div></span>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-63877329127415892242012-01-12T20:40:00.000-08:002012-01-12T20:40:57.165-08:00i have heard the mermaids singing, each to eachIt's almost 9.30pm - a full hour after I went to bed yesterday - so this shall be brief. I thought a quick note was, however, in order: Welcome back to the school year! Two weeks into the semester and part of me is still adjusting; part of me feels as though I never quite left my little windowless 228.<br />
<br />
But today we were working with figurative language, speaker, and mood with "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." First, if you have never read this poem or haven't done so in the last year, please cease reading this and read it immediately.<br />
<br />
Second, except for in 6th hour (which was catastrophically bad for whatever reason), junior classes were engaged and intrigued. They also readily and excitedly read the first part of "Krapp's Last Tape" by Samuel Beckett. (Inspired by Eliot's work, it's a brilliant one-man show also readily available online)<br />
I'm not sure if it's the Dante epigraph, the ether, the yellow cat fog, or the perfumed dresses that got 'em. I think they also enjoyed my imitations of crabs and disembodied shoes in reviewing synecdoche. 3rd hour, traditionally a meddlesome class, listened in rapt silence as I read the first part of the poem. When I paused, a student said softly, "Please keep going." They also were the most enchanted when I had them visualize how I had seen "Krapp's Last Tape" - done by my beloved advisor A. Manley in an old gasworks building. In the winter. Without heat. With one naked bulb, cellophane, and a scratchy tape recorder.<br />
<br />
Before I began, however, I had to have a little plug for rereading poetry. I thought it turned out prettily so, as much for my own memory, I'll commit it here: Re-reading poetry is like hiking on DY. It's like hiking in the riverbed that winds up to near the top. You know how you can find the bits of turquoise in the sand? That is what it is like. DY is always beautiful - a poem is always beautiful - but there is always something else. Something sparkly and precious. And new. To be found in each reading.<br />
<br />
Happy Friday!<br />
Over and out.ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-35778173509667973412011-12-17T09:04:00.000-08:002011-12-17T09:04:21.713-08:00in the wake of the Koyem:shiI'm headed off to aul PodjaQ in a few, but it should be noted: I did it.<br />
I completed my FIRST semester EVER of teaching.<br />
<br />
And PhotoBooth / Checkers / our couch saw me through it.<br />
Picture highlights from the week:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mV00UtaVO_A/TuzE1tXgoiI/AAAAAAAAADw/RZ5Eua9zVy0/s1600/Photo+on+2011-12-12+at+19.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mV00UtaVO_A/TuzE1tXgoiI/AAAAAAAAADw/RZ5Eua9zVy0/s320/Photo+on+2011-12-12+at+19.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Driving back from Pojoaque last Monday - which took an inordinately long, if beautiful time because of the ice-tastic, snowy conditions - I found a completely dark Zuni. It was when I passed the Giant gas station and it too was completely unlit, that I realized. WOW! Desh:kwi is here! Desh:kwi is the time when Zunis fast and reflect on the new year, and it is characterized with no outdoor lighting. It was really very beautiful to see the Village truly looking like a village.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stranger, however, was when I came home (6ish) to find our house completely dark - but Emily's car was in the driveway. She opened the door for me and let me into our pitch-black house. The dialogue went as follows:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Me: </b>I thought Desh:kwi only meant outdoor lights had to be out --?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Emily:</b> We are strict Sha'lak'o house here.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Me:</b> <i>(laughing)</i> Okay.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Emily:</b> Yeah, the power went out about half an hour ago. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Me: </b> Wait, what??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(Desh:kwi starts on the 20th)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This has prompted me to create a list: <b>You Know You're in Zuni When:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>You assume a power outage is, in fact, the advent of a religious holiday.</li>
<li>You get a stomach ache and suspect that a couple of your students may be cursing you.</li>
<li>Your petsitter is late because she was making fetishes.</li>
<li>Your car hood is marked with a weird design and you blame hatikwes (witches)</li>
<li>Your students give you roasted corn, oven bread, piki bread, hot cheetos, and kool aid seeds as snacks.</li>
<li>Your students' parents coordinate the coming of the gods.</li>
<li>You hear scratching under the house and secretly fear the A:doshle (boogeyman)</li>
<li>Your scabbed lip is from eating outside and subsequently having a witch suck on it</li>
</ul>to be continued. . .<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IWFQcncpJyg/TuzInVxywxI/AAAAAAAAAD4/nev6Gx_kklI/s1600/Photo+on+2011-12-13+at+20.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IWFQcncpJyg/TuzInVxywxI/AAAAAAAAAD4/nev6Gx_kklI/s320/Photo+on+2011-12-13+at+20.55.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was us midweek. I think this was Tuesday, when I realized that I needed to make up my unit tests, finish putting in late work, create a detailed unit plan for UNM, finish reading journals, and I would get 86 portfolios the next day. As you can see, a soporific Checkers was most sympathetic.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ItmiG0PPNNk/TuzJLLg3uoI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Xtugfvc7OvM/s1600/Photo+on+2011-12-14+at+20.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ItmiG0PPNNk/TuzJLLg3uoI/AAAAAAAAAEA/Xtugfvc7OvM/s320/Photo+on+2011-12-14+at+20.36.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Me with one such portfolio. It's a little hard to believe that as of 8.30am this morning, I had: successfully printed and distributed the December edition of the T-Bird Times, graded ALL the portfolios (including some real dogs and REAL gems), given unit tests (a bluebook and a persuasive essay on whether Zuni should get a casino [please no]), had my sophomores make vegetable fried rice, did a day of humor and a day of Edwin Arlington Robinson & Edgar Lee Masters (when in doubt, have students read a "Luke Havergal" one act you've written in college), and. . . well. Isn't that enough?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now off and away - Pojoaque today, Indiana tomorrow, and Iowa for Christmas!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over and out!</div>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-61504563688131978492011-11-27T15:41:00.000-08:002011-11-27T15:41:55.594-08:00Breastfeeding and Backwards PlanningToday, I called the Zuni Indian Hospital.<br />
Nurse: Hello, Indian Health Services, Zuni. How may I help you?<br />
Me: Hi! I was just wondering if there were any childbirth education classes offered here?<br />
Nurse: Hmm... I think so? ... Let me transfer you over to OB!<br />
Me: Thanks!<br />
Nurse: No problem!<br />
<br />
(Gee, this is going well!)<br />
<br />
OB Nurse: OB.<br />
Me: Hi, I was just transferred over here. I was wondering if you have any childbirth education classes?<br />
OB: What?<br />
Me: (repeat first line, only a bit more slowly)<br />
OB: What? You havin' a baby?<br />
Me: Um, no. I'm a doula in the area and so I was compiling a list of references.<br />
OB: (long pause) I mean. Yeah. I think we do. It's the weekend.<br />
Me: Yeah?<br />
OB: Yeah. The administrative staff will be back tomorrow. Call Women's Health at 541.<br />
Me: 541. Great! I'll do that. Thanks.<br />
OB: See, it's the weekend.<br />
Me: Yep. Thank you!<br />
OB: Bye.<br />
<br />
Ah, gotta love the roundabout.<br />
Thanksgiving break has been a great time to dread returning to teaching, spend some wonderful cooking / chilling / Dog-Show watching with the parentals, and re-kickstarting my doula training. In the melee of, well, everything, my certification work had been postponed.<br />
<br />
But as of today, I finished a Breastfeeding Basics course! It was a free - and excellent! - survey course aimed at informing medical practitioners (and more peripherally midwives / doulas / mothers) on the science, troubleshooting, and general universal advantages of breastfeeding. I WAY recommend it if you think you'll be breastfeeding any time soon :). Though you can complete the course in a linear fashion, it also allows you to skip around and read on topics you have more interest in. www.breastfeedingbasics.org . Also, if you have any questions on jaundice, the advantages of breastfeeding, or the composition of human breast milk, feel free to drop a line!<br />
This completion has also re-kickstarted my confidence in marketing myself as a doula (especially as a volunteer one). Breastfeeding was the area I felt weakest in at my friends' birth last winter. Now I feel comfortable with general technique (more than half the areola, tongue under nipple, belly to belly!) as well as the science / literature behind it. I'm sure after I finish <u>Spiritual Midwifery</u> and <u>The Breastfeeding Mother's Companion</u> (my two current doula books in addition to the school <u>Red Scarf Girl</u> and <u>Atonement</u> for leisure), I'll feel even more confident. Now, to the best practice there is: working with mamas and babies!<br />
Oh, a quick note: especially after grooving with Ina May, the Breastfeeding course seems a little sterile. If you don't know Ina May, you should. She's the psychedelic Nana midwife of the movement - her <u>Spiritual Midwifery</u>, which is her earlier, and hippier version of her <u>Guide to Childbirth</u>, is part Bible, part manual, and part oxytocin trip. All of her recommendations and farflung opinions are anecdotal, but underpinned with pure science. I like this comfortable, inductive style; it makes it feel more intimate and woman-centered. The breastfeeding course, while working towards the same end, made me feel more clinically distanced. The focus was certainly a medical one - they said clearly at the beginning that breastfeeding was an ideal process, but then spent the rest of the time troubleshooting the process as if it were rigging up a carburetor. I suppose the main difference was rhetorical? It's unimportant, just a note I had.<br />
Meanwhile, I also looked up some national volunteer doula programs. There are a couple really neat ones, especially in San Francisco. Hmm. . .<br />
<br />
Also: the AKC Dog Show made me feel as though we should probably have a Rez Dog show here in Zuni (Cheerleading fundraiser). The categories would be: car-chasing, siren-barking, cutest mutt, ugliest mutt, will-actually-bite-you (as supplied by Emily), and rezziest.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5484502255_35cdc5fb66.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5253/5484502255_35cdc5fb66.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>You know you want to enter.<br />
<br />
<br />
ONE last note from Thanksgiving: First off, it was a delightfully lethargic day. It began with a big big big breakfast at the Inn at Halona (we're talking eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes, fruit, and tea) with the padres. Our breakfast the day before was shared by a cool film couple who encouraged my theatrical pursuits and left their info in case I'd ever want to teach the Inupiak up in Alaska. Hmm, as Emily said, "probably next week."<br />
Anywho, breakfast and round one of cooking back at ye olde trailer #5. Then back to Halona for afore-mentioned dog show. Then cooking and eating and relaxing. We - parents choice, promise! - also watched "Imagine Me and You." If you haven't seen it, it's a DELIGHTFUL lez romcom.<br />
I had never thought of myself as remotely conservative - I'm probably akin to a baby-loving, tree-hugging mystic Bolshevik - but I realized queer theory wise, I'm happily traditional; I once heard "Imagine Me and You" for being criticized as utterly unrealistic. Well, then. I'll let you know when I see a Romantic Comedy that IS based in fact. It normalized a lesbian relationship in the way that "The Kids Are All Right" tried but failed. Go, "Imagine," go!<br />
Moving on, in preparation for the early arising and trip to Amtrak Gallup, we got in the car to pop back to Halona -- only to find our one route blocked by the Christmas / Thanksgiving / Shalako night parade. I mean, of course. So, we walked behind the parade - blaring Christmas tunes and weaving through all of Zuni - until Halona was in sight. We said goodnight, but I walked back to the Giant gas station so I could see the first part of the parade.<br />
<br />
One image: religious elk dancers, in full regalia (antlers, turquoise, tall cloth boots, prayer canes) dancing to a drum circle. BUT, the song the drum circle was chanting? A Zuni language version of "Good King Wenceslaus." The antlers of the dancers? Hung with tinsel. The boots? Jingling with jingle bells. The prayer canes? Striped like candy canes. Holla back, hybrid identity!<br />
<br />
This past month (and then some) has been such a blur - it feels like practically no time has elapsed since I wrote my Police entry, while also Halloween seems like eons ago. Go figure.<br />
Halloween was swell, though, as these pictures provide ample evidence:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1vxv7qw65I/TtLCyeC8UHI/AAAAAAAAADg/ij-9zRe_lI4/s1600/299020_10150371919178647_531348646_8308385_1544336186_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1vxv7qw65I/TtLCyeC8UHI/AAAAAAAAADg/ij-9zRe_lI4/s320/299020_10150371919178647_531348646_8308385_1544336186_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, we carved four pumpkins and cadged another. A couple were stolen by errant students, but retrieved from down the drive. And yes, that IS a Zia pumpkin. Yes, it IS awesome.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcG498DtZZE/TtLDGCioQGI/AAAAAAAAADo/KL8rl_dg1H8/s1600/375338_10150371918118647_531348646_8308374_1435558867_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcG498DtZZE/TtLDGCioQGI/AAAAAAAAADo/KL8rl_dg1H8/s320/375338_10150371918118647_531348646_8308374_1435558867_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Dramatic reading of "The Raven." Check it out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Yes, curriculum supervisor, I am using the textbook on a daily basis.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. How good does our ristra look? (a present from the lovely Lyly)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Halloween was professional development - it started out in a spooky scary way learning that I could work the rest of my life in the ZPSD, but only half of my retirement could be collected by a domestic partner (as opposed to 100% by a spouse). Cute, institutionalized bigotry. Cute.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But then the trick-or-treaters came and sang their Halloween song and loved our puppets answering the door, so all was well!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OH, it has also been in the last month that my classroom got up to 92 degrees for about a week. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't think I need to say more than that. It was a time of utter and abject misery where no learning and much frustration was present. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I must pop off soon to grade my memoirs, my Spider vs. Wasp comics, my accounts of discrimination (so far, they've been well-written and revelatory), and my Sojourner Truth paragraphs, but I need to make note:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">VISITING CC LAST WEEKEND WAS AWESOME.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Good. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I got to see the great "Opiate" twice - I can't tell you how wonderful it was to see THEATRE, and furthermore how delightful it was to sit up in the booth on Friday night. Similarly, attending junior seminar and having Ethiopian food and the BGP and the cast party and "Fire and Brimstone" and brunch and DogTooth and Poor Richards and angelic Ellement and and and -- </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was an immensely rich weekend, thank you to all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also, thank you to all my friends who said, "OMG I LOVE your blog." You've gotten me to resurrect it, albeit with an odd holiday post that's more natural birth than teaching reflections.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After picking my parents up from Amtrak Albuquerque one week ago, we got stuck in crash traffic (http://www.koat.com/news/29818639/detail.html) and it took us 6 hours to get back to Zuni. After a reckless and sleepless CC weekend, this was the icing on the cake. However, thanks to my parents coming in as guest lecturers, I got sleep and my kids sure appreciated the enrichment! My mother taught a ladder of abstraction lecture with apples and my dad brought a poetry-writing workshop. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By in large, my kids were remarkably focused and respectful; it's not easy to conjure up attentive students the two days before Thanksgiving break. My 3rd hour crazies were still crazy for my mother, but simmered down and were nonissues with my father -- this confirmed my suspicions that those three guys almost certainly have issues with female authority figures. Hmm, hard to know what to do with that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But we got some beautiful work especially in poetry form, but it was also great to see my students get warmed up and engaged into describing their homely, Halona apples. JC gave a lovely note to my dad, and MN became one of "Doc's" biggest fans from the moment he held the door open for us as we walked up Monday morning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">**At this point, I'd like to summarize what I've done teaching-wise for the last month. Then, I realized that this would be a fruitless venture. At the end of a week, it almost seems too big to condense, let alone a month. I'll leave it at this: scary story contests, dramatizations, reading circles, tearing apart and writing about osage oranges, Making Meaning (thanks to Professor Pence, the awesome master teacher), banned book projects, another issue of the T-Bird Times (plus community distribution), newsjournals, peer revisions, reading reading reading. . . **</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More easily:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, what's on the docket for tomorrow?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My sophomores, in conjunction with <u>Red Scarf Girl</u>, will re-imagine Zuni as if it had a communist cultural revolution and give tours in groups; my journalism kids will read through our survey results of "What are you thankful for?" and prepare for training from documentarian MS for an oral history project; and my juniors will begin Cather's "Wagner Matinee" in groups in preparation to study the complexity of hard-bitten frontier women. My cheerleaders have typical MWF practice, but also games T&Th. Oh, boy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All in all, it's looking to be a good week! Now, to gather up the gumption to do it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over and out.</div>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-19849600146593116152011-10-20T20:54:00.000-07:002011-10-20T20:54:45.152-07:00and sometimes it is like the Police. . .and every little thing [you] do is magic.<br />
<br />
Do you see how I plan these entries strategically? I spare you the weepy Wednesdays, the Tear-my-hair-out Thursdays (one day I did actually pull out a few strands of hair in frustration), La Llorona / Moaning Myrtle / banshee on craic imitation days. I spare the reflections to future teachers - "don't do it! run the other way!" - and neglect to attach the furious e-mails sent to loved ones of my futility in this profession.<br />
<br />
Because, as Donald Barthelme says (I just re-read "The School"), "You needn't be frightened (though I am often frightened) and that there is value everywhere."<br />
<br />
These few days' value:<br />
<br />
N.B's burst of inspiration, as strange but as brilliant as the "fitful flame of the bivouac" (on our Walt Whitman day)<br />
J.C.'s beautiful poem, "Blighted," and his beautiful Patch of Ground and his beautiful symbolic drawing he brought to class just to show me.<br />
My muhanna (a Zuni word meaning excelling / being kind in all) cheerleader K.K. smiling and giving me the thumbs up from her full tribal regalia during our homecoming parade.<br />
C.P. consistently turning in evidence of her brilliance as a writer and her dedication to motherhood.<br />
A.B.'s face lighting up like Sha'lak'o flames when I showed her just HOW excellent her essay on O. Henry was.<br />
M.C. laughing with me when I suggested ways we could make her "Jersey Shore" article more school-appropriate.<br />
My sophomores exclaiming that, today, class was SO FUN! These are the same who text constantly to check in on homework and also to invite me to go dancing with the class at the Zuni Community Hall.<br />
My veteran colleague leaning over conspiratorially today and saying, "They really like you, you know?"<br />
L.W. telling me quietly but earnestly that she loved her Emily Dickinson poem, "There is a Solitude of Space."<br />
<br />
Today the air smelled of smoke; last night, of the silence of stars and roasted corn. It's a lovely place, here. It's a lovely place.<br />
<br />
Over and out.ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6690902355337590520.post-19051212594566314402011-10-19T20:58:00.000-07:002011-10-19T20:59:36.383-07:00confessions of a bibliophileMy at-home work productivity has been less than optimal this week. Then again, it is homecoming week, and mayhap I should cut myself some slack? I think that this "slacking off" can be attributed to 1. sheer exhaustion, 2. stress-induced exhaustion, and 3. A reading addiction.<br />
<div>Honestly, after a day of talking about literature and reading c. 40 journals a day and reading / editing / grading papers daily, what do you think I choose to do with my free time? Yes, yes, you're right. I read. </div><div>I haven't read this much in years! It's a delectable, if perplexing, feeling. I have also become wildly addicted to audio books - wildly!!! It began with the GORGEOUS and simple beauty of <u>The Poisonwood Bible</u>. Given my frequent (and delightful) forays over to Pojoaque, I have a lot of driving time - enough to listen to a 500-page book, apparently. It began as just a diversion for the drive - but then 94.5 got sold to the Navajo country station. Suddenly, my morning top 40 fix became Tim McGraw with Dineh dictation. Scandal! So then my mornings became audio book, and then quick day drives. . . in its current manifestation, I generally sit in my driveway for 10-15 minutes listening. I finished the beautiful Kingsolver, whipped through the YAL <u>Esperanza Rising</u> in one weekend away, and now am 2/3 through <u>My Name is Memory</u> - fun, if occasionally hokey, trip through time with the traveling pants' Ann Brashares. It's an ambitious book, and doesn't entirely succeed at it, but telling of a 1500-year-old love affair with teen angst, WWI, and amorous Anatolia makes for one fun trip. She's clearly hung up with the idea of our souls and how they invariably and mysteriously make their "own society." (We also tackled Emily Dickinson today with the juniors to mixed success) I'd like to pick old Ann's brain about this latest book.</div><div>But I'm also reading books. Two books, actually. I finally got a copy of <u>Angela's Ashes</u>, a book I've been meaning to read forever. If you are in the same boat as I was, GET IT. Now. Talk about an ambitious and inspiring book that absolutely succeeds - and exceeds, and re-creates, and and and. . . I'm, I'd say, roughly 3/4 through that one. </div><div>And the third book, which I began yesterday but am already on page 70, is <u>Keeping You a Secret</u> by Julie Anne Peters. It's an <u>Annie On My Mind</u> for the 21st century - truer to mainstream high school, certainly, but not nearly so sweet and innocent. Good, though, and a good one for HS libraries. It rings true with themes of sexuality and bigotry in the largely-intolerant / insecure microcosm of high schoolers.</div><div><br />
</div><div>There's been an impossible amount to recount (rhyme!), but suffice to say that things are fine. Cheerleaders are fussy about our number of uniforms (we'll look a little slapdash come Friday) but generally a happy, endeared melee. In journalism, we had a visit and interviewed Josh Lucio - who works at the Zuni Education and Career Development Center and who helps run College Night. Our paper should go out next Friday. (oh, boy, cross fingers!) </div><div>Junior English is the Romantics! We finished (sadly) with the Transcendentalists, but not before we took a nature walk last Friday. It was wildly popular, I'm happy to say :) The go-into-nature-and-write reflections I've received have been very good. I'll post excerpts from the best; yes, I certainly covertly Xerox the best papers I receive. </div><div>I still don't know what to do with my pre-AP-ers. About half the class just doesn't read. Like, ever. But I have some absolute gems that make that class a delight to teach. So it remains half dread, half delight. For instance, one student asks me a studied question about irony while another group don't realize that their Tolstoy story (featuring serfs on the steppes) takes place in Russia. Hoh boy. But when I brought in "The Gift of the Magi" and we read it after studying "1000 Dollars" by O. Henry, they loved it. Direct quotes: "That was so dope." "I loved that." "I loved it more." "I loved it the most." Go figure.</div><div><br />
</div><div>A few pictures to end this (already too long post - past my bedtime!):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sfxsqVT2wD0/Tp-X8KloVpI/AAAAAAAAAB0/kP_Xe0PIDu8/s1600/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.26+%25233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sfxsqVT2wD0/Tp-X8KloVpI/AAAAAAAAAB0/kP_Xe0PIDu8/s320/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.26+%25233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As part of Spirit Week, today was face paint day. I had none until last hour, when my juniors expressed dismay. I borrowed a tube of paint and led them through our beginning exercises; when they bent over their perplexing Dickinson poems, I quietly painted my hand. Then I whacked it on my face. Then I quietly cleaned off my hands. When I told them to find their poem partner to share thoughts and tone/mood/theme, they got quite the shock :) . Clearly, I told them, I'm the Blue Hand of Isengard.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oGqbSHbPOOI/Tp-YqBXpLeI/AAAAAAAAAB8/9szVhz6Tv1M/s1600/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.26+%25234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oGqbSHbPOOI/Tp-YqBXpLeI/AAAAAAAAAB8/9szVhz6Tv1M/s320/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.26+%25234.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One benefit of getting my blackboards cleaned one every two weeks or so (like, actually) is the palimpsest utility. This little cabin was originally scenery for a Zuni version of the Devil and Tom Walker - I easily appropriated it for Thoreau, however.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8v37L3ZV7cE/Tp-ZaxOgeiI/AAAAAAAAACE/KkEtL3elaCM/s1600/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8v37L3ZV7cE/Tp-ZaxOgeiI/AAAAAAAAACE/KkEtL3elaCM/s320/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The infamous sign with its addendum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V2pPwcuGmfQ/Tp-Zqpz1gRI/AAAAAAAAACM/uzClszBF22U/s1600/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.28+%25233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V2pPwcuGmfQ/Tp-Zqpz1gRI/AAAAAAAAACM/uzClszBF22U/s320/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.28+%25233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The newly-coined "Dream Board." After reading an excerpt of "Walden," I sent them forth to write on a sticky the answer to: "What is the direction of your dreams? What is the life you have imagined?" This tied into the selection, the Thoreauan ethos, and also my CC graduation motto.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Less savorily: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LD5ACWLVehY/Tp-aSXnuF4I/AAAAAAAAACU/IlNcVZ_5Pvg/s1600/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LD5ACWLVehY/Tp-aSXnuF4I/AAAAAAAAACU/IlNcVZ_5Pvg/s320/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I discovered this gem a couple weeks ago. Surprisingly, the next day I had a wonderfully-successful conversation with my students about it. I began with the question, "Do you know what discrimination is? [definition given] Okay, good good. So, what would racist language sound like? [slurs] What would sexist language sound like? [slurs] What would homophobic language sound like? [giggles and slurs] Okay. Good work. Now I don't know who wrote it and I don't care, but I found this yesterday [read quote]. Now, is this discriminatory language? [overwhelming YES] Yes, thank you. Now, I didn't care so much when I first saw it - people are jerks, right [assenting murmurs] and I've heard it before and I'll hear it again. But then I realized that if anyone in this room had said this about any of my students, I would have gone apesh** on you. Do you understand how utterly inappropriate this is? In school, we need to feel safe. I don't care if you're gay or straight, Zuni or Navajo or white or black, I don't care how much money your family makes. This is a school. We are here to learn and celebrate our identities, not feel ashamed. If we are ashamed, we are scared, we cannot learn. And this is a school. I never, ever want to see this sort of language used against anyone in the school." (Vehement nods, smiles, rapt attention) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Okay. Go finish up your stuff."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Only rainbows after rain, as they say. I found this little guy on my board this evening after practice:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1BAb3iKVSeo/Tp-cMYxkXDI/AAAAAAAAACc/oKEVelAUu84/s1600/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1BAb3iKVSeo/Tp-cMYxkXDI/AAAAAAAAACc/oKEVelAUu84/s320/Photo+on+2011-10-19+at+18.25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sweet reading, Friends!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over and out!</div><div><br />
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</div>ms. lixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01047922925561366296noreply@blogger.com0