Experiential Learning

The learning that comes from touching, feeling, seeing, doing feels like it enters into your brain in such a different and more organic way. All of the lifecycles of seeded plants, the fruit of the potato plant, how corn actually grows on its stalks. It seems to enter through all of the senses rather than through the mind. And can be experienced anew each year.

Melanchol Into Fall

Fall approaches, melancholy increases. I thought it was sort of a seasonal affective disorder thing, but I realize-perhaps a new-that part of it is just a spectacular beauty of fall to me, the engagement of all the senses, those cool twilights with the sound of the geese the smell of fires burning leaves crackling, tidying up to prepare for winter. It is so beautiful, but it is so fleeting. And it is lonely because I want to share all of those moments but also have this social anxiety that keeps me from really being able to invite people in the way that I want to. And perhaps it is more this push and pull between wanting people to be close and wanting to be able to experience things for myself.

Toward Freedom - Day 3 - Gabi winter break trip to GR

Not so free this week since Gabi is on spring break. But took a day trip to GR with Gabi! Haven't gotten out much with COVID and fissure, and since most of our driving has been to Detroit area for Gabi school. It was a good day!! Brought Gabi's lunch as always and she had her iPad and books but actually just read the whole time! Went to the Downtown Market, got ice cream, went into Moose Jaw (me while Gab ate her ice cream outside :)); went to Riverside Park. Gabi stayed in the car reading her book while I explored the frozen Grand River with ducks on it. I didn't make Gabi walk all the way back to the unfrozen part but had her go to the boat launch part. Then we went to Lost and Found. And then came home! A little wrangling over treats at Speedway but we negotiated it out. Emailed Gabi's therapist today too - need to focus so much on learning how to better communicate with her about food, self-esteem, etc.

Toward Freedom - Day 2 - Defrost Freezer. Start car title search.

The fridge has been swimming in water for weeks. There are like 13 inches of snow out there. Seems like a good day to defrost. Last night also finished mid-month net worth check. First time over $400,000 if you count estimated house equity. Supposed to also start car title search today, so... ... ...

Toward Freedom - Day 1 - Cleaned out Rogue

Okay Day 1 was actually yesterday. Day 1 = Gabi "fall break" shopping fail (eventually redeemed at ULTA). Climbing into trunk of Nissan Rogue to finish cleaning it out. Blizzard at night (no Gabi :() Shopping Fail - Plan was to get G to help clean out old car and pay her $20 and then go to Claire's/the mall and look around and get some things. She misunderstood and thought we were going to have a "shopping spree with Mommy" in which I would buy her whatever she wanted, a la her grandmas. And the shopping trip she had w her grandma and cousin in TX. Her face fell when she learned she would need to use her own money. She got angry, threw all the manipulation at me. She didn't want Claire's she wanted makeup. So we went to Macy's and that was too expensive. We went into HandM (For me) and I sent her to kids' section; when I went to get her she was sitting glumly staring at the $20 (very much like a gesture I have seen her dad make). She kept saying $20 was hardly any moeny; she wanted me to spend at least $50 on her and said "we never go shopping together"... I stood firm though I felt frustrated and hurt. I told her I felt like I always come up w/ something I think will be fun and it gets ruined by too much wanting and fighting. We eventually went into Ulta instead, where I thought her money could go further. And it did. She found a buy one get 1/2 off special and was able to get 3 eyeshadow palettes and some makeup wipes. She also got a free makeup bag at checkout which was really nice. The total was $26.42 or so. She paid with her $20, a few $1 bills she had and butt load of quarters and change! She didn't want me to put any on my card. Luckiy the cashier was patient and the line wasn't too long. I was proud that I stuck to my guns but was able to help her - realize that things are cheaper at different places and $20 CAN go far.

The Shadow Scholar

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Shadow-Scholar/125329/?sid=cr&utm_source=cr&utm_medium=en


I found this article in the newsletter sent by the Chronicle of Higher Education. My first reaction: this is some craziness!!

It definitely sparked some spicy commentary in the online discussion section. As for me, as often, I am as yet undecided as to how I feel about this. Obviously, passing off the work of a ghost writer as one's own is wrong. I do not think that the blame for the practice should be placed on the Academy per se. I do think that the model of the large University in which students are pretty much anonymous does allow for this type of trickery, but in all honesty, as an educator and as an educate-ED individual, my instinct has always been that people get out what they put in. If students have come to college purely to receive a diploma, because that is what the workforce requires, and wish to cheat their way through... I am not condoning it, but as a professor I would not spend an inordinate amount of time trying to track these people down. Those students who are truly interested in the subject matter and who put in the time will reap the rewards one way or the other. The others will at best skate by and at worst eventually be caught and forced to pay the consequences for their deception.

Bullying, Parental Rights and School Choice

Response to: "In Efforts to End Bullying, Some See Agenda", New York Times online. By ERIK ECKHOLM. Published: November 6, 2010

This article is interesting not only for its relevance, but more deeply for the general question it raises regarding the purpose of public education and the rights of parents and children who participate in it. To me, it is beyond obvious that in this country, given our values, tolerance for different kinds of people and lifestyles must be nurtured from an early age. If a school is to receive funding as a public institution, it must foster acceptance of "the public".

At the same time, again from the standpoint of a new parent, I can understand the general principle of disagreeing with curricula or values that are proposed within my child's school district or within my child's school. Up to this point, the question of school choice has been a fairly academic one for me. I attended a Catholic school up until eighth-grade, followed by a magnet high school and a private university... followed by a Catholic university and finally a public university. In general my concern as an educational policy professional is not strongly tied to an ideological preference for public education. It is, rather, to promote positive learning experiences for as many children as possible.

I feel as though this issue of bullying homosexual children to the point of taking their own lives is horrifying enough to have made me stop and really think about what I want for my daughter in terms of schooling. Namely, that I will want a school where I can be sure that my child is safe and valued, even loved, as an individual. I will not tolerate hate or narrow-mindedness. Learning should be the focus. And, yes, I do want to be able to have some say over what material my daughter is introduced to. That is what I perhaps find somewhat tricky about the public school system. I guess that's what school there is so much institution between the parents and the school of, so many opinions, so much red tape. I can see the appeal of smaller, more independent schools with more transparent administrative structures. On the other hand, I do believe that there needs to be some form of accountability for all schools, be that through accreditation or some other means.

The jury's still out as to which way we will go with our child. We will likely have a choice. In the meantime, I will be watching to see how different communities respond to the incredible importance of keeping children safe and the delicate dance of teaching tolerance regardless of what individuals or individual families might feel.