In April of my first year teaching a student commented, "Remember last year when I didn't like you and wouldn't do the work?" I think it's fair to say I was a terrible classroom leader my first semester. The student who remembered not doing work had been part of a group walkout protesting my class, one of my low points as a teacher.
Looking back to diagnose what went wrong, I suspect a large part of my leadership failure was due to a clash of cultures. I set-up my classroom to make me a formal leader, but I was entering a culture that has a history of only following decisions as long as the group agreed with them. I entered with an attitude of knowing what we needed to achieve that year, but my students came from a culture that listens to everyone before taking action. The trappings of leadership that I knew were not the leadership my students recognized.
I improved as a teacher-leader. I listened to the elders and began to internalize the values of my community. I tried to incorporate the values into my teaching. I'm not sure it can be taught, but I am proof it can be learned. My proof? The students who walked out of my class in the fall came in for extra tutoring in the spring.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Logistics fail? Or an explanation of the next post
The warning signs were there. The request was last minute (though I was never actually told the deadline). I sent a couple of questions back and the reply took longer than I was expecting.
Normally favor requests from strangers get lower priority. But the request got at something on my list. Would I be willing to write a short op-ed or two for a "Room for Debate" style feature for an undergrad online magazine?
Extra points because the professor who recommended me is the person I've been asking about her experience with the Op Ed Project.
So I wrote a piece. Had a couple of people proofread (THANK YOU!). Submitted it.
And didn't hear back.
Didn't see anything on the magazine's site with my name.
Eventually found the second part of the feature. I'd submitted for the first part.
I understand if I submit to a major outlet, I might not hear back from the editor. But it's not that major. And you requested it.
I e-mailed again. Is the piece going to run? If you don't have immediate plans, I'd like to rescind my submission and publish it on my blog.
I figure now's as good as time as any to actually publish.
(But I'm not checking the op-ed submission box on my life list yet.)
Normally favor requests from strangers get lower priority. But the request got at something on my list. Would I be willing to write a short op-ed or two for a "Room for Debate" style feature for an undergrad online magazine?
Extra points because the professor who recommended me is the person I've been asking about her experience with the Op Ed Project.
So I wrote a piece. Had a couple of people proofread (THANK YOU!). Submitted it.
And didn't hear back.
Didn't see anything on the magazine's site with my name.
Eventually found the second part of the feature. I'd submitted for the first part.
I understand if I submit to a major outlet, I might not hear back from the editor. But it's not that major. And you requested it.
I e-mailed again. Is the piece going to run? If you don't have immediate plans, I'd like to rescind my submission and publish it on my blog.
I figure now's as good as time as any to actually publish.
(But I'm not checking the op-ed submission box on my life list yet.)
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Weekend snapshots--Booze, food, money, and love
I got the drugs and alcohol talk from my mom this weekend. She's not sure we had it when I was in high school. Apparently, the latest is that if I have alcohol in my apartment, it's okay to not hide it when my parents visit.
~~~
After inviting a friend over for brunch, I asked list guy:
Do you want lemon poppyseed scones with omelette for breakfast or kaiserschmarrn?
Whatever.
I started making the scones. Then realized I didn't have black poppyseeds. A cup of flour, cup of sugar, and zest from one lemon are waiting patiently.
And I'm thankful I had the perfect number of eggs to follow the recipe of the breakfast dish that's our favorite for lazy weekend mornings.
~~~
21. Invest in stocks/mutual fund beyond the work retirement fund
After sending off my taxes for 2012, I put half my savings account toward opening a Roth IRA. I'm excited that I invested in a socially responsible mutual fund. Because I think it's important to be mindful about who I'm supporting with my money.
Some of my money is in a fund that specifically targets companies that work toward gender equality. The top companies are still banks and tech and big names you'd recognize. But it's intentionally chosen to be places where women are represented on the board and in senior management. (I'm choosing not the be disillusioned by the fact that we get excited when there are three women on a 14-member board.)
I also chose a fund that focuses on the environment. Energy efficiency and water infrastructure and technologies make up half the fund. Renewable energy is only a tiny sliver of the big picture.
Anyway. An excited check.
~~~
We went to the delicious neighborhood Purevian restaurant. Ordered a pitcher of Pisco Sour mix. Let them add from the Pisco I'd bought on the way over.
A pitcher might be more than two people should split.....Maybe. Especially if one of those people is me?
Added the liquor to my booze shelf. Hidden from my parents above the kitchen sink.* Will probably try making them at home sometime. Need to get his mom's recipe (I had it last summer). But until then, there are plenty of other cocktails to try.
~~~
I'm out of fresh fruit and was too lazy to go to the grocery store. Got my fruit and veggies fix by making my first, second, and third green smoothies.
A cup of OJ + some slices of frozen ginger + 3-5 leaves of kale.
Added chia seeds twice.
Frozen strawberries once.
Frozen blueberries another time.
Smoothies without the kale are better. But I like this for a certain I've-been-eating-too-much-fat-and-sugar mood.
~~~
After seeing the current show on our subscription to the nearest theater, we talked about various taboos. (Warning, judging other people's relationships ahead.)
Same-gender love? Totally cool with it.
Introducing your new lover to your mistress? Enh. Open-relationships seem difficult. But if everyone's on board and ya'll discuss it go for it. Summary, to break taboos you have to break taboos.
Making moves on someone twice your age? Somehow age gaps feel less remarkable in real life when I know the people. Age gaps in fiction feel creepy.
Forbidden love between cousins? Sometimes taboos are taboo for a reason. At least promise you won't get each other pregnant or anything like that.
~~~
Finally, happy shoutout to mm who was able to meet list guy AND visit my church. And got eat delicious sandwiches. Still excited you're near for now!
~~~
After inviting a friend over for brunch, I asked list guy:
Do you want lemon poppyseed scones with omelette for breakfast or kaiserschmarrn?
Whatever.
I started making the scones. Then realized I didn't have black poppyseeds. A cup of flour, cup of sugar, and zest from one lemon are waiting patiently.
And I'm thankful I had the perfect number of eggs to follow the recipe of the breakfast dish that's our favorite for lazy weekend mornings.
~~~
21. Invest in stocks/mutual fund beyond the work retirement fund
After sending off my taxes for 2012, I put half my savings account toward opening a Roth IRA. I'm excited that I invested in a socially responsible mutual fund. Because I think it's important to be mindful about who I'm supporting with my money.
Some of my money is in a fund that specifically targets companies that work toward gender equality. The top companies are still banks and tech and big names you'd recognize. But it's intentionally chosen to be places where women are represented on the board and in senior management. (I'm choosing not the be disillusioned by the fact that we get excited when there are three women on a 14-member board.)
I also chose a fund that focuses on the environment. Energy efficiency and water infrastructure and technologies make up half the fund. Renewable energy is only a tiny sliver of the big picture.
Anyway. An excited check.
~~~
We went to the delicious neighborhood Purevian restaurant. Ordered a pitcher of Pisco Sour mix. Let them add from the Pisco I'd bought on the way over.
A pitcher might be more than two people should split.....Maybe. Especially if one of those people is me?
Added the liquor to my booze shelf. Hidden from my parents above the kitchen sink.* Will probably try making them at home sometime. Need to get his mom's recipe (I had it last summer). But until then, there are plenty of other cocktails to try.
~~~
I'm out of fresh fruit and was too lazy to go to the grocery store. Got my fruit and veggies fix by making my first, second, and third green smoothies.
A cup of OJ + some slices of frozen ginger + 3-5 leaves of kale.
Added chia seeds twice.
Frozen strawberries once.
Frozen blueberries another time.
Smoothies without the kale are better. But I like this for a certain I've-been-eating-too-much-fat-and-sugar mood.
~~~
After seeing the current show on our subscription to the nearest theater, we talked about various taboos. (Warning, judging other people's relationships ahead.)
Same-gender love? Totally cool with it.
Introducing your new lover to your mistress? Enh. Open-relationships seem difficult. But if everyone's on board and ya'll discuss it go for it. Summary, to break taboos you have to break taboos.
Making moves on someone twice your age? Somehow age gaps feel less remarkable in real life when I know the people. Age gaps in fiction feel creepy.
Forbidden love between cousins? Sometimes taboos are taboo for a reason. At least promise you won't get each other pregnant or anything like that.
~~~
Finally, happy shoutout to mm who was able to meet list guy AND visit my church. And got eat delicious sandwiches. Still excited you're near for now!
*It's always been there.
Conveniently not in the way of everything else.
I even think there was alcohol up there the last time they visited.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)