Thursday I began three six-week online courses. One of them is a repeat- a class I previously did not successfully complete due to a tendency I have to ignore my online classes when life takes over and I become distracted.
The classes I'm taking are classes I'm excited about because they cover areas I want to be more familiar with. Further, the subjects are quite intimately related and I'm therefore getting a broader perspective than I would have had I taken them individually.
The courses:
*Geography (This is good- if you try to have a discussion about Haiti with me, I'm not going to be able to picture where in the world it is because it's not on the Risk game board. That was hypothetical, by the way. I do actually know where Haiti is. I think.)
*Emerging Nations (I'm excited for this one as it will allow me to explore some of my recent interest from another course in the inequities existing within IGOs. Also, I have been increasingly enthusiastic about literature that has emerged from authors who have experienced life in post-colonial countries and am excited to learn more about how colonialism may have influenced their work. Maybe it will inspire me to finally finish reading The Satanic Verses!)
*International Relations (With all of the shit going on in the world right now, it's high time I took this course. Luckily, I'm taking it alongside the above two and will get so much more out of it.)
Now, I must talk a bit about myself before I make my point. No matter, y'all love hearing about me anyway or you wouldn't be here right now. (wink, wink)
My aunt taught me to read before I even started kindergarten. Since then, I've always cherished books, though we were very poor when I was young and I had very few of my own books until I entered middle school. I wasn't able to start going to the public library by myself until I was in fourth grade so the majority of my reading was done during the school year up until then.
I have always had a knack for grammar, spelling, and anything else English language (unlike other English nerds, however, my second strength lies in math, not history). I can't remember a time in grade school when I didn't take tremendous pride in being the best reader, writer, and *especially* speller amongst my classmates.
That began to fade as I matured and realized that there were many others who met or exceeded my level of "expertise" in the subject. While I evolved to feel less superior, I also came to be more appreciative of the passion I feel for the English language and for literature.
My "to be read" list contains literally hundreds of books and grows constantly. I will never, no matter how long I live, read every book I want to read. This does not deter me. It inspires me.
When I read about Third World countries and the plethora of barriers against which they struggle every single day, I feel a great sense of helplessness.
Most of you are aware of how strongly I feel about fighting the AIDS virus and how the issue captivates my attention in light of the sad living conditions the majority of the world's people live in.
Still, the thing that most makes my eyes well up with tears and pulls at the heart of the person I am is the high rate of illiteracy. It is frightening to me that, in twenty countries, less than half of the population can read. In another twenty, only 50-65 percent can read.
As a teacher in the public school system, the only hope I have of making a decent amount of money is through longevity (staying permanently in the school district into which I'm hired, teachers start at the bottom of the pay scale when they transfer to a new district) and through continued education (Master's and beyond). One district in MI pays their teachers (at the highest "step" on the pay scale) $80K. That, coupled with the excellent benefits teachers receive is respectable. It pleases me to know that I will be a part of a profession that will reward me for continuing my education (something I would be likely to do on my own anyway).
That said, it is disheartening to know that so many children in the world will never have the option of taking a college course over because they just didn't feel like doing it right the first time. Many won't go to school at all because their families need them to work. These children will never know what it's like to find the escape that a book can provide. They'll never have a professional title that affords them the opportunity to make more money to broaden their knowledge while doing something that they love. They don't really have any choices at all.
Someday, when I'm a bit older and my kids have found their way, I believe that I'd gladly give up my earning potential (I'm not materialistic, $80K annually would be quite enough for me to live comfortably) and three months vacation each year for the honor of teaching some of these children how to read.
I'm not sure that anything could make me happier than to give children a taste of the power that comes with possessing the ability to read.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Yo Momma So [adjective], she [verb] etc.
A while back, in one of the newsletters I get via email about education, I read about a book intended to help teach high school kids ACT vocabulary through the use of the ever popular "yo mamma" joke.
I thought it was genius.
For some reason, I was trying to think of one of the jokes I had read in the news article and I couldn't, so I just searched for the book online to attempt to find the joke. It turns out that most educators do not think the book is genius, they find it insulting. Hmmm....
I tend to think that anything that gets the students to have fun so much that they don't even realize they're learning is a good thing. But I suppose I can see how it's offensive to some. I think too many teachers are just old fashioned. I suppose I could just wait until I'm tenured to use something like this.
I share with you a few of the jokes and you can feel free to leave a comment with your favorite yo mamma joke or try to invent your own using higher level vocabulary.
Yo mamma is so epic, when she steps on the scale it says "To be continued."
Yo mamma's teeth are so askew, it looks like her mouth is throwing up gang signs.
Yo mamma's so taciturn, she makes Calvin Coolidge look like Rutherford B. Hayes! What up, yo!
I thought it was genius.
For some reason, I was trying to think of one of the jokes I had read in the news article and I couldn't, so I just searched for the book online to attempt to find the joke. It turns out that most educators do not think the book is genius, they find it insulting. Hmmm....
I tend to think that anything that gets the students to have fun so much that they don't even realize they're learning is a good thing. But I suppose I can see how it's offensive to some. I think too many teachers are just old fashioned. I suppose I could just wait until I'm tenured to use something like this.
I share with you a few of the jokes and you can feel free to leave a comment with your favorite yo mamma joke or try to invent your own using higher level vocabulary.
Yo mamma is so epic, when she steps on the scale it says "To be continued."
Yo mamma's teeth are so askew, it looks like her mouth is throwing up gang signs.
Yo mamma's so taciturn, she makes Calvin Coolidge look like Rutherford B. Hayes! What up, yo!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Thrift, Horatio, Thrift!
"There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt." -Henrik Ibsen, A Doll's House
I've been thinking a bit about my future and how heavily I've been borrowing against it in regard to student loans.
Here's how I operate since Todd and I split up last summer:
I bumped up my course load to get done with school faster and, ultimately, get back to work faster. Because this year (2007) will be the first that I will be able to file my income taxes as a single woman with two dependents, the amount of grant money I was eligible for in the school year 06-07 (figured on my 05 tax return- married filing jointly) and this coming year 07-08 (figured on my 06 tax return- married filing jointly) was very minimal and student loans had to cover the rest. Unfortunately, there are maximum amounts a student is able to take through the Stafford program, regardless of course load, and because I take so many classes, my Stafford loans do not cover my course load necessitating additional private student loans to pay for the extra credit hours and the living expenses not covered by child support.
As the student loans rack up, I've been forced into thinking about the fact that my lifestyle has changed because of the divorce and, as a result, I really need to cut back on the things that have been a part of my lifestyle that I can no longer afford (as I get nauseous every time I reapply for my private student loans).
Step one was to get out of the lease on my SUV. The payment is too high, the insurance too expensive, and, despite the fact that I don't need to drive daily and even then not at great distance, gas is killer. I have a year left on my lease but have begun the process of weighing what the average relief will be if I take it to a dealership that will roll the cost of the early turn-in into a car. It's too soon for a pull-ahead, but I need to get out from under this vehicle even though I've grown to love it.
I've recently begun realizing, as well, that as much as I love my house, the rent is too high for a woman in my position. I've lived in a house since Jenna was born and it's strange to entertain the notion of downsizing into an apartment, but that is what I must do, I fear. I put my name on a waiting list for income based apartments in my area. I hate to be a snob, beggars can't be choosers, but, while I've never been rich, I've learned to live a certain way and the demographics of these places make my skin crawl. They say it will be 6-9 months before a place opens up. As that's a long time to wait, I also applied at another place where the rent is a fixed rate, but is still somewhat income based and would save me about $250/mo. I filled out paperwork today and toured the place and it was really nice- but it's so hard to decide what to do when the rent at the "yucky" place would be practically nonexistent. I suppose, on this issue, I'm waiting to see what happens first.
Finally, school at the pace I've been going is killing me and I've not been entirely successful. I have so much to pack in if I'm to start my student teaching as planned in December and the thought of it is becoming very overwhelming. I've begun to contemplate the soundness of my plan to just get it done and wonder if, especially given what this is costing me both financially with the extra student loans and mentally with the strain, it's best for me to stretch it back out to two more years and substitute during that time to (a) network and (b) make some damned money.
If I do that, though, given the tight job market, I wonder if I should be looking right now at where I want to move upon graduation. I feel like if I decide to stretch it back out to my original time line and sub for networking purposes that I should do it in a district that has trended toward increased enrollment. This is, overall, quite grim as well since the economic condition of MI is rather bleak and people are moving away- not many districts are increasing in enrollment. The district I live in has laid teachers off every year since Jenna has been in school (she's entering fourth grade).
It's so much more to struggle with than I ever imagined. Over the past several years, I've thought the decisions I've made (divorce, school) were going to put my family ahead and I'm sure they will, but it really brings on a whole new set of issues.
*sigh*
I've been thinking a bit about my future and how heavily I've been borrowing against it in regard to student loans.
Here's how I operate since Todd and I split up last summer:
I bumped up my course load to get done with school faster and, ultimately, get back to work faster. Because this year (2007) will be the first that I will be able to file my income taxes as a single woman with two dependents, the amount of grant money I was eligible for in the school year 06-07 (figured on my 05 tax return- married filing jointly) and this coming year 07-08 (figured on my 06 tax return- married filing jointly) was very minimal and student loans had to cover the rest. Unfortunately, there are maximum amounts a student is able to take through the Stafford program, regardless of course load, and because I take so many classes, my Stafford loans do not cover my course load necessitating additional private student loans to pay for the extra credit hours and the living expenses not covered by child support.
As the student loans rack up, I've been forced into thinking about the fact that my lifestyle has changed because of the divorce and, as a result, I really need to cut back on the things that have been a part of my lifestyle that I can no longer afford (as I get nauseous every time I reapply for my private student loans).
Step one was to get out of the lease on my SUV. The payment is too high, the insurance too expensive, and, despite the fact that I don't need to drive daily and even then not at great distance, gas is killer. I have a year left on my lease but have begun the process of weighing what the average relief will be if I take it to a dealership that will roll the cost of the early turn-in into a car. It's too soon for a pull-ahead, but I need to get out from under this vehicle even though I've grown to love it.
I've recently begun realizing, as well, that as much as I love my house, the rent is too high for a woman in my position. I've lived in a house since Jenna was born and it's strange to entertain the notion of downsizing into an apartment, but that is what I must do, I fear. I put my name on a waiting list for income based apartments in my area. I hate to be a snob, beggars can't be choosers, but, while I've never been rich, I've learned to live a certain way and the demographics of these places make my skin crawl. They say it will be 6-9 months before a place opens up. As that's a long time to wait, I also applied at another place where the rent is a fixed rate, but is still somewhat income based and would save me about $250/mo. I filled out paperwork today and toured the place and it was really nice- but it's so hard to decide what to do when the rent at the "yucky" place would be practically nonexistent. I suppose, on this issue, I'm waiting to see what happens first.
Finally, school at the pace I've been going is killing me and I've not been entirely successful. I have so much to pack in if I'm to start my student teaching as planned in December and the thought of it is becoming very overwhelming. I've begun to contemplate the soundness of my plan to just get it done and wonder if, especially given what this is costing me both financially with the extra student loans and mentally with the strain, it's best for me to stretch it back out to two more years and substitute during that time to (a) network and (b) make some damned money.
If I do that, though, given the tight job market, I wonder if I should be looking right now at where I want to move upon graduation. I feel like if I decide to stretch it back out to my original time line and sub for networking purposes that I should do it in a district that has trended toward increased enrollment. This is, overall, quite grim as well since the economic condition of MI is rather bleak and people are moving away- not many districts are increasing in enrollment. The district I live in has laid teachers off every year since Jenna has been in school (she's entering fourth grade).
It's so much more to struggle with than I ever imagined. Over the past several years, I've thought the decisions I've made (divorce, school) were going to put my family ahead and I'm sure they will, but it really brings on a whole new set of issues.
*sigh*
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Sicko
I saw Sicko yesterday and want to give a brief report. Because I strongly feel that you should all see it, I'm not going to go into too great of detail.
I had some conversation about the movie with Doctor Jones (his Sicko blog) and how Michael Moore is particularly good at what he does (producing documentaries that further his political agenda) and how there are views that don't further his agenda which aren't represented in the movie. This in mind, I was determined to watch quite critically.
Going into the movie, I had expected a big picture of our atrocious health-care system that focused on the uninsured as this would probably create the biggest emotional impact with viewers. I was pleasantly surprised when only a few minutes were dedicated to the uninsured and the remainder to the insured and how socialized medicine works in other countries.
Also, I have some general knowledge of socialized medicine, particularly in Canada, as I used to work with a Canadian woman and she explained it quite well to me. I've also read up on it in the past. Because of this, I thought it might be particularly hard for me to watch critically as I hold the opinion that if Canada can do it successfully, there's no reason we can't. Oh, wait! There is a reason! The insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies would stop making colossal profits- I almost forgot!
Nonetheless, were a discerning viewer (we'll call her "Melissa") to watch Sicko and make every attempt to keep an open mind, she might see a few of Moore's tricks.
I noticed that in the first half of the movie, while his voice can be dripping with sarcasm or sympathy, his narrative pretty much stuck to neutral, fact-based language. However, his political commentary does work its way into the final half of the movie, after the viewer is already pulled in. One must be wary of this.
Second, he only chose stories that furthered his purpose. From the woman I mentioned above, I'm under the impression that there are long waiting lists for medical procedures in Canada that have, at times, negatively impacted the health of some of its citizens. I don't know how much truth there is in this or what the statistics are but I promise you, I wasn't about to find it in Sicko. There were no stories at all from any citizens who may have had bad experiences with their health care in the segments done in Canada, France, or Great Britain. Yet, I'm quite certain that such stories exist and this documentary would have gained tremendous credibility in my eyes if it had presented a few and still managed to project that a universal health care system in the United States would far outweigh the negatives. Because I think it would.
My opinion after watching the movie isn't a whole lot different than prior. I think that the negatives of a universal health care system would be insignificant when compared to the negatives of what we have now.
Even if you hate Michael Moore, it is so essential to be educated on all sides of an issue to speak intelligently to it and this movie will further that end.
P.S. If you see the movie and want to do something, you can call 1-866-459-6050 to get connected with any of the presidential candidates and request that they not accept any money from insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, etc. in running their campaigns.
I had some conversation about the movie with Doctor Jones (his Sicko blog) and how Michael Moore is particularly good at what he does (producing documentaries that further his political agenda) and how there are views that don't further his agenda which aren't represented in the movie. This in mind, I was determined to watch quite critically.
Going into the movie, I had expected a big picture of our atrocious health-care system that focused on the uninsured as this would probably create the biggest emotional impact with viewers. I was pleasantly surprised when only a few minutes were dedicated to the uninsured and the remainder to the insured and how socialized medicine works in other countries.
Also, I have some general knowledge of socialized medicine, particularly in Canada, as I used to work with a Canadian woman and she explained it quite well to me. I've also read up on it in the past. Because of this, I thought it might be particularly hard for me to watch critically as I hold the opinion that if Canada can do it successfully, there's no reason we can't. Oh, wait! There is a reason! The insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies would stop making colossal profits- I almost forgot!
Nonetheless, were a discerning viewer (we'll call her "Melissa") to watch Sicko and make every attempt to keep an open mind, she might see a few of Moore's tricks.
I noticed that in the first half of the movie, while his voice can be dripping with sarcasm or sympathy, his narrative pretty much stuck to neutral, fact-based language. However, his political commentary does work its way into the final half of the movie, after the viewer is already pulled in. One must be wary of this.
Second, he only chose stories that furthered his purpose. From the woman I mentioned above, I'm under the impression that there are long waiting lists for medical procedures in Canada that have, at times, negatively impacted the health of some of its citizens. I don't know how much truth there is in this or what the statistics are but I promise you, I wasn't about to find it in Sicko. There were no stories at all from any citizens who may have had bad experiences with their health care in the segments done in Canada, France, or Great Britain. Yet, I'm quite certain that such stories exist and this documentary would have gained tremendous credibility in my eyes if it had presented a few and still managed to project that a universal health care system in the United States would far outweigh the negatives. Because I think it would.
My opinion after watching the movie isn't a whole lot different than prior. I think that the negatives of a universal health care system would be insignificant when compared to the negatives of what we have now.
Even if you hate Michael Moore, it is so essential to be educated on all sides of an issue to speak intelligently to it and this movie will further that end.
P.S. If you see the movie and want to do something, you can call 1-866-459-6050 to get connected with any of the presidential candidates and request that they not accept any money from insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, etc. in running their campaigns.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Loyalty
I'm disabling comments on this one because I just need to rant. I've said it before and I'll say it again: It's my blog, I can rant if I want to.
I just came home from camping with my family on Thursday. Since Thursday, it seems that I have been fighting fire after fire with my family and friends in what can be described as no more than high-school drama.
I've mentioned before that I avoid conflict at all cost to a fault. The past two days have found me personally insulted and wronged by people who love me. Most painful, I think, involves the strong sense of loyalty I have to people I care about and questioning where and when and by whom I will ever get that in return.
Additionally, it kills me right now that, despite my hurt, I still put the well-being of these people above my own. I find myself thinking that I shouldn't confront those that I've yet to confront because I don't want them to get upset with me. Or, in the cases of those I have confronted, I'm more worried about their feelings than my own.
I know that I need to grow a set, believe you me. But, on what planet will I actually value myself the way I say I do and let them worry about losing me instead of me worrying about losing them when they've wronged me? When will they all grow up and act like the adults that they are?
I'm determined to force myself to actually put Melissa first and deal with this bullshit and confront the issues. Instead of just letting it gloss over and hoping it doesn't happen again (because as long as I avoid it, it will happen again), I have to stand up for myself.
I just came home from camping with my family on Thursday. Since Thursday, it seems that I have been fighting fire after fire with my family and friends in what can be described as no more than high-school drama.
I've mentioned before that I avoid conflict at all cost to a fault. The past two days have found me personally insulted and wronged by people who love me. Most painful, I think, involves the strong sense of loyalty I have to people I care about and questioning where and when and by whom I will ever get that in return.
Additionally, it kills me right now that, despite my hurt, I still put the well-being of these people above my own. I find myself thinking that I shouldn't confront those that I've yet to confront because I don't want them to get upset with me. Or, in the cases of those I have confronted, I'm more worried about their feelings than my own.
I know that I need to grow a set, believe you me. But, on what planet will I actually value myself the way I say I do and let them worry about losing me instead of me worrying about losing them when they've wronged me? When will they all grow up and act like the adults that they are?
I'm determined to force myself to actually put Melissa first and deal with this bullshit and confront the issues. Instead of just letting it gloss over and hoping it doesn't happen again (because as long as I avoid it, it will happen again), I have to stand up for myself.
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