Sunday, January 24, 2010

support

"Seven Blunders of the World"

1. Wealth without work

2. Pleasure without conscience

3. Knowledge without character

4. Commerce without morality

5. Science without humanity

6. Worship without sacrifice

7. Politics without principle

-Ghandi

I'm reading Food, Inc and Animal Vegetable Miracle right now, and it's blowing my mind how messed up things can get when there is no power check or when people don't consider the consequences of their actions. Every month (it seems) I get this reminder of the importance of the consciousness involved in choice in my life. I can't believe that there is this much power and money in the world that is in the hands of so few people. I also cannot believe the morals of some people. Learning about the treatment of animals, workers, the environment, and plants in the "food industry" has been one of the most frustrating things ever. I encourage you, whatever poor soul reads this thing, to find out WHAT you're eating. where it came from - odds are, it came from a lab or warehouse without social, economic, or environmental principles.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Directed Study January 2010

Course Title: Finding A Balance Between Right and Left Brain Learning in Public Education

Course Description:
Traditionally, education focuses on external directives and testing the ability to memorize information - - approaching learning mostly through uniformity and typically leaving creativity and individuality outside of the classroom environment.
This Directed Study will work in tandem with Theatre/Dance 185: Stubborn Light First Year Seminar, applying the theories and practices based on radical questioning of familiar socio-cultural norms and practices for the evolution of artistic thinking, for re-imagining a world of connection, authenticity and compassion. This study will help re-examine the "learning" in the public school system. Activities will be designed through faculty/student collaboration and implemented, with the support of students from the First Year Seminar, to Pre-K through 8th grade students at North Winneshiek Community School. This study will attempt to integrate activities, which foster self-discovery through self-expression, into the traditional structures of the public school environment.

Goal:
How can the public school environment help students find themselves and their place in the world? What they want to do, what they care about, how does this relate to their lives? Not everyone cares about the same things. Providing creative opportunities for children to use their imagination for self-discovery can foster deeper connections for learning, in addition to the traditional linguistic and logic-mathematical intelligences most often addressed in schools.


So that's my course. 4 credits. supervised by Dr. Jane Hawley.

It's really been challenging and eye opening. So many things have caught me by surprise. Some things have disappointed me, but i use these disappointments to further challenge myself. I'll write more about it later, tater.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

more thoughts

In Stubborn Light, we read "The Little Soul and The Sun" to the students at North Winneshiek Community School. This story really resonated with me because of recent events and thoughts. the kinds of thoughts i wander upon regularly. I wanted to share part of this with you.

"Well, there is nothing else but the Light. You see, I created nothing but what you are; and so, there is no easy way for you to experience yourself as Who You Are, since there is nothing that you are not"
"Huh?" said the Little Soul, who was now a little confused.
"Think of it this way, You are like a candle in the Sun. Oh, you're there all right. Along with a million, ka-gillion other candles who make up the Sun. And the sun would not be the Sun without you. Nay, it would be a sun without one of its candles...and that would not be the Sun at all; for it would not shine as brightly. Yet, how to know yourself as the Light when you are amidst the Light-that is the question"


I've been so infatuated with this idea of flight. I have always loved airplanes, the sky, airports, clouds, all of it. Thought about getting my pilots license for a while - but that is too literal of a translation of the concept of flight for me. I don't even know what I mean by it completely - I just know I want to fly. On this earth - on the ground. I want to fly. I want to be beyond all walking and fly, like the poet by Rainer Maria Rilke writes in "Going Blind".

And of course, StoryPeople has something for me too. When do they NOT have something that fits for the occasion?

For a long time, she flew only when she thought no one else was watching. - StoryPeople

these thoughts, kelly clarkson, and chips and salsa are all that are on my mind. ha
well, that and that i have a lesson with my 4 yr old in a little bit.
and i'm finally applying to the teacher education program today! wahoooo!

Monday, January 11, 2010

in honor of my friends.

my lovely readers demand that i post.

so here's what's up.

I've hit a hard place, and it is what it is. No confusion or anger, it just is what it is. (i know I already said that)
what's really going on in my brain is using that hard place as an excuse. i enjoy skipping violin sectionals as much as the next person, but really? what was my reason!? ..... it was my current struggle.

seriously!? where do i get off saying that? how many people in the world are going through harder things by no fault of their own? it's ridiculous, how easy I am on myself. No, I'm not absolutely normal right now. But does that mean I shouldn't do my primary job in being and taking care of myself? absolutely not. what kind of message does that send to myself? that it's alright if i suck at the violin, because ONE PERSON isn't in my life anymore. guess what ONE PERSON will always be there? me. i will always be where ever i am, good or bad times - caused by myself or by others.

this is where i get close to me.
this is NOT the time during which I use someone else as an excuse for MY short comings.