About five weeks ago I wrote about being unhappy with my five week assignments because I had been moved down to Level IV from several levels higher. Although I welcome any new experience and challenge represented by a new group of human beings, I wasn't happy about the material. Then Seattle won the Super Bowl and it took my mind off of it.
Here we are, five weeks later, with both classes completed. One of them finished last week, and the second one finished this morning. We had a test, most of them did very well, and then we ate food. I realized that there is something very strange about how the world puts certain groups of people together beyond the historical territorial circumstances and into incredible mixtures of diverse life stories all intersecting in the classroom. Sometimes it's not the material, it's what you do with it. And sometimes the audience agrees, and sometimes it doesn't. There's often one person or more who feels out of place, but it's hard to get everything right. Even so, for the most part, I feel like we got it right, and that I'd given them the best language education I could have based on what others had deemed their ability to receive. More importantly, I'd enjoyed their company, their smiles, their mistakes, their willingness to improve and overall positive attitude. I smiled as I watched them walk out.
Then I taught my new advanced class which began earlier this week. The theme of Unit 1 was: "What's the Story?" You can imagine what we talked about.
After work I completed an ACT (standardized test) for my other job. I'm almost halfway through training, and I've had to do entire SAT and ACT tests last week and again this week in preparation. There is always a lengthy manual of teaching techniques I am supposed to get to know. Luckily the training has been going well, and I'm doing well and learning a lot during the role playing sessions.
Once that work was complete I wanted to go to free MoMA night, but then I realized I was very tired. Then I saw the pack of photos sitting on the shelf. I had taken them out of their boxes on Sunday after I picked them up during a visit home and brought them back to my new apartment. I just began taking them out and instinctively making a collage on my bed, and then taking pictures of the collage. Earlier I had thought it would make sense to go to the Museum of Modern Art and bring the book I completed one year ago today (on World Book Day, at the time; this year it was yesterday). But the more I became reacquainted with the dozens of photos that used to decorate my wall in the shape of a heart a year ago, the more I realized it made sense to be here making art instead of just appreciating the art of others. There is always plenty of time for that. Then again, I spent one night earlier this week going through a pile of quotes, samples and excerpts from spoken artists I admire for their ability to eloquently inspire, and I can see them all the time in my room. Now it's time to mix them with the rest of the world as I see it.
Here we are, five weeks later, with both classes completed. One of them finished last week, and the second one finished this morning. We had a test, most of them did very well, and then we ate food. I realized that there is something very strange about how the world puts certain groups of people together beyond the historical territorial circumstances and into incredible mixtures of diverse life stories all intersecting in the classroom. Sometimes it's not the material, it's what you do with it. And sometimes the audience agrees, and sometimes it doesn't. There's often one person or more who feels out of place, but it's hard to get everything right. Even so, for the most part, I feel like we got it right, and that I'd given them the best language education I could have based on what others had deemed their ability to receive. More importantly, I'd enjoyed their company, their smiles, their mistakes, their willingness to improve and overall positive attitude. I smiled as I watched them walk out.
Then I taught my new advanced class which began earlier this week. The theme of Unit 1 was: "What's the Story?" You can imagine what we talked about.
After work I completed an ACT (standardized test) for my other job. I'm almost halfway through training, and I've had to do entire SAT and ACT tests last week and again this week in preparation. There is always a lengthy manual of teaching techniques I am supposed to get to know. Luckily the training has been going well, and I'm doing well and learning a lot during the role playing sessions.
Once that work was complete I wanted to go to free MoMA night, but then I realized I was very tired. Then I saw the pack of photos sitting on the shelf. I had taken them out of their boxes on Sunday after I picked them up during a visit home and brought them back to my new apartment. I just began taking them out and instinctively making a collage on my bed, and then taking pictures of the collage. Earlier I had thought it would make sense to go to the Museum of Modern Art and bring the book I completed one year ago today (on World Book Day, at the time; this year it was yesterday). But the more I became reacquainted with the dozens of photos that used to decorate my wall in the shape of a heart a year ago, the more I realized it made sense to be here making art instead of just appreciating the art of others. There is always plenty of time for that. Then again, I spent one night earlier this week going through a pile of quotes, samples and excerpts from spoken artists I admire for their ability to eloquently inspire, and I can see them all the time in my room. Now it's time to mix them with the rest of the world as I see it.
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