Dancing through life.

The days since my last post have truly been a learning experience. I have risen to my own challenge of dancing randomly in public. So far, despite the confused looks and overall public judgment of my impromptu outbursts of dance, I have to admit I am quite pleased. First of all, it has allowed me to let go of this unadulterated fear of public humiliation. It has also inspired the idea that dancing makes for a healthier life (Yes, I know that I'm not the first to realize this). I do not mean that it is healthier because it is a form of cardio. I mean that it leads to a healthier life because one cannot help but be elated in the practice of dance. Now, this conclusion is drawn upon the fact that I did not once dance to a slow or depressing song. More research might be done to examine the difference (Oh dear, research is following me everywhere...).
Now, I am finding that my friends do not actually read my blog (disappointing), because not one of them rose to the challenge of texting or messaging me to force an impromptu dance party in whatever situation I found myself in at that moment. Guys, seriously, you're slacking. However, I found that I didn't need them in order to fulfill my challenge.
No, I am quite capable of making a fool out of myself on my own. I have danced in Paneras, Starbucks, in the street, while on the phone, in my car, in a park.... To say the least, it's been quite a few places. I am met with some smiles, some confused looks, and some truly appalling looks of disgust at my public display of musical expression. In a way, it feels good to be expressive. After all, one thing student teaching taught me is that you have to be able to put yourself out there for your students to even remotely care about what you are saying.
Anyways, the point is that it's time for the next challenge, which I now have to think up. Hrmmm... Any suggestions?

Feeling a little political...

I don’t pretend to be the most politically aware person in the world. Nor do I pretend that most of the time I’m not caught up in my own busy life. I know there is no way to be aware of everything that happens in the world, but if this morning has done anything, it has made me more aware of my own ignorance and hypocrisy. 

As a pre-service teacher, soon to become certified, I have often talked to students about being critical and being aware of the world they live in beyond the walls of their homes and their schools. And yet, have I done this myself? No. I have been ignorant to many things that have been unchallenged for years. This hypocrisy is inexcusable. 

The U.S. is often criticized for being self-centered and greedy. Perhaps that is how we have managed to maintain our “superpower” status. I’ve been out of the loop so long, I’m sure I have nowhere near the amount of information necessary to make that accusation. However, I have noticed the way in which many people in my own life (myself included), forget to be human. 

I’m not one for making pledges and promises when I may not be able to keep them. However, my eyes are a little more open than they were yesterday. 

Here is something I know for sure: 

At their core, human beings are emotional, but in recent generations the expression of raw emotion has been frowned upon and deemed “uncivilized.” Due to this, people have forgotten the power and beauty in emotion. We have forgotten our consciences and our instincts. 

However, we have not completely forgotten these emotions. No, we have only suppressed them or internalized them so that we are not embarrassed by them. Lately, I’ve come to believe a little embarrassment is good for the soul. I found this out yesterday in a rather surreal moment of my own life. 

Let me explain. 

I am currently a Graduate student, working toward a M. Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction to gain certification in Secondary English. I am in my final semester, during which I have to complete an Inquiry Research Project. Yesterday, I had the class that pairs with this project that is supposed to teach us how to research, collect data, and analyze that data. For the past three classes (which are each 2.5 hours long), our professor has spent (wasted, rather) our time by going so in depth into the concept of focus groups (introduction, mock focus group, and analysis of focus group data), which less than 10% of the class is using. 

Note: PREVIOUS to these classes, the class banded together and formulated a list of our most pertinent needs and concerns regarding this class and wrote her a collective email expressing them. She never addressed our concerns. She merely shrugged them off by saying, “You have to trust me.”

Anyways, back to the point. This fateful day, I am sitting in class, on facebook because the first 40 minutes have all been explicit instruction on how to edit a table in Microsoft Word, which felt intellectually insulting as someone who has been using this program since Middle School. My colleagues in class were discussing on our class group the audacity of this woman to spend 40 minutes going over something that we could have taught ourselves in 5. I posted saying, “I feel like I should say something.” It only took two responses of “DO IT” for me to raise my hand, interrupt, and proceed to ask the professor if there was a simpler, more succinct way of going over this, because many of us were already familiar with the concept. I suggested that maybe it would be more prudent to hand out an example of what the correct formatting is and then differentiating by taking those who needed additional help aside in a small group and assisting them in the more elaborate instruction she had been giving. 

Her response: I will be done in 5 or 10 more minutes. 

The result: The director of our program, whom we had left out of the conversation out of respect for his position and the belief that she would work with us if we presented our concerns, was notified of the gravity of the situation by phone calls, email, and the like, from several people. Before the end of yesterday, appropriate action had been taken to ensure that our concerns were met and taken into account. 

This is a prime example of change only being possible if one person starts to make it happen. Was it embarrassing for me to have to call out the teacher in the middle of her class on her poor teaching methods? IMMENSELY. Did it need to be done? ABSOLUTELY. 

Any of my close friends will be the first to tell you that I avoid conflict at all costs. However, I pay a lot of money in tuition for this program and a waste of my time is a waste of not only my money, but my intellect and efforts as well. It was the final straw and I now feel better about what has happened as a result. It is fortuitous, I believe, that my group was scheduled with her as our teacher, because we are just outspoken and revolutionary enough to do something about it. 

If nothing else, take from this that you need to stick up for yourself, even in the face of embarrassment. Your life will be much more worthwhile if you do. A note of caution though: make sure it is worth standing up for, and if it is at all possible, avoid burning bridges. You never know when that bridge might be useful in the future. 

-M

Hello World!

How’s it going?

As a person with a background in writing, I know the importance of a good introduction (though I really can’t promise anything here). So, before I delve into the complex intricacies of life and everything it entails, I’d like to introduce myself.

This is me. ---------->

I admit, not the best picture I could have found, but it will do for today’s purposes. I am 23 years old and a Graduate Student, working to complete my Masters in Education. Upon the receipt of my certification, I hope to be teaching Language Arts in a high school in September. I live in the suburbs in Connecticut, but I love to travel and to experience new things. 

My interests include books, music, yoga, and outdoorsy activities. I am very adventurous (especially lately), and I especially love hiking and am trying to get over my fear of heights by doing lots of it. I also love doing interior design and baking as hobbies. 

One of my true passions is for writing, though I do not consider myself a novelist by any means. It’s one of those things that calms me and helps me make sense of my own life. Even as an introvert, the idea of spending endless hours of every day writing “the next American classic” as my mom sometimes puts it, wasn’t enough. I turned to teaching because I wanted to inspire students to LOVE things, to have PASSION, even if it is not for my specific content area. 

Lately, as more and more of my friends have delved into the political arena (and kept me privy to such information), I have been more curious about what is going on in the world, rather than being wrapped up in my own problems. Let me tell you, it is truly humbling to do so. When you realize some of the big issues that other people face every day, you learn to put things into perspective. 

Anyways, this blog is really meant as a means to make sense of not only my own issues (which I am sure I will discuss plentifully), but also thoughts on the various aspects of life: the ups, the downs, and everything in between. I will try to keep as much variety in my posting as possible. I’m a pretty eclectic person, so it shouldn’t be too difficult (theoretically) Either way, I hope you enjoy my blog! 

-M