So...apparently I'm golfing now

Yep, you heard it here first folks. Can I just tell you about my first day in Gustavus? Well, it started with a tumultuous pack sesh before I left Tacoma where I lost my watch. Lets just say my Mom and tears were involved. Some might say I was struggling with leaving Tacoma and those people would be correct . I had an amazing visit to Tacoma that reminded me of everything I love about that city and ultimately why I need to mo ve home....but that is Not why I'm blogging, no, I want to tell you about beautiful Gustavus, Alaksa.

I arrived in the afternoon after two flights... Really tired with lots of stuff. It took no time to move into my new digs...the wall tent as all I did was dump my bag out iN the middle of the tent...problem solved. Anywho, I wasn't here two hours before one of the new guides asked me I wanted to go to the driving range. It was sunny and warm and they had beer, so this was a no brainer. I can't remember if I told you about the driving range and golf course last year but its a quintessential Gustavus activity I that its paid by honor system, you borrow shitty clubs and shag your own balls. So yeah we went and I'm thinking, life is bliss. Then, just when I think life can't get any better we go to shag our balls and to my surprise its already strawberry season!!!! So the we grazed for about an hour. It was AMAZING! And the course is beautiful!!! More pics to follow. 

W.T.F.

I'm terrible at blogging. I'm not even going to make excuses, by this time, you should know that I've just been busy..with school. 

Speaking of, check out the Wolf Task Force that a couple of my students started. They think they're so funny. I kind of think it's funny too, although I think trapping is weird, and am especially bothered by trapping wolves. I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that there are a lot of things in life that I'm just never going to understand. At any rate, the wolves of Prince of Wales Island are being brought to justice by the high schoolers. 

So it's been a surprise to no one, except me, that living and teaching in an incredibly conservative state is hard for somebody from WA. I've been thinking a lot lately about what the future is going to hold for Miss Em (me). As we all know, I'm technically done with my teaching program in June, and by no means am obligated to teach in Alaska. Yes, if everything goes as planned, I should have a Professional Teaching Certificate in June. 

It was this time last year that I was informed that I probably would not have a job next year and that I should start looking for a new job. There has been no suggestion that this will happen to me this year, but really nobody knows, because the bullshit and bureaucracy that working for the state entails. I do know this, that if I do leave here, I will miss it. I work at a really awesome school, with great kids. I will miss them. And sometimes when I dream about living in a place more tolerant, I'm quickly reminded how lackadaisical teaching in rural Alaska can be. This is not suggest it's easy, I have to believe that it's actually harder. Let me give you an example from last week:

To celebrate the end of the semester and the end of a unit, in my geography class we had an "Oceania" party, which basically just consisted of eating Australian food, watching Flight of the Concords, and listening to music from Downunder. Oh yeah, an also in honor of the Maoi people of New Zealand we gave each other henna warrior tattoos (henna is not from New Zealand but I didn't think real tattoos were feasible). Any who, half way through this party where we are dancing, eating food and getting tattooed once my students who is getting a "tramp stamp" says, "My mom is going to kill me." And for the first time since I hatched this plan,  I was like, shit, maybe I should have sent a note home or something, you know, before I let their children apply 3 week tattoos to various parts of their body.

As of yet, I haven't heard of any reprecussions, and I don't really expect to. I use this as an example of how cool my students are and how chill my school is, I don't even think the administration noticed that I was having a party until after school when I literally had like all of the high school in my classroom wanting tattoos. The point is that things are more relaxed here then they are other places and I think that would be an adjustment for me or not, I don't know.

Also, I can't imagine finding a place more entertaining to live.

Well, off to plan for second semester!

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education." ~ MLK Jr

 
 

"Ms. Moody is actually pretty good at basketball"

Dreaming of longer and warmer days, already.

Student 1: What'd you guys do during PE today?

Student 2: We played 3 on 3 basketball. Ms. Moody is actually pretty good at basketball.

This quote is funny for two reasons:

1.     I’m not even “kind of” good at basketball. In fact, I don’t think that I’ve even played basketball since my days at Elk Plain Elementary.  This is the glory of working with middle school age children… I discovered this a long time ago: I’m better at doing almost everything than a 12 year old. Seriously, with only a few exceptions, I can do most things better than they can. And they occasionally notice, and think that I have some type of super power. It's a makes up for all the other stuff you have to put up with working with these little shit heads.

2.     They way this kid said it, was like he was absolutely amazed that I could possibly be good at anything…like (this is what he was thinking) here’s this woman, mean, smells bad, terrible at teaching, but actually, pretty good at basketball….. totally astonished.

I personally thought it was hilarious.

Oh man, it’s been a month since I blogged, terrible, no excuse, just busy I guess. Happs include single handedly putting on a Geography Bee for the entire school, students against teachers, the high school student team won. I was pretty jazzed. Considering I hate trivia, I actually really enjoying geography challenges.

Another less exciting thing but significant none the less, I put traction tires on my car and have been forcing myself to drive in the snow. This may not seem significant, but I have sincere anxiety about driving in the snow which is a real hindrance to my outdoor adventures considering it’s snowy here for several months out of the year. So yeah, that’s it, I’m a  little bit proud that I’m overcoming a fear and learning a super practical life skill.

I’m coming home on December 15^th for three weeks. I don’t have much planned except a 253 Christmas party with all my old Rosewood homies, dinner and drinks with my home girl/cousin Marian, drinking coffee, drinking beer, practicing yoga and eating delicious food, other than that no plans. Holler at your girl to get on the schedule.

Okay, start drinking water now!

"Dang it, I'm a liberal."

Fall on Prince of Wales Island

This one is too good not to share.... so the election is over. I made it through a presidential election cycle in Alaska. No easy task. I've been fortunate enough this year to teach middle school social studies and high school US History. I cannot begin to explain how nice it is to be teaching in my content area. This would be the first time since I started this program that I actually have command over the content that I'm suppose to be teaching....compare that to entrepreneurship, math or health....all classes I've been asked teach. Whatever, the point is, I've really been enjoying teaching this semester, partly because I get to teach something that I actually know something about. 

Back to the story.... I've been using my time in middle school social studies to teach civics. We started from the beginning, the purpose of government, the founding of our country, the constitution, etc....leading up to the formations of political parties and platforms. My students were very eager to learn about the political parties and to talk politics but I wanted to make sure they had a sound understanding of the purpose of government before we got there. Any who, the time finally came two weeks ago when it was time to start delving in to the two-party system that we practice here in the US, but before we started this unit, I gave them a quiz that asked them rank themselves on a spectrum from liberal to conservative on big issues facing our country. The five issues were taxes, energy, defense, education and health care. Before I gave them the quiz, I erased the the words left, right, liberal and conservative so that they didn't know which stance was associated with each political party. When I administered the test, a couple of my students were wise to me, they asked which side was republican and democrat. I told them it didn't matter, I wanted them to read about each issue and pick which stance they thought made the most sense based on what they knew to be true.

I was NOT surprised to learn that most of my students (I gave it to two classes, one middle school and one high school) were smack dab in the middle....like the majority of the country. It was a great exercise though because these kids really pride themselves on being super conservative and totally republican, I wanted to make the point that they didn't even know what it meant to be a republican or a democrat and more importantly, that they were actually pretty moderate. 

One of the brightest students I have is also the one who called me out for meditation. As soon as we completed the test, and started learning about the party platforms, he realized that his quiz would prove that he was more liberal (which he totally was, he actually sided more with liberal viewpoints than any of my other students). He kept asking for his quiz back and I kept reminding everyone that I would hand it out when were finished with the unit, any who, one day in class he looked at me and said, "Dang it, I'm a liberal." Me, trying my very best to be nonpartisan, said, "That's fine, why do you think you feel that way?" To which he replied, "If the purpose of government is to protect on natural rights, then how could you be anything but a liberal?"

WINNING! I was speechless, first I was totally impressed that he remembered what the purpose of government is and second was so pleased that he came to that conclusion. I've prided myself on being unbiased and nonpartisan while teaching about the government. In fact (to my amazement) I still have most of my students guessing what political party I belong to. When asked I remind them that this is my place of employment and I don't think that politics or religion belong in the work place, and then I add that it shouldn't matter what I think, that they should think for themselves.

Once we were finished with the unit and I handed back their quizzes, I gave them this lecture:

1. Regardless of where your political views fall right now, they will change and evolve (except I didn't say this word because, you know it's bad word), and that's OKAY.

2. If we're going to be debating politics in this class or any other class, it needs to be based on these questions that we just discussed (the purpose and role of government).  

3. If somebody is a member of a party that is different than the one you associate with, it doesn't make that person bad or evil, it simply means that they have different views on the role of government and how to solve social issues. 

And after explaining that to three different classes. I think that I'm starting to believe it. It was a long road, and kind of a scary one, but I'm really pleased that I was able to teach this unit. And it goes without saying that I was pleased with the election outcome. And for the record, I did vote for a republican for state house here in Alaska. 

Peace in the Southeast

 

Busted

Almost got smoked out of my own classroom last night with incense.  

I got straight-up called out today at school. Yes, it's true, the secret is out, I have been practicing meditation with the middle schoolers.  Yep, the difference between today and the rest of the school year when we've been practicing these awareness exercises, er uh, I mean devil worshiping, is that today, I accidentally said the word. You know the one, the M word (meditation). I don't know what I was thinking, it truly was an accident, and as soon as it slipped out, I knew there was going to be hell to pay. And sure as shit, as soon as school got out I had a meeting with my principal about something, "very important." As soon as I sat down he was like, "guided meditation, are you serious?" To make a long story very short, the least tolerant people on earth, AKA the Baptist, are rampant in the town that I live in. They believe that meditation is praying to yourself and the ONLY person you should be praying to is GOD. So meditation is NOT to be trusted. Proof that they have no idea what meditation is, but that's not really the point. That's what I love about these people, they don't let facts or science get in the way of their belief system.

I went and made my case to the parents, who happen to be teachers at the school (both of them), and happen to be people I like and respect a lot. Armed with the guided meditation book that I was reading from and scientific evidence proving that meditation is good for the brain; I ensured them that I am not trying to indoctrinate their child, that I was simply trying to prime the middle school brain for learning after a long weekend. I also told them that I wouldn't do it anymore, and I'm not going to.

Yeah, I know, I'm going straight to hell. What else is new? I'm actually really upset that people could be so close minded and so disappointed that I let myself become so comfortable that I let my guard down enough to say the word, because truthfully, had I not said it, I probably could have done concentration and brain work with them all year. The lack of tolerance of new ideas will probably drive me out of rural communities. I don't have time for this shit. The worst part about it is that I totally feel like I have label now, but as one my friends pointed out me, I'm kind of transparent, I wasn't really hiding anything to begin with.

In completely unrelated news, I bought a car so I've been able to do lots of cool stuff outside. We've had a fabulous fall. Happs have mostly included hiking and kayaking. Today in fact, I took my US History class kayaking in the Thorne Bay and up the river. It was really fun. 

I'm moving into my new classroom this weekend. It's super small but so pretty! Pictures to follow, I have an awesome view of the bay and a cute waterfall. 

"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."
 ~ my boy, Thomas Jefferson

September 21, 2012

Pink Boombox - Are you kidding me? Hands down the best thing that has happened to me lately.      

 

September 21st is International Day of Peace, which is awesome, but this day is going to be cool for another reason as well..........I'm coming home for Chriselda's wedding. Hootie Hoo, so excited! My Mother (the bad ass) is hosting a dinner party in my honor on Monday, September 24 for interested parties. Everyone is invited, please come! I'm only going to be home for a hot minute, I leave Wednesday.

Yeah, I'm still teaching in Alaska. This just in: the right to bear arms, not a natural right.

There is more going on up here than I have time to report. A few exceptional things include my dance unit in PE where I'm teaching the entire middle school (all 10 boys) the Thriller Dance for International Thrill Day next month and the bike gang that I started with the same kids. I've really really been enjoying working with the middle schoolers. Oh yeah, and don't tell anyone, but I'm also doing yoga and guided meditation with these boys. Shhhhhh!

"Be the change that you want to see, just like Gandhi!"
~ MC Yogi

You might be teaching in Alaska if..................

Sign posted at the Sitka Ferry Terminal

......On the first day of school your principal tells the entire student body, "High School boys, do-not keep your guns in your truck."
 (He started by acknowledging that it's hunting season)

..........When you ask your students what they did this summer and 75% of them say commercial fishing, and 100% respond with stories of fishing, hunting or both. 

..........When you ask your students what was the most unexpected thing that happened to them this summer and they show you a picture of them holding a wild goose. 

.........Your "biggest" class has 10 students. 

I've been back in Thorne Bay for a little over a week and things are good. Super busy, as-per-usual but off to a good start. I continue to be entertained on a daily basis by exactly how ridiculous some of these people are. More stories to follow, for sure, the middle school this year consists of 10 boys, no girls!!!! Lord have mercy on me.

Enjoy the rest of the summer.