Study effective teachers

5/8/08 - Classroom set-ups

Too often, I feel that I walk into a classroom and see the individual desks in rows facing the board where the teacher teaches. While I don't think it's a terrible set-up, I'm just not a huge fan of it. I would say that the majority of the classes that I have been in have used this traditional set-up; however, there have been a few that create Us or circles with the desks. I am much more interested in these set-ups, specifically the circle as it is easier to have discussions in the classroom. In high school, I enjoyed my classes when we had large group discussions with the whole class. Sometimes in our classes, even if our classroom usually had rows of desks, we would move the room around so that we would form a circle to have our discussions. It just worked so much better.

At the middle school, Pierre Moran, where I'm having my field experience, most of the classes I've seen, including my class, the room is set-up with the desks in rows. Because it's a science classroom, the students aren't always at their desks because they may have labs to complete. However, it seems that the students are at their desks for a good amount of time.

Now, I understand that when the teacher is teaching in front of the class or up at the board, it is easier to have all of the students face forward, which leads to the rows of desks. However, in our Inclusive Schooling class, the tables that we sit at are in a U-shape so that we are facing the board, but are able to have discussions. I think that this works well like the circles.

I suppose that my suggestion for this issue or topic would be to simply change the set-up of the classroom. On the other hand, changing the set-up of the classroom from the traditional rows to circles/Us may cause difficulty in teaching from the front of the room. Well, maybe this method needs to change, or at least decrease in the amount of use. I personally like to have group discussions with the whole class, and feel that they greatly help in understanding the given material. Perhaps teachers should begin to incorporate this way of teaching into their classes, no matter the subject. I think it's okay to teach from the front of the classroom, as long as it doesn't occur during the whole class time. I think that having discussions the second half about the topics of the day would benefit the students and allow them to interact more with the issues.

Overall, I believe that if we want to improve the learning of our students, we have to step back and make sure that "we" are teaching in a way that is productive. This includes our techniques, material we are using, as well as the room set-up. First, we need to evaluate the learning environment, and then we need to figure out if there's anything we can do that will help the students and ourselves. I think a quick fix can be simply changing the direction of the desks so that the students can look into their peers' eyes and talk.

5/10/08 - "Dead Poets Society"

Tonight I watched the movie called "Dead Poets Society" and it was amazing. It was such a great movie! Basically, it's about these high school-aged boys who have a new teacher one year. The teacher brings in new techniques in order to help them understand the world around them, and experience it in a new way.

Robin Williams plays the new teacher Mr. Keating who wants to impress upon these boys the importance of taking control of your life - or as he quotes, "carpe diem". I loved his character because he never backed down. Even though the headmaster of the school didn't appreciate Mr. Keating's techniques, Mr. Keating continued to teach his students the way he felt was most successful. Whether he took them outside to the courtyard, kept them in the classroom, or had them look into the eyes of men from the past, Mr. Keating was always pushing them to be their best. Most of the boys were inspired by his words and passion, and tried to take control of their lives to live the way they wanted to.

Robin Williams's character was the kind of teacher that I would like to be - someone who isn't afraid to teach what he believes is true and real. He felt so strongly about living life to the fullest that he would continue to push even when others were pushing against him. I thought this characteristic was one of the things that made Mr. Keating so interesting - he knew what he felt and he went with it.

Also as Robin Williams's character did, I want to inspire my future students to find something that they are passionate about so that they can do what they want with their lives. I want my future students to love the lives they are living and to see the good in the world. Robin Williams's character had such a passion for teaching, and he wants his students to figure out what they are passionate about, and then to never let go of it.

Overall, I thought that this movie, "Dead Poets Society," gave a wonderful representation of a teacher who really teaches. He moves his students to be the best that they can, and to want the best out of life. He teaches his students to be passionate about something, and to stand up for what they believe in. Mr. Keating is the kind of person I love to learn from, and he's the kind of person that I want to be.

5/15/08 - Vocational Stories

About 20 minutes ago, I sat down to read the vocational stories written by several Goshen College professors, and I was quite impressed with what I read. While each story was different in a variety of ways, there were several themes that were present throughout my reading. These themes were strong characteristics that I feel help to create good teachers. These characteristics include strong backgrounds, interest in learning, enjoying teaching students, and their strong value of faith.

All of the professors discussed their backgrounds in education and various experiences, including international experience. It was good to hear that most professors didn't end up doing what they thought they would. It was also interesting to hear their different reasons for going into their study of choice or how they ended up where they did. I appreciated hearing the various "best advice" they had been given, as well as the advice they were giving to any students starting out on their own journeys. I also enjoyed hearing the different international experiences that helped them develop into the educators they are now.

Another similarity was the interest in learning as well as teaching. They illustrated the interest in continuing their education as far as they could in order to teach effectively. It was this continual interest in learning that seems to make good teachers. Learning is a two way "conversation" -students learn from the teachers, but teachers also need to learn from the students. These professors all seem interested in learning from the college students that are in their classrooms.

The professors all also wrote about their passion for teaching. They wrote about the complex interactions that they enjoy having with their students, and this kind of thing always makes me happy to hear. They seem to thoroughly enjoy talking with others to try and understand the meaning of our existence. It's this investigation that I also enjoyed reading about.

The majority of professors discussed their faith as well, and how important it is in their lives. They talked about how they believed they would end up where they were meant to be, and they felt supported by their beliefs. I was impressed by their deep connection to their beliefs and how they were so thankful that they have this in their lives.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading the different professors' vocational stories as they gave me a different view of the professors here on campus. I was able to read about some of their struggles and victories, and how they came to be where they are now. Even though I've not met most of these professors, I have the understanding from their stories that they are strong teachers who bring all of their knowledge and learning about the world and apply it to their everyday lives in teaching. I think this is evidence of a powerful and effective teacher.

Get political

5/7/08 - Clinton vs. Obama...
"There can only be one"

The title for this blog entry comes from the title, or cover story, of the May 5, 2008 issue of Time magazine. I became a subscriber to Time when I asked for a subscription to it for Christmas. Since then, I've been trying to keep up with the weekly issues that arrive in my mailbox, filled with new information about the U.S., the world, and a variety of topics. More recently, the issues have been offering up views on the current debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton as they vie for the Democratic nomination.

Though I have been very busy this year with my first year of college, I have been interested in the candidates running for the Democratic and Republican nominations. I am especially excited for this November because it will be the first time that I'm able to vote for a president. Last week, I received this issue, and was intrigued by the cover (which I have added to this blog).

Today, I finally read the cover story, which was titled "Shrinking Democrats". The article discusses the different debates about the candidates that have been presented throughout the campaigning. One side of the debates is about the actual issues. The article states, "there is a need for a big election this year", giving big examples that need to be solved, such as the war in Iraq, health-insurance problems, as well as fossil fuel issues. While the campaigning is "big" when discussing the issues of the year, the campaign has also been "big" in terms of personal attacks. Towards Obama, many of the attacks have been a question of his race, his affiliation with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and whether or not he has enough experience. In Clinton's case, some attacks have been about her husband's over-involvement in the campaign, whether or not she is trustworthy, and the story about her 1996 landing in Bosnia.

The focus of the article appears to be about how Clinton and Obama have evolved throughout the campaigning and how they have handled many different scenarios. There isn't a whole lot of information about their views of the present issues, which I think helps to represent the focus of the campaign at this point. To me, this "race" for the democratic nomination is more about character than the views of the candidates, at least when it comes to Obama and Clinton. In terms of their views, my understanding is that they are relatively similar, but it's how they present their views or plan to work that vary. There was another issue of Time Magazine that I read which asked a popular question, "Why not both?" I've thought about this, and considered their stances, and it seemed like an appropriate idea. It seems that they both have strengths where the other has their weaknesses. It just seems like a possible solution.

However, I don't think it's going to work like that. Perhaps whoever wins will choose the other to run with them as a sideman, or whatever. Overall, I've enjoyed reading about these two candidates and how they have been working over the past year or so. In the long run, I feel that the individual who is most competent will (hopefully) be chosen, and will lead the United States with a steady hand and positive outlook. For now though, we'll just have to wait and see...

5/17/08 -"A Pathway to Policy"

I just finished reading an interview in a journal called Social Policy. The issue I read was a special feature about education reform. There were several articles that covered a variety of topics/controversies/ideas in education all over the United States. This article in particular that I read was an interview with Jeannie Oaks and Marisa Saunders who have both been working with the Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access (IDEA), in an effort to improve the quality of public schools in lower-class neighborhoods.

The first question asked by Social Policy is for some background information about IDEA as well as it's goals. Jeannie Oaks gives a thorough look into the program, explaining its interest in researching schools performance levels and effectiveness in educating the students for a future in college education. A big issue is the topic of college attendance from the low-income group, and IDEA wants to increase the availability of college education for those individuals. Oaks also introduces the program called Multiple Pathways, which is working to spread the awareness that the most effective teaching techniques is a combination of several components: "college preparation, knowledge about careers, and some immersion in the world of work or in the world of life outside of school" (pg. 24).

Following this overview, Oaks and Saunders give in-dept descriptions of two new schools that have taken on this approach. The first is the Health Professions High School in Sacramento, CA, which has only been opened for three years. Here, students in high school are taught the basics (math, English, science, etc.), but they are taught those subjects in a way that helps them understand their future careers in health. In her example, Oaks explains that the big topic the students were focusing on during her visit was disease. In their science class, they worked with different experiments about finding medicines that would treat the disease; in the math class, they worked with equations that would help them understand how to treat a patient when knowing the relationship between the patient's height and weight; in English, they were learning how to present information that they had discovered. So, in this school, they were taught the basics that a high schooler needs to understand, but they were being taught in a way that supported their future work in a health profession.

Next, Saunders talked about the Stanley E. Foster Construction Tech Academy, which is one of four other parts in the Kearny High Educational Complex, located in San Diego, CA (it opened in 2002). This school is similar to the Health Professions High School in that it gives students the basic skills, but helps them prepare for a future in technology or construction of some sort. The other similarity is that these schools prepare students for a continued education after high school, but also gives them enough skills in order to begin work right out of high school, if college, or continued education, is not in their plans. While these two schools are different in their areas of study, they are similar in this new approach to teaching, which seems to give students more understanding about the world in which they will one day work.

With this being such a new approach to education, the important part of organizing these schools is spreading the word, and getting support. Oaks and Saunders also understand the prevalence of skeptics of this approach, as they both were before starting in the IDEA program. However, the word of this does continue to spread. Another issue is that of having many schools change their programs, which cost money. There would have to be approval of community members as well, in order to pass this decision. Although, while it seems that there are some challenges to overcome, both Oaks and Saunders are confident in this approach to education, and feel that with the right information provided to citizens, the importance of this teaching will be seen, and eventually, these kind of schools will become more prevalent around the country.

When reading this article, I was really intrigued by this idea, or approach, to teaching. I see the importance of preparing students to live in the world, and I feel that giving them good support, in a particular area that they find interesting, is a good way to prepare them. Obviously, not all students continue their education after high school, so why not prepare them for work in an area that they enjoy? In my area back home in Vermont, several students from my high school attend a technical center nearby. Here, the students are able to focus their attention on an area that is not offered, in an in-depth way, at our high school. These areas include automobile work, media, childcare, and many others. I like this approach to teaching, and often wish that there were more schools like this, that would focus more on one area.

As I said before, I like this focused approach to education. Students at this age know what they are interested in. Why not give them a way to start focusing in on it at an early age? It also would give those students a reason to attend the math/science/English classes that are required for graduation. It would make those classes more interesting, which seems to be a good way to hold the students' attention in class.

5/19/08 - Powerful organizations

For this blog, I've read about several different organizations that are dedicated to improving some area of education. These include NAME (National Association for Multicultural Education), DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act), and NEA (National Education Association). I was interested in the goals that these organizations have set and steps they have already taken to accomplish those goals.

Out of these organizations, I was most interested in NAME, which works to increase the amount of multicultural education. NAME was founded in 1990 by members of the Association of Teacher Educators' Multicultural Education Special Interest Group. The members of NAME are separated into different committees, including the Executive Committee (in charge of leading meetings), Bylaws Committee (overseeing management of bylaws), Membership Committee (oversee activities to promote membership), Planning and Finance Committee (in charge of financial information and planning activities for funds), and Publications Committee (in charge of keeping up with publications of organizations), to name a few.

NAME works to spread the ideas of cultural diversity and appreciation in schools, as well as eliminating discrimination towards different cultures. They also are working to spread policies and standards for diversity in schools and other areas of education. NAME brings people together from different backgrounds who are working towards worldwide acceptance of all cultures and people. They are a powerful and positive group of individuals who want to help change the world.

Immediately upon looking at their website (which I included below), I was impressed by their goals and future plans, as well as their philosophy about their organizations. I agree with them that the diversity of cultures is so important in our world, and we must do everything we can to spread this acceptance. I looked at their membership page, and found that to enjoy their journal, newsletter, and several other features, you must pay a due. Because of my college status, I am unable to pay the amount of money that they ask, but I hope to one day be involved with their organization. For now, I will work to spread their themes of acceptance to the people around me. I also will be sure to include this aspect in my future classroom.

I hope that I will be the kind of teacher that invites each student to pull their knowledge from their own background. I hope to spread the idea that our cultures are so important as to who we are, and we need to understand the importance of learning about other people's cultures, as well as understanding our own. Perhaps by the time I am a teacher, I will be involved with an organization, such as NAME, and that I will somehow introduce my students to organizations like these that are dedicated to creating a diverse and accepting world. One of my hopes as a future teacher, is that I will influence my future students to grasp the unique features of people, like their culture, because that uniqueness is what makes this world great.

NAME's website: http://www.nameorg.org/index.html

Become aware that you are a role model and act accordingly

5/5/06 - Piercings

Last month, on April 12th, a couple of friends and I went to a piercing and tattoo parlor. As part of the college experience, I had decided that I wanted to get my nose pierced. I knew it wouldn't be a huge deal with my parents, so I felt pretty exciting about getting it done. Well, it hurt, a lot, but I've enjoyed having it for the past month. However, as May term drew closer, I realized that I would be placed in a school in the area to get some field experience, and I started to wonder if I would have to take out my nose ring.

Now, first of all, it's not a huge nose ring, and it's not even a ring. It's a stud in the shape of a star, and I think it's cute. However, I understand that there are parents or teachers who would have an issue with ateacher who has a nose ring, so I figured I'd better buy a retainer so that I could take out the stud, but still ensure that the hole wouldn't fill in (sorry if this is too graphic).
Our teacher had advised us earlier about taking out any visual piercing that aren't always considered appropriate, at least for the first while to give off a good first impression. I figured that I would, at some point, ask the teacher, whose classroom I'm in, if it was okay with them if I wore my nose ring. But at least for a little while, I would wear the retainer.

Well, it's been a week and a half, and I think I've decided that I won't ask. I'll wear the retainer every morning to school. I've decided this on my own, and the reason being that I want to be a good role model. Alright, so I'm in a middle school class, and it seems that kids this age will act however they want, but I want to set a good example, especially considering some of the kids in my class. Some of them are very unmotivated, and seem like the kind of kids who could get in trouble. I also realize that this is a school setting, where students are supposed to be learning, and I don't want anything to block the students from learning something about me. While I get annoyed when society suppresses individuals from expressing themselves, I also understand that there are some places for expressing yourself and other places where it's important to be respectful of others, and school is one of those places where you earn and give respect.

I think by not wearing my nose ring to school I'm (hopefully) earning and giving respect to both teachers and students. I'm respecting them by saying "I will present myself in a professional manner because I am serious about spending time in your school, and I want to learn from you". I hope that I will also earn respect because I am presenting myself as willing to learn and not letting obstacles, such as this example, stop me from learning.


5/9/08 - Little changes...

This year I have been trying to make some changes in my actions. While these changes aren't the biggest changes I could make, I am trying to do something to help the earth. These changes include recycling, picking up trash, trying to use fairtrade products, and being aware of electricity when I'm not using it.

I find it relaxing to walk outside. But often during these relaxing times, I am troubled when I see all of the trash on the ground. Earlier this spring, I decided to do something about it: I picked it up. So, today, when I went for a walk, I did just this. However, it's probably not the most sanitary thing, and there's only so much my hands can carry. So, also today, I made a plan: from now on when I go for a walk, I will take a bag with me to pick up the trash. Afterwards, if there's anything I can recycle, I will do so. This leads to my next tasks: I am going to continue working at recycling on my own, which I have been doing for a while. It's very helpful to have the recycling bins out in the halls of the dorms, so I use those. Any bottles, newspapers/magazines, extra paper I can't use anymore, etc. that I have, I recycle. When I can, I print double-sided to save paper, and I've saved paper from last semester that has print on one side to use for later use. Hopefully, my addition in the recycling community will be beneficial in some part.

After attending a presentation by SweatFree Communities this semester, I decided to become more aware of the products I'm buying. At this point, I'm using coffee that is fairtrade, and when I'm finished with the sugar that I have now, I'm going to try and buy fairtrade raw sugar. I also want to work at buying clothes that have been made in the US instead of clothing that are known to be made in sweatshops. Because I'm in college, my funds are limited, and I'm finding it hard to purchase all fairtrade items that I need, because they're more expensive. Although I'm making small steps that hopefully will make some sort of impact.

I am also trying to be more aware of electricity and making sure lights are off and my appliances aren't plugged in when I'm not using them. When I'm not using my printer, I unplug it, as well as my computer and my phone charger. I also prefer to have my window blind up and use sunlight instead of having the lights on in my room. I think that watching the amount of electricity that I'm using is in someway, at least a little, benefiting the world.

I don't know if it will happen or not, but perhaps a child will see these little actions that I am taking and will learn to follow. People my age and older need to understand that we are role models to younger generations, and we need to show them how to take care of this world. I know that these actions I'm taking are not big, but they are changes that I am making to help the world. I've seen and read explanations that have shown the damage done to the world already, and I believe that we need to start working to help it. I believe that small changes like this are what make big changes possible.

5/19/08 - What I want people to see in me

I have decided that I want to be more aware of my actions in order to give out the image that I want people to have of me. I want people to think that I am a respectful, knowledgeable, strong-minded woman, who also enjoys having fun and being goofy. There are times when I'm very shy and quiet, and other times when I'm more comfortable that I goof off with my friends and am very loud and sometimes obnoxious. I don't want people to think I'm a "prude", but I also don't want to be considered "free for all". So, I've come up with a list of characteristics that I would like to work on. Here they are...

1. Watch what I say: Usually, I'm aware of what comes out of my mouth. When asked a question, I like to think about it for a little before answering. Even in regular conversations, I am aware of the people around me, and I ask myself whether the comment I'm thinking of is appropriate. However, if I'm goofing off with my friends, I might say something that isn't appropriate, and then I regret saying it later. I want to work on this, and always try to be aware of what I am saying around people. This is especially important if I'm going to be working in a school setting around children. I want to convey to them the importance of being appropriate with what you say in all situations.
   
2. Dress appropriately: More recently, I have been trying to find clothes that are fun but also classy. Before I started my field experience at a middle school, I went out and bought some clothes that would be appropriate for teaching. They are fun clothes that fit my personality and age, but also give a professional vibe. Generally to my classes, I wear t-shirts and jeans, and I when I work, I try to dress up these clothes a little. Hopefully, when working this summer, I will bring in some money that will go to more clothes that represent my fun but responsible personality, and will help convey a strong image as a future teacher.
3. Share my opinions/views: As I said earlier, I can sometimes be very quiet, and this is especially true when I'm around new people. With this new experiences in my first year at college, I have been forced to be more open around new people. I only new my cousin (who was a senior) when I started, but now I know that I have quite a few good friends. My goal is to be able to speak in public confidently, knowing that my opinion is valued and is important to share. I am continuing to work at speaking in public and sharing my ideas in groups of people. I just have to work up the confidence to say something, and I think the time it takes, for me to work up that confidence to speak in public, is getting shorter.
   
4. Be open to people who are different from me: I think I can be a pretty judgmental person. I can see someone and judge them by their appearance, and I'm really working on getting to know them before I figure out how I feel about them. I'm also working on taking time to meet people, especially when my first reaction is that I don't really like them. I want to be open to being friends with people who are pretty different from me. I know that peoples' differences are what makes this world so unique, and I want to be someone who appreciates those differences that arise between people. More recently, I've been telling myself and others, "It's not that I don't like them, I just don't get along with that part of their personality". I'm accepting that I'm not going to like or get along with everyone, but that doesn't mean that I can't be friends with them. I am working to continue this thinking.
5. When making decisions, ask myself what I really want: When it comes to decision making, I'm not the best person to talk to. I often say "I don't care" or "it's up to you". Sometimes, I truly mean this, and other times, I think I'm too worried about making sure that the other person is happy with the outcome. I need to work on expressing my desires about outings, movies, food, and other little things like this. Generally, it's little decisions like these that I'm making, but it also applies to bigger decisions. I want to be more aware that my choice really does matter to people, and so I should share it. I want to convey this idea to my future students to show them that their choices in life do matter. I want to tell them the importance of listening to the voices inside them and following that voice. Because to enjoy life, you need to listen to yourself.

These five characteristics may not be the most distinctive features of my personality, but I like to think that the little things matter most. These are ways that I want to improve myself and show that I believe I am important, which I am! I want to always think like this, and later convince my future students to think the same way. In this life, it's important to take care of yourself, and I want to convey to my students, and peers, the need to love yourself for who you are. Hopefully, but improving the way I present myself, I will convey this message of self-respect to everyone around me.

Develop ways to "recharge your battery"

5/6/08 - Exercise

Sunday was a long day. (I'll admit) I hadn't begun working on part A of our ABC papers that was due on Monday at 12:30, and I had been up late the night before. I was not looking forward to thinking about and typing up a 4-6 page paper, but I knew I had to do it. Well, I woke up around 10:30, had a little breakfast in my room (with coffee) and started working on my paper. I continued to work until I finished my paper, soon before going to dinner at 5:00 (when I was still in my pajamas). For the next few hours, I felt like crap. Until dinnertime, I had been stuck in my room - for six hours - sitting in front of my computer. Around 8:00 or so, after talking with my mom, I decided to go to the Rec/Fitness Center to workout for an hour. Afterwards, I felt so much better, and this is why...

I enjoy exercising, especially running. While it's hard and tiring during the actual workout, it feels wonderful when I'm finished. And actually, if I'm really into it, I can enjoy the resistance that I am facing; I love the feeling of sweat dripping from my face; and I love knowing that I'm "that much closer" to the end. I've dealt with weight issues in the past, and found that exercising works really well for me. Not only does it help me feel better physically, but mentally, it helps calm me down.

When I take half an hour or an hour to exercise, I am able to focus on one thing: me. I'm able to forget whatever else I have to do and am able to think about how my body is moving, which is what it was meant to do. During this time, I'm able to be by myself and not think about the distractions of the world around me. I enjoy running outside because I'm able to see an area outside of Goshen College. I sometimes run along the train tracks, and watch as a train moves alongside me. I'm able to hear the birds and watch the squirrels and rabbits as they live among the trees and shrubs. I'm able to just be out in nature and be myself.

Alone time is something I truly value now that I'm in college. I like sitting by myself, reading, watching a movie or TV, exercising, or doing other activities. Having some time to yourself allows you to reflect on the routine happenings of the day or a specific event that may have had an impact on you. I believe that it's important to take a little bit of time out of every day to focus on yourself and be alone. During this time, relax, breathe deeply, and focus on the most important thing in your life: you.

5/13/08 - Words

A few years ago, my mom started a notebook for me in which she wrote quotes that she found and thought I would like, or ones that I told her I liked. More recently, I began adding quotes, and now I have it with me in college. Whenever I hear a quote that I like, I add it to my notebook, and I also type it up on a word document on my computer.

I love collecting quotes because it gives me comforting words to turn to when I need them. I collect quotes from many different places: friends/family, [bumper] stickers, Dove chocolate wrappers, books, online, authors/celebrities/spokespeople, etc. When I see or hear a quote that I like, I try to quickly write it down and think about it. I like words, and I enjoy thinking about deeper meanings that the words may hold. I've add a short list of some of my favorite quotes:

• "Laugh uncontrollably...it clears the mind." - Dove chocolate wrapper
• "Do what feels right." -Dove chocolate wrapper
• "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the places and moments that take our breath away"
• "You are unrepeatable. There is a magic about you that is all your own..." -D.M. Dellinger
• "Live to the point of tears" -Albert Camus
• "If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise" - Johann Wolfgang van Goethe

Also this year, my friends and I have been reading from a book called 14,000 Things to be Happy About. It's a wonderful book that is just a long list of good things. When reading from this book, I write down my favorite examples and put them in my book of quotes. Reading from this book, especially in the evening, allows each of us to relax and think about the good things in life. I've also added an excerpt from a page of this book below:

"sitting down and really thinking out an attitude of yours that you're not really sure of
a torchlight ski down the slopes
butter-steamed carrots
reminding yourself that everything you do, think, and dream matters
cottage cheese with chives, with apples, with onions and herbs
getting a whiff of that first ocean breeze
sour-cream pumpkin pie
Sturbridge apple bread" (pg. 239)

Lists of words like these help me take time to see the little things in life. Reading these words gives me comfort that there is good in this world and that those good things are what living is about.

5/14/08 - My "To Do List" For Life

A while ago, I started making a list of things that I want to do in my life. As I hear about opportunities or other experiences people have had, I add things that sound incredible. This list includes places to go, activities to take part in, being independent, and others. I have the list saved on my computer and I also have a printed version up on my cork-board. I am constantly adding things to my list, which helps me look forward to the many new and different experiences I plan to have at some point.

Making this list helps me in several ways: a.) it helps to remind me of things I really want to do in my life, b.) it makes me excited about new experiences I am going to have, c.) it gives me hope when I'm upset, because I know that at some point I will be able to check all of these activities off my list. The printed version at my desk is especially helpful for the last point. If I'm sad about something, I can look up at my list and dream about the various things I want to do.

Many times I'll dream about the places I want to go, and what they will look or be like in real life. Thinking about my future in this way helps me to relax and hold onto a positive view in the challenging situations that I am faced with. By thinking about these future activities, I am assured that I will overcome whatever it is I am struggling with at that point.

Here are a few examples from my list:

• shave my head
• travel all over the world
• be fluent in more than one language
• ride in a hot air balloon

Volunteer in or join an organization or get involved in a group comprised of people who are significantly different than you

5/5/08 - Diversity Day

On Saturday, May 3rd, I attended Goshen's Diversity Day at Maple City Chapel. I went with a few friends, and we had a lot of fun. In the two hours that we were there, we tried lots of different foods, watched different dances, had our hair braided, and got henna tattoos, all from different people from around the world. I think the food and dancing were my favorite parts. We tried food from Russia, Germany, Ethiopia, and Mexico. Some of the dancing was from these similar areas as well.












I love attending events like this because I am very interested in the world, and I want to travel everywhere. I also love learning about where people are from and hearing about their different experiences. I took a couple of pictures of maps that had tacks that showed where everybody was from. I liked the building that Diversity Day was held in because it was big enough for over a hundred different people to enjoy the same space, and I was happy that I was able to attend this event and enjoy it with all of them.















5/13/08 - Laundromat = diversity?

Yesterday, Deanna, Katie, and I went to a laundromat downtown, instead of using the one on campus. We went to try and experience a different atmosphere, and observe the amount of diversity that occurred here. While it was obvious that we went during a slow time of the day (bad judgment on our part), it was also obvious that there was diversity that went on at this laundromat. There were several examples that I witnessed...

One feature that I picked out was the lack of signs in Spanish on the machines. I understand that there is a relatively large community of Spanish-speaking members in Goshen, and I was kind of surprised that there weren't any instructions in Spanish for how to use the various machines. One wall had a board where individuals can post advertisements, and there were many advertisements in Spanish. When I saw this, it made me wonder even more why there weren't more signs in Spanish.

Another visual example was the different people that were present. There were a few people who were Caucasian, some who were Hispanic, and I think maybe one who was African American. There were a couple of different languages spoken, including English and Spanish, and also a variety of attire, where the clothes differed in tightness, color, and style. It was clear that many of these people didn't know each other, and it was interesting to see how they each went about their business, while being aware of the other individuals.

When I thought about how this laundromat compared to the laundry room that is in the connector of the dorms, I realized that there is diversity in both places. Goshen's campus is pretty diverse, with many different individuals, styles, and languages, to name a few examples. However, I think I was more intrigued by the local laundromat, mainly the interaction of the individuals. At the campus laundry room, there is diversity, but all people who use this laundry room are students, so we all have that common ground. Also, this laundry room is the only one in dorms, so unless students in the dorms want to go elsewhere, they use this one. At the laundromat downtown, individuals don't have to go there, but they do. They enter this diverse place and interact with other individuals, whether they realize it or not. These kinds of places can open up interaction between different races, ethnicities, cultures, etc, and it's up to us to take advantage of those opportunities.

5/16/08 - Wal-Mart...Offering more than just cheap stuff...

The other day, I made a quick trip to the Wal-Mart in Goshen to pick up a few things. My friend and I quickly picked out the needed items, and went on our merry way. Later, I told my friend about my blog assignment, and she said "write about Wal-Mart". At first, this struck me as odd, but after thinking about it, I realized she was right. The Wal-Mart here in Goshen is filled with a diversity of people from many different backgrounds. Thinking back, I do remembering realizing this feature at the beginning of the year when I went to this Wal-Mart, but it seems to have sunken into my view of this Wal-Mart.

I'm from Vermont, and in our area, it's not really diverse. At least to me, it seems that we're mostly white up there. Anyways, when comparing a local Wal-Mart in Vermont to the one here in Goshen, you see a big change in races and ethnicities. The one here is so much more diverse. When walking through the sliding doors, you can be sure to see people from backgrounds such as Amish, Hispanic, African/African-American, Asian/Asian-American, and many more. If you stop and listen, you can here many different languages and dialects being spoken at one time, and I love it. I love seeing all the different people coming to one (big) store in order to care for themselves and/or their families.

That's what makes me part of this group: we are all trying to survive. We are all going to Wal-Mart (the best place) to pick up the items that will get us through a few days, weeks, months, years. We buy items for ourselves that we like, or we buy things for others. Either way, we're all trying to get along in life, and that's why we're at Wal-Mart buying food, clothing, pharmaceutical items, etc.

Wal-Mart isn't the best place to go shopping, but it will get you by. It's a place to buy needed items at a cheap, or reasonable price. And, at least here in Goshen, it not only offers this, but it offers a quick glimpse into seeing how we are similar to others - we work hard to make money in order to survive. It also allows you a place to mix with others and feel a sense of diversity around you, which I think is so important in everyone's life.