Early Education Fieldwork Experience

Today was my first day of my early education fieldwork experience for my Introduction to Education course. My major is Social Sciences Education and ideally I would like to teach 8th grade American History. 

At first I was nervous about the fieldwork experience. I'm very shy and I get nervous and quiet, especially in these sort of situations and with public speaking. Of course, teaching is ALL about public speaking. I know I am going to have to take some extensive public speaking courses to help me get over this. I was also nervous about the kids. Everyone says that middle school grades are the worse. The kids are going through puberty so they are at that awkward stage. Plus I look like I'm 12 so I wasn't looking forward to people thinking I was a student (which is why I made sure that I looked like a teacher, in professional attire and heels that were like feet death traps). But all my fears and nerves were settled. 

I love the class I was placed in! Its 6th grade World History. Although I love History, I prefer American far over World. But after being in the class I see that if I were to have to teach World History I would love it. It still allows creativity to a certain extent, plus learning about the fall of the greatest empire can be more intriguing than the Reconstruction era for children. 

The kids aren't too crazy. I observed my cooperating teacher and her teaching strategies and classroom management techniques. I will definitely implement those methods into my own classroom, years from now. 

I even got to "tutor" a girl who was having a really hard time with her math homework during the planning period. Math is not my subject, by far, but I felt good explaining it to her in a way that she understood it. 

All in all, this fieldwork experience is intended to see if I am cut out for being a teacher...and after today, I really think I am. :)

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama @ NSU

Today I went to go see His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama it was so interesting hearing his insights into the global responsibility and on aspects of compassion. And I was actually able to apply some of his thoughts to my own life.

What I thought was EXTREMELY cool was that he has gotten 80 degrees from colleges and universities around the world. Today, Broward College gave him a Bachelor's degree in Education for his humanitarian efforts and teachings. The Dalai Lama had such a sense of humor! He said "how wonderful it was to get a degree without having to go to school" (he called himself a lazy student). As with his sense of humor, the Dalai Lama was pretty laidback. He sat criss-cross in his chair and was just chilling, like the kind of dude you could just hang out with and have a conversation with.

He stated that he has two committments. The first is to promote inner human values, which is just as essential, if not more essential, than knowledge. His second is to promote harmony, in the Buddhist tradition, and a genuine understanding of others despite differences. Both of those things are so important, and I wish he could have elaborated on it a bit more because I think every person needs to have a sense of both those things, especially understanding despite differences.

His main topic of discussion was Universal Responsibility [Global Compassion]. Compassion, he says, has two levels. One is an attached level (like with a mother) and the other is an unattached, unbiased care towards another human being. Global compassion refers to the latter. He stated that most people have national and personal interests but forget about global interests and issues. Our future depends on the actions on other parts of the world, and we need to remember that. The United States has a responsibility to act globally, since we are a democratic state. On the economic crisis, he said people put too much emphasis on the woes of the economy and people need to remember the United States as a nation of liberty and democracy. Money is important but we must remember other values. He said in times of difficulties, he himself thinks of the positive moral values. I need to apply this concept to my own life. I often take for granted all the good things I have going on when there is something bad or stressful happening. I think of what I dont have instead of what I do have.

The next part of the speech was a Question and Answer part. It was cool that he took the time to answer people's questions. There were about 10 questions. One question regarded what him and President Obama talked about at their recent meeting (he joked that it was "TOP SECRET" but later told us that they discussed Tibetan problems and that the President expressed concern over his well-being, "which was impressive", ie "Are you thirsty;comfortable?" etc). The question that impacted me the most was about forgiveness and how one could forgive someone else without holding any resentment towards them. The Dalai Lama said that forgiveness does not mean acceptance, forgiveness is to stop the wrongdoing. As a human being, the person deserves compassion, not hatred and if there is to be hatred it should be toward the action rather than the person, there should be no negativity towards the person. He stressed that you should forgive but not forget because forgetting defies forgiveness. This is something I can and should apply to my own life. There is someone who hurt me and I thought I forgave them, but I really didn't, not in the way he stresses. And walking around with hatred towards the person does not make my life any easier.

All in all, I am really glad I got the opportunity to go see him talk.

A Precious Human Life:

"Every day, think as you wake up,

Today I am fortunate to have woken up.

I am alive; I have a precious human life.

I am not going to waste it.

I am going to use

All my energies to develop myself,

To expand my heart out to others,

To achieve enlightenment for

The benefit of all beings.

I am going to have kind

Thoughts towards others;

I am not going to get angry

Or think badly of others.

I am going to benefit others

As much as I can."

-His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Kissing the War Goodbye

While I was at Walmart today I saw this poster in a bin in the back of the store. I looked through the posters (there was only two other posters, of James Dean and the dude from Animal House.) I looked at this picture and debated if I really wanted to purchase it, but eventually put it down. However, I couldn't stop thinking about it until I really thought about it.

This photograph evokes a lot of feeling from me on a variety of levels.

On one level there is the history buff within which loves that this picture was taken moments after Victory over Japan was announced on August 14, 1945. Everyone in Times Square errupted in celebration. The war was finally over! The title of this photo (given by Victor Jorgensen, who took the photo at a different angle) Kissing the War Goodbye is a beautiful way to describe what is going on both in the picture and the end of World War II.

On the romantic level I love how this spontaneous display of affection and happiness was captured, between two strangers. I always thought these two people knew each other, which is why I guess this picture never really meant that much to me before. But after seeing it today and hearing that they were just two strangers, I decided to do some research. One of the photographers, Alfred Eisenstaedt (who titled the photo V–J day in Times Square) recalled in his book "Eisenstaedt on Eisenstaedt":

"In Times Square on V.J. Day I saw a sailor running along the street grabbing any and every girl in sight. Whether she was a grandmother, stout, thin, old, didn't make a difference."

I personally would have loved it if he had taken a sequence of photos of that, of this sailor kissing every girl in sight, an old woman, a large woman, a think woman, than finally the girl in the white.

The photographer never got the names of these two people so, although many have claimed to be them, their identities have never been proven (however Edith Shain is widely accpeted as being the woman.) I think not knowing exactly who these people; thinking maybe perhaps after the photo was snapped and the streets filled with people maybe they went for a drink, but probably they did not, makes it romantic.

On a personal level this photo reminds me so much of Phonzo, specifically because it was taken in Times Square. It makes me miss him and miss New York City so much. And it makes me hope to recreate it someday...

And so, I will go back to the store tomorrow and purchase it.

Modern Love

"Lets Not Get to Know Each Other Better" by Joel Walkowski is a story in the New York Times column Modern Love and I think it does a good job in describing modern love in today's generation. The author wrote about how traditional dating is no longer really done. Instead of calling up a girl and asking her out, you can send her a text or a comment on her Facebook wall. He stated that its far easier to hook up and hang out. Casual sex is now replacing committment. Friends with Benefits is the new trend. Hookups happen then the next day its back to normal. Even I've observed and experience these things. I know males and females that allocate being young and wanting to have fun as the reason for their search for sexcapades and nothing else. I have "talked" to guys and no actual speaking took place but rather hundreds of text messages and IMs. Valentines Day is coming up, remember those little sweet heart candies with things like "Hug Me" "Kiss Me" "Be Mine"? Now they have "Text Me" and "Tweet Me".

The author writes about how he'll be hooking up with the same person and then will linger over the Facebook "Relationship Status" and whether its time to take that jump from a good time to committment (because of course once its on Facebook its real, you know). I've lingered over that button myself recently...

Joel Walkowski talks about how we shrink ourselves out of fear and instances where "I Love You" should have been said, a joke was made instead. Just the other day this very same thing was the topic of a heated discussion between me and someone.

Joel writes in his story, "Casual is sexy. Caring is creepy." I'll admit I have thought that, not too long ago. But I know that its not true. I know deep down theres a hopeless romantic in me that hates all this "chivary is dead" B.S. but thats also been sort of "brainwashed" into the norms of today's society.

And then I think about what it will be like when Aden is dating (uh-oh). I really wish he could be a teenager in the 1950s where it was normal to bring flowers to the girl and her mother and get a stern talking to from daddy, and perhaps go down to Lovers Lane and maybe--just maybe--get to first base. But hes going to be a teenager in the 2020s. If things like "sexting" is the norm of today, what will it be in 15-25 years???

Global Compassion

I got an email about the Dalai Lama coming to NSU on Feb 23. I think its such a cool opportunity and experience. Its free for Broward College students and I really think everyone should take advantage of it and go:[ http://www.broward.edu/student/AnnouncementsStudent/page26357.html ]

 It really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Initially I had to debate whether I really wanted to go as the speech, which will be on a Tuesday at the same time I have math class. Once-in a-lifetime experience VS. math... Yeah, I think I'll take my chances and get a tutor if I really need to.

His topic will be on Global Compassion. I believe that there should be peace, love, and tolerance throughout the world. I cant wait to hear his speech.

However, I really wish my best friend, Phonzo, still lived in Florida rather than New York. I know this is the kind of thing he would love and I wish I could experience it with him. None of my other friends are really that much interested. Events like this, and the John Lennon: We All Shine On Artwork exhibition I went to a few weeks ago really, really, really make me miss Phonzo.