Okay, for my next rant I am going to continue my issues about shopping. As mentioned, I am not a shopper and that statement applies now more than ever. I guess this is typical as a person gets older but shopping for me is really becoming a chore. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that at least 98% of what there is to buy at any given time is unwanted, unnecessary, and hideously ugly.
At the top of my list is clothing. What are store owners, buyers, and designers thinking? Most clothing that is for sale is either colorless, shapeless, and looks like it has been worn since the 1930’s or the retro look that comes from the late 1960’s. What is the deal with so much in white, black, gray, or brown? Or the alternative, purple, orange, and lime green in a nauseating paisley print? (Hey designers! Big hint: the 60’s look was bad the first time around; the repeat is worse.) Then there is the rather interesting idea that the more holes a pair of jeans have, the more they cost. Also, the thinner and cheaper the fabric on a shirt, the more it costs. Now I know there are people who are buying this stuff because I see them wearing it. It makes me wonder if they own a mirror. I am convinced that clothing designers are deliberately putting the worst clothes out there they can come up with just to get a big laugh when they earn a million dollars from it.
Next is furniture. The same principles apply to furniture as to clothing. You have your choice of either a huge lump of oatmeal sitting in your living room or something that makes the dog hurl every morning he wakes up. There is very little in between. And all for a price that makes me hurl. I read in the newspaper a few years ago that R.C. Willey is the biggest financial institution in the state of Utah. Really? I can’t imagine that is true today. Are people really buying that stuff? My neighbor has a living room set that she says is 23 years old. She wants a new one, but she can’t stand the junk that is out there to buy. My sister has a couch that is about 21 years old with holes in it that she covers with a blanket. She has the money to buy new furniture but she says the worn out stuff is still better than what she sees in the stores. From what I have seen, I agree.
Then there is the imported home décor stores. Cheap prices and very cheap goods. I have a certain relative who gets off on this stuff and what I want to know is why most of what she brings home looks like funeral urns. They are supposed to be vases, decorative containers, or decanters, but I just know they are really used for ashes. It makes me wonder who is in them. But I went to the store where she buys all these – containers – and they all look like urns. It was one of the more bizarre experiences I have had: walking down rows and rows of urns. Plastic, ceramic, glass, and, the best one, one that looks like a mirror mosaic. And this stuff is selling. Ask any newlywed couple what they got for wedding gifts: cheap home décor. And again I ask, what are people thinking?
I suppose that manufacturers must sell what is new and in order to come up with something “new” they resort to the butt-ugly and the bizarre. And yes, I know that people buying is what fuels the economy. But really it is just stuff. Previous to the economic melt-down of 2009, we all bought stuff; not because we needed it or even that we truly wanted it. We bought because we could. And now our houses are full of stuff – over-full. We have basements and garages full of just stuff we don’t need or even want. We keep it because we paid money for it.
As for myself, I’ve stopped buying. I no longer buy things just to have something new, or just because I can. I buy only what is needed. Now I just have to figure out how to get rid of all the stuff in my basement.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Shopping for stuff
Okay, for my next rant I am going to continue my issues about shopping. As mentioned, I am not a shopper and that statement applies now more than ever. I guess this is typical as a person gets older but shopping for me is really becoming a chore. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that at least 98% of what there is to buy at any given time is unwanted, unnecessary, and hideously ugly.
At the top of my list is clothing. What are store owners, buyers, and designers thinking? Most clothing that is for sale is either colorless, shapeless, and looks like it has been worn since the 1930’s or the retro look that comes from the late 1960’s. What is the deal with so much in white, black, gray, or brown? Or the alternative, purple, orange, and lime green in a nauseating paisley print? (Hey designers! Big hint: the 60’s look was bad the first time around; the repeat is worse.) Then there is the rather interesting idea that the more holes a pair of jeans have, the more they cost. Also, the thinner and cheaper the fabric on a shirt, the more it costs. Now I know there are people who are buying this stuff because I see them wearing it. It makes me wonder if they own a mirror. I am convinced that clothing designers are deliberately putting the worst clothes out there they can come up with just to get a big laugh when they earn a million dollars from it.
Next is furniture. The same principles apply to furniture as to clothing. You have your choice of either a huge lump of oatmeal sitting in your living room or something that makes the dog hurl every morning he wakes up. There is very little in between. And all for a price that makes me hurl. I read in the newspaper a few years ago that R.C. Willey is the biggest financial institution in the state of Utah. Really? I can’t imagine that is true today. Are people really buying that stuff? My neighbor has a living room set that she says is 23 years old. She wants a new one, but she can’t stand the junk that is out there to buy. My sister has a couch that is about 21 years old with holes in it that she covers with a blanket. She has the money to buy new furniture but she says the worn out stuff is still better than what she sees in the stores. From what I have seen, I agree.
Then there is the imported home décor stores. Cheap prices and very cheap goods. I have a certain relative who gets off on this stuff and what I want to know is why most of what she brings home looks like funeral urns. They are supposed to be vases, decorative containers, or decanters, but I just know they are really used for ashes. It makes me wonder who is in them. But I went to the store where she buys all these – containers – and they all look like urns. It was one of the more bizarre experiences I have had: walking down rows and rows of urns. Plastic, ceramic, glass, and, the best one, one that looks like a mirror mosaic. And this stuff is selling. Ask any newlywed couple what they got for wedding gifts: cheap home décor. And again I ask, what are people thinking?
I suppose that manufacturers must sell what is new and in order to come up with something “new” they resort to the butt-ugly and the bizarre. And yes, I know that people buying is what fuels the economy. But really it is just stuff. Previous to the economic melt-down of 2009, we all bought stuff; not because we needed it or even that we truly wanted it. We bought because we could. And now our houses are full of stuff – over-full. We have basements and garages full of just stuff we don’t need or even want. We keep it because we paid money for it.
As for myself, I’ve stopped buying. I no longer buy things just to have something new, or just because I can. I buy only what is needed. Now I just have to figure out how to get rid of all the stuff in my basement.
At the top of my list is clothing. What are store owners, buyers, and designers thinking? Most clothing that is for sale is either colorless, shapeless, and looks like it has been worn since the 1930’s or the retro look that comes from the late 1960’s. What is the deal with so much in white, black, gray, or brown? Or the alternative, purple, orange, and lime green in a nauseating paisley print? (Hey designers! Big hint: the 60’s look was bad the first time around; the repeat is worse.) Then there is the rather interesting idea that the more holes a pair of jeans have, the more they cost. Also, the thinner and cheaper the fabric on a shirt, the more it costs. Now I know there are people who are buying this stuff because I see them wearing it. It makes me wonder if they own a mirror. I am convinced that clothing designers are deliberately putting the worst clothes out there they can come up with just to get a big laugh when they earn a million dollars from it.
Next is furniture. The same principles apply to furniture as to clothing. You have your choice of either a huge lump of oatmeal sitting in your living room or something that makes the dog hurl every morning he wakes up. There is very little in between. And all for a price that makes me hurl. I read in the newspaper a few years ago that R.C. Willey is the biggest financial institution in the state of Utah. Really? I can’t imagine that is true today. Are people really buying that stuff? My neighbor has a living room set that she says is 23 years old. She wants a new one, but she can’t stand the junk that is out there to buy. My sister has a couch that is about 21 years old with holes in it that she covers with a blanket. She has the money to buy new furniture but she says the worn out stuff is still better than what she sees in the stores. From what I have seen, I agree.
Then there is the imported home décor stores. Cheap prices and very cheap goods. I have a certain relative who gets off on this stuff and what I want to know is why most of what she brings home looks like funeral urns. They are supposed to be vases, decorative containers, or decanters, but I just know they are really used for ashes. It makes me wonder who is in them. But I went to the store where she buys all these – containers – and they all look like urns. It was one of the more bizarre experiences I have had: walking down rows and rows of urns. Plastic, ceramic, glass, and, the best one, one that looks like a mirror mosaic. And this stuff is selling. Ask any newlywed couple what they got for wedding gifts: cheap home décor. And again I ask, what are people thinking?
I suppose that manufacturers must sell what is new and in order to come up with something “new” they resort to the butt-ugly and the bizarre. And yes, I know that people buying is what fuels the economy. But really it is just stuff. Previous to the economic melt-down of 2009, we all bought stuff; not because we needed it or even that we truly wanted it. We bought because we could. And now our houses are full of stuff – over-full. We have basements and garages full of just stuff we don’t need or even want. We keep it because we paid money for it.
As for myself, I’ve stopped buying. I no longer buy things just to have something new, or just because I can. I buy only what is needed. Now I just have to figure out how to get rid of all the stuff in my basement.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
A Trip to the Mall
Can I describe my recent trip to the mall? Now understand I am an unusual female in that I am not much of a shopper. I look at shopping as a chore; something I have to do, not want to do. I want to get in, get it done and get out with a minimum of hassle, fuss, or boredom. Yes, boredom. I find most shopping boring. There are very few stores or items in a store that I get excited about. About once every decade or so, I find a store that peaks my interest. The rest are boring.
So my daughter and I walk into Southtowne Mall last week because I have to get something for my sister’s birthday. I haven’t been in a mall for at least five months. We start walking down the concourse trying to get past the kiosks that run down the middle. As we approach the first one, I warily eye the good looking young man wondering what it is going to take to get past him. I have no idea what they are selling and I don’t care.
“Would you like to try some…” (whatever it was), he asks.
“No thank you, I’m not interested,” I firmly answer.
“Could I ask you a question?” he says as he starts to walk toward me.
Keep walking, I tell myself, or you are dead. “No, I am busy.”
He comes nearer, too near. I fix my most evil eye on him, which causes him to realize that if he doesn’t leave me alone, I am going to resort to violence. So he backs off. I then turn my head forward only to nearly slam into the next kiosk salesperson.
“Would you like to try some…?” a young girl asks.
“No thank you, I’m not interested,” I firmly answer.
“Could I ask you a question?” she says as she starts to walk toward me.
“No, you cannot.” Keep walking, just keep walking.
Repeat, ad nauseam.
I soon learn not to look at them and if they say something, pretend to be deaf. I find myself walking faster and faster to get away from them. I see the store I want to get to and it becomes a goal to get there without undue violence. I finally get to the store and feel like collapsing as though I just finished a marathon.
When it came time to leave the store, I found myself peeking out around clothes racks, charting my escape route. I made several feints to get the ambushing kiosk clerks to just think I was going to leave the protection of the store, only to melt back into the clearance section. Ha ha, fooled you! I actually thought about using the back shipping door.
You know, I can’t imagine why that mall was mostly empty of customers. What on earth are mall managers thinking? Is it their intent to anger what few customers they get? Why not move to tripping, tackling, and obstacle courses? Just employ a few gang members and let them do the selling. Anybody else feel this way?
So my daughter and I walk into Southtowne Mall last week because I have to get something for my sister’s birthday. I haven’t been in a mall for at least five months. We start walking down the concourse trying to get past the kiosks that run down the middle. As we approach the first one, I warily eye the good looking young man wondering what it is going to take to get past him. I have no idea what they are selling and I don’t care.
“Would you like to try some…” (whatever it was), he asks.
“No thank you, I’m not interested,” I firmly answer.
“Could I ask you a question?” he says as he starts to walk toward me.
Keep walking, I tell myself, or you are dead. “No, I am busy.”
He comes nearer, too near. I fix my most evil eye on him, which causes him to realize that if he doesn’t leave me alone, I am going to resort to violence. So he backs off. I then turn my head forward only to nearly slam into the next kiosk salesperson.
“Would you like to try some…?” a young girl asks.
“No thank you, I’m not interested,” I firmly answer.
“Could I ask you a question?” she says as she starts to walk toward me.
“No, you cannot.” Keep walking, just keep walking.
Repeat, ad nauseam.
I soon learn not to look at them and if they say something, pretend to be deaf. I find myself walking faster and faster to get away from them. I see the store I want to get to and it becomes a goal to get there without undue violence. I finally get to the store and feel like collapsing as though I just finished a marathon.
When it came time to leave the store, I found myself peeking out around clothes racks, charting my escape route. I made several feints to get the ambushing kiosk clerks to just think I was going to leave the protection of the store, only to melt back into the clearance section. Ha ha, fooled you! I actually thought about using the back shipping door.
You know, I can’t imagine why that mall was mostly empty of customers. What on earth are mall managers thinking? Is it their intent to anger what few customers they get? Why not move to tripping, tackling, and obstacle courses? Just employ a few gang members and let them do the selling. Anybody else feel this way?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The Price of a Dog
I have this dog. Her name is Maddie and she is a weimapeak. A weimapeak is the deliberate cross of a weimariner and a Chesapeake Bay retriever. I know this strikes horror in the hearts of the purists who think dog breeds should be only what the AKC says they are, but this dog is amazing. Weimariners are highly intelligent, skittish, and nervous. Chessies are intelligent, stubborn, and willful. This dog is the best of two worlds. She is intelligent enough that I’m glad she doesn’t have an opposable thumb or the ability to talk – she might surpass me! She learns faster than any living thing I’ve been around. She actually does try to talk, but it sounds like the monster in Young Frankenstein. She has a lot of energy – she is only 16 months old – and wants to work and play. Her loyalty to our family is unsurpassed. She is sensitive to our moods, our commands, just about everything. She is a beautiful dog and looks like a reddish brown weimariner . She is tall, sleek, and has golden eyes.
Being a responsible dog owner, I recently took her to be spayed. There isn’t another weimapeak in this state that she is not related to and I am told that because of the hybrid, the puppies of two weimapeaks are inconsistent. Besides, a dog in heat is not a whole lot of fun. So we got some good recommendations and took her to the vet to be spayed. We almost lost her. We picked her up and she was bleeding from the mouth and nose by the time we got home. After 90 minutes of this we took her back in to the vet. She was in pain and miserable. The vet quickly started injecting her with pain killers, steroids, antibiotics, and a sedative. I could not keep the tears from my eyes watching her trembling with pain, her head and tail down and flat. The vet said she had a reaction to the anesthesia and upchucked so badly that it tore her esophagus. I was not impressed when the vet mentioned that she thought Maddie was a chocolate lab. A vet should easily be able to tell the difference. We stayed up with her all night.
The next day, she slowly came around. I noticed the incision had been stitched, despite the fact that I had asked for it to be surgically stapled; staples hold better and she is an active dog. She continued to improve but three days later, there was blood on the floor; her incision had broken open. It was 11:00 P.M. so we took her to the 24-hour emergency vet hospital. I have never seen a dog so scared. She couldn’t have anesthesia again so four of us held her down while the vet stapled her up. Now she is on stronger antibiotics and has a huge “lampshade” collar. I also have put her on an anti-anxiety medication until this ordeal is over.
Is she worth it? Yes, a thousand times, yes. She is bouncing back well although I may not have any paint left on my walls by the time we get done with the lampshade collar. Spaying and neutering are no-brainers, but be sure to get a vet who can do the job right. Breed does matter when it comes to health care. I believe the vet did think she was a lab, which is a sturdier dog, needing more anesthesia than Maddie. Maddie got an overdose of anesthesia. She still coughs, but is back to her old antics of teasing my cats, begging for treats, and trying to talk. She is tired of the lampshade, but still looks at us with complete trust in those golden eyes.
Monday, October 4, 2010
What's a voter to do?
Does anyone else feel like American politics are a mess? When I think about who I want to vote for, I find myself searching for the lesser of two evils. Or sometimes for the most ineffective politician in order to minimize the damage.
Take the Utah race for govenor, for instance. The incumbent, Gary Herbert, is an alright guy - I've even met him and talked with him. But he is mired in a scandal where he was given $82,000 dollars for his election campaign by the same construction company who then got a $1.7 billion dollar reconstruction contract for I-15 in Utah county. Then - get this - the folks who came in second in the bid process for that same job got $13 million - for coming in second??? Gee, I'd like to make a living coming in second for that kind of scratch. Sounds like hush money to me.
The pathetic thing is that it took a reporter in a news conference to tell him about the $13 million - or so he claims. So he can take his choice of either being corrupt if he did know or an idiot for not knowing. Not to mention the fact that another reporter brought the original issue of the $1.7 billion contract to light in the first place.
The Democratic challenger is Pete Corroon. Once again, an alright guy who has done well as county mayor. But how does one vote for a Democrat this year? With Obama set to win the all-time race for squandering political capital, no one wants to vote for a Democrat - not even the Democrats!
Then there is the Senate race. We have a choice of Mike Lee, an idealogue that makes a John Bircher look like a liberal, or no-show Sam Granato who paid his filing fee then disappeared from public view. The thing that I find hilarious is that when a survey was taken between these two and Bob Bennett running as an independent, Lee and Bennett are about even. I think that Utah Republicans threw the baby out with the bath water when they refused to give Bennett the nomination.
I saw a political sign hanging on a fence today that really shows how some people try to take advantage of the public's political ignorance. It is black with white lettering that says "Matheson = Pelosi." Seriously folks? Don't be taken in by this. Look at Matheson's voting record. He votes with the Republicans more than he votes with the Democrats - he is called a Blue Dog Democrat. To those who are responsible for this sign, you know this is true. Yet, in a shameless attempt to turn American government into a game show, you exploit and lie for your own advantage. Outside of her own district, Pelosi may be the most hated woman in America, and for good reason.
Politicians really don't see their actions from the point of view of the voters. Elections are a game to them. They want to win to further their own power base; not to serve, not to uphold this country, not to see that the Constitution is followed.
So what's a voter to do? Become informed. Now when I say informed, I am NOT saying to listen to what any politician says. Are you kidding? Listening to a politician is like reading the National Enquirer - vaguely entertaining but far from the truth. Being informed is taking a hard look at what they have DONE in the past - not what they have said. Look at what they have actually voted for and against. Look at their experience. What have they supported in the past by action, not by what they flap their mouths over. If Americans would have done this two years ago, we wouldn't be in this mess now.
Take the Utah race for govenor, for instance. The incumbent, Gary Herbert, is an alright guy - I've even met him and talked with him. But he is mired in a scandal where he was given $82,000 dollars for his election campaign by the same construction company who then got a $1.7 billion dollar reconstruction contract for I-15 in Utah county. Then - get this - the folks who came in second in the bid process for that same job got $13 million - for coming in second??? Gee, I'd like to make a living coming in second for that kind of scratch. Sounds like hush money to me.
The pathetic thing is that it took a reporter in a news conference to tell him about the $13 million - or so he claims. So he can take his choice of either being corrupt if he did know or an idiot for not knowing. Not to mention the fact that another reporter brought the original issue of the $1.7 billion contract to light in the first place.
The Democratic challenger is Pete Corroon. Once again, an alright guy who has done well as county mayor. But how does one vote for a Democrat this year? With Obama set to win the all-time race for squandering political capital, no one wants to vote for a Democrat - not even the Democrats!
Then there is the Senate race. We have a choice of Mike Lee, an idealogue that makes a John Bircher look like a liberal, or no-show Sam Granato who paid his filing fee then disappeared from public view. The thing that I find hilarious is that when a survey was taken between these two and Bob Bennett running as an independent, Lee and Bennett are about even. I think that Utah Republicans threw the baby out with the bath water when they refused to give Bennett the nomination.
I saw a political sign hanging on a fence today that really shows how some people try to take advantage of the public's political ignorance. It is black with white lettering that says "Matheson = Pelosi." Seriously folks? Don't be taken in by this. Look at Matheson's voting record. He votes with the Republicans more than he votes with the Democrats - he is called a Blue Dog Democrat. To those who are responsible for this sign, you know this is true. Yet, in a shameless attempt to turn American government into a game show, you exploit and lie for your own advantage. Outside of her own district, Pelosi may be the most hated woman in America, and for good reason.
Politicians really don't see their actions from the point of view of the voters. Elections are a game to them. They want to win to further their own power base; not to serve, not to uphold this country, not to see that the Constitution is followed.
So what's a voter to do? Become informed. Now when I say informed, I am NOT saying to listen to what any politician says. Are you kidding? Listening to a politician is like reading the National Enquirer - vaguely entertaining but far from the truth. Being informed is taking a hard look at what they have DONE in the past - not what they have said. Look at what they have actually voted for and against. Look at their experience. What have they supported in the past by action, not by what they flap their mouths over. If Americans would have done this two years ago, we wouldn't be in this mess now.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Done with grad school
At last, I've finished grad school! I have the M.Ed. after much toil and effort and MONEY. From here on out, I would like to turn the topic of this blog away from educational theories and towards anything that happens to spill out of my brain.
But I will be writing frequently about my students. I won't be giving too many details or names in order to protect their identities - but my students are a big part of my life. I come to care for them deeply.
I also will be making plenty of social commentary, trashing on politicians (I dislike politicians in general and that is quite a statement coming from a U.S. History teacher), and a dozen other topics. Enjoy!
But I will be writing frequently about my students. I won't be giving too many details or names in order to protect their identities - but my students are a big part of my life. I come to care for them deeply.
I also will be making plenty of social commentary, trashing on politicians (I dislike politicians in general and that is quite a statement coming from a U.S. History teacher), and a dozen other topics. Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Overview - Extra credit
I have learned a lot in this class this semester. I've learned new ways of thinking about what I've been doing for years - teaching teenagers. Some of what I've learned has been new, some has been extensions of what I already knew, some has been a verification of what I've been doing for years by instinct. I've been grateful to learn that some of what I've done in the classroom is validated by those who are at the top of the field of education. I've also been grateful to be able to add extensions and finesse to some things I've been doing half-way. And it has been so good for me to get an in-your-face idea that never occurred me before.
So what is learning? The behaviorist in me says it is all about changing behavior; measurable, easy to see behavior. Skinner doesn't want to deal with what goes on in the mind itself - I'm not sure I want to deal with what goes on in the teenage mind either. But is this a cop-out? Maybe. I've got a kid right now for whom I am writing letters of recommendation to colleges. I taught him as a sophomore and as a junior. He is one of those students I've gotten to know well. To look at what is easily observable about him would lead one to think there is not much going on between the ears. Yet he is utterly amazing. He is the most intuitive learner I've ever known. He just absorbs information and it becomes part of him. He never forgets it either. He is quiet, shy, a little nervous, likes the skinny pants that only reach the top of his legs, big T-shirts, and long hair. And I've watched him focus laser-like attention on certain things for long periods of time resulting in innovative, creative, superior conclusions and solutions.
He has no idea how his own mind works and I doubt any one theory can fully explain it. I don't think any one theory is the ultimate and final theory for learning and education. Because of the uniqueness of every human mind, the complexity of the mind, no one theory can explain it all. I don't think the theorists are pretending their theory is ultimate answer to all education. But each theory adds one more layer towards true understanding and that is where their actual value lays.
This points out how important it is that teachers use a variety of teaching methods, incorporating many different theories. The use of all these theories we have studied for different parts of a teacher's curriculum is vital if we are going to reach every student. And perhaps we won't ever reach every student who walks in our door. But we have to try. Knowing that we will fail with some students doesn't excuse anything. We have to try. And be grateful that every student will have many teachers in their life. We teachers are just as human as our students and we carry with us all our issues, weaknesses, biases, foibles, and errors. Hopefully we know enough about ourselves to address these weakness.
In the end, I come back to the advice Mr. Jessop told me as a student teacher: we teachers do not just teach the students what we know; we teach them who we are. That is unavoidable. If we love our work, love our subject, love being with those kids with the blank stares, long hair, skinny pants that don't fit, and over-sized T-shirts, those kids are the first to know it. And even if they can't or don't learn a thing about history or biology or whatever in our class, they will know that a teacher thought they were worth caring about. It's an overwhelming idea.
So what is learning? The behaviorist in me says it is all about changing behavior; measurable, easy to see behavior. Skinner doesn't want to deal with what goes on in the mind itself - I'm not sure I want to deal with what goes on in the teenage mind either. But is this a cop-out? Maybe. I've got a kid right now for whom I am writing letters of recommendation to colleges. I taught him as a sophomore and as a junior. He is one of those students I've gotten to know well. To look at what is easily observable about him would lead one to think there is not much going on between the ears. Yet he is utterly amazing. He is the most intuitive learner I've ever known. He just absorbs information and it becomes part of him. He never forgets it either. He is quiet, shy, a little nervous, likes the skinny pants that only reach the top of his legs, big T-shirts, and long hair. And I've watched him focus laser-like attention on certain things for long periods of time resulting in innovative, creative, superior conclusions and solutions.
He has no idea how his own mind works and I doubt any one theory can fully explain it. I don't think any one theory is the ultimate and final theory for learning and education. Because of the uniqueness of every human mind, the complexity of the mind, no one theory can explain it all. I don't think the theorists are pretending their theory is ultimate answer to all education. But each theory adds one more layer towards true understanding and that is where their actual value lays.
This points out how important it is that teachers use a variety of teaching methods, incorporating many different theories. The use of all these theories we have studied for different parts of a teacher's curriculum is vital if we are going to reach every student. And perhaps we won't ever reach every student who walks in our door. But we have to try. Knowing that we will fail with some students doesn't excuse anything. We have to try. And be grateful that every student will have many teachers in their life. We teachers are just as human as our students and we carry with us all our issues, weaknesses, biases, foibles, and errors. Hopefully we know enough about ourselves to address these weakness.
In the end, I come back to the advice Mr. Jessop told me as a student teacher: we teachers do not just teach the students what we know; we teach them who we are. That is unavoidable. If we love our work, love our subject, love being with those kids with the blank stares, long hair, skinny pants that don't fit, and over-sized T-shirts, those kids are the first to know it. And even if they can't or don't learn a thing about history or biology or whatever in our class, they will know that a teacher thought they were worth caring about. It's an overwhelming idea.
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