in case you've forgotten...

Puerto Rico happens TOMORROW. Peace out suckas.

Bridging the Cultural Gap

In one of my education classes at BYU I had to take this class called "Multicultural Education." Basically it was a class about how to understand and teach different cultures of students. A lot of my peers hated the class feeling like it was a waste of time. I liked it most of the time, though I never understood until now how necessary it is to understand these students of mine who have COMPLETELY different views about life.

I come from a culture where love, kindness, compassion, humility, purity, and goodness is appreciated, celebrated, and encouraged.

They come from a culture where immorality, profanity, aggressiveness, strength, manipulation, and disrespect is their link to survival in this world.

In other words, our worlds couldn't be farther apart from each other.

A lot of thoughts come to me throughout the days and the weeks that I teach.

The first is that I feel so much gratitude that I was raised in a loving environment where I was taught sound principles and to ultimately be like the Savior.

The second is that in order to be a good teacher, I am most effective when I am not just teaching them the content, but teaching them to open their minds to other ideas and values. In turn, they teach me to open my mind to their views. They teach me what it's really like on the other side of the railroad tracks.

The gap has yet to be bridged. But slowly and surely I am figuring out how to reach these students and in turn they are reaching me.

Me? A Pothead?...Really?

One of my favorite moments in class:

Student: "Ms. Baer when you were in high school which clique were you in?"

Me: "Oh, I was a floater in many different cliques. No specific clique."

Other student: "Wait...you grew up in California, right?"

Me: "Yes, I did. In Oakland."

Everyone: "Oakland???????????"

"Yes."

Student: "Ms. Baer you must have been a pothead then! Everyone in Oakland smokes pot."

Whole class roars with laughter. I smile and laugh behind the stereotype.

They then proceeded to tell me that I was definitely in the pothead clique in high school.

Really guys? Really?

They definitely got a rise out of me that day.

Mental Health Day Equals=

Sleeping in till 9am

+

Watching the Today Show with Honey Bunches of Oats in hand

+

Lying in bed watching a movie; chick flick, of course

+

Working out at the gym

+

Quick rendezvous to the store to buy some yummy food

+

Making a nacho masterpiece...translated...avocados and mango salsa...mmmmmmmm

+

Taking a bath

+

Lying in bed shopping online for a bathing suit...then buying a bathing suit

+

Puerto Rico planning with the roommates AND a peanut butter sandwich

+

Buying a really cute skirt from DownEast (I just got paid, so it's legit)

=

One happy first year teacher looking for an excuse not to do work or go to work.

Lets do this again!

Freedom Writer...kind of.

My roommate, KA, always tells me that I am her favorite Freedom Writer and that she is my number 1 fan. It makes me smile cause I don't really want to follow Hilary Swank's example in the movie, Freedom Writers, to the same extreme.

However, I am grateful for opportunities to take my students on a sunny Saturday afternoon to the American History Museum. I got to share with them my love of history. They were grateful that I gave them 20 extra credit points for coming. I am grateful that they humored me with my stories and explanations.

Not sure if I'm up to Freedom Writer status, but I do try to love these students and believe that they can succeed if they put their minds to it.

A hard job, but sure worthwhile.

Lil' Thomas

Last weekend I went to NYC to see the latest edition to our family. The clan is growing, that's fo sho.

Here's the babe. What a cutie. I am excited to have one of my own someday! Congrats to the Newman familia. Oh, and who doesn't love seeing their mom too? Love you mom.

What a nice breather from my hectic teaching life. Nothing like seeing family to rejuvenate you!