Last weekend I went home and was once again reminded how much I love going home. It's not the fact that I get homesick here at school, but sometimes I need a break from Pullman or need to just see family and friends, not just talk to online or on the phone. Over the weekend I was able to spend a great amount of time with both family and close friends. On Friday I went to Brian's on my way home to Poulsbo. Then Sat I was able to visit with the Young's and saw Caitlyn Sunday after church. I also went to Brian's church on Sunday and forgot how much I missed his sermons.
It was when I was driving back to Pullman when I started wondering what God really does have planned for me. I love being independent here and want to go to Grad school, either in CO or TN. But at the same time, I part of me wants to go back home and begin my career as a teacher/personal trainer/ youth leader. I want the experience of living in another state, even though it means more phsycial distance between me and the people who mean the most. And grad school seems like the perfect time to do it. I also want to do grad school sooner I think than later as I feel it'd be hard to go back to school once I've started my career. All in all, it's up to God, and I just need to pay attention to him and listen. Life is a ride that we don't always have control of. For some of us, like me, it's hard to not always have control, and to let someone else, God, lead the way. But I believe through prayer, the answers will come, one way or another.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tunnel of Oppression
Every year the Residence Life Department puts on an exhibit/program about oppression. It is held in one of the residence halls. Throughout the building, in McCroskey it's in the basement, are rooms with displaying different types of oppression. Some rooms are like exhibits with information on the walls, silent videos playing to watch, just like a museum. Other rooms have skits that people are performing for you to watch. The types of oppression that were displayed this year were: Genocide, sweatshops & poverty, abuse, homosexuality, mental and physical disabilities, veterans, and body image.
I have gone to the Tunnel every year since I've been here at WSU and each time I come away with something new. This year, the mental and physical disabilities room and veterans room touched me the most. They both hit home. The mental and physical disabilities room had statistics about different disabilities and such. I think this room hit home for me more this year than previous years is because I'm in a Special Ed class in the educaiton program. I am learning all about disabilities, politics, and the students who have learning disabilities. One statistic that struck me was "70% of teachers who hear putdowns in their classroom do nothing about it!" It blew my mind, 70% is a huge amount, way too many teachers are turning their head when they hear things they don't want to hear. How are we suppose to teach kids how to be decent people when teachers can't step up and tell the kid the difference between right and wrong? Being a teacher is much more than giving tests, homework, and a grade for the report card. A teacher is another mentor for students. We need to teach kids life skills, how to grow up and be decent human beings in society. The fact that 70% of teachers are not manning up to telling students that what they said is wrong, is horrible. I do not want to be part of that statistic, as a teacher or as a human being. I want to be the person/teacher who is man enough to step up and put the kid in their place. To tell them that what they said is wrong, and not only that it is wrong, but WHY it is wrong. Many kids hate being told what to do and that they are wrong because they are not told a REASON on WHY they are wrong. Kids need/want an explanations. My goal is to set expectations in the beginning of the year with my students so that they know what is not acceptable in my classroom.
Another room that hit home for me as I said was the Veteran's room. A monologue was being read as we walked through the room reading facts and info about our Veterans. I am reading a book about Pat Tillman, the NFL FB player who went to Afghanistain and got killed, so veterans has been on my mind recently. I think as a society we take our Veterans for granted. Many of us do not realize that we have 20 year olds walking around who are already Veterans. There are some here at WSU going to school. Being a veteran doesn't mean you got wounded in battle, it means that you went and served our country, one of the highest honors a person can do, I believe. With this said, how many of us can say we have thanked our veterans? I am sorry to say that I don't think I have ever personally thanked one. That is sad considering I have 3 cousins who have served, one currently in Afghanistan, and 2 grandfather's who have served in the wars. Next time I see my grandpa and my counsins, I need to thank them. It might sound cheesy, but it is the least we can do for them. Yes, it might have been years ago that the veteran you know has served, but the two words of "thank you" will still hit home for them and I can guarantee they will take it to heart.
The Tunnel also gave me motivation and inspiration to try to do something about the oppressions that are prominent. I am only one person, but even saying thank you to a veteran or helping a disabled-physically or mentally- can help disolve the oppressions that are alive today. So please, as you go on your daily life, keep in mind that your life isn't that bad. Are you able to read the daily paper? Go for a run? Listen to your favorite song? See the sunset? Have no battle wounds-physically or emotionally? Go to your job where you get paid 5 digits? Think about it.... we don't have it so bad after all.
I have gone to the Tunnel every year since I've been here at WSU and each time I come away with something new. This year, the mental and physical disabilities room and veterans room touched me the most. They both hit home. The mental and physical disabilities room had statistics about different disabilities and such. I think this room hit home for me more this year than previous years is because I'm in a Special Ed class in the educaiton program. I am learning all about disabilities, politics, and the students who have learning disabilities. One statistic that struck me was "70% of teachers who hear putdowns in their classroom do nothing about it!" It blew my mind, 70% is a huge amount, way too many teachers are turning their head when they hear things they don't want to hear. How are we suppose to teach kids how to be decent people when teachers can't step up and tell the kid the difference between right and wrong? Being a teacher is much more than giving tests, homework, and a grade for the report card. A teacher is another mentor for students. We need to teach kids life skills, how to grow up and be decent human beings in society. The fact that 70% of teachers are not manning up to telling students that what they said is wrong, is horrible. I do not want to be part of that statistic, as a teacher or as a human being. I want to be the person/teacher who is man enough to step up and put the kid in their place. To tell them that what they said is wrong, and not only that it is wrong, but WHY it is wrong. Many kids hate being told what to do and that they are wrong because they are not told a REASON on WHY they are wrong. Kids need/want an explanations. My goal is to set expectations in the beginning of the year with my students so that they know what is not acceptable in my classroom.
Another room that hit home for me as I said was the Veteran's room. A monologue was being read as we walked through the room reading facts and info about our Veterans. I am reading a book about Pat Tillman, the NFL FB player who went to Afghanistain and got killed, so veterans has been on my mind recently. I think as a society we take our Veterans for granted. Many of us do not realize that we have 20 year olds walking around who are already Veterans. There are some here at WSU going to school. Being a veteran doesn't mean you got wounded in battle, it means that you went and served our country, one of the highest honors a person can do, I believe. With this said, how many of us can say we have thanked our veterans? I am sorry to say that I don't think I have ever personally thanked one. That is sad considering I have 3 cousins who have served, one currently in Afghanistan, and 2 grandfather's who have served in the wars. Next time I see my grandpa and my counsins, I need to thank them. It might sound cheesy, but it is the least we can do for them. Yes, it might have been years ago that the veteran you know has served, but the two words of "thank you" will still hit home for them and I can guarantee they will take it to heart.
The Tunnel also gave me motivation and inspiration to try to do something about the oppressions that are prominent. I am only one person, but even saying thank you to a veteran or helping a disabled-physically or mentally- can help disolve the oppressions that are alive today. So please, as you go on your daily life, keep in mind that your life isn't that bad. Are you able to read the daily paper? Go for a run? Listen to your favorite song? See the sunset? Have no battle wounds-physically or emotionally? Go to your job where you get paid 5 digits? Think about it.... we don't have it so bad after all.
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