Ezina, Ekinez Egina

Alright, I hated this assignment- having to watch myself teach, especially a lesson that wasn't my best. But I guess that's the real point of this thing- to improve.

The Lesson:
Mississippi Studies, Mississippi Artist Project- poetry

Things I Did Well:
The board looked the way it was supposed to look. I was dressed appropriately. I spoke loud enough. I opened and closed the lesson like I was taught. I talked to the objective... I think. I knew the material. I managed my time. I moved around the room, although I circled the room and often walked in very odd patterns across the room. I was able to improvise and do so successfully. Overall, the lesson was effective, but it definitely could have been better.

Things I Need to Work On:
Whenever my mouth moves, my hands move. And my hands tend to move at whatever pace my mouth is moving which at sometimes can be very fast. I talk crazy fast, but at least I was loud enough this time around. I look like I'm directing traffic. I rushed my notes, because my lesson was over ambitious- I tried to accomplish too much in the 50 minute period. I didn't assess a pretty big portion of my lesson, which therefore, renders that material useless and a waste of my time. I didn't collect the work that I said I would collect for a daily grade. I modeled but that definitely needed to be better. Rather than building to a higher level of questions, I tried to start at that level which wasn't effective. I lost/confused my student when I did that. I need to make my questions more specific and more clear. I also need to make sure that all of my directions are stupidly simple and crystal clear.

I found Reluctant Disciplinarian to be hilariously entertaining at the author's expense. When trying to pinpoint the origin of his disastrous first year as a classroom disciplinarian, Rubinstein reflects on a story from his childhood. Each time his father punished their family dog for misbehavior, Rubinstein comforted the animal. While he believed he was helping the dog, the reality of the situation proved to be much different. Instead of enforcing the rules set by his father, Rubinstein undermined his father. He wasn't consistent. He showed the dog that the rules didn't really apply to him. The dog had the power, rather than his father.

Fortunately, I do not have the same history of being a "softy" as Rubinstein did. My mother is one of the toughest women I have ever met. She and my father set explicit rules and expectations for our household and expected my brother and I to follow them. They treated any misstep seriously, while praising us for each right step. I distinctly remember training our family pet, a rambunctious black lab golden retriever mix named Buck, and my parents expected everyone, including me and my ten year old brother, to enforce the rules. Because we were consistent and firm, Buck learned the rules pretty quickly. Now eight years later, Buck remains pretty well behaved, although his combination of breeds means that he still chews and digs as much as most puppies.

From Rubinstein's book, disciplining a classroom doesn't seem to be much different than training a dog. As a teacher, I must be consistent. I must enforce my classroom rules equally among all my students, not just the problem children. I must also make my rules clear. Students are more likely to do what is asked of them when the expectations are made explicitly clear. In short, Rubinstein's book was a quick, easy read. Maybe I am being overly confident, but I do not expect to have a first year like his. I know my first year will be difficult, especially after only having one student in summer school, but I can't help but believe that MTC will equip us with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively manage our classrooms.  

After reading Delta Autumn, I'm glad that MTC continues to print copies for First Years to read year after year. As a first year teacher and a lifelong student, I am slowly learning that there is more to teaching that I don't know than I actually do know. That being said, I really believe that most of the information highlighted in this book will be of some use to me next year. And I'm sure it is one piece of literature that will never be too far from my reach.

While I will probably find the information concerning the first day of school more helpful in August, I found the section on teaching students with ADD/ADHD and learning disabilities interesting. Our one student in MS Studies is the ideal student- she’s motivated, she’s smart, she does her work without much (if any) prompting and she most certainly does not appear to have ADD/ADHD or any learning disabilities. However, as I begin to write my own lesson plans, I can’t help but wonder how I would teach a classroom containing several ADD/ADHD students. Throughout my years tutoring athletes coupled with my own personal experiences as someone with ADD, I know how difficult simple classroom tasks can be. As a student, I preferred lessons with multiple activities, as I tended to get distracted by the bigger, lengthier projects. Also, my eyes tended to glaze over during any movie clip longer than a minute or two. Fortunately, I had teachers who knew what they were doing and I didn’t get left behind. I want to make sure that I do the same for my students with those kinds of issues- every kid is capable of learning, some in different ways than others.

After watching some of my Second Years in addition to reading the book, I have come up with several ideas that I plan to use in my classroom next year. Longer movie clips are acceptable as long as there is a sheet of questions that engage the student in active learning. Longer projects and readings are perfect as long as there are detailed instructions to guide even the most distracted students. Independent work time is the perfect opportunity to give students with learning disabilities the one on one attention they may need.

Overall, I liked the book. I’m glad that I have my first two lessons under my belt. So far, I’ve enjoyed teaching and I’m excited to see what tomorrow’s lesson on Choctaw Indians actually becomes.

In celebration of the '08 games coupled with the fact that I find myself missing Spain as I pack for school, here's a little Olympic history- Barcelona style. Held in the wake of German reunification, the end of the South African apartheid, the break ups of Yugoslavia and the USSR, the 1992 Games proved to be one of the most historic. When I visited Barcelona last October, I had the opportunity visit Olympic Stadium (para gratis!), the site of several of the following events.

Highlights from the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain
- The International Olympic Committee allowed South Africa to compete after a 28 year suspension for the country's apartheid policy.
- Germany competed as one team for the first time in 32 years.
- Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina had their own teams for the first time ever.
- Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania had their own teams for the first time 56 years.
- Other Soviet republics competed together as the Unified Team.
- Yael Arad became the first Israeli to medal in the Olympics taking silver in judo, 20 years after the massacre in Munich.
- Baseball, badminton, and women's judo became Olympic sports for the first time.
- After a 20 year hiatus, slalom canoeing rejoined the Olympic circuit.
- Professional basketball players were allowed to compete for the first time, and thus, allowing for the creation the United States' Dream Team starring Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, among others.
- British track star Derek Redmond tore his hamstring during the semi-finals of the 400m, receiving a standing ovation as he finished the race with the help of his father.
The sights and sounds of Olympic Stadium in Barcelona- including the Passeig de la Fama (Walk of Fame). There was some sort of Disney-esque festival going on which was only mildly entertaining (as we were all over the age of 20) but it did mean that we got in for free.

As I sit here attempting to write my last 2 required blogs of the summer, I'm finding it difficult to articulate my experience this summer. So here goes the best I've got for now... and both blogs are now contained in this one.

This summer was incredible. I'm not sure I've ever worked this hard at a "real" job in my life (being a camp counselor does not count as a "real" job). I definitely didn't come into this experience expecting it to be as intense as it was. I had no idea what I was getting into even though I'd read parts of both Molly's and Lauryn's blogs. All I knew was that I was going to be myself, do what I do, and hope that that was good enough.

The first few days were pretty tedious, and honestly, I found myself missing Sky Ranch like crazy. But the first weekend rolled around, and AM and I hit up HS to bake cookies at MG's apartment. MG introduced us to more second years, and I finally felt like summer had started. Then the First Years arrived, and life as a MTC intern really started to get fun.

I spent the first month at HSHS, and really, every day brought some sort of new challenge or problem to solve. I'm not sure I ever stopped moving while I was at the school. The first week was definitely the most challenging as PM, ET, MH, and I worked with Joe to create a system for everything from attendance to telling the middle school teachers when lunch was in the least disruptive manner. By the end of June, summer school was more or less a well oiled machine, although most days felt a little rusty. Working up at HSHS gave me the opportunity to see just what it's like running a school and how much work actually goes into (and how much is actually beyond your control). The administrative side is tough, especially when working with the level of competency displayed by those working at the HS and Marshall County Central Offices. I enjoyed sitting in on what few classes I actually got to watch- it was nice to see the lesson plans that I checked every morning in action during the day. Joe was "afraid" of the lunch ladies which meant that I got to tell them when the middle schoolers were coming everyday, and honestly, that became one of the highlights of my day. Copy machine maintenance and repair also fell into the list of things that I learned how to do over the summer as I had the opportunity to learn from Joe- the principal and resident copy machine surgeon. Overall, HSHS was my favorite part of the internship- I loved getting started that early everyday, and I loved the challenges that each day presented.
 
July was a little tedious at WWI and SOE. WWI was the toughest part of the internship for me, but overall, I'm glad that I at least attempted the project (although by any measurable standard, I didn't do much). PM was a trooper during my time at WWI (and SOE) as he watched me hit mental walls on an almost daily basis (that's what happens when I'm not constantly stimulated). He also let me throw sticks at him (sounds harsh but it wasn't- I found some sticks opn the way back from the Union and like any five year old boy I picked them up and then tossed them- in his direction). My time spent at the School of Ed was used to finish my project and make lots of binder and finish stuff up for Ann. Unlike the rest of the interns, I wasn't assigned a daily project at SOE which meant that I ended up doing more random stuff for the First Years and Ann. Looking back I'm glad that I didn't have a set project as I really enjoyed the work I did for Ann and the First Years. The hardest part of my work at SOE was the total lack of stimulation... I really don't do well without a lot to do and often had to get creative to keep myself busy (and prevent myself from hitting walls).

Overall, it was an excellent summer. I loved MVC every afternoon in the hot sun and the evening down time. The weekends were fun- especially the trip to Jackson. And I had the opportunity to see Oxford in a totally different light. Ole Miss is my dream school, and Oxford is, in my opinion, the perfect college town. Being here with people who didn't necessarily go to undergrad at Ole Miss has been a nice change of pace from the regular school year and helped truly separate school from summer (which I was concerned about initially). I'm not gonna lie though- now that summer is done, I'm ready to be back here but as a student and with the people that I began my college journey with. I definitely learned a lot, and hopefully, I'll be back next summer but as a First Year.

- the speakers
    - I would recommend spreading the speakers out over the summer- we heard a bunch at the beginning and then          very few at the end. However, it has been nice to have more free afternoons in July.
    - vary the topics: a little less race/CRM/ desegregation- there are plenty of other issues in the South that deserve         to be heard every now and then besides race.
    - listening to a 4pm speaker for 80 minutes after being up since 5am is a beat down- maybe schedule the speakers        for earlier times.
- the internet
    - vox is fine
    - twitter is not
    - delicious is good if you have a real purpose- being an intern was not a strong enough purpose for my use of this to       be worthwhile
 - project
    - I found the project meetings to be pretty worthless, a weekly email with our progress would accomplished the           same things in a more efficient, less time consuming manner.
    - I enjoyed doing it, but I also really enjoyed my topic
    - presentation info to come later...
- random
    - I vote Joe Sweeney for principal of summer school every year
    - cut down on the number of interns- 8 aren't needed
        - have a permanent intern at HSHS so projects don't switch hands as much (= more efficiency, < chaos)
    - housing should be the same for both June and July
    - switching from HSHS to WWI/Guyton was not that much fun, not sure how to solve this problem
  
- you'll only be as busy as you want to be- if you assert yourself early on, you will never be without things to do (Ann will almost always have some sort of project that needs to be done)
- with the previous note, if you're ever bored, someone (teachers, Ben, Joe, etc.) will have something for you to do
- take notes during the speakers- it'll be easier to write the required blogs later
- if you don't agree with some part of the internship/ something you've been asked to do, talk to Ben about it- solutions can be found to just about any problem
- be flexible- crap happens a lot, especially at HSHS
- no special skills are needed for fixing the copier or the printers- the things are pieces of junk anyway, and you probably can't make things much worse with your attempts to fix them
- get to know the Second Years- after a year of teaching, they definitely have knowledge to impart upon you- soak it up
- get to know the First Years- they're working hard and will be around a month longer than the Second Years- also, if you're interested in the program, the First Years are your potential mentors and Second Years
- play volleyball (assuming Sealand doesn't quit/ slack on his job next summer)- vball is a great way to get to know people and get some fresh air after a long day of work
- explore Oxford- it's a wonderful town and has a lot to offer culturally and historically
- budget for some meals out- Oxford has a plethora of excellent local eateries
- sit in on a first year lesson or two at HSHS- it's a good way to see what's actually going down day in and day out
- if you're interested in teaching/ MTC, peruse a couple of lesson plans too
- visit the Delta (something I wish I had done)

I've had a blast. Thanks for working hard. Thanks for getting your lesson plans in on time... well, most of the time anyway. I enjoyed getting them and looked forward to the humor that many of you included in them. Thanks keeping me busy... I might have lost my mind otherwise. I enjoyed all of it- from finding scissors and staplers at HSHS to copying binders at Guyton. Thanks for keeping me entertained.  I wish everyone of you the best this fall. All of you are ready to take on your new schools. You've been trained: you've learned how to write lesson plans and tests, you've learned how to manage classrooms of unruly students, you've learned how to create something out of nothing. I'm pulling for y'all. I'm excited to hear what the year has in store for each of you on your (semi) weekly trips to Oxford. I can't wait for y'all to experience the "real" Ole Miss, the one that I know and love. I expect each of you to be back here next summer doing what the MTC c/o 2007 did this summer, imparting wisdom upon us all and causing trouble and encouraging fun. Assuming MTC will have me, I'll be back next summer too, only this time as a First Year.

By all definition, I am Southern. Although I wasn't born in the "Deep South", I was raised here. I say y'all and "yes ma'am" and "no ma'am" and "yes sir" and "no sir". Sweet tea runs through my veins like water. I wear pearls- everyday. I spent thirteen years at the same private school that wouldn't have been founded had it not been for desegragation. I was a debutante (twice). I played outside year round and went barefoot as much as my parents would allow. Most Thanksgivings and Christmases were warm enough to spend the entire day outside. Instead of snow days, I experienced hurricane and tornado days- with the exception of the blizzard of 1993. I learned how to shoot a gun when I was five. By the time I entered Kindergarten, I knew that I cheered for Alabama and not Auburn and that switching sides was not an option, especially after the Iron Bowl. Despite being raised below the Mason-Dixon line, I didn't grow up completely Southern.

My dad was born and raised in a little town in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country called Leesport. He met and married my mama in West Virginia, and shortly thereafter, all three of us moved to a suburb in Northeast Philadelphia. Mama got homesick, and within two years, my daddy was a transplant, a Yankee in the midst of an unfamiliar culture- the Deep South. Yes, I was raised in the South with Southern values; however, Daddy did have some influence and the Northern culture was passed along too. I've spent part of every year in Pennsylvania, from the time I moved to Alabama until I graduated from high school. My Southern upbringing was accented with Daddy's select Pennsylvania Dutch phrases, his insistence that I wear ballet shoes to church when every other Southern girl went barefoot, and the sound of excitement in his voice as he cheered on JoePa and Penn State's Nittany Lions on Saturdays in the fall. For good luck on New Year's, Daddy added sauerkraut and pork to the traditional Southern black eyed peas and collard greens. Though far away from his alma matter, Daddy made sure that we experienced Penn State football both in Happy Valley and down South for bowl games. He proudly stood out and refused (and still does refuse) to conform to every aspect of Southern culture which, at times, can be very frustrating.

Now flash forward to this past weekend. This was the first time I had been to PA in almost a year and a half, as studying abroad and working at a camp the last two summers has not been conducive to visiting my family above the Mason-Dixon Line. I can't help it; I love it up there. Pennsylvania isn't home, but it's always been a place where I've felt like I belonged. On Monday morning, Daddy, Robbie, and I went to visit (great) Aunt Edna and (great) Uncle Dave who (on a side note) just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Dave is 90 and battling Alzeheimers; Edna is 84 and trying to take care of Dave (with the help of others). On the way back to the hotel to pick up Mama, Daddy asked Robbie and I if we could navigate our way around the area. Honestly, with my direction sense, probably not; however, I'm not entirely sure that's true. I know the roads (US Hwy 222) and where certain towns are in relation to others (Leesport, Reading, Wyomissing). I practically grew up in the area. He also asked us what we thought about our bi-cultural upbringing, if we were glad to have been raised both Southern and Northern, if we appreciated the Yankee Seip traditions as much as we do the Southern McLean traditions.  

As a total Daddy's girl, my answer was, and still is, yes- absolutely. I've always felt more connected to the Seip side of my family rather than the McLean side (Mama's side). For one, I look just like my dad and have been told my entire life that if Rob Seip were female, he would look like me. Also, I've inherited the horrible Gibson/Seip family eye sight and inability to sleep. My interests tend to come from my dad's side- my fascination with maps and foreign places, my love for history, travel, and sports, my thirst for books and learning. Daddy's side of the family has always been intriguing: the original Seip clan came over from Germany in the 1700s, and for the last 300 years, they have lived within a 10 mile radius of where the originals settled in Eastern Pennsylvania long ago. Few moved until their health and age required them to do otherwise, like my grandparents who moved to Muhlenberg after living in the same house in Leesport for 46 years.

As far as my bi-cultural upbringing, I wouldn't trade it for the world. My vantage point and view of the world has changed with each visit to the "homeland". I've learned new things about my beloved South from those not living amidst the fried chicken and hospitality and experienced a different lifestyle for a few weeks out of every year. As I bounced back and forth between Pennsylvania and Alabama, I learned how to adapt. My Daddy instilled in me a work ethic that came from being raised in a land not known for its hospitality or charm. While I was discovering who I was in a part of the country that tended to push conformity, Daddy encouraged me to be Ashton and not anyone else. I've loved growing up in both worlds. I love the South for the people, the culture, the weather, and the excitement that I feel each time my accent confirms my Southern upbringing. I love the North for the people (and the warmth they do not exude), the landscape, and the sense of belonging that I feel every time I see the familiar sights that are far away from the place that I call "home". It's been wonderful, and I think Daddy was right when he said that my Berks County heritage is something that I will appreciate more and more with time. But with that I can't help but believe that I'll always be a Southern girl at heart... 

I'm writing this blog from a hotel lobby in Reading, PA, after a great weekend with the fam. I feel a little weird typing this up as the place still reeks of Indian food from some reception fiesta held in a meeting room here earlier tonight. Anyway, here goes.

Ellen Meacham came and spoke to us on maybe Wednesday afternoon? I can't remember. Anyway, she's writing a book about Robert Kennedy's trip through the Mississippi Delta in 1967 (?). Overall, her talk was interesting and she's clearly done her research on the topic. She started her lecture with a little bit of background, creating a segway into the possible motives behind Kennedy's trip. I owe Patrick a thank you, as watching him teach earlier in the day equipped me with the knowledge to answer Meacham's first question about LBJ's social/economic policy known as the "Great Society". After establishing the historical context (the death of JFK, LBJ's "Great Society", the current role of government), Meacham began to detail just how Robert Kennedy found himself in the Mississippi Delta.

Appointed Attorney General under his brother, Kennedy had established himself as an active member of desegragation. He enforced integration and supported the Freedom Riders; he was involved with integration of Ole Miss. Before making his trip to Mississippi, Kennedy had already established himself as a vocal voice for change. In fact, he'd even argued with LBJ to get troops out of Vietnam, a war his deceased brother initiated. In 1967, Robert Kennedy would have another chance to voice the need for change in the slowly desegregrating South.  

Kennedy and Joe Clark (PA) along with the rest of the Senate had the opportunity to hear Marian Wright of the NAACP speak in a Senate hearing. Wright talked about the people of the Mississippi Delta and ow they were in "dire straights". Kennedy and Clark heard the urgency in her voice, and quickly planned an additional hearing and a trip to Mississippi. Fortunately for Kennedy and Clark, Mississippi did not pose a political risk. Neither Senator had any alliace with either of the Mississippi Senators, and neither Kennedy nor Clark needed anything that either MS Senator had to offer. In April of 1967, Kennedy listened to Wright again, only this time in Jackson, MS.

In an effort to help out the struggling South, Congress increased the minimum wage of farmers. Unfortunately for the South, this proved to be a "law of unintended consquences". The new minimum wage forced farmers to cut jobs. New subsidies required farmers to cut back on the acres farmed. By switching from Free Commodities to Food Stamps, real starvation and increased malnutrition became realities in the Deep South. Food Stamps required those in need to pay money; whereas the Free Commodities system did not. In the South, there were many people who didn't earn a living, and therefore, had no way to pay for Food Stamps. Enter Robert Kennedy.

While dining in Jackson after Wright's hearing, Kennedy looked around and asked those dining with him who he could trust. He needed someone to show him the truth, how the people of Mississippi were really doing. Kennedy took twelve national reporters with him to Greenville, a progressive part of the Delta at the time, to investigate and see for himself the horrors that Wright so vividly described. What Kennedy saw was gut-wrenching. He spent his time talking to the children, opening cabinets, and asking them what they'd eaten that day. When asked later about what he'd seen, Kennedy responded saying that he had never seen the poverty in the Delta anywhere but in third world countries. He met children and adults in filthy, tattered clothes who were starving, who hadn't eaten in days and still didn't know where their next meal would come from. But the question still remains, why did Robert Kennedy make his trip to the Delta?

According to Meacham and her research, Kennedy didn't go to the Delta to set an agenda. He didn't go to make himself look better to the media or his colleagues. He went as an activist. He went to see for himself exactly what Marian Wright meant when she said that the people of the Mississippi Delta were in "dire straights". If seeing is believing, then Robert Kennedy certainly believed and understood the depth and meaning of Wright's words.  

After a very nice drive on US Hwy 78 and an even more exciting drive through Birmingham in torrential rain, I made it home- to Montgomery. Because I am tired of people confusing Birmingham and Montgomery (and no, they're not the same place)/ annoyed with the fact that some people assume that because I'm from Alabama I must be from Birmingham, I decided to post a short geography/ history lesson- Alabama style- for all those who might need some clarification. 

I found this map online and added to it- Montgomery is the city underlined/starred in red. Birmingham is the city in blue. Notice- they are not located in the same place; therefore, they cannot be the same city. As a matter of fact, GoogleMaps says that there's approximately 90.3 miles between the two cities, if one should chose to drive on I-65.

 

 

Now for the short history lesson:

Remember the bus boycott with Rosa Parks? That happened in Montgomery- not Birmingham. Martin Luther King's Dexter Avenue Baptist Church? That would be Dexter Avenue in Montgomery- not Birmingham. The so-called Civil Rights Capital of the World? That's Montgomery- not Birmingham. Home to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and the Southern Writers Project? Montgomery- not Birmingham. The first White House of the Confederacy? Yup, you got it- it was in Montgomery- not Birmingham.

Where were Martin Luther King, Jr's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" written? Birmingham- not Montgomery. Where was the church that killed the four little black girls during the Civil Rights Movement? Birmingham- not Montgomery. Where's UAB located? Birmingham- not Montgomery. What city was the site for the 1996 Olympic Soccer games? Birmingham- not Montgomery.

I hope my short lesson has cleared up any confusion that may have existed and confirmed the fact that Montgomery and Birmingham are not the same city. Alabama isn't that big, but there are plenty of places to live beyond Birmingham. And yes, automobiles have finally made it and now people can move around from one place to the other- they can even leave the state if they so desire.