Wasted Education

I just graduated with a masters in Educational Administration this past July, from the University of . . . lets not say where. It just eats me up alive how ridiculous, not to mention expensive, this higher education was for me. I pursued this degree in the hopes of attaining a position where I can actually do something useful to change (or at least positively affect, make a dent, a ding, anything!) the disgraceful state of public education. I may not have been able to affect the system at large, yet I was in a position to at least alleviate some of the problems in a small district. Or so that’s what I kept telling myself - but my issues with gov’t schools are rants better left for another post. My current beef here, is at the college level - specifically the training program used to rear future administrators for schools (mostly public).

One would think that at a higher learning institute where education is the focus, one would be rewarded for questioning the ineffective practices that are in place in today’s schools and for offering up fresh ideas during class discussions. You know . . . innovative, forward-thinking, thought-provoking, change-inducing ideas that attempt to revamp a system that is sorely lacking in its ability to produce a future generation that would one day stand up and question any perceived wrongs of their own time. Maybe these sort of progressive exchanges exist in other colleges, in other areas of the country. Not so here.

Now without going into too much detail (I’d rather not shoot myself in the foot or burn any bridges at this point), here are some highlights courtesy of this very special staff:

• Class is discussing the importance of teacher professional development and research: The professor concludes by stating that (and I’m paraphrasing because I don’t think my mind could grasp, much less store, her actual words) teachers shouldn’t be bothered with keeping up with research - teachers are already very busy and they don’t need to be bogged down more than is necessary. It should be the responsibility of the administrator to conduct the research and disseminate it to the appropriate teachers.

What?!!! Are you serious? This person actually discouraged teachers to learn more about and be kept abreast of the latest research in their field in order to be more effective and efficient at their jobs - jobs that affect children’s lives! Then she proposes that the principal be the one to do it. Now, if you are fortunate enough to have a great principal - she just piled on a ton of work to one of the busiest people in the building. If you have an incompetent one, she just proposed that the laziest person in the building do it. And mediocre ones may or may not care. Can you imagine if doctors in the medical field were discouraged to learn about new methods, treatments, and relevant research? We’d still be amputating limbs to let people bleed their ills away.

• Students ask the professor for advice on the upcoming written comprehensives: The professor basically told the students that they would have to conform to one official educational philosophy on their written comp to receive a passing grade in order to graduate.

I have a big problem being told what to think. I have a bigger problem being told what I can’t think.

• During an “exchange” (basically an argument that would ensue whenever I really disagreed with this professor - I always let little things go), he informed me that I wouldn’t be able to change anything because people around here “have been doing things this way for years and years and it’s probably not going to change”

Great. Thanks. Could you guys please make that your official motto so that potential students can knowingly enroll in this dynamic institution?

This particular ed. admin program prides itself in the ability to inculcate its students (who are mostly current teachers) with many of the same basic principles, methods, and practices that are to blame for the current state of our schools. How many other schools around the country are doing the same?

OK, so I went into some detail. It couldn’t be helped.

Operation Chisel

So Operation Chisel was initiated as of 15:00 yesterday. I am almost 6 months postpartum and I’m just now getting enough freedom from my little monkey to get back into a work out routine. It’s not that I haven’t been exercising since Chick Pea was born, but this will be the first time that I can actually work out regularly at the gym. So far, I’ve been going to yoga every week and I was walk/running 2-3 times a week up until a couple of months ago because it got too cold. I know, I’m a huge wimp - but it’s because I’m an equator baby and I haven’t lived in cold weather before!

I’ve always been fortunate enough to have been blessed with one of those fast metabolisms; the kind that make people women hate me because I can eat whatever I want without gaining weight. So even though I gained 40 pounds while pregnant, I’ve been back to my pre-preg weight for a few months (breastfeeding can also be thanked for that - it rocks!). But I am very out of shape . . . and the holidays didn’t help!

So this post is not intended to brag about my great genes, its purpose is to put this mission in writing in an effort to make me stick to my regimen so that I can look cute in the denim variety. Being healthier is nice too, but blah blah blah - looking cute is better.

Heymann, if you’re out there . . . it’s on!

“I Read Today . . .”

Mr Favorite pointed out to me that we start a lot of our conversations this way. I hadn’t thought about it before, but he’s absolutely right. We’re always sharing new things we learned about that day. Granted, included in these daily updates are useless tidbits of information regarding some scandalous famous person that did something stupid. Yet most of the time we swap worthwhile info on various topics. We also noted that many people around us don’t use that term very often. Especially when I started thinking about many of my former co-workers in the so-called learned field of education. Or maybe it’s just that people take credit for the things they discuss and pass it on as their own opinion/knowledge. Either way, it made me wonder . . . do people (besides bloggers and blog lurkers) ever read just for the sake of it anymore?

I’ll readily admit that I don’t read actual books that much anymore. Not because I don’t enjoy them, but because I tend to get obsessed with books. No matter how interesting or boring a book is - I have to finish it once I start it. And I’ve never been the kind that could read a couple chapters of a book each night or a bit here and there as time allowed. No - once I start, I basically ignore everything and do nothing except read that book until I finish it (this usually means that I’m out of commission for a day or two). It also gives me the added pleasure of irritating those around me who desperately vie for my attention. They try so hard to tear me away, only to get painfully ignored. In the case of gossip magazines I average about an hour, so it’s not that bad (right, Stef?).

As much as I’d love to lose myself in a good book, I just don’t have the luxury of time to dedicate myself to a book the way I’d like. So instead, I just read online . But I do read, and more importantly, I learn everyday. Because isn’t that the point - even if it’s just for entertainment??? I think it’s sad that some people don’t like to read and avoid it as much as they can. I can’t imagine purposefully turning away new information or not seeking it out.

Why Don’t Counting Sheep Like Me?

I was always so nice to them during the glorious sleep episodes I’ve experienced in life. We used to be buds - hanging out and talking trash about that shameless neglectful hussy, Bo Peep. But they’ve abandoned me the last year and a half. Pregnancy was one big blur of sleeplessness due to peeing 5, 117 times a night, being a belly sleeper with a huge protruding bump, and other random aches and pains. OK, so maybe I scared them away with all of that, but why won’t they visit me now?

I guess a better question would be . . . why won’t they befriend Chick Pea? We’re currently co-sleeping for numerous reasons. One of which is to get her better acquainted with these lovely sheep, but they don’t seem to be getting along very well so far. Our demanding little nursling requires many sessions with me during the night and I guess the sheep must be jealous. But now I am getting increasingly impatient and jealous with all of the attention that Mr Favorite is getting from them. That’s right . . . as I lie there desperately wanting to close my eyes and drift carelessly away into a blissful state of unconsciousness with my fleecy friends, I can hear him exchanging soft little snorts with them. So chummy. And then just as Pea finally starts to drift off, he’ll snuggle deeper into his beckoning pillow - all the while, throwing a careless elbow that, allegedly, unintentionally connects with her head. Once again my plans for having quality time with my own pillow are thwarted and I find myself wishing that my elbow could stretch to make a special connection with his head.

Maybe I can put a wolf mask on him in his sleep? No - that would surely scare all of the sheep away. But then we’d be on even ground and it would really appease the vindictive minx in me. Naah, I would actually give up being spiteful in this case just to get some sleep. Ah well, I guess I’ll just keep counting and hope they show up tonight.

Where Do You Go To Church?

I’m not sure why this question bugs me so much, but it does. It may be because where I grew up people didn’t really discuss it. It rarely, if ever, even came up. There were always certain topics that people generally stayed away from in the interest of not starting a debate or accidentally offending someone. Or maybe we just didn’t care. . . not sure. You just knew not to bring up politics, abortion, sex with ugly people, or religion. Of course, where I grew up, it was also assumed that most people were either catholic, jewish, or heathens - so it wasn’t an issue . . . no one was going to convert.

I guess moving to the bible belt is my version of culture shock. I always thought that questions about politics, religion, and such were considered personal, and more importantly, irrelevant in the establishment of friendship. Yet people here seem to open up conversations with this question and even go so far as to invite you to their church. Can I get a dinner date and a fondle cuddle first? Geesh! It’s not that I’m against religion or anything, I’m just not used to it being so out there.

So please don’t ask - I’m catholic . . . we don’t go to church.

Blogging. . . I Get It Now

What may have been blindingly obvious to other people, has only just now made sense to me. I never really understood what the big deal was about blogs and forums. Of course, I never really read any either. But I get it now. It’s just like the obsession with reality TV and gossip. You get to look into real people’s lives and thoughts without getting invested or them knowing about it. You can pass judgment, make fun of, learn from, and admire someone all in one visit. It’s great!

I’m still new though, so I’m in the lurking stage right now. May haps I’ll start dropping some comments soon . . .

I Wasn’t Wrong!

There are other stay at home moms that are bored. I mean, I already knew that. But I found one that was really bored.

I found out that someone found my lowly little budding blog yesterday through a google search for  “bored stay at home mom”. So of course, I googled it to see where I came up. Page 5! This poor girl was so desperate for entertainment that she went all the way to page 5 (and maybe beyond?). I don’t think I’ve ever been past page 3. Now that’s some perserverance!

Thanks for visiting!

Do-over

So I have a new hobby. . . cooking. Dorky, I know - but you wouldn’t think so for long if you came over for dinner. Back in ‘04, when I was cool enough to have a ‘Myspace’ page, you’d find “people who cook for me” listed under my likes. Well, that’s very 2004. Now don’t go thinking that I’m giving up on my day job as selfish Meville Mayor - I’m not. I only cook things I like (Mr Favorite just happens to like it too).

Anyway, I wish I could do college over. Although, I’d like to simultaneously keep all of the knowledge I’ve gained over the years in the education field. Since I know that this is just wishful thinking, I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request. If I could do college over, I probably wouldn’t go. As fun as it was, I feel like I could have learned more had I not gone. My do-over would include leaving home after high school to travel to different countries and work in restaurants. That way I’d get exposed to and learn about various cuisines, gain valuable knowledge, and entangle myself in countless misadventures that wouldn’t be possible to experience while sitting in a classroom. Then I would enroll in culinary school to fine tune my skills as a master chef, find a suitable job in a quaint restaurant, get my very own famous cooking show, and then continue my life as it is now.

Just a random thought. What would you do over?

Stay at Home Slut

Not really. . .at least not me. I was just reminiscing about how I used to call my good friend that when she had her first baby and the rest of us girls in that circle were single, baby free, and stressed at work. We envied her (when we weren’t out partying) because she got to stay home. I remember her going through a bit of a rough time because she felt bound to the house, bored, and desperate for adult interaction. Of course, I couldn’t relate to her back then - but now it all makes sense.

It’s not that I’m not busy, because there’s always something to do around the house. But sometimes, it’s being in the house that can be the problem. So the simple solution would seem to be to get out of the house, right? Yeah well…where to? It’s not like an infant can enjoy all of the things or places that older kids can like the park, a museum, or a book store (for long periods, anyway). So what are my options?

I’m definitely not the “mom group” type. Nothing sounds more boring to me than sitting around with a whole bunch of strangers talking about babies, husbands, and the like all day. I’m not interested in what percentile your kid is in or that he rolled over, cut a tooth, pooped in the toilet, or anything else that other people’s kids do. I just don’t care unless you’re my friend. Meville, remember? Now if I got the chance to hang around my slutty group of girlfriends that I left back in Fl, that’d be a different story. Who knows what delectable tidbits of gossip might be exchanged at such a meeting. So that’s out.

I’ve been out shopping many times. Just ask Mr Favorite . . . he’s well acquainted with the bank statements that prove it. The problem with shopping is that I tend to spend money no matter how many times I have the inner “don’t spend money” talk with myself. This is something that I’ve struggled with since I began working at 15 and had my own money (I should add that to my list). The only way to control myself is not to go. Shopping out. On a side note - something funny that I’ve noticed while out, is all of the other girls with new babies that are doing the same thing I am . . . wandering aimlessly around Target or the mall just to be out of the house. You’d think that we might start up a conversation seeing as how we’re similar ages and in similar positions. But instead we just ignore each other, smile at best. I’m thinking it’s because we’re too busy checking each other out to see who lost the baby weight and whose baby is cuter. Somehow Pea always wins . . .

Anyway, I’m not trying to complain. I definitely love spending time with Chick Pea and I’m extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to watch her grow each day. So maybe I should just shut up and be a stay at home slut.

Have I Really Changed?

I like to think that I’m pretty much the same person that I’ve been since I was 16 or 17. I don’t think I’ve really changed that much except for having more responsibilities. But let’s see. I got this email from a friend, so I’d like to submit it as evidence that I’m still as young as a spring chicken.

10 Things That I Liked as A Teenager That I Like Now

• sushi
• making fun of people (harmless fun)
• the beach
• rap
• making out and stuff
• listening to gossip
• making to do lists
• procrastinating
• smart and funny people
• flip flops

10 Things That I Didn’t Like As A Teenager That I Don’t Like Now

• onions
• nosy people (contradicts with my like of gossip, I know)
• going to the dentist
• carbonated drinks
• cloudy days
• pretentiousness
• cold weather
• closed minds
• tapered jeans
• smoking

10 5 Things I Liked As A Teen That I Don’t Like Now

• Tales From The Crypt
• steel toed shoes
• credit cards
• my bangs in the shape of a wave
• scrunchies

10 Things That I Didn’t Like As A Teen That I Do Like Now

• drinking milk
• staying home on a Friday night
• vodka
• hip hop
• make-up (at times)
• wearing skirts
• cats
• being debt free
• cooking
• being patient

See! I haven’t changed that much. The proof lays in the fact that I had such ease coming up with things for the first two categories, but really struggled to come up with things for the third. The Last category just proves that I have matured and learned new things . . . not changed. Ok, so maybe I’m in denial.