Biking and Butterflies

Last year at IslandWood, I came into my own, again, as my friend pointed out to me. I shaved my head, which I've wanted to do since I was 11. I wrote poems and shared them publicly. Lacking my cello, I learned how to play guitar and grew a voice.

And, for the third (and final!) time in my life, I learned how to ride a bicycle.

It's been a whole year since I got on the two-wheeled monster named Norbert and learned how to pedal and balance. I feel a bit like a child typing that. Although it took my own bravery and gumption to hop back on the bicycle, after two failed attempts in my childhood, I could never have done it without the support of the IslandWood community. From Zach actually guiding me through the steps toward peddling, to Kate lending me her helemt for months, to Ray's tips on zig-zagging uphill, to folks just hollering and cheering for me as I rode by, I felt a lot of support everytime I got on the bike.

Now I've bought myself a bike that changes gears and has thin enough tires to make it up substantial hills. Misty (the Kona Dew Seattle bike that are to the horses of Chincoteague what Norbert was to dragons) is a beautiful hybrid with colorful streamers gifted by my roommate E.J. I ride her several days a week, to school, to work, to the grocery store, to the Bagley house for an afternoon visit. I still have a long way to go to be a comfortable city biker, I stick to the trails as much as possible. But I really love being at the stage where everyday that I hop on the bike, I can tell how I'm improving. I get a little bolder signaling, a little faster on the hills, a little more aware of what's going on with my bike.

Inspiration and Identity

I think reading my roommate, Emily Jane's, new blog was my biggest inspiration to start one of my own.

Living on the other side of the country from where I was born and raised, working, volunteering, going to grad school, and having a social life definitely gives me lots of feelings to process. I want to honor the experiences I'm having and have a space to reflect and sort through how they are fitting into my life and helping develop my identity.

I think this first post needs to be about how all the different pieces of my teaching identity are coming together through all the different educational experiences I am creating and having.

University of Washington -- Grad School

Grad school classes on science, education, and science education at UW are shaping my teaching theories. I love, and have always loved, being in school because I love spending so much of my time actively reflecting on what I do with the rest of my time.

The most important lesson I have learned from grad school has been how to affirm myself. Although my teachers have been nurturing, I've noticed I get very little external praise. This is done in an intentional way that has helped me recognize when I need to be giving myself praise instead of relying on someone else's opinion. I am trying to affirm my students less, and instead guide them to learn how to praise themselves for a job well done.

LASER

We do not shoot the children with Laser guns, but I understand why everyone wants to ask this and/or make laser sounds when I tell them where I work.

Working at LASER has been helpful to get practice with large group management, dealing with behavior issues, and planning activities. This job has confirmed what I always expected, that working with children is more beneficial to me when I am building long-term relationships. I've been running the 4-H club every Thursday, and although that hour goes by fast, it's also nice to know there's next week to finish up the unfinished business.

Stewardship Stories

My Master's Project has been an attempt to forge all the theory and practice. The group of grads working on Stewardship Stories spent months going to meetings, writing up lesson plans, revising curriculum, creating schedules, researching theories of development, reading resources on storytelling, stewardship, digital media, media literacy, and writing our proposals (and this is not to mention months before we came onto the project when the IslandWood and Seattle Parks and Recreation staff planned goals, timelines, stipends, and more) to find ourselves scrambling every week to keep our heads above water as we lead workshops 2 hours long.

It has been amazing to finally start working with the teens. They are a great group of kids. They have so many interesting experiences that are being translated to three minute videos. It feels really good to push them to share their voices, because their stories are ones that need to be heard.

Youth Group

I've started helping with the youth group at Seattle First Baptist Church. It's a really small group of kids who grew up in the church and attend with their families, which reminds me a lot of my own experience as a youth at Calvary Baptist Church in D.C. Mostly I've just played games and hung out with the youth. This has been a good piece to include in my teaching identity, a place I go to completely as a volunteer, that's connected with my spiritual roots.

Alleyside Hotel

Living with four other educators, and having an open door to so many different friends and visitors, has been a grounding experience. It's fun to come home at the end of the day, share stories about children philosophizing about the rain, gather ideas for experiential games with balloons, get advice on dealing with children with behavior disorders, and know that I'm part of a community of creative educators.