Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Refverie - Hurricane Florence

 This storm was/is such a huge event. My mind can’t help but think of all the ways this connects to an environmental science class curriculum. Weather, climate change, surface water, land use, agriculture, environmental justice, environmental racism... there’s just so much to unpack from the societal, economic, and environmental standpoints. I want to say that I’m sad that I don’t get to teach rich engaging lessons about this, but that’s not exactly what it would’ve looked like. I would’ve thought of a bunch of ideas and stressed for a while about how to incorporate them into lessons I already had, and I’d probably end up with maybe one more activity from it. In an ideal world, I’d have made an engaging, interdisciplinary, place-based project that would’ve facilitated the kids thinking critically about environmental issues in our society and becoming better citizens. In reality, I would’ve been tired, overwhelmed by all the other logistical work that goes into teaching, and emotionally exhausted after plenty of hard days, especially one of flooded roads, a tornado drill, and school that should have been cancelled but wasn’t. It’s hard to not idealize the past and hold my past self to a standard she couldn’t reach, so it’s easier to call it out and think it through and move on. I now have to learn how to think about all of these impacts in my own head without immediately trying to think up a project or lesson. I look forward to reading thoughtful essays and articles about this storm as they come out, and I look forward to figuring out what action around it looks like for me in this new phase of life.




Saturday, September 15, 2018

Refverie - New Office

 This is my new parking-lot-at-work view!! (From Tuesday, the last day I was there before Florence) ... now that I’ve started school, I have so many thoughts and remembered I have this blogstagram so ima try to get back to it... • • • I’m having to figure out new routines as I get used to my new work & school situation, and I’m noticing space where there wasn’t space in my previous routine, and new limitations in other parts. One area of new space is my literal brain. The summer always clears lots of things out, but I’m used to my brain being quickly filled up again with all the new relationships in the classroom and around school. I am definitely meeting & interacting with lots of cool people, but I am no longer responsible for their emotional well-being at any given moment. This has been such an interesting feeling to settle into. It’s lighter, a bit lonelier, and making space for me to actually remember things and process my thoughts in a productive way. It’s nice. On the other side, I’m still finding my voice and feeling weird boundaries and limitations in how I express myself and how I’m perceived. Many people don’t know me, and I don’t really know myself in this context yet, so it’ll take some getting used to before my voice feels fully like its own again. Overall, though, I’m loving discovering these new areas and seeing new parts of myself!