my recent myth-busting trip (thoughts)

As we taxied across the tarmac in San Francisco, I said to my wife “hey, maybe we can go see the Mythbusters shop.”  Its always been a favorite television program of mine, and I thought it would be neat to see it in person.  As things turned out, we didnt get to go, but while we were in California, we had a different sort of myth-busting trip.

As a lifelong resident of the east coast, I have grown up listening to all manner of stories and news reports about California.  I have heard all the seemingly crazy enviromental laws they pass, heard of the geographical splendor, and of the oppulent wealth.  It seems that California, is a place only one or two steps removed from Eden.  

As a resident of West Virginia, I am familiar with myths, of course, Appalachian myths of course are typically less than flattering.  And of course many of those myths are perpetuated by places like…Hollywood, California.   In the spirit of myth-busting though I thought I would chronicle some of the California myths and compare them to the myths about Appalachians.    

I feel like this will be a nice start to my digital story.  I have often felt that the problems associated with the Appalachian region are simply common to the human experiance.  My recent trip to California helps support my thinking.  The photographs I took and the story I will tell demonstrate this.  I think the trick will come in not sounding bitter or angry, and making it a positive piece for both areas.  I also think the usual method of writing the story first them supporting with pictures will not do… I think this time i will create the picture comparisons and then write the story.     I can always go back and do it the other way if this doesn’t work out.

Welcome

This will be the first entry.  This blog will be dedicated to the written word.  I am an instructor of English currently at Marshall University.

What nourishes me as a teacher (this day)

Nourishment-those things which increase my ability to give.  What nourishes me?  New stuff, old stuff revisited, new toys, new students, new semester.   So, I suppose its new things which recharge my batteries. 

But I am also recharged by planning for my classes. I use various tools which help me plan, the newest one, and the one i know the least about at this point is Microsoft Project.  This little (haha) program allows me to create time-lines, view resources needed, and anticipate delays.   It makes me smile just thinking about it.

Next on the  hit parade of nourishment, is new understanding of what I am doing.  This semester I was asked to teach two new classes, ones I have never taught before.  I thought I might be nervous about it, but I learned that I liked the challenge.  I think I also liked the challenge of only learning about the classes days in advance.  but that sort of worked against my planning joys…

The most important thing I find which recharges me is new students.  I love to get a new class of students.  In my classes this often means learning about people from any where from three to nine different countries.   I find I learn more about thier homes and cultures than I could ever hope to teach them about reading writing or grammar.

What else is there…

I am not recharged by beaucracies, and unsupportive adminstrators, or people whose misplaced ambitions wonder into the classroom.  I understand alot of people have a desire to climb the ladder of success, but classrooms are not the place for this…yet i see this all the time.

I am not recharged by apathetic students…well, not exactly.  I like to turn them into good students too.  But the apathey is a real drag.

Cell phones….arghh   one more rings in my class…

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