Fall Quarter Summary
by Heather Matheney
Fall quarter has not been comfortable for me, but I know that I am better seasoned having dedicated myself to this course. I have gained experience, have participated in remarkable activities, and have discovered a new sense of flexibility.
The kickoff to this program was our wonderful Harvest Festival. I had so much fun connecting with such young children carving pumpkins. I found their excitement, persistence, and concentration to be quite refreshing. Since I rarely have contact with children under age twelve, I was fascinated by each little personality. I hope they had as much fun as I had.
The field trip to Mount Rainier was very special for me. I headed to the mountain with the radio off, so only the noise of the road and traffic invaded my space. In silent reflection, I slowly drove up the face of the mountain to Paradise . Along the way, I had not a single car behind me which allowed me to stop my car in the road to observe animals and scenery. After I arrived at the top, I wandered about listening and watching the environment surrounding me. Several moments of pure silence occurred during my visit, when no sounds were made by humans and their cars, wild birds, or even the wind. I consider these moments of true clarity, and I felt a oneness with that particular place.
The most significant aspect of this program was teaching. Although difficult to fit into my schedule, the time I spent observing the students of Mr. Holliday's class and participating in their lessons was time best spent. I taught as many lessons as I could manage because any opportunity to teach is an opportunity to gain experience and become better at my craft. Possessed by the hunger for teaching, I would be foolish to ever pass up any opportunity the have the floor.
My fall quarter has challenged my anality and has sustained me outside my comfort zone. I am a Type A personality who loves a good plan decisively communicated, but the remodeling project at work and the more free flowing aspects of the course have helped me embrace the discoveries made during chaos. I have let go of my frustration that arises from noncompliance to a set schedule. I have learned to appreciate information as it comes and have become more adaptive to sudden changes. I have strengthened my patience for those things beyond my control.
The past three months I have felt like a tree moving through autumn. I cannot control the fluctuating temperatures, or the length of the day, or the order in which my leaves fall, but I have taken time to look inward at my reserves for winter. I have embraced the metal element through actively pursuing greater wisdom and practicing self awareness. I try to balance my bad habits of smoking and caffeine by adhering to my eight hours of sleep rule and enjoying nightly walks.
I devoted most of my project time to my classroom observations and lessons. By organizing a unit based upon the students' curriculum on survival, I was able to develop the skills necessary to perform effective lessons in thirty minute sessions. My greatest accomplishment was the idea, creation, and execution of a backpacking scavenger hunt. Genuinely surprised by its success, I feel this was my proudest moment.
In my web reflections, I wrote of a student with whom I identified. I naively believed that his decline to participate in the reading group was based upon possible feelings of embarrassment for his reading level. Sadly, I later discovered that he declined because he cannot read a single word, and as far as I know that includes his own name. This information would be shocking to some of my classmates who teach grade school age children, but my student is seventeen, and I find the situation tragic. This young mind is very bright, and somehow over the past eleven years the public school system has failed him.
Registered for Arts, Environment, and the Child winter quarter, I am excited that the content is focused on literacy. I hope to dedicate my curriculum and teaching time to the above mentioned student. I would like to envelop myself in reading curriculum and teaching techniques and assist in the transformation of a child's literary world. With the longhouse portion of the class, I look forward to truly becoming a member and starting fresh in week one. I desire becoming an active participant in maintaining and renewing an established environment with a group of people all striving toward the same goal.
Overall, I have enjoyed the class and the people who make our unique community. With regards to the course material, I have made connections, yet some still elude me. I have faith that my learning and experiences will lead to a deeper understanding and a greater passion for life.
