21st century education is a term I've heard tossed around recently. Not really in my urban education classes though, so I'm assuming this is a proletariat education movement. It sounds like one of those trendy, fast to grow, fast to die movements. Now I'm not for trendy things like that - I prefer the tried and true theories that have worked for ages and ages even if the name for it has changed over the years. But I read an article by a veteran teacher some time ago about the level and amount of talent present in the next generation of teachers. I agree, and not because I have a huge ego about my own talents as a teacher. The new teachers of today have so many mistakes to learn from that veteran educators and policy makers have left for them. There's a lot of talent, A LOT. And I'm honored to be counted within this group of up-and-coming teachers. We have a huge job ahead. I'm not going to call it 21st century education, but for lack of a better term right now it'll have to do.
CSUS Arts Resource Fair was yesterday. I went to the sessions on Taiko drumming, pop art using stencils and spray paint, patterns in movement and dance, and pulp paper art. They were all pretty fun, but by the time the third session rolled to a close I was ready to go home. I didn't even stay for the pulp paper art to the end, I just heard what the instructor had to say, made my sample art piece and left.
My favorite was definitely Taiko drumming. So exciting! And now that I don't have student teaching until September, I'm totally signing up for some beginner's classes for adults at the Sacramento Taiko Dan. I've seen them perform several times throughout the years and was always impressed by what they did. The hands-on experience yesterday cemented my positive impression of taiko.
I haven't told my family about my student teaching situation. They don't need to know just yet, and frankly I'm not sure how to break the news to them. It probably isn't as big a deal as I'm making it out to be. It's also not like they are paying for my tuition. But I'm certainly not completely independent yet, and the plan to become independent in May is not panning out the way I wanted it to. Just another case of how today's 20-somethings can't live up to the standard of living they've grown up with. My generation is the first generation since before WWII that have a lower standard of living than their parents. It's sad, but perhaps that is what today's American society needs right now to right our "road kill" sensibilities.
Just because my world doesn't revolve around student teaching doesn't mean I haven't been busy. I'm jumping back into YR and teaching art again. I'm on my way to sub. I'm definitely going to travel. There are many other things I'm definitely going to do. And hopefully, when fall arrives I'll be a wiser, stabler, more well-rounded person as well as a better teacher.
No comments:
Post a Comment