Sunday, November 25, 2012

My Apologies - Change is coming.

Originally, November was supposed to be an easy month. I had the first week planned -it was going to be all about MMA, ending on the high note of a giveaway for Tap Out, a book that is still on my mind months after I read it. Then I would continue reading and doing reviews. But my All Things MMA week drug out into two weeks and then sat unfinished. The giveaway-which is coming tonight, is still not posted. I am still here. I am still reading. But I am also working on my teaching certificate and attempting to write the first draft of my novel. But primarily, I am focusing on the teaching certificate. One thing that keeps coming up in my classes, or through the experience of being a substitute teacher or volunteering in the school system is how utterly unprepared a lot of teachers are for the challenges that they will face. It's not all flowers and sunshine, it's a lot of hard work and that's if you actually care.  To be honest, I didn't grow up wanting to be a teacher. I grew up wanting to read and write books. My experience with children and teenagers have pulled me in the direction of teaching, because some problems that they face could really be avoided. I know that I can't change the world all by myself.  I can't go on a world wide campaign trying to convince people that reading is the best thing in the world for them, that despite any situation that they may currently find themselves in that they are worth something and that they matter. But, I can be a guide for the ones that I do encounter. I can meet them where they're at and encourage them to not give up and help to really equip them for whatever future that they choose. To be honest, I have always been able to coast through school without too much sweat off my back.  School, really isn't the problem, I mean it's a lot of work to finish the assignments and all.  It's the preparing now for what I hope to be in the future that's time consuming. It's not the research papers that keep me up, but trying to figure out to turn that research into action. One of the things that is constantly discussed in class is how there's so much research available now to help teachers strengthen their classroom and techniques, but teachers don't always have the time to seek out that research and put it to use. I have the time and I want to be prepared, so I'm doing that part now. Yes things will be different from how I envision it, I have worked with kids for the last ten years of my life -I am not naive. I just want to have muscle memory for the tools I'll use when I do start teaching, so that I can tweak it for the students I encounter.

So since, I've been doing this, my focus has changed a bit. The purpose of my blog is coming under scrutiny. My passion for reading is spreading into something else. I am working out the details. I am still here. I have not forgotten this blog or the things I want for it.

Please bear with me,

Starr K

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