What is a "good" educator?

Right now in Ontario there is a huge waiting list for educators before they get a teaching job. After this year all BEd students have to do two years of the degree rather than one which most believe is due to the government trying to slow down the process. I think the two year style is a better one. It doesn't seem to be deterring too many people though. Especially since in my year, people who chose concurrent ed only do 1 year (after this year they must do 2).

I am in my first year of university with plans to go into education. I want to teach high school for a while but then I want to do something higher, possibly in the school board or even the government. Education itself is my greatest passion. I want to actually teach but I also have a desire to learn about education philosophy, study and perhaps test education methods and to learn how learning takes place psychologically and test that as well.

But not all educators have to have my passion for education.

My whole point with this "blah blah blah" intro is too many people are going into teaching because they don't know what else to do, they were told to, it is in the family, they have a pointless degree otherwise, etc. I'm sure there are many educators furious at me because they fit into one of these, which of course you can, but you should be a good educator and you can be.

So what is a "good" educator?

In grade 11 I did a research essay/presentation on the student-teacher relationship and the most important aspect of that said relationship.

One of the most important discoveries of mine was that there needs to be a relationship, period. So many teachers distance themselves from their students. Share your lives (obviously not too much), ask about the students. Don't develop just a relationship with the whole class, develop individual relationships with each student. Instead of scaring the students with grade reviews individually in the hall or after class, first, scare them with that because they'll think that is what is happening but then get to know them.

Getting to know each other establishes trust. Trust is another element I found important in the s-t relationship as well as in the classroom environment. Learning cannot occur until trust has. The student should feel comfortable in their learning environment. Comfortable with the teacher, with their classmates, etc. Then they will be able to forget their worries and focus on the lesson.

Caring was an important aspect that many students in the class I was giving the presentation to identified as important. A caring relationship also establishes trust and enables the student to feel truly... well cared for. You never know the students' home lives. You might be the closest thing they have to a stable life.

My teacher in that classroom identified communication to be important. Obviously all of these things have to occur with communication. But from perspective as a teacher it was more from the idea of she can't guess what is going on if the students do not tell her. I would also argue trust has to be here for the students to tell the teacher what is going on.

I think many teachers also act as guidance and support, both educationally but also emotionally/psychologically. I have had teachers (in high school) assist me with emotional problems. Not all of my teachers were like this. I don't think it should be expected. But there is a deal of compassion that I think should be a sub-requirement of the teacher. Even one of my "stricter" (in a way) teachers still showed compassion towards me at one point.

I also think humour is an important element of the teacher. Make your class laugh. Make them happy. If they are laughing and happy they are enjoying their time in your class and making the quality of their education better.

Of course, education is of course the conveying of ideas so the teacher should obviously not only know their subject but be passionate about it. I was very excited about one of my subjects of study in high school just because of the amount of passion my teacher conveyed in all of her lessons. Knowing your subject and then showing passion for that subject just helps students' learning.

I am sure (completely positive, in fact) that there are many more elements of a "good" educator but for now this is where this list ends.

My passion for education will hopefully take me places, despite the job wait for teachers. I will have to complete a 2-year BEd and of course I am still only in my first year of my undergrad, but it will be worth it. I am going to double major in psychology & philosophy and minor in english studies. The way my credits are structured I actually have room for a second minor so I can attain 4 teachables by the end of my 4 years. I am considering fine arts, classical studies and history. I wish I was in concurrent ed just so I can be learning about education (my true love) but not being in con-ed has allowed me to get 4 teachables rather than two.

What do you think is the most important element of a "good" educator?

There is not Enough Freedom in School

One time when I was in grade 12 we had to do a presentation on a theme based off of our two independent novels so I chose the generic theme of freedom. I began my presentation by asking people to place a dash on a scale of 0-10 (0 not free and 10 is very free)I drew on the chalkboard of how free they feel. It was a really good visual to see how free people felt. Most of the dashes were around the 6 mark.

I asked the class some leading questions and the one leading question was "Where do you feel the least free?" the class almost immediately responded with saying "school". I astounded my english teacher.

As a teacher I would think it would seem quite frightening to hear this. At first it does not seem like a big deal but in the terms of liberal education it becomes an enormous deal that students feel the least free in school.

Liberal education means questioning everything. Putting everything up for question and allowing freethinking to happen. If people do not feel free in a classroom, liberal education is not going to flow easily.

If there is a place for voicing your opinion and bouncing ideas off of other people, school should be this place. Especially high school. High school is when people are figuring out the world and who they are and who they will be in the world and if they are spending 8 hours a day in a building that doesn't have an atmosphere that encourages freedom of ideas or freedom in general we are just going to mass-produce chunks of people and not individuals.

Although, is this not what we are doing with the world? Creating stereotypes for people to fall into in order to better classify the earth, especially in the terms of consumerism and culture.

Anyways, I have a theory on why students feel the least amount of freedom in school.

1) Too many rules. High school is filled with a bunch of useless rules that intimidates students. For example: not wearing hats in the halls. This rule is so useless and I am pretty sure the only reason it is still around is because it gives authority figures a reason to assert their authority. This leads me to my 2nd point.

2) Too much authority. Obviously for safety reasons teachers and principals need to have a degree of authority over students but when a student walks into a classroom where they are instructed lessons and not encouraged to join in conversation equally with their teacher and classmates, they are not going to be successful in thinking freely. I had an amazing teacher once who was able to do both assert her authority over the class while also encouraging class participation. How? She didn't take bullshit and had a tough exterior but was also understanding and showed a great deal of compassion. She was also passionate about her subject she was teaching. She encouraged conversation by refusing to continue until people replied to her questions. She used group-work more than once a week to encourage classroom relationships. She wouldn't force you to work but would encourage it. It was the perfect amount of authority.

Anyways. This is just what I think. We need freedom in classrooms to be able to actually learn without bias. This is the gold nugget all teachers should strive to capture in each and all of their lessons, classes, days, and in their career. It is very important that students both get the factual material but also are given the chance to speculate it freely.

What do you think? Do you agree with my theory? What do you think about freedom in schools/classrooms?

I'd love to hear in the comment section!

Are you sure you want to go to post-secondary?

It has become a societal norm to go to college or university after high school. Is this necessarily a bad norm though? In my opinion, not at all. Education and learning are the most important things in one's life. It's all we really do. We learn things all of the time. We learn to communicate with others, we learn to do new things, everything we do has been learnt at one point in our lives. But the problem is that universities and colleges aren't as focused upon this idea of "learning" anymore.

Anyways, let me approach the actual question. Are you sure you want to go to post-secondary?

Reasons to go:

You really cannot get a job without it... that is a lie. You can. Many people do. You can even probably find a fairly good job without it, but you do need to make connections to get a job. So unless you have connections before entering post secondary to give you an amazing job in which you can still move up in to better salaries and this job will make you happy, you are set. But as it stands, more people do not have these connections, so you need to go to university/college to make these connections.

It actually isn't that bad. Despite what I said earlier, you do learn some valuable lessons. Although considering the fact that I am in english/psych/philosophy you can't do much with those degrees without a PhD unless you want to be a teacher. So I have learned valuable lessons but the classes and programs that teach you these valuable lessons aren't going to get you as good of a job. Liberal education doesn't prepare you for the monetary world we live in. I was representing the english department at my school and a grandmother was finding out information with her granddaughter about the program because she is a really good writer but she wants her to get a job and was wondering what a BA in english could do for it. I told it to her straight up, "Not much". It is an extremely valuable education... just not in terms of money.

It is a norm. Simply, post-secondary is just something we do. Although your liberal education may teach you to operate outside of some of the norms, and I am also telling you to, both of us will also tell you that is really hard. Acting against the majority is hard. This is why you should go to school after high school.

Reasons not to go. Instead of giving you actual reasons, I'll just tell you what I have learned so far in university.

1) University is completely illogical. I want to become an english & philosophy high school teacher and I am planning on doing a double major in English & psychology with a minor in philosophy. At my school I need to have 6 credits of science. So to attain my BAs in english and psychology to become a high school teacher I am taking geology. This makes SO much sense... not.

2) I have learned how to take bubble sheet tests. I am learning how to learn. I don't learn the material; I learn what the professor wants and I give him/her that said thing. So if the prof is going to give me a multiple choice test I do not study the material to learn it, I study the material in a very minor way in which I slightly understand it enough to be able to know which answer is correct. Can I give you specific definitions of things from psychology? Nope. But I can tell you the correct answer if you give me 4 options. It is much, much easier. Learning nothing is much easier.

3) It is all about money. This was one of the first lessons I learned in my english lecture. Universities and colleges live off of your money, that is how they stay around. But they really do not care about the individual students' success, even if they say they do. Well, they care about the top students because they want them to go out and advertise the university for them to get more students to give them money. University is a business.

So should you go?

It is your choice.

I would tell you not to go, but then again, I am not dropping out because it is all bullshit. Why? Because I have a goal.

I want to become a high school teacher. I want to become a leader. I want to become a philosopher for education. I want to show people how messed up the education system really is. The easiest method would be to finish university, word towards my MA and PhD in education and then get right into the belly of the beast of education to fix things. 

I just haven't decided whether I want to fix high school or university education systems. 

I keep using this word "fix" to describe what I want to do as if things are already broken. It's a weird word-choice. I don't necessarily want to fix things, rather, I want to change things. Not for the better, not for the worse, just for the logical. What is happening now makes no sense to me. People are doing things they hate to do more things they hate just so they can earn money. All of this unhappiness is unsettling to me. I also hate happiness, well, I don't HATE happiness, I just think that there should be a limit to happiness. I just think individuals are too stressed in society and they are too stupid to operate outside of the norms so what I need to do is change the norms so their stress levels go down.

If that makes any sense.

What is your opinion of post-secondary education? Are you going? Are you in it? Did you go?

My 5 Qualms with University

I have some qualms with university life. This isn't specific to university classes and academics, more of the atmosphere, things surrounding university and residence, perhaps.

#5: Money

I feel kind of weird complaining about money but it is a common belief that people in university really are scraping by financially. Many and arguably most people come out with loads of debt and with no jobs available. But I am not here to complain about the government, loans or the unavailability of jobs, I am simply stating that it is ridiculous. Something does need to be done.

The other thing is that getting even a part-time job during university it hard. Everybody is trying to. I have a pretty good resume for an 18 year old, I have applied at a few places, I have not received any calls back. Although I haven't tried too hard. Still, I applied at probably 5-10 places over the course of the past few months and I have heard nothing.

It is ridiculous that people should even be working during school. It should be just time for study. If you add a social life to work and school it is insanely stressful. But more on that later.

#4: The Prestige
I hate how some universities have prestige over others. Does it really matter? It is about course content and good professors. Just because a university has a good rep doesn't mean that it has professors that are passionate and love their subject. Of course professors like that can be discovered at prestigious universities.

I just don't understand why one is better. Just go to the more inexpensive one and don't waste thousands of extra dollars.

#3: The Usage of University

That is a weird way to title my argument.

Many people go to school to attain a certain career, but that shouldn't be the only reason. So many people forget that university is a school and the purpose of a school is to learn. Yes, I understand earning money and attaining a career is important to many people but deep, deep down the ultimate purpose of school is to learn.

I just want students to realize this.

#2: The lack of adaptability

In high school education is becoming much more tailored to the individual with IEPs, specialized programming for advanced students, levelled courses, etc. University isn't like this. What you have is a lecture hall, exams, essays and readings. That is your structure. Sometimes there are labs. Sometimes there are co-ops. But it is all the same. You take 5 courses at once from Sept-Dec and then Jan-April, or at least this is my school.

There are no options to do things like take one course at a time for one month. I hate it.

Personally, I know I don't learn best by the university lecture method and having 5 courses at a time. I would much rather spend 3-4 weeks on one course at a time and not have lecture and just have everything in a book or online. I submit assignments and work within my own deadline. This is how I work, but not how university does.

#1: Stress

Everyone is stressed. Everyone is stressed. Everyone is stressed. It is constant. It is all of the time. Why are we stressed? Money, friends, school, grades, money, family, money, work, time, effort, assignments, readings, school, school, school. Sure, we have centres that offer counselling to help with time management and money management and emotional counselling and what not but so many people require these services... and they barely help. If people need these services to reduce stress maybe we shouldn't be trying to "fix" individuals and we should be fixing the entire school system.


What are your qualms with university? College? High school? Education in general?

I HAVE A LEARNING DISORDER!?

Last week I went to my family doctor for a couple of things, one thing was asking her about testing and/or medication for ADD (Attention deficit disorder). She informed me that I would need to go through testing. She prodded me more on possible symptoms that could signal that I have may have a learning disability. I pointed out that I approached her about my poor memory back in grade 10.

I have frequently complained about my poor memory on my blog and I've noticed it since grade 10.

I also realized another symptom I have been having other than poor memory and lack of ability to concentrate. I don't speak clearly sometimes. You can probably find hundreds of confusing sentences I have written on my blog posts before. My blogs aren't the worst, the worst is my handwriting because it is slower than my typing. Quite often I go on and on in a sentence and then I will actually switch the focus of the sentence halfway through because my memory has failed me halfway through and I will switch tenses and such. My memory fails me and I write confusing sentences.

My friends have also informed me they have "No idea what I am talking about" or texting about.

This is kind of a shock to me that I MIGHT have a learning disability/disorder.

I have received high grades ever since grade 2. I was at the top of the class until around grade 6 then I was just really good until grade 9. In high school (Depending on the subject) I was generally anywhere between having one of the top 5 marks to being just above average (except in science, math and french). I had a 92% average in my final year of high school, qualifying me for full tuition at my school, my first year.

I know that marks are supposed to drop in your first year, but I am having difficulty retaining and learning mass amounts of information at once. It is a lot more information thrown at you at one time and my brain just can't handle it. University is different.

I hate thinking that I may need assistance because I am an extremely independent person who hates relying on other people. In another way, I think that I could use the help. I really just wanted meds to be able to allow me to focus on my textbook readings, mostly. But now I have to go through this whole process.

I am going through for testing (hopefully). I have a meeting within the next week with the person who schedules and screens people for learning disability testing. It can cost me up to $1000 but it may be covered by OSAP (Ontario education funding assistance program, for those who do not know). I have to be approved to actually receive the testing first. If they don't sense anything before testing, I won't get any done.

Then I will just be back to square one, not knowing what is wrong with my mind.

In other news, I am getting really into writing poetry. I find inspiration everywhere, now. It's just a matter of finding the time to write it all down...

Oh well.

I don't want your pity or luck. I'm just writing this to inform the public about what I am going through, I suppose. Maybe looking for some insight from experts or people with experience with this sort of thing. I don't know.

Poopsocks.

Why every student should learn philosophy

I am enrolled in the Philosophy program at my school and I am planning to do a double-major with English and Philosophy. I love to think and to write, so this makes sense for me. Of course these two majors aren't very logical to go for since they don't provide a good job afterwards, unless you want to go to grad school and become a professor or you want to become a teacher.

Most people I know are either "science" or "arts" people. Either they are better at math and science or they are better at arts subjects. The "in betweens" are the social sciences because they sort of combine science and arts, like Psychology and Sociology. I used to want to major in Psych (and I still might) but that is besides the point.

The point is that being an arts student is extremely rewarding. I am not saying "Quick! Everyone go get an arts degree!" I just mean that at some point in your life you should either enrol in a single credit of philosophy, english, history, whatever your arts preference or perhaps just read a lot of literature based on a few subjects. I think it is extremely healthy and although shouldn't be a requirement, should be strongly recommended by most universities to have to have at least 1 credit in an arts subject.

I was reading an article in Macleans (here) about french students who think Philosophy shouldn't have to be a requirement since it doesn't prepare you for the "real life".

The real life?
THE REAL LIFE?

The real life should involve questioning, studying and your mind playing an active role in the understanding of great metaphysical questions and the questioning of ethics. The mind should have to do this. Why? It's simple. Blind commitment. If our society just keeps progressing we are going to start forgetting why we do the things we do. For example, Why do we shop in grocery stores instead of farming? Why do we want to get jobs? These questions are things everyone should have to really think of and answer. It doesn't even have to be ancient philosophy, it should be modern philosophy.

Maybe this is an over exaggeration and a fallacy, but I am just trying to prove to you that it is important to question things and if you have to force a mandatory philosophy credit upon students to get them to start questioning things, then do so.

If I could have it my way, I would have Philosophy a mandatory credit in high school for grade 11 students, just when they are starting to try to figure out their futures. If I could, I would also make philosophy a mandatory credit in university for first year students, although there are no assignments and although the reading is "recommended", the attendance is necessary, you have to pass by having attended something like 95% or even 100% of all classes. This way it barely takes away from your actual subject of study since there is no outside work, just perhaps a 1-3 hour lecture per week, for one or two semesters. That is it. No laptops, as well, so you have to pay attention. If I could have it more my way, again, I would have a seminar once a week as well in small groups so they can discuss what they learned in the lecture earlier in the week.

I want to ponder on my "modern philosophy" point. I think that people should have a healthy skepticism. Maybe the university philosophy course can be chosen more specifically to be a historical philosophy from a certain time period, a general overview or a more "modern" philosophy. Basically, questioning things that are around us today, like I said earlier like "Why do we go to the grocery store instead of farm?". Being able to question these things just makes us understand the world around us, a little more.

But the learning of philosophy or any other arts subject definitely doesn't have to happen in classrooms or lecture halls, it can happen in libraries, on the internet, or even alone.

I do understand how people find the study of things like literature, philosophy and history to be completely useless, but it isn't. People think that since it doesn't lead to a career that it is worthless to society. These people are the ones who tend to forget that getting a career isn't the be-all and the end-all.


If you are interested in learning anything about philosophy in specifics I suggest:
- Starting off with some Plato which is fairly easy to understand or perhaps Nietzsche if you have an advanced reading level and want to be slightly entertained because Nietzsche has some crazy ideas (which I love)
AND/OR
- Just question things around you
AND/OR
- Enrolling in one college credit at the college or university near you, perhaps you can just enrol in a "non-degree" which usually means that you can walk into any class and just pay attention, not get a degree and not have to do any work
AND/OR
- Have fun reading the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://plato.stanford.edu/ This is the best resource for everything philosophy. It is highly reliable and you can certainly learn from it. I've used it for research projects in the past but I suppose you could just read it for fun if you wanted to

Having fun expanding your minds!

Last week before University ramble

Hi. How are you? That's good, I really don't care.

I am pretty unemotional but I am sure this week is going to be filled with many screams of joy and exhaust.

Let's see, here is my unofficial list:

1. Pack shit the fuck up because I am moving 5 hours the fuck away to go to University.
2. FIGURE OUT WHY MY BACK HURTS. Actually this isn't on my list, but my back fucking hurts. I think I've wrecked it from MY LAST DAY OF WORK (yesterday). Jeezzz.
3. Watch all of the comedy shows. Classes don't start until September 9th but I am trying to get through a bunch of TV shows, lectures and podcasts to listen to. I am trying to finish off Nurse Jackie and get through as much of the Drew Carey Show as I possibly can. I also have a collection of Proopcasts and some tedtalks I want to listen to and watch.
4. Cry
5. Hug my dog
6. Cry while hugging my dog
7. Throw a fucking party and I'm the only one invited
8. Leave my room clean and sort through the papers I definitely should not leave behind for her to read.
9. Go to the gym
10. Go for lots of runs because I want to
11. Drop off my law textbook at my high school because for some reason I still have it
12. Cry while dropping off the textbook and make my past teachers think I am even more crazy than when I left
13. See some friends
14. Not see some friends
15. Not get to see my cousin because her mom is not only has an asshole, but her entire personality is of one.

Jeez-Louise.

People keep asking me if I am nervous or excited for university and I can honestly say that I am both and neither. I am nervous for my roommates because I am scared they'll be major druggies or nymphos or want to talk to me everyday and have conversations... like what are people? Partially kidding. Partially. I am also nervous that I am going to have too much of a workload. I have Geology, Philosophy, Poli Sci, English and Psychology my first semester. I am also starting up the Comedy Troupe at my school. I also have an avid gym and running schedule that I like to not skip. I don't plan on having a social life. My social life will hopefully be my Comedy Troupe, if things go as planned.

I am excited for the Comedy Troupe, for English and Philosophy and to meet some of the new people I am going to meet. I am usually not big on meeting new people and doing new things because I am a lame introvert, but I am excited to meet some new people. I like change and new things, it's just a stretch for me.

In general I think that I am ready for university. I am actually spoiled rotten by the amount of things my mom bought me.

Let's talk about this whole University thing for a second.

Last summer I decided I didn't want to go to University because my whole non-conformist person kicked in and was like "It's all stupid! You don't need a piece of paper to say 'Dis person iz smarttt' Credentialism is nonsense!" but then I realized that to fix society you have to live at least partially within it. You can't play baseball unless you're in the field. It's like trying to bat balls from the seats. It just doesn't work.

Then I decided to go to university because of my fascination with learning. I love to learn things and schools are generally where you learn things. I want to say that 80% of the reason I am going to university is because I want to learn, and that is true, although now there is this little 5% that says "Go because society is telling you to!". FYI the other 15% is because I don't know what I'd do if I didn't go to university.

My major has changed wayyyyyy too much. Let's just for once and for all give a final layout of what I wanted to be when I "grew up" since I was a kid

1999- Cake Baker (like my mom)
2000- Doctor
2003-2006- Veteranarian
2006- Astronaut
2006-2012- Psychologist
2012-2013 Teacher

And what I wanted my major/minors to be from grade 9, onward:
- Psychology
- Psychology + Minor in Sociology
- Psychology + Minor in Gerontology
- Psychology and Philosophy
- Psychology and Sociology
- Psychology and Political Science
- Political Science and Philosophy
- Philosophy
- Philosophy and Psychology
- Philosophy and English

Confusion.

I also plan to get my Bachelor of Education. I want to do graduate studies but I am not really sure yet.

I don't have to declare my major until the end of 1st year, so at least I have a little more time. I can't tell you how much I have thought and over thought this.

Lately all I want to do is become a comedian even though I am not that funny. I just want to do whatever I am watching on TV and I am watching Standup and Improv lately. I wanted to be a City councilman when I was watching Parks and Recreation. Thank goodness I didn't want to sell paper when I was watching the Office.

I'll figure it out. Maybe.

#18 30 Day Writing Challenge- A Problem I've had

A problem I've had... hmm. This is another hard topic. Most of the major problems I've had I've discussed on my blog before. I suppose I'll dig one up to the surface again.

A problem I've had: being confident.

It took me forever to realize in high school that there is a difference and a similarity between confidence and being social.

I am quiet, awkward, shy and don't like socializing. But I soon realized I can't go through high school like that, so I had to break that shield of anxiety, which I have for the most part. I remember when it was a success for me to raise my hand in class. Now I joke around with my teachers, embarrass myself in peer tutoring on purpose, and instead of being the person that's like "Go ask the person at the desk for paper for me, I don't want to" people ask me to do that. Things have changed.

I had this perspective that confidence and being social are two different things. Which is true. You can be social but not confident and confident but not social. This is sort of where I am at. When you are confident and not social, you come across as rude. The older and more mature I've gotten, the ruder I appear.

So now this is my problem. I don't like socializing. I don't like having to talk to people and have a "casual conversation" because honestly, I recognize these little conversations of pleasantries as pointless, unless I want to have a relationship with that person. Well this is how connections are made, you have relationships with more people, and you engage in these pointless conversations.

I'm going to need to network with professors and people I meet in politics, which means I have to have these conversations.

So this is another problem I am currently having.

If I want to go into politics, I am going to have to face this. I don't have to be the most social person I know, but it would help a lot to be more social. So in university I am planning on doing varsity track and field. I might join 2 clubs : the philosophy society and possibly the psychology society.

Now I think of another problem I'm having! I don't know what my second major is going to be! I think.

I want to take Philosophy and double major with something else. It constantly switches between Psychology, Sociology and Political Science. I don't think I will decide until first year is over, because then I will know more about all of these subjects. I am taking all 4 of those subjects in first year, along with 1 history course, academic writing and geology (I have to have science credit). I want to go into politics, which is why political science is a good idea, but psychology is more interesting to me. Sociology is more relevant to the type of ideas I think about. But I also want to be a teacher. Teachables don't matter as much as people think they do, but I can see me teaching law, I can also see me teaching sociology/psychology. I don't know. I won't consider this for a while.

At the moment I'm leaning towards psychology and political science. AHH STOP THINKING ABOUT IT, ME! It's literally driving me nuts.

Okay. Well so those are an array of problems. The only "solved" one is being more confident. I'm still not VERY confident, and that is definitely not an accurate adjective to describe me as, but I can succeed in society with the level of confidence I have achieved. I'm still chiseling away at it, trying to improve it. 

#9 30 Day Writing Challenge- How important I think education is + Other Ramblings

I THINK EDUCATION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!

I don't even specifically mean in school, but that too. Learning and educating is a life-long process. It is not something you do until grade 12, and then choose to go to university or college or not, it is a life-long process. You are always learning.

Public education can be very flawed with corrupt teachers and lesson requirements. But private education can also be flawed. I don't have a big stance here.

I think education in schools strictly relies on how many boundaries teachers are willing to push in their classrooms.

I'm sorry this is a serious post, but I should let you know I am currently typing and bouncing to "I found you" by the Wanted. I must be talented. I apologize for this interruption.

I want to be a teacher someday, because I am so fascinated with the idea of teaching and learning. I love to learn new things. I think I will always be in school. Or at least always learning.

I want to do something big in education. I'm not sure what, yet. But I am going to.

I don't want to be cliche, but I hate it when I say "I want" to do something. I should say "I am going to" do something. I just wrote on my twitter "I want to be a city councillor". I am going to be a city councillor.

I am actually really bad for getting hyped up about something and then not doing it. I do it all the time, it drives me nuts. I need to start saying yes and actually doing these things.

I hate putting these things out into the internet, too, because then if I don't do them, I'm a failure. I can think of so many things.
1. A long time ago in an old blog I used to talk about wanting to volunteer a lot, but then I never did.
2. Recently I made a blog post about how I keep trying to start writing a book but then I can't, so I am officially starting. Yeah, I got about 40 pages into that and I haven't looked at it in over a month. Maybe eventually... but it's just a lost cause now.

I don't know how to imprint this. Do I need to tattoo it onto my forehead?

Goodness. It's time to get back to homework. I've been internetting for the past 2 hours and I only got 15 minutes of homework done. Whoops.

14 Lessons I've learned in High School

I feel like my blog is about to get repetitive, focusing around the topics of grad, prom and university. So many big changes. Anyways. Here is a list of lessons I've learned throughout high school.

1. Drama is stupid, yet unavoidable. 

Drama seems so cliche, yet it is so hard to avoid, even if you're trying. Guys start drama as well as girls. It is stupid, and it won't last forever. 

2. It doesn't matter if you have a boyfriend or not.

Considering the fact I went though high school without ever having a boyfriend... well I lived. I wish I had one, of course, but if you don't ever have a boyfriend or girlfriend, it is not terrible. 

3. Being alone is okay.

It is okay if you have days without friends or people to talk to. I used to have terrible anxiety in like grade 9 when my friends weren't at school, or when I had a class without any friends in it. It's stupid to be anxious over that, now I am fine on my own, whenever. 

4. Your teachers won't bite you.

I don't know why I was afraid of talking to teachers in younger grades, I get that it can be weird/scary to some people to talk to them, but it won't hurt you, just do it.

5. You will lose friends.

I don't know anybody who hasn't either lost a friend, had one move away, or switched who your best friend is. Things change, people change. 

6. Its okay to start new things halfway through high school.

In grade 9 and a bit of grade 10 I was super stressed about finding my "thing" because I felt like everybody had something, whether it was a sport or a club. I didn't really join anything, then, and I was kind of too shy to, as well. I did craft club for a bit in grade 9. I did hip hop outside of school in grade 

nine. Grade 11 I did GSA (gay straight alliance). Grade 12 I signed up for cross country. I started running in grade 11, and I wasn't really athletic before then... you can get new hobbies and likes later rather than earlier in grade 9. Don't be afraid to join something in grade 9, and don't think you'll be excluded because you are now in grade 11 or 12. 

7. Grades are important, but what you learn is more important.

I got a 78% in Exercise science, which I knew I would be bad at that course since I am terrible at memorization and science, but I learned so many good lessons. I am glad I took that course... even though it was my lowest mark in a grade 12 course. I learned more in that course than I did in grade 12 law, which is my highest mark at the moment.

8. Don't take a course just because your friend is in it.

If you don't want to take that course, then don't. Simple as that.

9. The purpose of school is to learn, not to goof off with friends.

Schools were created to learn inside of. Learn inside of them. Make friends, sure, do that, it is part of the high school experience and you should make friends. But honestly, when it comes down to it, learning is the most important part in high school. Use your time outside of school to goof off. 

10. You aren't going to like everything/everyone.

You are going to hate some of your courses, teachers and classmates. But it is a skill you are going to have to develop, to cope with things you hate. Don't skip or get into fights over it, just deal with it and focus on the courses, teachers and classmates you actually like.

11. It isn't that bad. 

At times things do get bad. Being a teenager is stressful, you will go through things that will make you want to punch a puppy, but it passes. You always hear that high school is terrible and it really isn't. You will have good and bad experiences. But in the end, graduating, the good experiences are all that matter.

12. Stay healthy and active and don't sacrifice sleep (too often).
Don't eat cafeteria food EVERYDAY. Once in a while is okay. But do try to eat healthy. You don't have to join football or track, but at least try to walk or something. Being healthy and active help your brain. I don't recommend pulling all-nighters, but once in a while is okay. Try to get 7+ hours of sleep. I recommend about 8. But try not to go below 7. Sleep is your friend.

13. Don't get too busy. 
Don't take 4 hard courses, get a part time job, volunteer and keep up your social life. You are going to have to quit SOMETHING. There were many times in high school my course load was really light, so I could spend my time doing whatever. But I had 2 part time jobs from 2nd semester grade 11 until partway through 1st semester grade 12. In grade 11, it was fine. At the time I had law, history, english and art. My course load wasn't light, but it wasn't too bad. Grade 12 1st semester I had english, 2 history courses and exercise science, and I couldn't keep up with the amount of exercise I was doing and my two jobs, so I had to quit one. You will be more stressed out if you try to "have it all". You are going to have to quit something, don't fear it.

14. Record what you do in high school.
Buy a yearbook every year, write a journal, blog, take photos, make videos, keep keepsakes and timetables. Make a box, put the stuff in it, open it up 10 years from now, cry. You want to remember these things. Grade 9 + 10 I took a LOT of photos and videos. I write journals, not often, but maybe 6-8 times a YEAR about all of the important things. I keep any certificates, funny things my friends drew, I keep some of my notes from my favourite classes. Someday I'll be glad I did this. You should do this now, too.






I'm going to miss my school.

Anger, yelling, teaching.

I feel like something a lot of people don't know about me is my anger.

I generally feel like I give off a off-putting vibe when I am upset about something, but I generally don't yell at people.

At home, when I get mad with my mom, I always yell and get quite angry. Usually anger and a loss of patience goes hand in hand. In peer tutoring today I was so tempted to yell at a few different students. There was a supply teacher who wasn't controlling the class, and at one point when she was talking, literally every single student was whispering/talking/on their phone. I was about ready to stand up and tell them to cut it out, but I didn't want to override the supply teacher, so I didn't.

I can get quite angry at times. It is scary when I am. I feel like I lose my temper when I am really pissed off or passionate about something.

I also have a feeling I am probably going to lose my temper in residence at university. If I have a fucking stupid roommate, I am going to probably yell at them.

I don't have the best techniques. I feel like some people just should never be yelled at- ever, they just can't handle it. But other people can handle it. Sometimes yelling is the option.

In law we also talked about how teachers can still technically, legally use corporal punishment. I couldn't imagine ever, as a teacher, hitting a student. But today, I wished I could've smacked this one kid. I feel like a little smack could get them to shut the fuck up and listen to me.

When I'm a teacher I'm probably going to be really weird- as I have discussed before, that I am weird, and will probably use really weird teaching techniques. But I will not tolerate people not paying attention to me teaching. I will yell at them and embarrass them. Talking it out may work with most people, but haven't you seen at least one student who is always "talked to" and suspended, but never changes? I feel like if somebody really tried to yell at them that they would listen. It's all about discipline and controlling the room.

I've only really had one teacher that enforces this a lot. I read a book where this whole school was under very strict discipline and they all acted so calm and collected, which I thought was weird and unethical. After today I think it is perfectly fine.

I have only really had two teachers full out YELL at the class. I didn't care for one of them, and the other was okay. I have had many teachers get disappointed and strict with us. I had this one teacher that always gave us these huge lectures with a domineering tone. They were good and people shut up and listened to her, but nothing really changed, and she gave these lectures way too frequently.

I don't know.

I personally hate being yelled at. Depending who is yelling at me, I will just yell back, some people I might just take it from, but most I will yell back.

I remember in the Freedom Writers' Diary movie, Ms. Gruwell yelling at this one student who said he deserved a failing grade, because she felt like it was a huge "fuck you" to her and him. I think this is the type of thing that should actually be practiced.

There is no need to yell when you are working one-on-one with a student, because you can easily just talk to them. But if you have a class of 20+ students, yelling is the one thing to get them to all simultaneously shut the hell up.

Whatever. I think it's fine for teachers to yell at students, I will probably do it, and that is all I have to say.

I change so often because I have a fish brain- Why Philosophy?

I have the crappiest memory.

I do not want to talk about that, here, now. But just let the record show that I can't remember shit.

Recently I was like "Why am I studying philosophy?".

I honestly had no idea why. I didn't remember selecting to study philosophy at any point. I knew that I blogged a lot about my choices for university, so I was looking through. Nothing. I found stuff that talked about me possibly wanting to do phys ed, psychology, wanting to be a teacher, not wanting to do anything, etc., but nothing specifically about choosing philosophy.

But I was looking through my old blog posts from the summer, and I honestly don't remember most of that stuff. My memory of myself from that time was COMPLETELY different from what my blog lead off. I am not sure if I was just faking who I was there, or I am really bad at remembering things.

But here I am. Asking myself "Why am I studying philosophy?". I would be perfectly happy studying sociology, psychology or political science. Double majoring with two of those. I can better answer the questions "Why do I want to take sociology, psychology or political science?" more than philosophy. So now is time for some intensive thinking.

Reasons why I may possibly be taking philosophy:
- I liked philosophy in history
- I like philosophy over the summer, the course I took online
- I find philosophy interesting
- I got a good grade in my philosophy course
- I like to think a lot
- Philosophy relates to a lot of subjects I like, like education, history and politics
- I am trying to answer the questions of life, and thats what philosophy is
- I want to learn about others' ideas and thoughts

Okay I guess I have a pretty legitimate reason. But I still don't remember when I decided on philosophy. I think at some point I just decided on philosophy and political science and I just was tired of changing my mind, so I just rested there, and that's where I stayed when I applied to university.

I looked through my old philosophy notes recently, and reminded myself of why I like it. I like the debate of the topics. I like looking at things like ethics, epistemology, waves of thought. I don't know. I just get it. Philo/sophy, the love of ideas. That's what I love.