Karl nominated me for the Sunshine Award. Here's what he wrote about it:
And now I get to pass along the goodness of the Sunshine Award - which is what makes it fun. I'm all about some positive recognition for the smart folks around me. According to the rules of the Sunshine Award I am required to:
1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger
2. Share 11 random facts about myself.
3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for me.
4. List 11 bloggers that I believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love! (These people can't include the blogger who nominated me.)
5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers I nominate:- What is your go to beverage on Friday evening? Why?
- If you could make one change to the educational system in the US - or Canada, Victoria and Carolyn - what would it be?
- Describe your perfect day.
- What is the most important characteristic you look for in your friends?
- What is your proudest moment as an educator?
- Who is your hero? Why?
- What teacher had the biggest impact on your life? How did they impact you? Does this teacher know the impact they had on you?
- What needs to happen in 2014 for you to be reflecting on a successful year 52 weeks from now?
- Who is one must-follow educator on Twitter? Why are they so great? Tell me someone I haven't heard of!
- What is the biggest risk you've ever taken in your life? How did it work out?
- I'll let you off the hook with an easy one: when are you coming to the Bay Area next so we can hang out and I can steal all your best ideas? (With attribution of course!)
So I am not big on nominating people, mostly because the people in my circle have already done this. But I'm happy to participate. I'd love to see Stacy Lovdahl, Gary Strickland, Katie Regan, Sam Patterson and Kate Baker answer these questions if they're up for the challenge though.
I'll start by acknowledging Karl and Andrew, both of whom nominated me. These guys are two of my closest friends, and have both really changed my life for the better. Karl taught me 99% of what I know about google apps and pushes me to meet more people than I'm naturally inclined to talk to on my own. He is an amazing teacher who cares about his kids and keeps me constantly asking myself how I can make my room more student-centred. Andrew? What can I say...he's my best friend, my closest collaborator, and the best teacher I know. I don't really have words beyond that. I met both of them on Twitter, as well. Never thought I'd get so much from a site that, like Andrew, I thought was really stupid.
Okay. 11 random facts.
1. I'm about to turn 31, and this is my 10th year teaching. Yes, that means I was 21 when I started. I had 19 year old students that year. Talk about awkward. I was young for my grade anyway, but skipping 8th grade and graduating college early made for that awkwardness. Oh, and my first real year in a public school was when I started teaching. I was a combination of homeschooled and private schooled for my entire life, so it was a bit of a shock to start teaching in a public school.
2. There are two places that will always feel like home, no matter how long I'm away. Seattle (particularly the overstuffed leather chairs in Zoka's Coffee Shop in Greenlake) South Africa (particularly Cape Town Backpackers in Cape Town). Those are the first two places that felt like I could really be myself. I lived both places in college, and go back as often as I can.
3. I have flown two times just to attend an EdCamp. One was a one day trip (flights down and back all in one day) with Karl to EdCampOC. One was a few days out to EdCampSC, where I stayed with Stacy and hung out with Andrew. Both trips were exhausting and amazing. Great friends make stuff like that totally worth it.
4. I was a competitive swimmer for about 10 years. I was actually on Olympic track, and had just started intensively training when I got really sick. That turned out to be asthma, and that pretty much knocked me off that ambition. However, I did teach swimming lessons and lifeguard for the majority of high school. I also was a first-team all-state fastpitch softball player. I used to be able to throw a pitch at about 60 mph. Now, I could probably throw 45 without too much practice.
5. I own a TV, but it's really just a giant paperweight. I haven't had cable for years, and without a digital box, I can't even get the basic channels. So if I watch a TV show, it's on Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon. Honestly, the only current show I really care about is Top Chef. Oh, and Parenthood. 75% of the television I watch is British. I love Sherlock, Downton Abbey, Supersizers, Peep Show, panel shows like Would I Lie To You? and QI, and all the food shows, especially Great British Menu and Great British Bake Off. I love Charlie Brooker to a level that is probably a little unhealthy. His style and humour are so dark and sardonic and sarcastic that it gets me at a level most comedians don't. If you don't know who he is, watch everything you can find on YouTube. He's amazing.
6. I have seen over 50 Dave Matthews Band shows in 11 states and in two countries over the past 13 years. I have most of those shows on audio thanks to an army of tapers who capture and distribute the music for free (with the blessing of the band!). I lose a lot of respect for any band that doesn't allow that, because that's the start of community. My life has been changed by DMB because of the community of people who love the band and go to shows. I even dated a guy I met following DMB on tour in 2003 (he was Australian, really cute, and ultimately, a lot of heartbreak). For the past few years (and for six years before I took a couple years off because my abusive marriage took all my time, energy, and money) I've been going up to central Washington to see DMB at the Gorge. It's the most amazing, beautiful venue in the US...except for maybe Red Rocks. In 2005, I went to all four shows at Red Rocks with a group of about 50 people, all of whom camped in a guy's backyard for a week. I now go to the Gorge with the same people I camped in that field with so many years ago.
7. I harboured ambitions of becoming an astronaut, and even applied to college for aerospace engineering. However, the thought of the military (which is the path for most astronauts) scared me, and in the end, reading books and learning about history (I ended up majoring in both) were way more appealing than spending hour after hour in the lab. But in my young life, I read every. single. book. in the aerospace section in our library, and was a member of the Space Society (I was 40 years younger than the next youngest member). I have also seen just about every documentary on Apollo 13 that exists.
8. I love to cook. I live in beautiful Marin, CA, and have access to the most amazing produce, farmers markets, and independent grocery stores in the country. I think that everything is better with bacon. I go as free-range organic and local as I can afford, and I can't eat gluten. But I have developed a pretty amazing set of gluten free recipes that most people can't tell don't have regular flour. I am also (ironically) a really good bread baker. I took a summer learning how to perfect my bread making a few years ago...before I learned of my gluten intolerance.
9. On that note, my roommate and I make soup together on Sunday afternoons. It's the only time we can guarantee that we're in the same place for more than a few minutes. The level of difficulty is raised because she is lactose intolerant and I'm gluten free. That limits the options slightly, but we make a great butternut squash soup (with bacon), potato leek soup (with bacon), ham and bean soup (with bacon), curried carrot coconut soup (with bacon), and turkey soup (with bacon).
10. I can play 11 instruments with varying degree of skill. This is probably no longer true, honestly, given that it's been years since I've played most. But I do currently own a guitar (I play left-handed and with a 12 string) and a keyboard. I played trumpet in our high school band, and drums/bass in various bands in high school. The biggest audience I've performed in front of is about 400 people, and that was playing guitar and singing. I have a really good ear and can play music based only on hearing it - I actually learned tons of classical pieces that way, and my teacher was always amazed at the way I would figure it out. I think it has to do with my photographic memory at that age too (my sister liked to play "Check Out My Circus Freak Sister" and had me recite baseball card stats from memory).
11. Every year of my life has been better than the year before. Part of waiting until today to write this is that this seemed like the ideal time to reflect on my life so far. And I have so many friends who have loved me through all of it. I feel pretty freaking blessed, to be honest.
What is your go to beverage on Friday evening? Why?
Right now, I'm loving cranberry ginger ale. If I am with friends, I love a good glass of Napa or French merlot (Rutherford Hill Merlot or Rombauer Chardonney are my favourites)
- If you could make one change to the educational system in the US what would it be?
I would put teachers in charge of national policy who favour giving teachers autonomy, choice, and collaborative time. I think even bad teachers will improve if they are given time and trust and if they work with collaborative generous colleagues who are good at finding the best in every teacher and helping the best come out. And collaboration makes everyone better...the more open and transparent, the more transformative it is.
- Describe your perfect day.
Sundays are pretty close for me. I go to church and see all of my people, and load up on hugs to sustain me for the rest of the week (seriously, it's like the Harvard of hugging). Then I make soup with my roommate. Then I talk to Andrew and plan for our classes. Then I go to missional community and hang out with more of my people, sharing a meal and conversation. After most people go home, I hang out with my pastor and his family until I go home and sleep enough to be able to go to work the next day. So in summary: lots of people who love me, hugs, conversation, food, and collaboration.
- What is the most important characteristic you look for in your friends?
That's a great question. I think integrity, which encompasses transparency, willingness to be vulnerable, honest, empathetic and compassionate. A sense of humour helps a lot, especially when it's as immature and sarcastic as mine.
- What is your proudest moment as an educator?
Probably presenting at FlipCon with Andrew. That was the best week of my life, and one where I learned a lot about myself and my practice. It reminded me that what I do every day in my classroom has the power to impact more than just my students.
- Who is your hero? Why?
This is a hard question. I hate the idea of hero, because it suggests that I'm worshipping them. I don't. I just find something that I wish I had in each of these men.
Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu are two of the most amazing people in my lifetime. I mourned Mandela as a South African - he may not have liberated me, but with the philosophy of ubuntu, his actions and his ability to forgive make me more able to forgive, and make me more human. I am so grateful for his sacrifice and his example of integrity under great suffering. Desmond Tutu is someone I've actually met. I saw him speak in a tiny venue in Grahamstown, South Africa, and the only way I can describe him is that he radiates joy. I just remember wanting to shake his hand so I could be closer to him and feel the warmth and love he shares with others.
He would hate this, but Allen Coleman, my pastor and friend, is someone I look up to immensely. He taught me more than any other human being, other than possibly Andrew. When a lot of people would have given up on me, he kept pushing and caring about me through all the chaos and drama. I am incredibly blessed to have Allen in my life.
- What teacher had the biggest impact on your life? How did they impact you? Does this teacher know the impact they had on you?
There are four. Shari Beeler, my high school literature teacher, Dr. Kim Segall, my college literature professor, Dr. Ruth Ediger, my college political science professor, and Dr. Michael Hamilton, my college history professor.
Ms. Beeler gave me the basics of British and American literature over the two years I had her class. She taught me how to write, or at least helped me discover for myself how to write by guiding me.
Dr. Segall took me to South Africa, where I learned more about myself than at any other point in my life. Dr. Ediger taught me how to lead discussions and really think critically (and also forced me to memorise every country and its capital...which has been FAR more helpful than I thought it would be!) . Dr. Hamilton believed in me and my ability when I really didn't. He helped me figure out what to do with my life. I could add so many others, but they are the main ones.
- What needs to happen in 2014 for you to be reflecting on a successful year 52 weeks from now?
I need my people - the coflippers - to push me to keep getting better. Particularly, Andrew, who has made me so much better than I could have been on my own.
- Who is one must-follow educator on Twitter? Why are they so great? Tell me someone I haven't heard of!
I love Raoul Meyer, the writer for Crash Course and a history teacher. He's super smart and shares good stuff.
- What is the biggest risk you've ever taken in your life? How did it work out?
After my semester in South Africa ended, I stayed behind for six weeks to travel on my own. I was 20 and had no idea what I was doing or what to do with my time. I ended up learning how to scuba dive, and got to swim with wild dolphins, whales, sharks, giant rays, and turtles. That was pretty magical. I also met and travelled with loads of people from other countries and cultures. That was the most seminal experience of my life before becoming a teacher.
I hope that's only the first major risk I took in my life, and that there are many more to come.
- I'll let you off the hook with an easy one: when are you coming to the Bay Area next so we can hang out and I can steal all your best ideas? (With attribution of course!)
Um, I live in the Bay Area. We should hang out soon, Karl!
Those are great questions.
And now I get to pass along the goodness of the Sunshine Award - which is what makes it fun. I'm all about some positive recognition for the smart folks around me. According to the rules of the Sunshine Award I am required to:
1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger
2. Share 11 random facts about myself.
3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for me.
4. List 11 bloggers that I believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love! (These people can't include the blogger who nominated me.)
5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers I nominate:- What is your go to beverage on Friday evening? Why?
- If you could make one change to the educational system in the US - or Canada, Victoria and Carolyn - what would it be?
- Describe your perfect day.
- What is the most important characteristic you look for in your friends?
- What is your proudest moment as an educator?
- Who is your hero? Why?
- What teacher had the biggest impact on your life? How did they impact you? Does this teacher know the impact they had on you?
- What needs to happen in 2014 for you to be reflecting on a successful year 52 weeks from now?
- Who is one must-follow educator on Twitter? Why are they so great? Tell me someone I haven't heard of!
- What is the biggest risk you've ever taken in your life? How did it work out?
- I'll let you off the hook with an easy one: when are you coming to the Bay Area next so we can hang out and I can steal all your best ideas? (With attribution of course!)
So I am not big on nominating people, mostly because the people in my circle have already done this. But I'm happy to participate. I'd love to see Stacy Lovdahl, Gary Strickland, Katie Regan, Sam Patterson and Kate Baker answer these questions if they're up for the challenge though.
I'll start by acknowledging Karl and Andrew, both of whom nominated me. These guys are two of my closest friends, and have both really changed my life for the better. Karl taught me 99% of what I know about google apps and pushes me to meet more people than I'm naturally inclined to talk to on my own. He is an amazing teacher who cares about his kids and keeps me constantly asking myself how I can make my room more student-centred. Andrew? What can I say...he's my best friend, my closest collaborator, and the best teacher I know. I don't really have words beyond that. I met both of them on Twitter, as well. Never thought I'd get so much from a site that, like Andrew, I thought was really stupid.
Okay. 11 random facts.
1. I'm about to turn 31, and this is my 10th year teaching. Yes, that means I was 21 when I started. I had 19 year old students that year. Talk about awkward. I was young for my grade anyway, but skipping 8th grade and graduating college early made for that awkwardness. Oh, and my first real year in a public school was when I started teaching. I was a combination of homeschooled and private schooled for my entire life, so it was a bit of a shock to start teaching in a public school.
2. There are two places that will always feel like home, no matter how long I'm away. Seattle (particularly the overstuffed leather chairs in Zoka's Coffee Shop in Greenlake) South Africa (particularly Cape Town Backpackers in Cape Town). Those are the first two places that felt like I could really be myself. I lived both places in college, and go back as often as I can.
3. I have flown two times just to attend an EdCamp. One was a one day trip (flights down and back all in one day) with Karl to EdCampOC. One was a few days out to EdCampSC, where I stayed with Stacy and hung out with Andrew. Both trips were exhausting and amazing. Great friends make stuff like that totally worth it.
4. I was a competitive swimmer for about 10 years. I was actually on Olympic track, and had just started intensively training when I got really sick. That turned out to be asthma, and that pretty much knocked me off that ambition. However, I did teach swimming lessons and lifeguard for the majority of high school. I also was a first-team all-state fastpitch softball player. I used to be able to throw a pitch at about 60 mph. Now, I could probably throw 45 without too much practice.
5. I own a TV, but it's really just a giant paperweight. I haven't had cable for years, and without a digital box, I can't even get the basic channels. So if I watch a TV show, it's on Hulu, Netflix, or Amazon. Honestly, the only current show I really care about is Top Chef. Oh, and Parenthood. 75% of the television I watch is British. I love Sherlock, Downton Abbey, Supersizers, Peep Show, panel shows like Would I Lie To You? and QI, and all the food shows, especially Great British Menu and Great British Bake Off. I love Charlie Brooker to a level that is probably a little unhealthy. His style and humour are so dark and sardonic and sarcastic that it gets me at a level most comedians don't. If you don't know who he is, watch everything you can find on YouTube. He's amazing.
6. I have seen over 50 Dave Matthews Band shows in 11 states and in two countries over the past 13 years. I have most of those shows on audio thanks to an army of tapers who capture and distribute the music for free (with the blessing of the band!). I lose a lot of respect for any band that doesn't allow that, because that's the start of community. My life has been changed by DMB because of the community of people who love the band and go to shows. I even dated a guy I met following DMB on tour in 2003 (he was Australian, really cute, and ultimately, a lot of heartbreak). For the past few years (and for six years before I took a couple years off because my abusive marriage took all my time, energy, and money) I've been going up to central Washington to see DMB at the Gorge. It's the most amazing, beautiful venue in the US...except for maybe Red Rocks. In 2005, I went to all four shows at Red Rocks with a group of about 50 people, all of whom camped in a guy's backyard for a week. I now go to the Gorge with the same people I camped in that field with so many years ago.
7. I harboured ambitions of becoming an astronaut, and even applied to college for aerospace engineering. However, the thought of the military (which is the path for most astronauts) scared me, and in the end, reading books and learning about history (I ended up majoring in both) were way more appealing than spending hour after hour in the lab. But in my young life, I read every. single. book. in the aerospace section in our library, and was a member of the Space Society (I was 40 years younger than the next youngest member). I have also seen just about every documentary on Apollo 13 that exists.
8. I love to cook. I live in beautiful Marin, CA, and have access to the most amazing produce, farmers markets, and independent grocery stores in the country. I think that everything is better with bacon. I go as free-range organic and local as I can afford, and I can't eat gluten. But I have developed a pretty amazing set of gluten free recipes that most people can't tell don't have regular flour. I am also (ironically) a really good bread baker. I took a summer learning how to perfect my bread making a few years ago...before I learned of my gluten intolerance.
9. On that note, my roommate and I make soup together on Sunday afternoons. It's the only time we can guarantee that we're in the same place for more than a few minutes. The level of difficulty is raised because she is lactose intolerant and I'm gluten free. That limits the options slightly, but we make a great butternut squash soup (with bacon), potato leek soup (with bacon), ham and bean soup (with bacon), curried carrot coconut soup (with bacon), and turkey soup (with bacon).
10. I can play 11 instruments with varying degree of skill. This is probably no longer true, honestly, given that it's been years since I've played most. But I do currently own a guitar (I play left-handed and with a 12 string) and a keyboard. I played trumpet in our high school band, and drums/bass in various bands in high school. The biggest audience I've performed in front of is about 400 people, and that was playing guitar and singing. I have a really good ear and can play music based only on hearing it - I actually learned tons of classical pieces that way, and my teacher was always amazed at the way I would figure it out. I think it has to do with my photographic memory at that age too (my sister liked to play "Check Out My Circus Freak Sister" and had me recite baseball card stats from memory).
11. Every year of my life has been better than the year before. Part of waiting until today to write this is that this seemed like the ideal time to reflect on my life so far. And I have so many friends who have loved me through all of it. I feel pretty freaking blessed, to be honest.
What is your go to beverage on Friday evening? Why?
Right now, I'm loving cranberry ginger ale. If I am with friends, I love a good glass of Napa or French merlot (Rutherford Hill Merlot or Rombauer Chardonney are my favourites)
- If you could make one change to the educational system in the US what would it be?
I would put teachers in charge of national policy who favour giving teachers autonomy, choice, and collaborative time. I think even bad teachers will improve if they are given time and trust and if they work with collaborative generous colleagues who are good at finding the best in every teacher and helping the best come out. And collaboration makes everyone better...the more open and transparent, the more transformative it is.
- Describe your perfect day.
Sundays are pretty close for me. I go to church and see all of my people, and load up on hugs to sustain me for the rest of the week (seriously, it's like the Harvard of hugging). Then I make soup with my roommate. Then I talk to Andrew and plan for our classes. Then I go to missional community and hang out with more of my people, sharing a meal and conversation. After most people go home, I hang out with my pastor and his family until I go home and sleep enough to be able to go to work the next day. So in summary: lots of people who love me, hugs, conversation, food, and collaboration.
- What is the most important characteristic you look for in your friends?
That's a great question. I think integrity, which encompasses transparency, willingness to be vulnerable, honest, empathetic and compassionate. A sense of humour helps a lot, especially when it's as immature and sarcastic as mine.
- What is your proudest moment as an educator?
Probably presenting at FlipCon with Andrew. That was the best week of my life, and one where I learned a lot about myself and my practice. It reminded me that what I do every day in my classroom has the power to impact more than just my students.
- Who is your hero? Why?
This is a hard question. I hate the idea of hero, because it suggests that I'm worshipping them. I don't. I just find something that I wish I had in each of these men.
Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu are two of the most amazing people in my lifetime. I mourned Mandela as a South African - he may not have liberated me, but with the philosophy of ubuntu, his actions and his ability to forgive make me more able to forgive, and make me more human. I am so grateful for his sacrifice and his example of integrity under great suffering. Desmond Tutu is someone I've actually met. I saw him speak in a tiny venue in Grahamstown, South Africa, and the only way I can describe him is that he radiates joy. I just remember wanting to shake his hand so I could be closer to him and feel the warmth and love he shares with others.
He would hate this, but Allen Coleman, my pastor and friend, is someone I look up to immensely. He taught me more than any other human being, other than possibly Andrew. When a lot of people would have given up on me, he kept pushing and caring about me through all the chaos and drama. I am incredibly blessed to have Allen in my life.
- What teacher had the biggest impact on your life? How did they impact you? Does this teacher know the impact they had on you?
There are four. Shari Beeler, my high school literature teacher, Dr. Kim Segall, my college literature professor, Dr. Ruth Ediger, my college political science professor, and Dr. Michael Hamilton, my college history professor.
Ms. Beeler gave me the basics of British and American literature over the two years I had her class. She taught me how to write, or at least helped me discover for myself how to write by guiding me.
Dr. Segall took me to South Africa, where I learned more about myself than at any other point in my life. Dr. Ediger taught me how to lead discussions and really think critically (and also forced me to memorise every country and its capital...which has been FAR more helpful than I thought it would be!) . Dr. Hamilton believed in me and my ability when I really didn't. He helped me figure out what to do with my life. I could add so many others, but they are the main ones.
- What needs to happen in 2014 for you to be reflecting on a successful year 52 weeks from now?
I need my people - the coflippers - to push me to keep getting better. Particularly, Andrew, who has made me so much better than I could have been on my own.
- Who is one must-follow educator on Twitter? Why are they so great? Tell me someone I haven't heard of!
I love Raoul Meyer, the writer for Crash Course and a history teacher. He's super smart and shares good stuff.
- What is the biggest risk you've ever taken in your life? How did it work out?
After my semester in South Africa ended, I stayed behind for six weeks to travel on my own. I was 20 and had no idea what I was doing or what to do with my time. I ended up learning how to scuba dive, and got to swim with wild dolphins, whales, sharks, giant rays, and turtles. That was pretty magical. I also met and travelled with loads of people from other countries and cultures. That was the most seminal experience of my life before becoming a teacher.
I hope that's only the first major risk I took in my life, and that there are many more to come.
- I'll let you off the hook with an easy one: when are you coming to the Bay Area next so we can hang out and I can steal all your best ideas? (With attribution of course!)
Um, I live in the Bay Area. We should hang out soon, Karl!
Those are great questions.
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