New things

I am introducing an alternative process in a new way tomorrow.  I am using the work of a Holocaust survivor as the sample artist.  Before showing her work, I am using a photo activity from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM).  This is a big thing for me.  I am tired of hearing the kinds of ignorant comments I hear year after year.  Then, I see the students do not learn to think more compassionately or open-mindedly once they get to college.  I find that many adults are no better.  For instance, upon hearing that one of the candidates for super at my job is Jewish, the thoughts of some were that we might get Jewish holidays off. (!)  My first thought was that it would be an opportunity for the community and school to know someone who is not just like them.  (Yes, there are still people out there who are clueless when it comes to other beliefs.  Someday I will tell you about my neighbour).

We do have a class on the Holocaust and genocides, but I don't know that much of the stuff sinks in.  There are still so many kids who continue to use such hate-filled speech as they grow up.  The still stereotype.  They still generalize about populations.  I always feared touching on these types of things because I thought I could be misconstrued as being political.  However, our new evaluation system has markers for that type of education.  Fabulous opportunity!

When I went to the USHMM in DC this summer, I was prepared.  I had been to the Terror House museum in Budapest.  That museum is in the building that housed the fascist organizations responsible for many tortures and killings, even occurring in that building.  The presentation of the history from fascism's rise in Germany to the Soviet "rescue" of Hungary, to the eventual departure of all Soviet presence in Hungary was brutal.  The museum warns that it is not suitable for young children.  It shirks away from nothing.  As a visitor, you cannot avoid anything - images, audio, video, etc..

This is not what I experienced at the USHMM.  I found it way too easy to avoid the most moving, horrible stuff.  I watched as so many people walked right past some of the most upsetting, graphic video footage, photographs, writings, and audio.  There we were, the same 10 or so people taking it all in.  I kept encountering the same visitors all the time.  Just several of us really taking the time to learn and observe what was presented to us.  How many hundreds of others just breeze on through, day after day, just so they can check it off their lists, tell everyone they were there?  What a disgrace.

I know from talking to family who had been there when it opened that the floor arrangement and exhibits are laid out differently now.  I wish they could change the exhibits and flow of people so that the harder stuff could not be ignored.

I guess that's why I made sure I altered a project so that I could address this time frame.  It's like the kids really don't get it.  I want them to get it.

So I am taking it slow with the cameras and the kids are doing OK.  Sure, some look bored as heck when I talk...  However, once they get the camera in their hands, they get it.  It takes a bit of me yapping on and on with critical information for them to get it.  I just signed out four cameras to period 1.  I love how excited they are to shoot.

Foundations.... Whoa.  What a change from last year.  There were some kids who were clearly not mature enough for high school.  they wanted a lot of hand holding.  I don't believe I do them any favours if I do that.  I insisted on independence.  They fought it tooth and nail.  This year?  Independent, talented, mature.... They are a mix of friendly, meek, shy, quirky, artistic, gamers, athletes, artsy, and anything and everything in between and it is working!  I am also loving the change to 3D first marking period.

I have also been doing art days with my friend.  She paints, I work with my found objects and make felt.  It has been invigorating.  The only rotten thing:  we can't do anything with noxious materials in the cold weather.  That will be a bummer.  I might go to painting my photos or pen and ink.  Hubby won't like be stinking up the house with chemical smells again this winter.  Tee hee....

Oh, wow, the school year started.  I am missing time with Millie, adventures with my friend, staying up real late reading, and all the gardening.

The kids in my classes are great.  I already love having them.  I have begun reading the lesson book I bought at the Holocaust Museum.  I am excited to use the ideas in there.  I also have a great deal of other societal issue topics I want to connect to the lessons.  So much has been written lately about the role of the photographer or just the photograph in history or contemporary world events.  I want the students to make mental connections with what they are learning in History class or what they learn from the "news" they get on the TV or online.  I also want them to look at that information more critically.

I put "news" in quotes because most of what they seem to be getting is not real news.  I hear a great deal of them talk about this News 12 channel.  I have had the unfortunate experience of being subjected to that channel in doctors' waiting rooms.  It is the same stuff repeated endlessly.  The issues that are happening in the state - taxes, school cuts, corruption, white collar crimes - as well as nationally and internationally are not touched on.  Do most people understand the roots of the conflicts in Israel/Palestine, Syria, Ukraine?  Do the students know about the debates that preoccupy the governments of other countries?  Do they understand the ramifications of the changes in the weather?  Do they have any idea of the role photography plays in documenting - bias or no bias, staged or unstaged, unedited or edited - the events?  Does it even matter if it does not affect them?  Could it affect us years from now?

I have so many ideas running around in my head.  On top of all this, I want to slow things down and get the students to understand the science behind the process.  And boy, is that confusing.  Trying to get them to understand the reversal of the image when the light compresses and then opens up when passing through the lens of the pinhole is a challenge.  Describing the changes in the silver in the emulsion based on degree of exposure and then the developer's effect on those crystals....  Taking it slower and using more videos sourced from online.  So far, so good.  Now think about trying to get them to connect to topics like history and science....  Oooh boy, hard work ahead for me.  But excited to try it.

A little gripe...  It is not as if a relative will read this... So here it goes.

I grew up with an Italian mother and Hungarian father.  Most of the Hungarians are dead.  So the Italian half is all we knew, for the most part.  Family was always shoved down our throats.  My sister and I were always made to feel we should go to every single event, deal with any kind of attitude dished out to us by cousins, smile and brush it all off.  We were never to cut anyone out of our lives because blood is important. Family meant more than friends.

I would guess half the family are still in Italy.  I am a first generation American as are all my cousins on my mother's side.  They constantly post all this mushy stuff online about family this and cousins that.  I am not that type, far from mushy.  They have big houses and expensive cars, and presumably the money for them.

Today, my cousin P returns to Italy after 10 days with my parents.  I socialized with her as much as I could, as did my sister.  We met her for dinner her first day here and I just saw her off, besides doing other things.  The only time I met her before this was at her parents' house when I visited Italy with my parents.  We scrimp and save to visit family.  I am sad that she will be gone and sad that her English is so good!  I wanted to practice Italian.

Here's the part I am bothered about - The cousins who have always sneered at my sister and I for not measuring up, being the same as them, and so on, could not even bother to see P.   One relative had a gathering at his house to have everyone meet her.  Those who showed up ignored her.  Many couldn't bother to show up.  My parents had a gathering too.  Same thing.

At some point, I gave up caring what others thought of me.  I think sister did too.  My mother stopped hassling me about being like all the others.  Last week she called to thank me for being the way I am.  I may not be touchy-feely, wear emotions on my sleeve, try to be everyone's best friend.  But I am loyal and respectful to those who treat me the same.  Sister and I are the only ones of our age group and younger who bothered to see P at all. And when saying goodbye to her today, I got such a warm, enthusiastic hug.   And I will do what I can to make sure I get back to Italy to see her and her parents again too.  Because that is better than some crappy large new home or a Mercedes.

So when my students feel like they aren't appreciated, or are misread, or don't fit in, I just tell them to be who they are.  Do not hurt people's feelings, be respectful, but be yourself.  It might take over 30 years, but someone will notice, and you will be thanked and appreciated.

I have chosen to read only the "National Socialism" section of the book on Fascism that I am digging into.  The author makes it quite clear that Marxism and your basic Socialism are clearly not the same as National Socialism.   However, as I read, I keep thinking of how so many people lump Socialism, Fascism, Communism, et al together and act as if they are all the same.  As a high school student, I knew they were not the same but I can't for the life of me remember how I gained that knowledge.  It must have been a combination of school and independent reading.  Now, do the kids today know the differences?  Hardly.  I hear so many adults use the terms interchangeably, and the kids learn from that.  When I talk to friends about a political topic, they wonder how I know.  I show or tell them of the sources, and they are surprised that this information is out there.

So where is this heading?  When I was with family in France, we were all able to have conversations about issues of a social or political nature and no one at the table seemed clueless.  I remember one cousin in particular nodding knowingly and taking part.  She is not yet 20.  Were we all in agreement?  I don't think so.  Did we all have something to contribute to the discussion?  Yes.

I get very frustrated with peers when they make assumptions with nothing concrete to back them up.  It is not a snob thing.  If others in this world can stay well informed, why can't they?  I don't give a crap about the new reality show drivel or what celebrity is in a new scandal.  Sure, there is a role for escapist entertainment, but to what end?  I don't want my students to get stuck in this hole of ignorance.  I wish I could fit in all the educating I want in my classes.  I want to present so much information from all sides, but there just is no simple way to do that.  With my subject matter, there is so much ground I could cover, historically, politically, socially, culturally.  But there is not enough time and not enough interest...

I do keep trying though.  A girl I had many years ago has let me know a couple of times this summer that she wants me to keep on teaching the way I taught her.  She said that my topics and methods helped her learn things others never dared touch.  She has a great deal of respect for me because of that.  It made me feel like I should keep on trying to help my kids be more worldly...

August..

I am not happy with this weather, not one bit.  We have not even had to install the two window air conditioning units this summer.  And we rarely even need to use the ceiling fans.  I like being able to garden for a couple of hours, sweat my butt off, then jump directly into the pool.  It just has not been that hot.  I need 90+ degree days!  I guess that's why I haven't played much music too.  Music and mood and seasons all go together for me and this summer has not been normal.  However, yesterday was Duran Duran Appreciation Day, and so I played a bunch.  There is just too much to play in one day, so I will continue spinning the vinyl today.  Such fabulous music....  My kids know all about this obsession... One dad even found some Duran Duran pins at the dump two years ago and gifted them to me!  I squealed like a little piggy...

A cousin from Italy is here.  My parents are picking her up in NYC tonight.  She took an engineering workshop in Detroit and has added some time to her trip to visit with family.  I thought she might have picked up more English since the time I met her, but mother said no.  Fabulous!  That means - hopefully - that I can learn from her.  I want to learn enough to speak some, not just hear and translate in my head.  I have been trying to learn Hungarian, really trying.  But it is so damn hard.  When they say it is one of the hardest languages to learn, they are not kidding.  Oof....

I have been back to doing some art.  Art Day with my friend has motivated me.  I cast some bugs in resin, have been taking pictures with a medium format film camera, and have some ideas buzzing around.  On top of all that, I started the genealogical research again.  It all started with dinner with the in-laws.  Hubby's mom mentioned trying to look up some Irish relative from the 1800's.  Naturally, I offered to look her up.  And one thing lead to another, and I currently have five tabs on my computer open for her Irish stuff and my Hungarian stuff.  It is so much fun, but also like finding a needle in a haystack.  So if I ever need to change careers, maybe genealogical research?

Well hot damn have I been busy!    First the icky stuff...  I do not do diaper changes.  No way.  But....  My niece was on the toilet and my mother was in my sister's basement.  I hear a voice from the bathroom.  It's niece asking me to wipe her tush.  She just turned 4.  I called out to mother who was going to oblige.  But niece had other plans.   Nonna absolutely was not to wipe her.  It had to be me.  Ugh.  So, I have overcome yet another life hurdle.  I lived through it.  Barely...  Right up there with picking up the garden snake last month.  A summer of accomplishments....

Next icky thing...  Hubby and I did some guerrilla gardening.  If you recall, when I did a certain spot last year, I found out I am insanely allergic to "ghetto palms".  So I suited up with pants, socks, elbow length gardening gloves, and a second pair over them.  Problem:  the gloves kept falling to my wrists.  I am now bubbly and oozy.  It itches like the dickens.  Thank goodness for my pool.  The cold water is so helpful.

The slaughter continues.  I thought I smelled animal poop in the garden.  It wasn't.  It was a disemboweled mouse.  Another one to add to the graveyard that is my alley way.  I mean, I love that there are cats around to keep the mice to a minimum, I just wish they would deposit the bodies elsewhere.

Now onto the good stuff....

I still have no idea the day or date.  Ignorance is summer bliss for a teacher.  My gardens look wonderful.  Phlox, butterfly bush, black eyed Susans, coreopsis, marigolds, chamomile, herbs and vegetables galore!  Considering the horrible weather, I am lucky the gardens are doing as well as they are.  I so enjoy grazing, working and picking something to eat right then and there....

And the summer of adventure keeps on going.  My friend and I have explored new and cool historic places, in town or a drive away.  Today we started Art Days at Casa Vasa.  It was a light start, but it got my creative juices going.  When you get bogged down with work and life stuff, it is hard to fit the art making in.  So we are doing it together.  I cut a piece of wood for her.  She started prepping it.  Then I went through my bin of oil paints and the tons of things I collect from the yard.  She'll be doing some mixed media painting while I combine my cast resin pieces and felting, and possibly some found objects.  We both agreed we were motivating each other.  Thank goodness for her.  

And the reading marathon continues.  I finished "The Lexicon of Labor" which was a dictionary regarding labor and unions.  Fabulous and informative.  I used to dislike unions until I had more experience.  People do not realize the protection that is needed until one finds oneself in a position that needs it.  Now, when I hear people complain about their association, I just tell them to get involved to make it work for them.  That's what I did at my job.  It wasn't the union that was bad, it was my colleagues who were running it.  When one reads the history of labor in this country, then looks at proposed legislation and items in the media regarding working people, it is hard to justify the dismantling of unions.  Oh, I could go on...

I would write more, but my arms are itching like hell and Millie needs to be fed.