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February 25, 2006
Wedding Coming
Every once in a while I keep those of you who followed my family for a long time aprised of the newest events. Well, we have a new one coming-a first. The first wedding.
Jennifer, the middle child, is getting married next month. I know, the middle child of four is hard to do, but the first two are twins so she's the middle of four.
Friends at work and other places have said to me in the last couple weeks, "Oh, you must be frantic with a wedding next month. You've got to be going nuts."
I must look a little strange over the question, but the answer is no. As Jennifer said to me one time, "Mom, you taught me to be independent." And this young woman is. She's been independent since she was two.
I have had little to do in this wedding. I've helped with the church and done work on their honeymoon trip when their original plans were changed, but she's done it on her own. She knows what she wants. She's clear about it. She's done Rainbow events for years, and a wedding is only a bit more elaborate than those events. She's handled the details, and, most of the time, has handled the stress well. There were a couple frantic or tearful phone calls over caterers or dress choices. Mostly though, she's been a real champion.
It's truly fun when you watch your kids take charge of their lives. I didn't have any idea at two, six, ten, or sixteen when we were going through all the growing up stages, what it would be like when they were on their own. You work hard with them and for them to grow them up capable. The process is an incredible thing. I didn't think about the product. Now I'm getting to see the results. I think we did pretty well-all of us.
Posted by Dr Joni at 08:35 AM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2006
Olympics Too
Okay, so I'm still watching the Olympics. For a person who doesn't watch a great deal of TV, I spend a lot of time in front of the set during Olympic season.
I just find it fascinating how focused these athletes are. Even the smallest fraction off can cost them a medal. I'm impressed by their ability to not make the small mistakes. Well, mostly they don't.
I'm also impressed by the ones who seem to be enjoying the whole process of the games. My boys were in Little League when they were young. We went to a lot of games and cheered over a lot of plays. There were always coaches, players, and parents who took the game very, very seriously.
Of course I wanted my kids to do well, but I also wanted them to come away with a love for the game and an understanding of sportsmanship whether they won or lost. An error, a missed ball, or a strike out wasn't the end of the world for any of us. Learning is about making errors and fixing them the next time.
I like the Olympics because coaches, players, parents, and, in this case, countries do take it seriously, but there also seems to be a reasonableness about it, and some fun for the participants. Like me, maybe they really are looking for the overall best athletes. I believe that's what the original games were for, and I suspect most of us want these games to do the same.
Congratulations to athletes young and old. I give great credit to those who take care of themselves and compete for the joy and fun of it.
Posted by Dr Joni at 04:32 PM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2006
Olympic Fun
I've always enjoyed the Olympics, both summer and winter. I find it the ultimate in learning, practicing, training, and competing against others who have done the same. I look at it not so much as I did a few years ago-how many medals does our county win versus some other county-but who's the best at what they do? Who has trained the hardest, worked the most, and who got just a little luck in the process. Whatever country gets the medal, who deserved it?
This is a real example of very focused learning. Most of us in school learn a variety of subjects. We learn reading, writing, math, science, social studies, art, music, and a smattering of other subjects. We don't concentrate on any one of those areas and really perfect it.
The Olympians chose an area and concentrate with incredible focus. A speed skater like Apolo Anton Ohno isn't a skier or a dance skating partner. They each focus on their area and work to perfect it, taking lessons, practicing, and practicing again. Oh and did I mention they practice? If we did that much for reading or writing or math, we'd be brilliant.
Another example of that incredible concentration is Tiger Woods, another tremendous athlete. I'm always impressed with anyone who can and will spend the time and energy to become as good as they can possibly be, pushing the envelope to take it one step farther.
What they tell us, is it can be done. If we're willing to do it, willing to work, willing to put out the effort, you can be the best.
Be the best.
Posted by Dr Joni at 08:21 PM | Comments (0)
February 17, 2006
Senior Moments
I seem to be talking about older learners this week, but I find that's an area often overlooked. Perhaps it's because we often think learning stops with the end of formal schooling, 12th grade or college graduation. Sometimes we might take a class for work, but whoever thinks of grandparent-aged folks learning anything new. I do for one.
My office happens to run Adult Education. I have watched adults of all ages come in to learn welding, tole painting, computers, or photography. One Saturday a couple years ago I visited a computer class where the youngest participant was 63!
A few months later a wonderful lady stopped by my office. She had a present for me. It was a lovely hand painted plate with a picture of one of the high schools from the county. The school had been torn down years ago, but her family had this plate and she wanted me to have it. What was even more interesting than the plate were her comments.
"I want to thank you," she said. "I'm taking a psychology class at Butte College, and I'm getting a B. It's my second class at Butte College, but I wouldn't have been able to take it without having taken a couple of Adult Ed classes. I was so afraid to go back to school and those classes really helped me know I could."
Of course I was delighted that we could have helped her, but it was
her last comment that got me. "By the way, I'm 72!"
All I can say is I want to be like that when I grow up!
Posted by Dr Joni at 06:22 PM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2006
Follow-up to Life Long Learning
I move around in my topics about learning because learning takes place at any age. Today I was going to talk about preschoolers, but I got an interesting comment from my entry the other day about my going to a weekend workshop so I changed my mind. Thank you Jack for your comments.
I don't talk about my age much since I don't want to go there. Let's just say I'm close to retirement age and my kids are out of the nest. They, of course, got older but I didn't age as fast as they grew up. It's a strange phenomenon that often seems to occur in woman more often than men.
That being said, I can't imagine, at whatever age, not wanting to learn new things. I've just written off for a catalogue from University of San Francisco. It seems they have a wonderful creative writing course. What fun.
I hold an elected position as an educator, and I'm not running again next term. For the first time in many years, maybe since early college days, I'm looking at learning and doing and creating whatever I want to and pretty much when I want to. The idea of learning how to play the piano, re-learning how to play golf, and practicing the art of writing are all intriguing to me.
I've learned for years the craft of education from being a teacher's aide all the way to being a superintendent of schools. I love the craft and I've loved the experience. Now it's time to learn more and expand the horizons. Writing, teaching, starting a business, building a building, playing the piano, going to school because I want to are all within the realm of possiblity and reach. Why not?
The only reason why not is that we tell ourselves no. A friend recently said she liked to go to Africa to help but she was too old. Another said she's like to live at the ocean, but it was too expensive. We limit oursleves before we even start.
I've dreamed of going to Europe off and on for years. Last year I got my passpost, just in case. In August I'm going to Oxford, England for a conference. With any luck I'll be presenting a paper.
Our limits are in our head. Learning starts there. Learn first to believe you can...(fill in the blank). You can do whatever it is you believe you can. Want to learn to ride a bike, believe it and you will. Want to learn calculus, believe it and you will. Want to learn about a county, believe it and you will be learning it first hand.
Get rid of the limits. There are no limits of age, sex, race, language, or disability when it come to believing and learning. It starts with your thinking.
Jack's a student at 59. So am I. So can you. Start by believing you can.
Posted by Dr Joni at 07:34 AM | Comments (2)
February 13, 2006
Lifelong Learning
Our office has a motto and it's had one for many years. It's changed a little over time, but it's always had one phrase in it. That phrase is "lifelong learning." When I work somewhere I really want to believe in the vision of where the organization is going. In this case I do.
Lifelong learning for me works. Of course believe in lifelong learning for the children we serve, from the infants and toddlers clear through to the graduating seniors in high school. Afterall isn't that what teachers are trained to do?
But I believe it beyond graduation from high school. I even believe it beyond graduation from college or trade school. I believe learning still continues for adults, adults with new jobs, life changes, learning a new language, taking on a second career, or looking for a hobby. I don't think it stops with a diploma or credential.
I also beleive it for me. This weekend I spent from Friday to Sunday in a workshop learning new things about life and living better. I was there with 50 other people, from the age of 18 to, well, we didn't check the top age, but there was one gentleman who looked to be in his 80's.
Learning doesn't stop. I'm talking to friends of mine who are retiring or have just retired. They are taking piano lessons, talking to a golf pro, going back to school, or setting up appointments with finacial planners to make sure they know enough about their money.
Learning is about living, living better. I was pleased to have spent the weekend learning, enjoying, and growing. Lifelong learning isn't just a group of words on a poster over a desk. Being willing to learn can take you on some of the most fun exciting adventures you've ever imagined-no matter what your age.
Posted by Dr Joni at 09:57 AM | Comments (1)
February 07, 2006
Learning a Lot from Getting Lost
Saturday my daughters were getting together for a little fun. They were picking out bridesmaid's dresses. Jennifer's wedding is next month and Carolyn is to be a maid of honor. They had arranged to meet in Roseville with the other girls in the wedding. I was involved in the Academic Decathlon that day so they were on their own.
Around 11:45 I got a call from Carolyn, "Mom, how do you get to Roseville," asked Carolyn.
"Where are you?" seemed like an appropriate response.
"Rohnert Park," was the answer.
"When are you supposed to meet Jennifer?" I asked.
"Noon." Oh, dear. Noon just wasn't going to happen. She was on 101 headed south which was good, but she had a long way to go. She called a bit later wanting the next direction, and a third time when she took business 80 in Sacramento and then ended up back on I-5.
Three phone calls and a bit of panic got her where she was going. She was having a struggle, but she was doing it. I gave her a lot of credit, since a couple months before I don't think she'd driven much farther than 40 or 50 miles away from home. Since then she's driven to the College of the Siskiyou's, decided she didn't want to go to school there, gotten admitted to Sonoma, packed her things, driven to Rohnert Park, and this weekend found her way to Roseville. I feel fairly sure, if she'd thought about it several months ago, she's have said she could never do those things.
Such is the way of most of us. When we think about things too much they begin to look bigger than they really are. Carolyn didn't take too much time to over think her plans. She made the decision and went. The results so far have been quite good and rather amazing. I think she's surprised herself. I'm sure she'll have more surprises in store for all of us. I just don't want to be too far from a cell phone in case she gets lost again. She did need just a bit of assistance this time.
Posted by Dr Joni at 07:22 PM | Comments (0)
February 04, 2006
Academic Decathlon Results
I wrote earlier today about the Academic Decathlon. It's after 8 PM and I have the results of an interesting day.
The kids spent the day taking tests, giving speeches, and being interviewed. By 2:45 if was time for the Super Quiz, and, as usual, the scores were very close. The top two going into the Super Quiz were Willows High School and our home independent study high school group from William Finch Charter School.
William Finch started about 20 years ago with two teachers helping parents teach their children at home. We only could afford the teachers part time and there were only about 20 students at the time. The program maintained itself with the same numbers for several years, but in the last six or eight years we've seen a marked increase in the number of parents wanting their children in a home study program.
We've gotten criticism over the years from folks not familiar with the program. They've said it was easy and a way for kids not to have to go to school and still be "given" grades. We've tried to dispell that myth by explaining that our kids take the same tests, must pass the high school exit exam, and only get credit for work when it's complete and graded, not for just showing up. The perception still remains with many.
Today that perception may have been changed. The top individual score to a student overall was won by Jason Dana, a young man from Orland, but the top team score went to the William Finch home independent study students.
I'm supposed to be non-biased and objective in these events. I was during the Super Quiz, but i couldn't help but be delighted for these students. I remember when they started in the competition about five years ago. They were overwhelmed with the whole event. Today they walked away with the whole event.
Yes, Virginia, there is learning that goes on in home study-a lot of it. Congratulation to all the participants and especially to Jason Dana the William Finch crew. Good job all.
Posted by Dr Joni at 08:39 PM | Comments (0)
February 03, 2006
Academic Decathlon
For those of you not in the know about the world of high school, this weekend is the Academic Decathlon. This event happens all over the country in high schools on the first Saturday in February. The students involved compete in math, science, social studies, Language Arts, speech, oral interviews, music, and off the top of my head I can't remember what else. They take various tests all day until the culminating event-The Super Quiz.
That's where I come in. For the last 15 years or so, I've given the questions for the Super Quiz to the teams competing in Glenn County. Each team of students at three different proficiency levels gets 10 questions in front of a live audience. When the competition is really tight, this last event can be the deciding factor for which team wins as well as which individual will win the overall competion.
This year, as in past years, I received the Super Quiz questions a week or so before the event. Our coordinator gives them to me so I can look up any hard to pronounce words. I am very grateful especially when the questions are esoteric science or learned literary greats with tongue twister names. When she told me the topic was the Renaissance, I wasn't too worried-until I saw the questions.
I don't speak French, Italian, or German. I speak English and Spanish. The key players during the Renassaince seemed to speak neither. I found myself looking up what seemed like every third word. I know for sure it was every third name. Even those in English seemed to be more difficult this year. Is this a perverse happening just because it's the last one I will be doing?
Oh well, I've done my homework. All the names are reviewed and practiced. I just hope the kids have done their's. Today will be fun and exciting as usual, and, as much as I like sports, it's really nice to see the academic group get some recognition too.
Posted by Dr Joni at 08:22 PM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2006
Little Wonder at Open House
The afternoon before last our office held an Open House. We invited the public to visit our new office building, take a tour, have a few refreshments (tea or punch and snacks-it was still during the work day), and say hello to some of us who were helping and some who were working. It was fun and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves a great deal.
The building is shaped like a capital H. My office is in the far top, right corner. As I was walking down the hall with a couple of our guests, a group came around the corner headed my way. This particular group had several young children in it. Out of nowhere came this charming child who ran down the hall grabbed my legs about knee height and hung on. At first I thought maybe I looked like her Mom, but I realized her Mom was 10 feet behind her. I leaned down and asked if I could pick her up. She said, "sure."
I asked her name and it was one I hadn't heard before, "Malachy" she said. Obviously she was having a wonderful time and she hadn't even found the cookies yet.
"How old are you Malachy?" I asked. She held up three fingers. Her mother came up saying, "she doesn't seem to meet a stranger."
In a couple mintues Malachy was ready to get down. I walked over to our Chief Probation Officer just as Malachy launched herself into someone else's knees. Linda looked at me and said, "I think we need to teacher a bit about danger with strangers." She was right, but with this one I didn't think it was going to take. She was having much to much fun getting to know everyone in the place.
It's a great deal of fun to watch children especially little ones. They have few inhibitions and the world is a wonderful place to be. I know we need to keep them safe from harm, but I do so hate to put a damper on their wonderful energy and enthusiasm. I sincerely hope little Malachy keeps hers.
Posted by Dr Joni at 07:48 PM | Comments (2)