Last Reflection...

I have learned to go after the things I want head first. (And much more amazingly....I learned how to blog.)


Reading my blog, I was first struck by the smile that emerged on my face. I've really enjoyed writing this and it was fun for me to read.


1. My first blog indicated my apprehension about my future, near and far, and I think my confidence has grown throughout this semester. I mean...I KNOW my confidence has grown. Better. I really do feel better about my possibilities if still naturally intimidated about the work it will take to reach them. I was searching for a drive to succeed, not all the answers, and in that I feel this class really helped me.


2. My thinking has developed in that I try to focus on certain tasks as opposed to always the broader picture. There will always be time for day dreaming about hypotheticals. I also feel more assured that I can make it. I've always been scared, not just of not being successful, but of falling off the map all together. Sher has really helped me in understanding that no matter what job experience or credentials I have, with hard work such fears are irrational. Her book expressed many thoughts I've long believed but she really brought them down to earth for me.



3. Well, this is certainly the first time I've ever posted anything on this crazy contraption. But I'm a full fledged blogger now; so now I understand what all the kids are talking about these days. Seriously though, I have always avoided computers and have relied on the campus computer for Internet throughout the semester. I do understand living in the past is unrealistic and probably detrimental, but give me a break, I am a History major. I've enjoyed this blog and since I do enjoy writing I look forward to using it again.


Another new thing I did was walking into a school and asking for a volunteer job for the first time. Nothing has come of it yet but it did feel good. I also walked into the head of the MAT program and talked to him for awhile; it wasn't the experience I was hoping for but it was helpful. This class has helped me get moving on such things. I've always felt comfortable talking to people face to face and I don't mind first meetings but that doesn't mean I don't procrastinate on getting them done. This class helped me get past that.




4. I really enjoyed the positive attitude of the class. It was nice to be in a class where it felt like everyone was in it together. I also enjoyed the Sher reading (see above). The group meetings were a lot of fun and really were helpful (yeah, we bonded).

5. I felt we didn't discuss the readings enough. It was a lot of reading and I usually take note of things to talk about in class as there were many parts of the readings that I think could have been debated/discussed. But of course I understand we only had one class a week. I can't really think of anything else...and I really tried.

6. I liked Michelle's idea of going on a field trip.
I also think going over some of our free writes with the whole class a bit more could have been interesting.

Thanks to everyone for a great semester. And to the Professor, I hope you enjoy your new career.

Buddy Meeting

Dusan and I met up and quickly realized our situations mirrored each other in many ways. We both felt overwhelmed with our 18 credit hours and the end of the semester work still looming. We both are trying to graduate at the end of the year and are struggling with what we should do for grad school. Finally, even our interestes coincided. Dusan talked about his strong interest in community development and his looking into the Great Cities Program at UIC. I told him about how I'd just attended a lecture their on Tues. and my own interest in community developement; although not to the same level of his own. It was a fun meeting and nice to talk to someone else who is figuring out what they want to do and then how to balance that with what the people around them want.

Dusan:

Report in- He emailed professor Short about th Town and Country Planning Master's degree and looked at the Great Cities Program at UIC.

His Problems- Dusan said his main problem right now is his work load because of which he didn't research more grad school options. He also is facing conflict with his family over whether or not he can take some time off as he wants. He is getting support from his step father however.

His Upcoming Schedule- He plans to finish his Communication paper so he can then look into more schools and finish his course schedule for next semester; something I should probably do myself. He also will start preparing for his internship next semester. And if he doesn't do those things he will be hearing it from me!

Yours Truly-

Report in- I talked to my family about grad schools. First my stepmother and father who were both excited about the idea of me going to Indiana University but I'm not so sure that's realistic for me. But hey, this is no time for pessimism so I'm going to give that a shot; especially since my family has a history there. I also will apply to IUPUIN in Indianapolis along with UIC; my first choice. Don't want to let Chicago go just yet.

My Problems-

I'm worried about my GPA and hoping to keep my head above water in the waning weeks of this semester. I can't afford a collapse at this point.

Schedule-

I need to write 3 papers next week so I really do need to focus on those. I'll worry about my future next Monday because I'll have time then and what better time is there think about what I've done with my life than my Birthday?

Homework # 9

Hey I hope everyone had a good Halloween. The main task I achieved, which I wrote on my card, was setting up an appointment with Robert Johnston who is the head of the program I'm trying to enter here at UIC. I emailed him and we settled on next wed. morning as the time. He seemed very nice and welcoming; using phrases like "delighted to hear from you" and such. It really was encouraging and it seems like it will be a fun meeting. I don't have much formal experience with interviews but I enjoy talking face to face with people and I'm confident I will seem like a better candidate in person than I do on paper. I look forward to blogging about it.
I also reached out to my formal English teacher Mr. McCarty but I've yet to hear back from him. I remembered hearing a while back that he was at UIC now so I used their "Find People" tool to get his email. A part of me is concerned it was the wrong person so I need to do some more research. It felt great though thanking him (assuming it was him) for the letter of inspiration he gave me ten years ago and the help he gave me in Junior High. I feel it would have to be fun for him to read because we all like to be remembered and it's fun to hear you've made an impact in someone's life. It was cathartic for me as I always regretted not visiting him.
So, I'm excited about my upcoming interview but, unfortunately, I still have not caught up with my role model interviews. No excuses, I don't know why I've lagged so far behind on this and made it more difficult than it should be. I have though been researching possible graduate schools around the country which was on my flow chart but I'm hoping my interview with Mr. Johnston will give me a better understanding where I stand and which schools would be open to me.

I would like to just share some of my thoughts on "The Secret". I really enjoyed the movie and feel, for the most part, it was an important message. I talked about it with some classmates after the film about how our mind possesses more power than we give it credit for. In the end, all we have is our relationship with our own mind, and which thoughts we choose to dwell on can decide the type of life we lead. In many ways, it's simple common sense. The notion that happy people are more successful with other people or that positive attitudes will achieve better results seems rather clear, but the key is it has to be genuine. And that is what makes it difficult. "The Secret" isn't easy as the film suggested; it takes a lot of inner focus. Knowing it doesn't mean we can achieve it. Happy/positive people that don't seem true to themselves are not necessarily more successful at all. But people do respond to people who understand themselves and are driven to embrace what life gives us. "The Secret" to me is just a realization that time and life can only be experienced in our own way and with the parameters we set. That is immense power.
We see the power of the mind in stark terms when we witness evil. The kind of pain people can cause is amazing and it is the culmination of extreme negative thinking; the positive end of the spectrum is equally possible and just as powerful.
I did disagree with the film's implication that we should ignore negative emotions such as guilt. I agree with Sher that this is completely unrealistic and problematic. We should listen to ourselves and try to understand why we feel the way we do; then try and move on. If we pretend like we can brush things like grief aside then we are demeaning ourselves. Bad things happen and mistakes occur. They should receive their due credit but we often give them too much credit, which is maybe what the film really meant. Also, doctors and medicine are part of this universe and are as natural as anything else, so they should always be fully embraced. Our mind is powerful but it still needs help. It's powerful enough to make proper decisions like listening to doctors, even if the news isn't what we wanted.
Thanks for reading this if you made it all the way through. Just my opinions. Let me know if you have any thoughts.

Interviews

I have really dropped the ball on this assignment thus far and I do apologize for my lack of organization on these interviews. I have only reached out to six of my ten and, unfortunately, was only able to have a full interview with one of them.....my mother. I know I won't get all my points but I will make up for the past two weeks as they have been difficult for me.

Nevertheless, an interview with a woman as impressive and accomplished as my mother is nothing to be frowned upon. She is my role model for achieving my touchstone of helping youth in the clearest way of all my role models as she made her own school for troubled kids and parents looking for alternative schooling. She once had parents tell her their child was "retarded" when they met only to find nothing mentally wrong with the child at all; and, with the encouraging environment she provided, he became a confident young man. I grew up a witness to my mother's kindness toward children and the impact she made on her community in the south side of Chicago. I talked to her about her career path in teaching and asked for advice in achieving my own success in education. These are a few highlights:

She took education classes in college but it wasn't her major. She knew she wanted to teach though and got certified after graduation. She taught for 11 years across the Midwest but became very frustrated and "appalled" at how the children were treated. She thought the kids were constantly humiliated and bored. She left teaching but when she had her first child she realized she didn't want to send him to public school so she created her own. She got all the permits which she says wasn't difficult and "Pleasant Street" school was off and running. She had very little money but was able to get good teachers because she offered on site childcare for them.
It was an incredible experiment that changed the lives of hundreds of kids including my own. She had many hard times and detractors throughout the years. She faced many personal betrayals that would shock a screen writer, but she stayed strong through her belief in God and the purpose He gave her. She says she felt "a drive bigger than myself". Her advice for me is to always listen to my intuition. She said all the problems she had were caused when she didn't trust herself and listened to everyone else.
She achieved far more in helping her community than I can hope for because I lack her courage. But, hey, who knows...maybe after I work in the public school system for a decade I might just find it.

Homework #5

I have found ten people that have accomplished my dream and all would be very accessible to me. I dream of teaching history and having a strong impact on the youth. All but two on my list teach history; the exceptions being my mother, who founded her own school, and Ryan McCarty, who taught me English in the 8th grade. Mr. McCarty is the person I picture when I think of teaching elementary school and was a great influence on me. Upon graduation form Junior High, he wrote me a letter saying that he saw a lot of himself in me and he encouraged me to fight for social justice when I got older. I read this letter to this day for inspiration so I feel he belongs on the list.

My Dream Team:


1. Kendra Hunt (History High School Teacher)

2. Shawn Johnson (same)

3. Terry Bierman (same)

4. Dave Welch (same)

5. Jonathon Daly (UIC History Professor)

6. Kirk Hoppe (same)

7. Javier Flores (same)

8. Ryan McCarty

9. Chris Potts ( High School History Teacher and friend of mine.)

10. Louann Allen ( my mother and ex-principle, in my opinion her impact on children has save lives, so she has obviously been an inspiration to me.)



I'm sorry I'm exactly sure how to do this but I'll give it a shot.

Goal: Get accepted into UIC's Master of Arts in the Teaching of History (MAT) program or the equivalent in another University by sometime next year.

1. Arrange a meeting with Robert Johnston. This was suggested to me by a current history Prof. of mine upon hearing I wanted to teach but didn't want to go to the education school. Mr. Johnston is the head of the program. I will send him an email within the next couple of weeks.

2. Apply to the program- I will contact professors that I feel I have made a connection with for recommendations. I will do more research on the program so I'm well versed on it in the application. I will also fine tone my goals as an educator which, I hope, will be impassioned, fresh, and professional. There is a very detailed guide on uic's website on how one should apply to the program.

3. Finish undergrad at UIC with quality grades- This will be done by staying focused/interested and engaging my self into each classes material. I hope to continue to spend most of my time staying on campus.

Those are the main tasks I need to accomplish for achieving my goal and hopefully becoming a teacher. Along the way I hope to find good volunteer opportunities and/or jobs that could also help.

Homework #4

Reading chapter four I was struck with a feeling I have had many times before which is a conlficting desire to live many lives but, yet, have deep roots somewhere. I mainly come to the conclusion that the latter is more important to me because I have always hated the feeling of the temporary. But, nonetheless, the section about five lives resonated with me and so I'll list those and choose one to construct the touchstone model.

1. An author of a cuturally significant novel (succesful as well)
2. An owner of a sports bar
3. A history teacher (not sure of level)
4. A screenplay writer
5. An urban planner

Dream: novelist

Touchstone: respect, money, affect on people

Role Model: Stephen King- He has written much more than just classic horror. He also lives life with his success as opposed to being some brilliant recluse.

Target: an interview on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

I realized through the process that I would like to make some sort of impact on people; whether it be in the classroom or by writing a book that really resonates with readers. I also learned that to live my five lives I need to write a famous novel that makes me rich and is turned into a movie (with my help). I then need to use some of that wealth to buy a sports bar in Chicago. This bar then needs to not only draws friends and family, but also, influencial politicians whom I befriend. I then provide ideas to said politicians for helping Chicago's urban community. That seems simple enough.



Excerise #2

I was scored as a ENFJ (etraverted, intuitive, feeling, judging). "The Giver"

That was amazing and, at times, hard to read. As I was taking the test I felt It would say I was too extraverted because while I enjoy parties and such, I value my alone time very much. However, in reading my description about how ENJFs tend to find their thoughts going to dark places when we are alone, and they tend to feel guilty about things is extremely accurate. It said ENFJs often take on the burdens of others more than they can bear which was hard for me too read it is so true.

Among a few other options, it suggested I be a teacher, a writer, or in public service. Considering what I wrote in excerscie 1 that is pretty impressive/encouraging. I really never had any interest in these type of things but that was touching, flattering, comforting and a little unsettling all at the same time. And hey, anything that says I'm like Lincoln, Obama, Nadar, and that Chicago girl Oprah, is fine by me.

Homework #2

My mother gave these answers to the assigned questions.

1. I was very active; full of life. I was walking at 8 months. I was very fun but also mature because I was always spending time with my older siblings.

2. I loved playing "guys" (action figures) and all kinds of games but especially monopoly. I also loved the beach and the Field Museum. She always thought of me as a philosopher. I had a intent interest in seemingly everything.

3. She thought I would some day become a Philosopher.


My strengths/gifts:

My sister Amy said that I'm very loyal and sympathetic. I am now, and always have been there for those I love. She also says that I'm *perfect*, as well.

My girlfriend Lauren said that I'm very chivalrous. She says I know how to talk to people. I can make many different people feel like I understand and respect them. I can also handle most/any situations that others are afraid of or find too awkward.

My friend Kirby said that I am a free thinker. He said that I'm very open-minded and independent.

My brother David and my friend/sister in-law Katie wrote their responses in the comment section.

My nephew Matthew wanted to add that I'm good at writing, football and baseball.

I got lucky with this one. I was able to go to Indiana over the long weekend and spend time with my brother and his family. My nephew Matthew is ten now but I remember
my brother gave him his old G.I Joes many years ago. Matthew is not much interested in the toys these days; he prefers video games, sports, reading, and riding his bike. But he was kind enough to oblige me in my strange request for a good old game of "guys". My brother dusted off the box of action figures and we poured out what looked like hundreds of different characters.

We each got a turn to pick a guy (just as my brother and I always did) and much to my surprise and delight there were many of the exact action figures we had growing up. After the initial awkwardness of coming up with dialogue for a two inch soldier passed, it was a whole lot of fun. Many battles and alliances ensued and we had no idea where the story would go except, of course, that Matthew's army would eventually win. He apparently plays with much different rules than David and I used to; with super natural men and such. On many occasions during the game, David and I would look at each other with a quick laugh; both in enjoyment of the moment, and in recognition of the many great games we had in the past.