As the 'teacher' of 11th and 12th grade English here at Edgenuity, it is quite advantageous for me to take the class I am facilitating. First, I am working my way through senior English--and have a few insights as a result.
#1. It is REALLY hard for me to do more than an hour at a time. I love the curriculum. I find the way they present it appealing, however, I get tired and I'm sure our students do, too. So pace yourself, daily rather expecting yourself to work for several hours a day on one class.
At first, I struggled with the writing because I, like many students, feel trapped at first when asked to answer a question about myself. To myself, I am quite dull. Who would want to know who my hero is?? Why should I tell anyone such a personal thing?? I don't know.
I found my way through that problem of 'writer's block' by opening an empty WORD document on another computer while I worked through the lesson. Then, when it was time to write, I shut down the class and got myself a cup of coffee, and puttered around the house cleaning, with the topic 'gelling' in my mind--and the blank WORD document open and ready for my input.
I couldn't think of a hero. I thought to myself: "When was I really impressed and amazed by something someone did. That's when I remembered my surprise birthday party, which made me think of my sister, and how often she does things that surprise me. (Like caring for a sick neighbor for years, for example--who would do that?) So, thinking about my memories instead of thinking about a specific person helped me.
And now I will share my "Hero" essay with you!
Diane Rubie, my sister-- born just two years and three months before me is heroic on a daily basis. She is just a person. A mom, a sister, a wife and a daughter. What makes her a hero? There are so many stories I could relay—but I will tell you one from our childhood that encapsulates her heroism. It starts with the words:
“Surprise! Happy Birthday Cheryl!”
It was my first birthday party in the 13 years of my life—I was surrounded by my best friends—it was a slumber party, and there was a cake and GIFTS for ME. A birthday party for ME! First. Ever. She had treacherously plotted with my best friends, behind our mother’s back. We were raised with the rule that a birthday party is an unacceptable act of worshiping mankind over God. In retrospect I see that with five children in our tribe, it was a financially prudent belief.
In organizing that party for me, she made me feel like a SPARKLY person. Although I had never felt friendless, unloved or unlucky, I had accepted the family ‘no birthday’ policy. When I bloated my mother’s uterus in 1963, it was her fifth and final pregnancy and the beginning of her dedication to Herbert W. Armstrong, or at least his translation of The Bible.
But now I saw that we have choices. Diane had risked a ‘good paddling’ with the well worn piece of wood, nicknamed “The Board of Education”. She was always more courageous, independent, and sure of herself than I was. While I have no doubt she was doing what came naturally to her—( expressing her own unique version of life in a way that pleased her), she was a hero to me.
Over the years, it has been her refusal to blindly abide by society’s accepted rules, her commitment to doing what feels RIGHT rather than what is easy, and her absolutely dogged devotion to making life more sparkly wherever she is, that I not only admire, but I advocate for, daily.
From writing this essay, assigned in my 12th grade Edgenuity course, I see that our heroes teach us who we are. They are heroic to us because they display traits we value—and that makes us who we are…and that’s why we need them!
The End
HOW I LEARN--Published in September
Hello students! I am taking a 'leap of faith' here and showing you the first step in my learning. I am your 12th grade English teacher, I have earned a Master's Degree in Education, a Bachelor's degree in Language Arts with a minor in Reading, and an Associates of Arts and Science. I have twenty years of experience reading with, to and for students like yourself, and guess what? THIS IS MY FIRST (first. yes, I said FIRST) introduction to Gilgamesh!
As always, in order to be able to teach it, I must learn it, and THIS is my first step--I do this before I read the actual text because for me, I will understand the text MUCH better with the background. If you would like it read aloud to you with perfect pronunciation, by a teacher who already understands the story, DON'T listen to this.
I am posting this so you can understand that no matter how much you learn, there is always more; and it is always a little awkward when you first interact with it. So, if you dare to hear me learning, and you need help with Gilgamesh, listen!
