In America, the New Year is at a very strategic place, namely half-way through the school year. That means there's been a little bit of relaxing vacation time, and therefore time to think about the great and not-so-great events of the past year and our grand hopes for the year to come. New Years Resolutions abound, self-reflection ensues, followed by a strange mixture of optimism and fear.
We don't get that here in Istanbul. I worked today, New Year's Eve, and it turns out people work tomorrow too. In fact, we don't have a semester vacation until the very end of January. We're still right in the thick of things, making it a little harder to find a clear mind and enough time for some serious heavy-duty reflection.
When we in the English department exchanged gifts, we each shared a one word wish for 2011 (someone had already chosen peace and health, so I, put on the spot, went with "fun"*). Many people chose health or wealth, making me wonder if their Turkish connotations are similar.
Anyway, if you have a moment to add a comment, please be so kind as to share a one word New Year's wish with my other readers. I'm curious to know what you all want. And while we're at it, think of a one-word New Year's Resolution as well - mine's "patience." Thanks!
I should say before I sign off, when I say I "worked" today, I use the word in the loosest sense. Today was a half day, and there were no lessons, just a dance party, a raffle, and a concert. All I had to do was watch and mull over how dumb it was to forget my camera (I'm going to borrow some photos another teacher took, so hold your horses folks). Plus it was casual day, so everyone dressed in jeans - but it was announced in Turkish so I came dressed as always, suit and tie. I wore the shirt my "secret Santa" gave me, but later untucked it and yanked the tie off to fit in more with the other casually-dressed teachers. Some of my students took the initiative to dress sloppily, while others, largely the girls, wore the jewelery and dazzling clothing they'd always wanted to. Having to wear a uniform to school each day must be a real drag.
I can't believe I forgot my camera.
*P.S. I think it's definitely a symptom of my generation to rate "fun" so high on the priority list. Sometimes I think it's strange that we live in a world where one of the worst things to be is bored. It's even strange to me that boredom exists at all; it's not natural.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
My Favorite Albums Of 2010
Here it is, the collection of music that stands out above the mediocre music that was created this year. The Onion's A.V. Club makes a list of the top non-2010 albums that they discovered this year, which would be a much more impressive list, but I have no idea how to figure out which music I bought this year, so it'll have to wait until next year.
Before I get started, I want to congratulate the amazing dancers who won the dance finals on Tuesday. My 4th graders kicked tail again and stole the crowd, and I got to see a few of my students who I'd missed before dance as well. It was really a moving moment for me to see these kids trying so hard and looking so happy as their parents, teachers, and friends patted their backs and gave them hugs and kisses at the end.
Okay, here goes:
Top 10 Albums Of 2010
1) The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt
This album, almost entirely solo voice and guitar with the one exception of a song with piano, is some wonderful country-style music sung by a gritty down-to-earth voice and charismatic guitar playing. Sweet and witty lyrics that make you feel like you can take on the world with happiness appear in "King Of Spain," though not the lyrics aren't always on the ball ("I said, 'Driver, please don't go that fucking way!'"). On the whole, though, this CD is very fun to listen to and is definitely worth owning.
2) Owen Pallet - Heartland
Formerly recording under the stage name "Final Fantasy," this talented composer's newest record is a very unique listen, what with the combination of heavy strings, a pristine voice, a Czech woodwinds section, and a collection of electronic instruments right down to the drumset. The string arrangements and his perfectly tuned voice singing the quirky yet repetitive chordal harmonies make this CD a worthwhile listen in an example of creative composition.
3) Dave Holland - Pathways
This was a dark year for new jazz records (with the possible exception of Jason Moran's Ten which was a little too avant-garde for me), but Dave Holland was one of the few who put out a new record that's actually an improvement over his last few releases. Recorded live at Birdland (an awful New York venue), the record showcases Holland's new octet replacing the stale quintet that had been so influential in the last decade of modern jazz. The new additions, Antonio Hart on alto sax, Gary Smulyan on baritone sax, and Alex Sipiagin on trumpet make the old tricks sound fresh. While tenor and soprano saxophonist Chris Potter and drummer Nate Smith don't bring any real growth to the table, trombonist Robyn Eubanks and vibraphonist Steve Nelson sound invigorated, and Holland's bass playing is bouncy and joyful. For me this record is kept together by Smulyan's baritone playing that gives the octet a "little big band" feel, reminding me of Holland's big band records that have been my favorites for some time.
4) How To Dress Well - Love Remains
After Pathways the list drops off considerably, starting with this bizarre basement-pop collection of sounds. If it weren't for the cheap production of this music, this would probably be my #1 album of the year. The music is brilliant, innovative; challenging yet easy to identify with - witty yet down to earth - dense yet catchy. The big pitfall of this record is its dismal recording quality. It's riddled with peaking and the mix is so muddy you can barely tell which sounds are which. I can tell this is the intention of the artist - it peaks at consistent moments in the songs to add emphasis - but it's an artistic choice that makes this record nearly unlistenable for me. If it weren't for how special the music is, I'd want my money back. If it weren't for the production value, I'd be head over heals.
5) Brad Mehldau - Highway Rider
This two disc set is much better than most of the monotonous piano trio work that pianist Mehldau has produced as of late - mostly because this isn't a trio. In addition to enlisting the saxophone expertise of Berkeley native Joshua Redman, a string orchestra accompanies the jazz combo. This has a double effect. Sometimes it can be overly dramatic and a little cheesy, while sometimes - as in the beautiful song "Don't Be Sad" - it can make your skin crawl and your eyes water. I think Mehldau composed the music like this on purpose; he's trying to make a commentary on the West. For example, most of the songs are extra long and have multiple endings that would make the listener think we've moved on to a new track (the ones that break this rule have no ending at all). In fact, the record itself goes on and on, and, while developing somewhat, listening to the whole thing through isn't as gratifying an experience as listening to the best song, "Don't Be Sad." I believe this to be intentional and artistic, but not overly enjoyable.
6) Sage Francis - Li(f)e
Granted I haven't heard Kanye West's newest creation, I still this Sage Francis in the songs "Little Houdini" and "Best Of Times" is really onto something in the world of hip-hop/rap. This mixture of spoken word with rap and country and longer song forms are like nothing else I've yet heard. And "Little Houdini" is such a well-formed and well-performed song that it alone would make it on my top ten. Unfortunately, Sage Francis isn't nearly as charismatic when he does an old-fashioned inside-the-beat rap; he's mostly special when he floats in and out of the beat in a way that makes you wonder how he gets the rhymes to line up at all, an amazing feat. However this is something that only occurs on a couple tracks, and half the record is just filler. Sage Francis is also quite the funny lyricist ("I dance so slow it looks like a photo!").
7) Robert Randolf - We Walk This Road
This collection of traditional blues songs is made special mostly by its expert performance. Randolf himself is an amazing slide guitarist, and the record shows off his talents as well as the three voices (Randolf's included) of the lead singers. The presentation of the music makes the impression that Randolf, like any blues guitarist, holds immense respect for the traditions of his art, but unlike most blues guitarists Randolf shows that devotion by infusing traditional musics with modern style. This has mixed results. In "Traveling Shoes" it works perfectly; when he tries to play Prince it fails spectacularly.
8) The Absolute Ensemble - Absolute Zawinul
This album took a couple of listens to sound special. At first it sounded like a collection of melody-less, formless, single-chord grooves. While that's essentially true, there are all sorts of layers that come out, especially when I realized the role of keyboardist Joe Zawinul. This record is touted as Zawinul's last studio recording before he passed away in 2007 and it features arrangements of his pieces for a strange 14-piece orchestra, including strings, woodwinds, and two African singers. But it's Zawinul's keyboard playing that makes this recording special. Every note he hits is beautiful, every improvised moment he has is right on the mark. And perhaps the reason it's so hard to hear it the first time is that his keyboard sounds are made to blend in so well with the rest of the orchestra.
9) Hot Chip - One Life Stand
10) Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
These last two aren't really worth reviewing. I could've just as easily put Massive Attack's Heligoland or LCD Soundsystem's This is Happening or Sufjan Stevens's Age of Adz in the 9 and 10 spots. They're all just a mush of artists creating unexciting music with one or two tracks that are worth keeping around. You'll see when I get my list of top tracks of 2010 - that's going to be a much more gratifying list to read.
As a gift for making it this far in the post: check out this weird opera/bounty hunter story in the New York Times.
Before I get started, I want to congratulate the amazing dancers who won the dance finals on Tuesday. My 4th graders kicked tail again and stole the crowd, and I got to see a few of my students who I'd missed before dance as well. It was really a moving moment for me to see these kids trying so hard and looking so happy as their parents, teachers, and friends patted their backs and gave them hugs and kisses at the end.
Okay, here goes:
Top 10 Albums Of 2010
1) The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt
This album, almost entirely solo voice and guitar with the one exception of a song with piano, is some wonderful country-style music sung by a gritty down-to-earth voice and charismatic guitar playing. Sweet and witty lyrics that make you feel like you can take on the world with happiness appear in "King Of Spain," though not the lyrics aren't always on the ball ("I said, 'Driver, please don't go that fucking way!'"). On the whole, though, this CD is very fun to listen to and is definitely worth owning.
2) Owen Pallet - Heartland
Formerly recording under the stage name "Final Fantasy," this talented composer's newest record is a very unique listen, what with the combination of heavy strings, a pristine voice, a Czech woodwinds section, and a collection of electronic instruments right down to the drumset. The string arrangements and his perfectly tuned voice singing the quirky yet repetitive chordal harmonies make this CD a worthwhile listen in an example of creative composition.
3) Dave Holland - Pathways
This was a dark year for new jazz records (with the possible exception of Jason Moran's Ten which was a little too avant-garde for me), but Dave Holland was one of the few who put out a new record that's actually an improvement over his last few releases. Recorded live at Birdland (an awful New York venue), the record showcases Holland's new octet replacing the stale quintet that had been so influential in the last decade of modern jazz. The new additions, Antonio Hart on alto sax, Gary Smulyan on baritone sax, and Alex Sipiagin on trumpet make the old tricks sound fresh. While tenor and soprano saxophonist Chris Potter and drummer Nate Smith don't bring any real growth to the table, trombonist Robyn Eubanks and vibraphonist Steve Nelson sound invigorated, and Holland's bass playing is bouncy and joyful. For me this record is kept together by Smulyan's baritone playing that gives the octet a "little big band" feel, reminding me of Holland's big band records that have been my favorites for some time.
4) How To Dress Well - Love Remains
After Pathways the list drops off considerably, starting with this bizarre basement-pop collection of sounds. If it weren't for the cheap production of this music, this would probably be my #1 album of the year. The music is brilliant, innovative; challenging yet easy to identify with - witty yet down to earth - dense yet catchy. The big pitfall of this record is its dismal recording quality. It's riddled with peaking and the mix is so muddy you can barely tell which sounds are which. I can tell this is the intention of the artist - it peaks at consistent moments in the songs to add emphasis - but it's an artistic choice that makes this record nearly unlistenable for me. If it weren't for how special the music is, I'd want my money back. If it weren't for the production value, I'd be head over heals.
5) Brad Mehldau - Highway Rider
This two disc set is much better than most of the monotonous piano trio work that pianist Mehldau has produced as of late - mostly because this isn't a trio. In addition to enlisting the saxophone expertise of Berkeley native Joshua Redman, a string orchestra accompanies the jazz combo. This has a double effect. Sometimes it can be overly dramatic and a little cheesy, while sometimes - as in the beautiful song "Don't Be Sad" - it can make your skin crawl and your eyes water. I think Mehldau composed the music like this on purpose; he's trying to make a commentary on the West. For example, most of the songs are extra long and have multiple endings that would make the listener think we've moved on to a new track (the ones that break this rule have no ending at all). In fact, the record itself goes on and on, and, while developing somewhat, listening to the whole thing through isn't as gratifying an experience as listening to the best song, "Don't Be Sad." I believe this to be intentional and artistic, but not overly enjoyable.
6) Sage Francis - Li(f)e
Granted I haven't heard Kanye West's newest creation, I still this Sage Francis in the songs "Little Houdini" and "Best Of Times" is really onto something in the world of hip-hop/rap. This mixture of spoken word with rap and country and longer song forms are like nothing else I've yet heard. And "Little Houdini" is such a well-formed and well-performed song that it alone would make it on my top ten. Unfortunately, Sage Francis isn't nearly as charismatic when he does an old-fashioned inside-the-beat rap; he's mostly special when he floats in and out of the beat in a way that makes you wonder how he gets the rhymes to line up at all, an amazing feat. However this is something that only occurs on a couple tracks, and half the record is just filler. Sage Francis is also quite the funny lyricist ("I dance so slow it looks like a photo!").
7) Robert Randolf - We Walk This Road
This collection of traditional blues songs is made special mostly by its expert performance. Randolf himself is an amazing slide guitarist, and the record shows off his talents as well as the three voices (Randolf's included) of the lead singers. The presentation of the music makes the impression that Randolf, like any blues guitarist, holds immense respect for the traditions of his art, but unlike most blues guitarists Randolf shows that devotion by infusing traditional musics with modern style. This has mixed results. In "Traveling Shoes" it works perfectly; when he tries to play Prince it fails spectacularly.
8) The Absolute Ensemble - Absolute Zawinul
This album took a couple of listens to sound special. At first it sounded like a collection of melody-less, formless, single-chord grooves. While that's essentially true, there are all sorts of layers that come out, especially when I realized the role of keyboardist Joe Zawinul. This record is touted as Zawinul's last studio recording before he passed away in 2007 and it features arrangements of his pieces for a strange 14-piece orchestra, including strings, woodwinds, and two African singers. But it's Zawinul's keyboard playing that makes this recording special. Every note he hits is beautiful, every improvised moment he has is right on the mark. And perhaps the reason it's so hard to hear it the first time is that his keyboard sounds are made to blend in so well with the rest of the orchestra.
9) Hot Chip - One Life Stand
10) Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
These last two aren't really worth reviewing. I could've just as easily put Massive Attack's Heligoland or LCD Soundsystem's This is Happening or Sufjan Stevens's Age of Adz in the 9 and 10 spots. They're all just a mush of artists creating unexciting music with one or two tracks that are worth keeping around. You'll see when I get my list of top tracks of 2010 - that's going to be a much more gratifying list to read.
As a gift for making it this far in the post: check out this weird opera/bounty hunter story in the New York Times.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Holiday Season
Besides the horribly long parents meetings I've been in all week and the illness that the stress has been bringing on me, this week has been fairly good, especially the weekend. Namely I got to do some major-league celebrating.
On Friday Hazal came over and we made potato pancakes, just as we were supposed to before the snow ruined our plans. Unfortunately I have no pictures, but we lit a candle and I sang a prayer and we ate. Plus I think I got her to fall in love with my cat, which I hope her to do more of because then maybe she can keep him after I leave. I'm only about 75% kidding here. We were both very tired and spent most of the time listening to music.
Taksim dressed up for the holidays (I've found that many Turkish people don't know the difference between Christmas and New Years)
Then on Christmas Day, Can's mother was celebrating the opening of her new acupuncture clinic, so I went into the city to Kadıköy to celebrate with them. I was supposed to stay the night, but I'm feeling a little too under the weather. I got to meet his father, who's in the military, and congratulate his mother on the opening. It looks nice - apparently Can and his sister have been fixing the place up all week, which would explain why Can was so tired. We both went to bed earlier than planned that night.
Can and Damla on one of the patient beds
Every time I see the Bosporus I feel like I've made a good decision to live here, my only regret being that I can't be closer to it more often. Today as I made my way to the ferry from Taksim, I was actually giddy with excitement, peering around the corners of the side streets in search of the body of water. Here was my first look:
It was, sadly, a little disappointing - it was grayer than I remembered, and a little smaller as well. It's that time of year, I suppose, when the blue fades from the water and a winter haze sets in over the city. When the Bosporus is gray, it feels like all of Istanbul has lost its color.
Seagulls followed the ferry as it made its way from Beşiktaş to Kadıköy
But stepping onto the ferry and boating alongside Dolmabahçe Palace, being actually on the Bosporus, the beauty floated back in with the orange glow of the sunset.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Best You Can Isn't Always Good Enough
Note: Gratuitous generalizations to come shortly.
There's a lot about America I'm critical of, as my readers probably know, but one thing I love about it is the philosophy that if you work hard enough anything is possible. It's a wonderful thing to believe, that no matter what you're born with it's within your power as a human being to achieve whatever you want. It's also a cornerstone of my teaching philosophy; I make it clear that I value the hardworking student far more than the student who's naturally good at English but slacks off.
As the Radiohead song goes, "You can try the best you can, you can try the best you can. The best is good enough." (P.S. I know they're not American)
But today I saw a perfect example of how, while this is a good belief to embrace, it's important to realize the world doesn't follow it like a law of science. At lunchtime the results of yesterday's dance competition were posted, announcing who had made the finals (taking place on December 28). The 4th graders I had been raving about yesterday dominated the 4th grade class - only one 4th grader from another classroom will be represented in the championship dance-off. But one of my students, a quiet but curious 5th grader, was in tears because her team had failed to advance. I remember after seeing their dance that they had some good ideas and obviously cared a lot about their presentation, but they just weren't great dancers. That was all there was to it.
Did she fail because the others worked harder than she did? I don't believe it for a second.
And this is the biggest problem with this charming belief in self-ability: When we (Americans) sees a person who hasn't met success, we're inclined to believe it's largely their own fault. They didn't work hard enough; it was their choice. This is especially true with respect to poverty. In our economic system we believe that a poor person could, theoretically, improve their situation through hard work and perseverance. This is simply not true.
In addition, this creates a sense of ownership replacing where generosity would be. If we have money, we're inclined to believe we've earned it, so we're less willing to give to charities - it's our money that we worked for and therefore deserve. Why give to someone who doesn't work as hard as us? Why do they deserve it?
I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank goodness for religion, because otherwise it'd be very difficult to find generosity built anywhere into this capitalist mindset.
With the finals coming up on Tuesday, a lot of hardworking dancers are going to be left crying after finding that their best wasn't good enough. Because as much as I'd like to be in control of my future success, flipping it on with hard work or off with laziness, the world simply doesn't work that way.
It's amazing how obvious that statement seems, but still I find myself instinctually forgetting it in everyday life.
There's a lot about America I'm critical of, as my readers probably know, but one thing I love about it is the philosophy that if you work hard enough anything is possible. It's a wonderful thing to believe, that no matter what you're born with it's within your power as a human being to achieve whatever you want. It's also a cornerstone of my teaching philosophy; I make it clear that I value the hardworking student far more than the student who's naturally good at English but slacks off.
As the Radiohead song goes, "You can try the best you can, you can try the best you can. The best is good enough." (P.S. I know they're not American)
But today I saw a perfect example of how, while this is a good belief to embrace, it's important to realize the world doesn't follow it like a law of science. At lunchtime the results of yesterday's dance competition were posted, announcing who had made the finals (taking place on December 28). The 4th graders I had been raving about yesterday dominated the 4th grade class - only one 4th grader from another classroom will be represented in the championship dance-off. But one of my students, a quiet but curious 5th grader, was in tears because her team had failed to advance. I remember after seeing their dance that they had some good ideas and obviously cared a lot about their presentation, but they just weren't great dancers. That was all there was to it.
Did she fail because the others worked harder than she did? I don't believe it for a second.
And this is the biggest problem with this charming belief in self-ability: When we (Americans) sees a person who hasn't met success, we're inclined to believe it's largely their own fault. They didn't work hard enough; it was their choice. This is especially true with respect to poverty. In our economic system we believe that a poor person could, theoretically, improve their situation through hard work and perseverance. This is simply not true.
In addition, this creates a sense of ownership replacing where generosity would be. If we have money, we're inclined to believe we've earned it, so we're less willing to give to charities - it's our money that we worked for and therefore deserve. Why give to someone who doesn't work as hard as us? Why do they deserve it?
I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank goodness for religion, because otherwise it'd be very difficult to find generosity built anywhere into this capitalist mindset.
With the finals coming up on Tuesday, a lot of hardworking dancers are going to be left crying after finding that their best wasn't good enough. Because as much as I'd like to be in control of my future success, flipping it on with hard work or off with laziness, the world simply doesn't work that way.
It's amazing how obvious that statement seems, but still I find myself instinctually forgetting it in everyday life.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
End Of The Veli Toplantesi Of Doom
My body and mind are ravaged, but I've managed to make it through in one piece. I have met with most of the parents of my 190-some students. I have accomplished something.
Today at lunchtime there was a dance competition between the troupes of the 3rd-5th grades. I love seeing my students in different settings, as with the basketball players, because it helps me to understand what helps them learn and what excites them about life. Today I was thrilled by how my fourth graders danced. There were two groups, one girls and one boys, and when the boys danced I recognized the song I heard played every time I come into their classroom, "Beggin'" as performed by Madcon. They kicked a$$. One of them was a natural breakdancer. After the performances the class teacher gave each of them a big kiss of each cheek. It was really a lot of fun!
Right after lunch I had my fourth graders, and we basically talked about dancing the whole time. They'd earned a period to calm down after performing so well. They told me they had made the finals, so soon enough I'll get to see them compete against my 6th graders. Best of luck to all of them!
Today at lunchtime there was a dance competition between the troupes of the 3rd-5th grades. I love seeing my students in different settings, as with the basketball players, because it helps me to understand what helps them learn and what excites them about life. Today I was thrilled by how my fourth graders danced. There were two groups, one girls and one boys, and when the boys danced I recognized the song I heard played every time I come into their classroom, "Beggin'" as performed by Madcon. They kicked a$$. One of them was a natural breakdancer. After the performances the class teacher gave each of them a big kiss of each cheek. It was really a lot of fun!
Right after lunch I had my fourth graders, and we basically talked about dancing the whole time. They'd earned a period to calm down after performing so well. They told me they had made the finals, so soon enough I'll get to see them compete against my 6th graders. Best of luck to all of them!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Objective Proof That Girls Are Better Than Boys
This is a little something I discovered as I was teaching comparatives and superlatives to my 6th grade class:
You can usually identify a comparative by the -er at the end and a superlative by the -est at the end. The three levels for "good" are "good, bettER, bEST." So, going from there, hER must be bettER than him. Girls must be better than boys.
My 6th graders were - and still are - very opinionated about this. But for me, this is irrefutable proof.
Kind of.
A note about the Christmas tree I've mentioned in a previous post: AftER talking with my students I learned that in Istanbul it's common to celebrate the New Year by decorating a tree. This actually caused a lot of confusion in the students regarding Christmas - a lot of them thought it was just anothER word for a New Year's celebration!
Today I was in parents meetings from 4:15-8:00. No break, just a steady stream of parents. And I didn't even get to see the parents of all my students! I felt so bad for the young woman who was translating for me. She was wilting like a too-cold flowER by the end of it all. And the bEST thing is we get to do it all again tomorrow!
I'm dizzy.
You can usually identify a comparative by the -er at the end and a superlative by the -est at the end. The three levels for "good" are "good, bettER, bEST." So, going from there, hER must be bettER than him. Girls must be better than boys.
My 6th graders were - and still are - very opinionated about this. But for me, this is irrefutable proof.
Kind of.
A note about the Christmas tree I've mentioned in a previous post: AftER talking with my students I learned that in Istanbul it's common to celebrate the New Year by decorating a tree. This actually caused a lot of confusion in the students regarding Christmas - a lot of them thought it was just anothER word for a New Year's celebration!
Today I was in parents meetings from 4:15-8:00. No break, just a steady stream of parents. And I didn't even get to see the parents of all my students! I felt so bad for the young woman who was translating for me. She was wilting like a too-cold flowER by the end of it all. And the bEST thing is we get to do it all again tomorrow!
I'm dizzy.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Today's Wonderful Moment:
Not being able to remember the name of the main character on Family Guy. That felt so good!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Photos Of Bahçeşehir Park
As of this morning, I no longer have a Facebook account. Actually, that's not entirely true. When you deactivate a Facebook account, a few things happen.
First, they make you tell it why you're leaving, complete with a compilation of your friends' profile pictures with the caption, "So and so will miss you." When you choose the reason you're leaving, the site gives you a bunch of tips and links to help you solve the problem. Helpful, but annoying as hell. And also completely irrelevant to what I wanted - My problem was that I didn't find the site useful, and its solution was a combination of making more friends and using the site more often to network with them.
Second, my profile doesn't come off the internet. I really wanted to remove all the Sam Goldsmith from the Facebook world that I could. Turns out it's all still there, waiting for me to "reactivate" my account. I guess it's not so bad that people can still look at the photos I've posted, but I wouldn't have posted any of them if I knew they'd be on the Internet forever.
Anyone know of a way I can completely delete everything on my Facebook account? Any tips would be much appreciated. I'm really peeved about this.
In better news, the weather let up for an afternoon today (it's been snowing off and on for a week and a half) so I went down to the park and took some pictures. Hope you like them!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Music Of 2010
I'm supposed to write a top ten list for my favorite albums that came out this year. However, there are two things that are going to stop me from doing this as thoroughly as I've done in past years:
1) I'm living in Turkey, where good record stores that sell up-to-date American rock and jazz (not to mention classical) simply don't exist. Back in New York, I'd stop by Other Music two or three times each month - I was totally addicted. Now I just don't have as wide a pool to choose from.
2) The music this year largely sucked. Case in point: take indie and rock hot website Pitchfork's choices for the top 20 records (or, if you're adventurous, look at the top 50). See what I mean? There were a ton of crappy indie bands that had debut or breakthrough records, that's for sure. But of their top 20, I'd put maybe - maybe - two of them in my top ten for this crappy year (that's How To Dress Well's "Love Remains" and - maybe - Sufjan Stevens's "Age Of Adz," maybe). And yes, I did listen to most of their picks (except Kanye West's newest creation, which they put at #1).
Looking at my top ten from last year, my current #1, The Tallest Man On Earth's "The Wild Hunt," would rank either 5 or 6. That's just sad.
Please use the comments feature to prove me wrong! Turn me on to the great music that was created in 2010, if it indeed exists! I'll try to make a top ten list, but it might end up being just a top 5, with maybe a track list as well, since we're living in the age of singles.
1) I'm living in Turkey, where good record stores that sell up-to-date American rock and jazz (not to mention classical) simply don't exist. Back in New York, I'd stop by Other Music two or three times each month - I was totally addicted. Now I just don't have as wide a pool to choose from.
2) The music this year largely sucked. Case in point: take indie and rock hot website Pitchfork's choices for the top 20 records (or, if you're adventurous, look at the top 50). See what I mean? There were a ton of crappy indie bands that had debut or breakthrough records, that's for sure. But of their top 20, I'd put maybe - maybe - two of them in my top ten for this crappy year (that's How To Dress Well's "Love Remains" and - maybe - Sufjan Stevens's "Age Of Adz," maybe). And yes, I did listen to most of their picks (except Kanye West's newest creation, which they put at #1).
Looking at my top ten from last year, my current #1, The Tallest Man On Earth's "The Wild Hunt," would rank either 5 or 6. That's just sad.
Please use the comments feature to prove me wrong! Turn me on to the great music that was created in 2010, if it indeed exists! I'll try to make a top ten list, but it might end up being just a top 5, with maybe a track list as well, since we're living in the age of singles.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
On - I Mean "Off" - Facebook
I've decided to terminate my facebook account, and I'll do so by the end of this week. I've had so many random strangers messaging or friending me, not to mention "friends" I don't even know inviting me to events I'd never go to. The only advantage I see is the chance to easily share photos with a ton of people. Now that I'm not playing concerts anymore, which was the reason I got a facebook account in the first place, there's really no advantage to it. So I'm cutting it off. See ya.
Coming soon: Next week is parents' meeting week. It's going to ruin me. They last from 4:00 until 7:30 with no break and, rumor has it, no food. I will perish, especially on Monday when I teach all day long (I've heard teaching seven lessons in a day is illegal in the Sates, but that's definitely not true here). Needless to say, I probably won't be making many posts next week.
Also, an ammendment to yesterday's post: The Christmas trees are popping up everywhere. I'm very confused.
Coming soon: Next week is parents' meeting week. It's going to ruin me. They last from 4:00 until 7:30 with no break and, rumor has it, no food. I will perish, especially on Monday when I teach all day long (I've heard teaching seven lessons in a day is illegal in the Sates, but that's definitely not true here). Needless to say, I probably won't be making many posts next week.
Also, an ammendment to yesterday's post: The Christmas trees are popping up everywhere. I'm very confused.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
I Thought I Could Get Away
There's a Christmas tree on the ground floor of the school.
There's a Christmas tree in the school!
What the f***, man! I thought by moving to a Muslim country, I'd have gotten away from that sort of thing!
There's a Christmas tree in the school!
What the f***, man! I thought by moving to a Muslim country, I'd have gotten away from that sort of thing!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
On Turkish Street Kindness
This morning, riding the service bus to school, I saw something that made me smile. While we were waiting for a student, there was a small kid, about 8 and bundled up, trying to cross the street in front of us, but the traffic was too thick. A couple times he looked ready to make a dash for his car waiting across the street, but stopped himself as the cars whizzed by. And then, out of patient kindness, our bus driver got out of the bus, took the child by his hand, and helped him across the street to his thankful driver. Would this sort of thing ever happen in America? Not the America I know.
If I were in a different mood, today's post would have read like this:
This morning, riding the service bus to school, I saw something that really frustrated me. While we were waiting for a student, there was a small kid, about 8 and bundled up, trying to cross the street in front of us, but the traffic was too thick. A couple times he looked ready to make a dash for his car waiting across the street, but none of the drivers even thought to stop and let the poor child pass. It was so bad that my bus driver had to go out and help him across the street by hand, and even with the bus driver helping him the cars refused to stop!
Would this sort of thing ever happen in America? Not the America I know.
In other brief news: I caught a student plagiarizing yesterday. I'm going to meet with her and the head of our department today - I'll let you know when the situation resolves!
If I were in a different mood, today's post would have read like this:
This morning, riding the service bus to school, I saw something that really frustrated me. While we were waiting for a student, there was a small kid, about 8 and bundled up, trying to cross the street in front of us, but the traffic was too thick. A couple times he looked ready to make a dash for his car waiting across the street, but none of the drivers even thought to stop and let the poor child pass. It was so bad that my bus driver had to go out and help him across the street by hand, and even with the bus driver helping him the cars refused to stop!
Would this sort of thing ever happen in America? Not the America I know.
In other brief news: I caught a student plagiarizing yesterday. I'm going to meet with her and the head of our department today - I'll let you know when the situation resolves!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Today's Observation
Did you know I can fit my cat's entire face in my mouth?
Don't ask me how I found that out...
Don't ask me how I found that out...
Sunday, December 12, 2010
City Love and Potato Pancakes
Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you the third installment of my latest musical project: "City Love," which you can now find on my MySpace page. I'm especially proud of this one. I've been learning more about mixing techniques and recording procedures, and the last two pieces ("Plant The Seeds" and "Old Liar") allowed me to get some experience with these new techniques before trying it out on a song I've had in my head for a long time.
Not to take away from the other songs. I'm proud of everything I put online. But this one's got "single power."
In other news, just because the recent snow in Istanbul forced me to cancel my Hanukkah plans for yesterday didn't mean I had to miss out on eating potato latkes (how the hell do you spell that?) this year. I made them myself for the first time this evening, and some of them even came out! I had a little dish for dipping yogurt and another for dipping jam; lit some candles, making sure to keep them out of the cat's reach; and sang a song or two.
Hanukkah: consider yourself celebrated.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Snow
Today I saw the first whispers of snow here in Istanbul. Coming soon: my first snow holiday ever! But for today, it only means the ferries are canceled, as well as my plans for the day. Shoot.
I also got an ATM card for Garanti Bank linked an account in which I have exactly 0 lira in. I think it helps me cut in line when I have to pay rent or something. Thing is, I paid rent yesterday. 'Aint life grand?
I also got an ATM card for Garanti Bank linked an account in which I have exactly 0 lira in. I think it helps me cut in line when I have to pay rent or something. Thing is, I paid rent yesterday. 'Aint life grand?
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Middle School Basketball
Today after school there was a basketball game for the middle school boys, so, on a whim decided to stay and watch. It was a lot of fun, even though the Bahçeşehir team got mangled pretty bad (final score: 46 - 70). It was great to see my kids in another setting, and I also got to meet some of the parents afterward. And I got to wonder if I was watching the next Mehmet Okur, that maybe someday the name of one of my students would be known in homes all over America for his basketball playing.
Actually, Mehmet Okur did visit Bahçeşehir Koleji last year - I'm a year too late! That picture above was taken in the Bahçeşehir Koleji gym. All the kids in it are too old to be my students, but one of them, the blond one, is my coworker's son. I'm not going to lie: I'm a little bitter about missing this.
I arrived at the game early, so I got to watch the warm-ups. Strangely, the coach wasn't even present. Instead it looked like the stretches and exercises were being run by one of the students, and everyone followed his lead as obediently as if he were the head coach. He called the drills, led the stretches, even helped the others who were struggling. The other team was not run like this at all, very coach-centered, always correcting the students' mistakes in form and execution.
But the most amazing thing was who was leading the warm-ups. It was a kid who can't be left alone for a second in English class; if you so much as make to turn away from him, he starts mouthing off with the others around him. He never brings his materials to class, you can't get him to work unless you're standing over his shoulder the whole time, he's habitually late - generally, he's what we call in the teaching industry a "trouble child" (though I realize I'm exaggerating his charges to emphasize the point I'm making here). He's definitely not the one to whom I'd say, "I'm going out for 10 minutes. Can you teach the class until I get back?" (Just for the record, I've never said that to anyone.) And yet that's exactly what he was doing. And he was good at it.
I'm so glad I got to see this part of his personality.
Unfortunately, he was an awful basketball player.
Actually, it was surprising to me who were the good players and who weren't. We know the common stereotype about the popular jock (like the kid running the warm-ups) who's not very good in class but excels in physical activities. In this game - the player who wowed me the most, scoring about half the 15-player team's points as well as being the only one who ran back to play defense before a fast break - is also one of the best students in the English room. And it's not just because he's good at English; it's because he works his tail off. And it showed on the court.
But this was not a new Turkish basketball player's "profile." The next 3 best players (very far off from the star, but still good) covered the entire spectrum: one hardworking star student, one quiet struggling student, and one rowdy uncontrollable piece of trouble.
In the Turkish education system, physical education is much more important than it is in America, where it seems the teachers need no qualifications whatsoever. Here there is a strong emphasis on militant discipline, and PE is a big part of that, preparing the children for the time when they fulfill their mandatory military service. Thus the PE teachers have special status and exceptions: they lead all the ceremonies, with the exception of the singing of the national anthem which they co-lead with the music teachers, because their main job is to quiet the students; they're allowed to wear normal clothes while the rest of us have to dress in a suit and tie each day; they have equal sway in the şök meetings when the teachers gathered to discuss each student individually (I have 190 students... that was just about the longest week of my life).
Here, PE is much more than loosely-enforced exercise. It's a class, a class where you get graded academically just as you would in science or math, or English.
And, speaking of şök, the art and music teachers also had equal sway (I don't have any of the same students as the chess teacher, so I can't vouch for him). Meanwhile these are the programs getting cut first in American schools.
There's a lot about the Turkish education system I take issue with, but this emphasis on whole learning is something I can really get behind.
Actually, Mehmet Okur did visit Bahçeşehir Koleji last year - I'm a year too late! That picture above was taken in the Bahçeşehir Koleji gym. All the kids in it are too old to be my students, but one of them, the blond one, is my coworker's son. I'm not going to lie: I'm a little bitter about missing this.
I arrived at the game early, so I got to watch the warm-ups. Strangely, the coach wasn't even present. Instead it looked like the stretches and exercises were being run by one of the students, and everyone followed his lead as obediently as if he were the head coach. He called the drills, led the stretches, even helped the others who were struggling. The other team was not run like this at all, very coach-centered, always correcting the students' mistakes in form and execution.
But the most amazing thing was who was leading the warm-ups. It was a kid who can't be left alone for a second in English class; if you so much as make to turn away from him, he starts mouthing off with the others around him. He never brings his materials to class, you can't get him to work unless you're standing over his shoulder the whole time, he's habitually late - generally, he's what we call in the teaching industry a "trouble child" (though I realize I'm exaggerating his charges to emphasize the point I'm making here). He's definitely not the one to whom I'd say, "I'm going out for 10 minutes. Can you teach the class until I get back?" (Just for the record, I've never said that to anyone.) And yet that's exactly what he was doing. And he was good at it.
I'm so glad I got to see this part of his personality.
Unfortunately, he was an awful basketball player.
Actually, it was surprising to me who were the good players and who weren't. We know the common stereotype about the popular jock (like the kid running the warm-ups) who's not very good in class but excels in physical activities. In this game - the player who wowed me the most, scoring about half the 15-player team's points as well as being the only one who ran back to play defense before a fast break - is also one of the best students in the English room. And it's not just because he's good at English; it's because he works his tail off. And it showed on the court.
But this was not a new Turkish basketball player's "profile." The next 3 best players (very far off from the star, but still good) covered the entire spectrum: one hardworking star student, one quiet struggling student, and one rowdy uncontrollable piece of trouble.
In the Turkish education system, physical education is much more important than it is in America, where it seems the teachers need no qualifications whatsoever. Here there is a strong emphasis on militant discipline, and PE is a big part of that, preparing the children for the time when they fulfill their mandatory military service. Thus the PE teachers have special status and exceptions: they lead all the ceremonies, with the exception of the singing of the national anthem which they co-lead with the music teachers, because their main job is to quiet the students; they're allowed to wear normal clothes while the rest of us have to dress in a suit and tie each day; they have equal sway in the şök meetings when the teachers gathered to discuss each student individually (I have 190 students... that was just about the longest week of my life).
Here, PE is much more than loosely-enforced exercise. It's a class, a class where you get graded academically just as you would in science or math, or English.
And, speaking of şök, the art and music teachers also had equal sway (I don't have any of the same students as the chess teacher, so I can't vouch for him). Meanwhile these are the programs getting cut first in American schools.
There's a lot about the Turkish education system I take issue with, but this emphasis on whole learning is something I can really get behind.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Cookbook
The other day I bought a cookbook written completely in Turkish. I thought, for some reason, that I had the vocabulary to be able to read the recipes, though I guess I should have known from how cluelessly I still act in the grocery stores that it would be a challenge. Instead, with the help of Google Translator, I've been using the book to teach me a few nifty new words. I've almost worked myself up to being brave enough to try a recipe!
Google Translator's interpretation of Gönül Candaş's recipe for kadın budu köfte (woman's thigh meatballs... It was too weird a title to ignore!), plus my translations for most of the ingredients:
Woman’s Thigh Meatballs750 grams of (lean) ground beef2 onions3 table spoons of rice3 eggs (1 used in the dough balls, meatballs, 2 of them used for toasting)Half a bunch of parseley1 cup of sunflower or olive oil3-4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs/flourSalt and black pepper
1) Rice extract is washed. A cup of hot water is boiled and water çektirilir thrown.
2) Lean ground beef with half the grated onion roasted and ground. Involved in raw meat.
3) However, boiled rice, chopped parsley, green flat oval and made meatballs.
4) Separated from the egg-sized pieces, flat oval and made meatballs.
5) First, bread flour, then beaten with a fork dipped in egg and fried in hot oil.
Fact: Oil is too high to keep the hot oven, or a team will cause the occurrence of toxic and irritating substances. Therefore, less oil in a pan, fry oil burning is wrong to do. Frying, deep in a container, in the form of abundant oil and the oil should be almost boiling.
Speaking of Google Translator and disregarding its effectiveness as a translation program, I should say that I've had a couple of conversations through it. Most recently when I was trying to resolve a problem with my internet and the man at TTNet had no idea what I was saying.
Isn't it amazing how the Internet connects us even when we're in the same room as each other?
Bonus for everyone who listened to Old Liar from my MySpace page: the English lyrics translated into Turkish, then back again!
I think this speaks for the quality of Google's translations. My favorites are: "Just keep saying that these are lies, such as breathing," and "I love you like a wounded soldier loves a war." Wrong!
Just told me a thing or two to make people laugh.
Even if I did not feel this was not true in life.
I left my mind like a busy schedule.
Like I said everything right all the liars.
But only 21, already an old'm not a liar.
I said: I love you like a storm came without a warning.
Keep your dream and live a lie and a lie.
Dismiss the feelings buried inside.
Keep telling myself that I know this is not true
I've convinced myself that the immune
But a lie is that very slowly indeed.
Just keep saying that these are lies, such as breathing.
Leave your passion when you kiss your neck out
And I can tell you're the best.
But now you're 24 and feel less like a liar
The old lie.
If you set fire my soul!
I love you like a storm came without a warning.
I love you like a wounded soldier loves a war.
In fact, my core reached without a warrant.
I love you like a storm came without a warning.
I love you like a storm came without a warning.
You should see what comes out for "Silent Stairs" after going in and out of Italian.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
New Song and Subscriptions
I've got two gifts to give all of you. Let's say they're Hanukkah presents:
1) The new song is up, and while still roughly in the dubstep style as "Plant the Seeds," it's much easier to listen to. Also less depressing - a love song, not a death song. Find "Old Liar" on my MySpace page to check it out. And good news! I figured out how to set the song order, so Old Liar should be the first song you see. Don't mind the constant references to TV On The Radio.
2) Subscriptions are finally up and running! Just add your email address and you can get my new blog posts sent right to your email the moment I post them! I have a track record of being a little erratic with my posting, and so, to make sure you don't have to check the site over and over again. Just wait for the email.
Happiness!
1) The new song is up, and while still roughly in the dubstep style as "Plant the Seeds," it's much easier to listen to. Also less depressing - a love song, not a death song. Find "Old Liar" on my MySpace page to check it out. And good news! I figured out how to set the song order, so Old Liar should be the first song you see. Don't mind the constant references to TV On The Radio.
2) Subscriptions are finally up and running! Just add your email address and you can get my new blog posts sent right to your email the moment I post them! I have a track record of being a little erratic with my posting, and so, to make sure you don't have to check the site over and over again. Just wait for the email.
Happiness!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Hanukkah Thoughts
Happy Hanukkah, everyone! The holiday came by early this year, and I'm... well, not so ashamed to say that I forgot about it completely. It's not like it's a very important holiday, even for Jews (you can bet your car that I'm keeping Passover, though). And even important holidays I'm used to, like Thanksgiving, have passed by quite a bit differently in this country. Even Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays, was postponed, and when I did celebrate it, it wasn't the family affair I remembered it being back in the States.
The important holidays here are the Bayrams, some religious and some otherwise. While I didn't do any of the religious sacrifices associated with Kurban Bayram, I celebrated the hell out of it, and I did commemorate Istanbul's Independence on an October Wednesday - by going out for dinner and a drink with my coworkers.
If I were a different person, I would bring my traditions to the foreign country I live in and introduce them to my friends, throw a Hanukkah party here in the apartment and spin dreidels for chocolates and teach myself how to make potato latkes (I've heard they're not hard). I still might do these things, but I personally find it difficult to celebrate a holiday in solitude. I won't remember it on my own; holidays exist for family. And when everyone around me sees the unimportance of it all, it's harder and harder for me to contradict them. I'm a horrible Jew, even though I'm a good nomad.
And this goes against all the discomfort I personally feel about the "organized" part of organized religion. How come I need people around me to feel the power of a holiday but feel slightly nauseous whenever I step into a service? I mean, I can answer both these questions, but that's a little contradictory, don't you think?
Does this mean I'm feeling alone out here?
Hm.
Perhaps.
I'm going to start organizing that Hanukkah party now.
The important holidays here are the Bayrams, some religious and some otherwise. While I didn't do any of the religious sacrifices associated with Kurban Bayram, I celebrated the hell out of it, and I did commemorate Istanbul's Independence on an October Wednesday - by going out for dinner and a drink with my coworkers.
If I were a different person, I would bring my traditions to the foreign country I live in and introduce them to my friends, throw a Hanukkah party here in the apartment and spin dreidels for chocolates and teach myself how to make potato latkes (I've heard they're not hard). I still might do these things, but I personally find it difficult to celebrate a holiday in solitude. I won't remember it on my own; holidays exist for family. And when everyone around me sees the unimportance of it all, it's harder and harder for me to contradict them. I'm a horrible Jew, even though I'm a good nomad.
And this goes against all the discomfort I personally feel about the "organized" part of organized religion. How come I need people around me to feel the power of a holiday but feel slightly nauseous whenever I step into a service? I mean, I can answer both these questions, but that's a little contradictory, don't you think?
Does this mean I'm feeling alone out here?
Hm.
Perhaps.
I'm going to start organizing that Hanukkah party now.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Voleybol, Aralık, ve Zor Derslar
Two days ago, me and 9 other teachers in the primary school here played volleyball together after school. Only one of them knew English (it took a few plays to realize that "Ben! Ben!" meant "Me! Me!" and that I should stay away from the ball), so I was at a double disaadvantage, knowing neither Turkish nor the rules of the game very well (I had no clue how to keep score). In the end it didn't matter, seeing as most of us weren't familiar with the game at all. We do have two former professional players on our faculty, so I did get a little instruction and improved throughout the evening.
But there was this magical moment when I rose majestically above the net to spike the ball into the social studies teacher's face, and, with a purely menacing form and reckless abandon, completely missed the ball, letting it hit my face and roll down my body.
Luckily, the scouts weren't watching that play.
In other news, December is here! Snuck up on you, didn't it? I'm not a fan of this phrase, but time sure seemed to go by fast. Does this mean I have to start preparing my top 10 CDs list for 2010? But living all the way out here, I don't get to buy CDs!
But this autumn seems to have passed so quickly because, in my experiences here in Istanbul, the weather has been so consistently warm and dry that I can't get my head around winter's unmistakable presence - isn't that what December means? I thought I'd have seen some snow by now. Where's the snow? (= Where are the snow holidays?)
And finally, the last thing I want to mention before I go: the terrible at which we work our kids in these schools. Over the week-long Bayram holiday, my 6th graders had (no lie) 229 pages of homework. I don't know which teachers think it's a good idea to give that kind of workload over a vacation or what parents demanded their children study so hard each and every day, but that just seems unethical to me. Not to mention bad for the children - isn't leisure time at least as important as study time for children? They are learning just as much if not more by playing with each other and exploring the world around them than they do sitting in a classroom. No wonder they act out in the classroom: there's no chance for them to be children in their outside lives either!
And this trend isn't just over the holidays. We give them a test in each subject about once each month, and because of the number of subjects they have this ends up averaging to about a test each week. This doesn't make sense at all to me. What new knowledge can you gain about a student's abilities after a month? This policy, I've learned, is thanks to overanxious parents aching to monitor their children's every move.
Another case in point: Last Saturday I taught a 4th grade "support class," an optional class offered for struggling students who need help outside of class. As much as I hate the idea of sending kids to school on Saturdays, there are some students who surely benefit from the smaller class setting. But I was shocked at the ability of the students I found myself teaching: We completed over 3 lessons worth of material in just 2 lessons because they were so proficient in English. Only 2 or 3 of them actually seemed to need special English help, and they were robbed of the attention they needed by the good students overpopulating the classroom. The presence of so many proficient students in the support classnot defeated its purpose for the struggling students and increased the pent up energy and stress in the good students.
Then, as I was leaving at the end of the half-day, I saw some of my best students from the 5th grade, including one who had last month been recognized as one of the two best students in the school. I asked why they were here, and they said their parents wanted them to study more.
Parents, don't ruin your sons' and daughters' lives. Let them live! I'm proud to say I never give homework in any of my classes unless there's something we fail to cover in class because of misbehaving students. Seriously, so much of a student's life takes place in the school. They don't need school to come home with them too.
But there was this magical moment when I rose majestically above the net to spike the ball into the social studies teacher's face, and, with a purely menacing form and reckless abandon, completely missed the ball, letting it hit my face and roll down my body.
Luckily, the scouts weren't watching that play.
In other news, December is here! Snuck up on you, didn't it? I'm not a fan of this phrase, but time sure seemed to go by fast. Does this mean I have to start preparing my top 10 CDs list for 2010? But living all the way out here, I don't get to buy CDs!
But this autumn seems to have passed so quickly because, in my experiences here in Istanbul, the weather has been so consistently warm and dry that I can't get my head around winter's unmistakable presence - isn't that what December means? I thought I'd have seen some snow by now. Where's the snow? (= Where are the snow holidays?)
And finally, the last thing I want to mention before I go: the terrible at which we work our kids in these schools. Over the week-long Bayram holiday, my 6th graders had (no lie) 229 pages of homework. I don't know which teachers think it's a good idea to give that kind of workload over a vacation or what parents demanded their children study so hard each and every day, but that just seems unethical to me. Not to mention bad for the children - isn't leisure time at least as important as study time for children? They are learning just as much if not more by playing with each other and exploring the world around them than they do sitting in a classroom. No wonder they act out in the classroom: there's no chance for them to be children in their outside lives either!
And this trend isn't just over the holidays. We give them a test in each subject about once each month, and because of the number of subjects they have this ends up averaging to about a test each week. This doesn't make sense at all to me. What new knowledge can you gain about a student's abilities after a month? This policy, I've learned, is thanks to overanxious parents aching to monitor their children's every move.
Another case in point: Last Saturday I taught a 4th grade "support class," an optional class offered for struggling students who need help outside of class. As much as I hate the idea of sending kids to school on Saturdays, there are some students who surely benefit from the smaller class setting. But I was shocked at the ability of the students I found myself teaching: We completed over 3 lessons worth of material in just 2 lessons because they were so proficient in English. Only 2 or 3 of them actually seemed to need special English help, and they were robbed of the attention they needed by the good students overpopulating the classroom. The presence of so many proficient students in the support classnot defeated its purpose for the struggling students and increased the pent up energy and stress in the good students.
Then, as I was leaving at the end of the half-day, I saw some of my best students from the 5th grade, including one who had last month been recognized as one of the two best students in the school. I asked why they were here, and they said their parents wanted them to study more.
Parents, don't ruin your sons' and daughters' lives. Let them live! I'm proud to say I never give homework in any of my classes unless there's something we fail to cover in class because of misbehaving students. Seriously, so much of a student's life takes place in the school. They don't need school to come home with them too.
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