[grad school]

so what is my life like now?

I catch a 7:40a.m. BART train, from Castro Valley to Daly City.
Winds all the way through downtown..
I never get a seat until after Embarcadero, when they all peace out to their jobs.
I've gotten real good at reading standing up.

My favorite shot of the city I get all day is when the train comes up from the underground in the Sunset district of the city.
Gorgeous in the sunlight.

After BART, I grab the 28 Muni bus to SF State.
Usually crowded, with all kinds of people..some of my classmates.

Once I'm off the bus, I walk to class, across the large quad with students everywhere.

I have Social, Cultural and Historical Foundations of Education from 9am-noon daily.
The class is designed to talk about hot topic discussions.
Today we had a Children's Book Fair.
We were supposed to bring in one book that is bad for kids to read, because of stereotypes or racist portrayals of characters. We were also supposed to bring in a book that would be good for kids to read.

The bad books:
Yellow Chinese character depictions, complete with the buns on top of their heads.
Barbie books.
Little Black Sambo.
Tikki Tikki Tembo.

This class is completely re-opening my mind. I feel like I got more close-minded at Vanguard, not by any fault but my own in many ways.

That method of thinking, the Christian Orange County white person viewpoint, will not fly in the Bay Area.

The good books:
What Does Peace Feel Like?
Absolutely amazing book.
Read it and love it.








by Vladimir Radunsky




Let's Talk About Race

"I am a story..."









by Julius Lester




My afternoon class:
Second Language Acquisition.

Basically makes me wish that I spoke every language I possibly can.

It's making me realize that every child that will be in my class is completely unique.
Different story.
Different culture.
Sometimes a different language.
All those things need to be encouraged, and cherished as being special.

All in all,
every day I board the Bart train at the end of classes
I turn on the iPod
and try to start to process what just happened
all the thoughts running through my mind.

process music:
"Far Far"--Yael Naim
"Lost?" --Coldplay
"I Could've Danced All Night" --Jamie Cullum <----amazing. "What's Going On" --Kris Allen <---find his live version from the night before the finale. "Better" --Regina Spektor it may not be new music...but it helps me think :) and that is the best summary of my life as a SF State grad student.