It's All About Appearances


via GIPHY
This was a good week.  I found myself actually doing this dance a few times. Home was good. Work was good and school was good. All of those things happening at the same time is almost impossible. But the universe was working in my favor.

NetNarr class is always enjoyable. I swear I'm not just saying this because I'm blogging for this class. This is a fact. So, this particular really favorable almost epic, no endearing, enlightening. Yes this class was very enlightening, revealing and inspiring. Okay it all started when we were sharing our creative writing with each other.

Wow.

There are no words to describe what happened. I don't even remember what happened in class before that. Possibly because I was late-- darn Wednesday faculty meetings. But I think it was because the talent in the room was simply amazing. Unbelievable almost. If we weren't all knee deep in graduate or undergraduate studies that could've very well been a room full of writers. The piece that we ended class with left me like this...
via GIPHY


 The night didn't start off with the waterworks. Jude kicked the night off and his piece was brilliant. Just brilliant. I would love to a have a few minds like his in my class. Oh the things I would teach. I'm sure everyone else shared their own story and experiences on their own blog but I really enjoyed listening. I was so impressed. I shared as well, after Jude. He was truly hard to follow and after I'd heard everyone's pieces I wished I'd just stayed a spectator.

As I reflected upon the events that led me to write this piece I felt that my journey to creation was a story worth telling. I felt inclined to write about it in a separate blog I titled, Pencil and Paper. If you feel so inclined you can check out my revision of what I read in class.

*Spoiler Alert*
 I did not record myself reading. Last week was a good week in my house. This week the circus is back.

Anyway, class wrapped up with Dr. Zamora telling us that we had to look at this webpage. and take a visit of the storied campus. Which at first I thought it was really overwhelming but once I scrolled through turned out to be really cool. Then she told us that we would tell our own story about an experience at Kean University. Something not found on our website.

My first impression of the school website was wow. I was really impressed. I don't know why I was so impressed. It's not like Australia is a poor continent or something. I'm not really sure what I was expecting. I glanced through the stories about them in the news. Their School of Humanities seems to be the focus for right now. The associate professor had a write up. I wonder if American politics has something to do with this trend?

I started to scroll through the photos and I was just impressed. The campus is gorgeous. If I could I would transfer because of this photo alone.


What a view. Is that the beach? I'm sure Florida & California universities may have a similar picturesque campus but this looks like paradise.
And the next photo reminded me of Kean. It looked like home. Which made me proud of Kean because our campus looks like major universities across the world. From the outside looking it these places are not that different. But the appearance of the student population and the faculty showed me that our school looks more like the rest of the world because here you can meet people from all different nationalities and ethnicities. That is what I feel the UOW Australia lacked. 


Comments

  1. I especially like it when a post starts with a dancing GIF, no dread and despair and overwhelmed here!

    While I so regret not being able to be present for the amazing happening of the readings in class, in some ways I am getting more out of reading all the reactions. This ______ was real. Sometimes you just have to be in the room.

    Your poem had immense power, even in words alone. I just might try that "You too, Mrs. Jones" approach-- no hiding in the way back of the room!

    Your activity is giving an idea for something we might try in April, so now you are ready for it.

    Looking forward to seeing/hearing everyone next week. Keep writing, and dreaming, and inspiring your own students.

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    Replies
    1. I must admit that I am really glad that the poet didn't let me check out. I really enjoyed the activity. My one wish was that I could've experienced it as a student and that I did not have to be a teacher too in that moment.

      I will be on the look out for the activity. I am sure it will be just as fun as everything else we've done in this class. This really was a good week. I won't belabor the fact that you missed it. But, I think there is something even more powerful with you coming in after the fact and taking in the experiences through reading our thoughts.

      Delete
  2. I love the poem and the story behind the poem, and the way your students brought you into the fold, as a writer. That's a magical moment, right there.
    Kevin, out in the open

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