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3/12/12

Why blog about Parenting and Pedagogy

Why am I blogging about this parent, teacher, child stuff when I have a mountain of laundry waiting to be folded in the livingroom, and last nights dishes in the sink?  Don't I have enough to do already with making lunches, grocery shopping, and carpooling on my list?  Why would I want to give myself another thing to do?  After all it has taken me almost a week to find the time to put together this post.

I could say it goes back to my college aged self who had finally decided after lots of indecision to become a teacher.  Though I didn't have lots of experience working with kids, I knew I loved children and thought I could make a difference.  I could say it all goes back to when I was a child in second grade, humiliated by the teacher who thought I had stolen my wonderful little poem (I liked it) and brought me in front of the third grade teacher to be grilled, "Did you take this from your mother's magazine?" (my mom didn't even keep magazines in the house.)  Or maybe the first grade classroom, barren green walls, desks in rows, and the only kids who got to listen to stories on tape were made to feel like that was a point of shame rather than a privelege.  Perhaps it was that great social studies teacher in middle school who brought history alive as more than just a list of dates which I could never remember for longer than it took to take the test.  Tests I aced, so maybe those other teachers thought they were doing a great job?

Maybe when it comes down to it though, I still want to make a difference.  I do.  But that is not all, really.  Over these last few years as a stay at home mom I have been continuing my education on my own, without college transcripts, proffessors' feedback, or any other proof that I have been thinking about anything other than dirty diapers, clean socks, and other toils of the trade we call Motherhood.  This blog, now, is my transcript, my documentation and validation of my own growth, learning, understanding, and insights.  This writing helps me think, process, and communicate and it feels like something I need to do right now. 
Thanks for reading.
Amy