Last night I did not get to sleep until late. Why? I was playing... (wait for it)... LEGO!!!! Yayness! Yes, I am nearly 25. Yes, I am a teacher. But lego is great. D. ordered a whack of stuff from lego.com and we just got it yesterday. And it's lego! The set I built last night is one that was originally released in 1986. It's a guarded hut. It is amazing. The people that create lego and the sets do a wonderful job. They really know what they are doing and put so much detail into it all. There's a little table in my hut, glasses, flowers, a few shields and sooooooo much more. There are other sets that D. is going to build. And I might get my Witches Windship in the mail today. Or soon. AND the Harry Potter lego is out. It's not great, building wise - there are a lot of detail pieces as opposed to building pieces. But it's Harry Potter.

Actually, last night at the store, I bought Hermoine stickers. For those that don't know, I mean Hermoine Granger from 'Harry Potter'. They are beautiful - sparkling and pretty. It bothers me a lot in the fourth book that they keep refering to her as 'plain' and 'not pretty'. Because I think she is. My view of her anyway. I remember a discussion on a list that I am on regarding her, how she is not developed - in fact how all the female characters are not developed. And I somewhat agree. A lot of what she does is the same in every book. We don't see her home life, we don't see her part of the dorm. While the story is Harry's, it would be nice to have that elaboration. Perhaps because the story is Harry's we get the male view elaborated more - the boys hang out with him, they're in the same room, etc. However, that all being said, I feel I elaborate on her life myself. I am a Hermoine figure. Hanging around with boys, striving to do the best I can, often knowing the answers (if I care about it, which Hermoine does - witness how in subjects she does not enjoy, she doesn't always have the answers). Thus, the writing of the character, for me, is enough. I like her. I fill in the gaps. I can do that, because I relate to her. Others may be lacking. And they shouldn't be because she is a wonderful girl.

Must go to work. I do have to teach. I think sometimes that I am an oxymoron. Someone who contridicts ones self with their actions. On the one hand I teach. I teach what is laid out by the government and the authorities that be. On the other hand, I dislike much of what this government and those authorities state. On the one hand I have to be an authority to people, dictate how they behave and enforce rules. On the other, I would prefer to be an equal, letting behavour evolve. I think the rules that I have to enforce are silly and make classrooms worse. On one hand, I have to be the grown-up. I can't let down my guard. I have to like the 'grown up' things, go to the 'grown up' stores and have the 'grown up' lunch tin, amongst other things. On the other, I feel that being a grown up means being who I am at this point in my life. Who I am as a person. Which means monkey socks, lego, Harry Potter, informal chats, rants on corporations, talks about skateboarding, learning to Hackysack and having fun. How did life become so much of a contridiction? The students have been programed to think that if a teacher appeals to them as a person - if a teacher likes what they like, buys what they buy, sees the same films, etc - then they are just trying to get on their good side and trying to be friends. And shouldn't be respected. When really, it is the teacher breaking out of the shell imposed on them by those "in charge" who either faceless or are those that sit with you at lunch. And should be respected for knowing themselves enough to be able to do that. How did the world come to this?

And how can I fix it....?

(0 comments)

<<