In My Wildest Dreams

Diversity, Boxing, and Religious Freedom?

Got an email from Trish at UCSC today saying that I am the first non-minority to receive a Cota Robles Fellowship. Wow. She said that really says a lot about my commitment to diversity. Yes, that is true, but must've also been one fine letter of recommendation she wrote. Either way, I electronically accepted the admission today, so everything is set in stone (well, pretty much--you know what they say about life... don't make plans, is it?). Felt a little uncomfortable about that whole "first non-minority" thing, at first, because it was weird being recommended for a diversity fellowship. However, knowing that I was awarded the fellowship specifically for my commitment to equity issues makes it a bit more right in my mind. Anyway, I'm obviously not going to decline the award so there's no point in quibbling over it in my little head, now, is there? Que sera sera...

Last night I sparred with Stacey for the first time. We went a good three rounds--nothing is bleeding or broken (Mom). It was fine. This was real sparring, not stupid sparring like they do at some boxing gyms (not going to mention any names...)--meaning neither of us was instructed to hit as hard as we could; in fact, both of us were instructed to avoid the face and not to knock each other out. Heh heh. I would hope that goes without saying...Anyway, it was fun, and like Coach Grant (name of the coach here) says, you're not learning when you're just punching a bag. That's just working out. The bag doesn't hit you back. True enough.

My year 8 class is improving. Their behavior has been much better the past couple of days. Yesterday we practiced going quietly to and from their desks a couple of times and then we were able to have a fairly good lesson on the layers of the Earth, in which I had them make comparisons between the Earth's layers and an avocado that I had brought in. Then we made some other comparisons: the temperature of the Earth's core (5000 C) to the hottest day in Auckland, boiling water, and the temperature of a roasting lamb. We discussed how magma in the mantle is sort of like _________________ (chocolate, jelly--that's Jello here, etc) because it is molten at high temperatures and solid when cooled. We drew and labeled some pictures of the Earth.

Oh yeah, I know what I wanted to talk about, too. Last week when we read the Maori volcano lesson, I asked one class if it was a true story. Most everyone said no but one girl responded with yes. So, I mentioned how, to some people, it is a true story, but it's what we call a legend--the type of story that some believe and others don't, depending on your cultural background. So... there's an interesting point of discussion. I have always been so against creationism in science class, but this little incident reveals to me that, if I want to be a proponent for multiple viewpoints--and if there is room for indigenous students to believe in indigenous legends, then there must also be room for creationism. Yes, I said it--but, do you see that I did not teach the Maori volcano legend as science? I used it as a hook/focus to teach the science of volcanoes. There's the difference. But, with that said, room for multiple viewpoints must be allowed to exist, but not necessarily taught, in science class. That is my humble opinion. Oh no, now I'm going to have Pat Robertson-ites coming after me for indirectly referring to the Bible as a collection of legends, aren't I?

posted by Sara @ 7:57 PM