Constitution boot camp: Day One
A reflection on the power of words and the real contract with America
Today marked the start of the constitutional theory seminar that I am taking at Loyola Marymount University this month. The professor has referred to it on several occasions as “constitution boot camp,” which is a phrase that, so far, seems appropriate to me. This afternoon, the professor discussed the reading of theoretical texts, focusing specifically on the writings of Cicero and on the Declaration.
When discussing theoretical texts and democracy, he mentioned the relationship between the word and the world. In scientific study, the idea is that the world exists and we must find the words to describe/explain the happenings therein. In many classical and pre-classical societies the world simply existed: governments were created and implemented via direct action, but with people of the book (whether that is religious text or not), the word comes before the world. That is to say, you can build a world with words.
I have long believed in the power of words and so this line of reasoning really struck me. Consider this: for thousands of years men (and cities) had broken free from rulers (oppressive or otherwise) through warfare. It would follow, then, that the colonies, when finally fed up with the tyranny of Britain, could simply have waged war against their oppressors and, has they won, been free. Why, then, did they feel the need to declare their intent and the reasons for it on paper? It is because the framers believed, as do many, that if you can word it right, it will work. This is constitutional principle as firmly rooted in our founding documents as any other, this belief in the power of text.
While it is true that the founding documents are important (our professor called them sacred) because of the ideas they express, they are lasting because the text is binding. No matter who is in office or what crises we endure, those texts live on and continue to speak to the people of this country and this world. Our professor argued that the country is in crisis because people have forgotten how to think and I agree with him. But I also think a large part of the problem is that people have stopped listening to the founding documents.
The Declaration, the Constitution, these texts speak about “we,” the “one people” of the country – all of us – and they set forth a contract between the government and the people. The people have given up absolute freedom for protection of their natural rights. What I think many people have lost sight of is the notion that we, as one people, have already given up what we need to give up and it is unacceptable for our current government to expect us to give up any more in the name of anything. The fact that more people in the United States aren’t outraged by this idea that we must sacrifice our basic rights for more security is what makes me agree, more than anything, with my professor: even as we become more sophisticated and more educated, our country lacks wisdom and it lacks the ability to truly debate and, finally, it is quickly losing its commitment to the very ideas on which this country was founded.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Saturday, July 07, 2007
My big, fat, Jewish family.
I want to post about my family. Only they aren't big. Or fat. They are Jewish. And they're mine. My crazy, "small but mighty" family. My family who lacks in size, but not in enthusiasm. I have been mulling over this post for hours and I still don't know how I want to say what I want to say.
My cousin Allison got married in Coronado this morning. Thursday night I met my parents at their hotel in Carlsbad. The last two days have been chock-full of family time. I could write a million things about the individual interactions, but here's the big picture: I adore my family and I am truly blessed to be a part of this crazy clan. I found myself in tears this afternoon as I left, not because I was so sad to leave at that moment, but because I know it will be months, if not years, before I see most of them again (not just because I live in DC, but bc they live in IL, IN, MO, AZ & CA). And I know that when I do see them again, it will be just as fun and as memorable as this time, but it's still not the way I'd choose for things to be if I was the one in charge.
Maggie spent Thursday night and most of Friday with my immediate family and she said that seeing them, and how happy everyone is together and how much love there is (and how evident it is), helps her understand why I want so strongly to have a family of my own one day. I never stopped to think about it that way, but it is certainly true. Not only that, though, I want my family to have a similar closeness and I wish, as I always do after events of this nature, that my life (which I love) hadn't taken me so far away from my parents and sisters. But then, that's how this life is and we make it work.
I want to post about my family. Only they aren't big. Or fat. They are Jewish. And they're mine. My crazy, "small but mighty" family. My family who lacks in size, but not in enthusiasm. I have been mulling over this post for hours and I still don't know how I want to say what I want to say.
My cousin Allison got married in Coronado this morning. Thursday night I met my parents at their hotel in Carlsbad. The last two days have been chock-full of family time. I could write a million things about the individual interactions, but here's the big picture: I adore my family and I am truly blessed to be a part of this crazy clan. I found myself in tears this afternoon as I left, not because I was so sad to leave at that moment, but because I know it will be months, if not years, before I see most of them again (not just because I live in DC, but bc they live in IL, IN, MO, AZ & CA). And I know that when I do see them again, it will be just as fun and as memorable as this time, but it's still not the way I'd choose for things to be if I was the one in charge.
Maggie spent Thursday night and most of Friday with my immediate family and she said that seeing them, and how happy everyone is together and how much love there is (and how evident it is), helps her understand why I want so strongly to have a family of my own one day. I never stopped to think about it that way, but it is certainly true. Not only that, though, I want my family to have a similar closeness and I wish, as I always do after events of this nature, that my life (which I love) hadn't taken me so far away from my parents and sisters. But then, that's how this life is and we make it work.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Celeb sighting #2...no, make that #1
I forgot to mention this in the previous post:
While waiting for the plane to board yesterday at Dulles, I struck up a friendship with a little boy (my guess is he was about three). We talked about breakfast food, where we'd traveled, what cartoons we liked, what our favorite games were...all those great things one talks to a three year old about. He was with his mom and dad, although his mom was in the bathroom when I sat down (three year olds are nothing if not over-sharers), and his dad and I chatted a bit (they were visiting his family in VA, I work with kids, etc). Then, while the little boy and I discussed the size of the plane, a teenage girl came up and asked to take a picture with the dad. Apparently, he is famous. Maggie had to Google him this morning for me. This is the man whose son I befriended: Jason George. Maybe if I'd watched tv in the last year, I'd have stood a better chance of recognizing him. Still! Two celebrity sightings in one day! Good times.
While waiting for the plane to board yesterday at Dulles, I struck up a friendship with a little boy (my guess is he was about three). We talked about breakfast food, where we'd traveled, what cartoons we liked, what our favorite games were...all those great things one talks to a three year old about. He was with his mom and dad, although his mom was in the bathroom when I sat down (three year olds are nothing if not over-sharers), and his dad and I chatted a bit (they were visiting his family in VA, I work with kids, etc). Then, while the little boy and I discussed the size of the plane, a teenage girl came up and asked to take a picture with the dad. Apparently, he is famous. Maggie had to Google him this morning for me. This is the man whose son I befriended: Jason George. Maybe if I'd watched tv in the last year, I'd have stood a better chance of recognizing him. Still! Two celebrity sightings in one day! Good times.
Overlooking palm trees and the freeway
I'm sorry it has been so long since I last posted. In order to make sure I did not do any work at home during orientation week, I left my computer at school every day. It accomplished my goal, but it also meant no time for updating (bc I also made sure to leave school as soon as possible each day during orientation). Regardless, I am here now, so let's get caught up, shall we?
Orientation week was okay. It felt longer than usual, but that had nothing to do with the kids. I taught five classes of incoming seventh grade boys every day for 45 minutes. It was a lot of day, but the boys, for the most part, were polite and funny and aiming to please. Hard to complain about that, really. I don't have a ton of entertaining quotes and interactions like I usually do, but here are two that I enjoyed.
1: In the cafeteria foyer. I am directing my boys into the lunchroom silently, thereby disrupting their chance to talk with any of the girls, who are also walking through the foyer on their way to gym.
Me: In a line, gentlemen. A line. A single file line. No, no talking. The girls will be here next year. Keep walking. (Mind you, I'm saying this as I'm essentially herding them into the cafeteria).
::boys are in and seated::
M: (overheard) Man, Ms. Miller be wreckin' our game!
That's me, ladies and gentlemen, a game wrecker.
2: Thursday morning, waiting in the gym to be directed to our bus for the day-long field trip to Univ of MD. I have just laughed at something my friend Amy has said.
T: Ms. Miller, you have a pretty smile.
Me: Thank you. ::smile::
T: Yeah. You have a pretty smile, but you never do smile.
Me: You know, the other day I was walking down the street and a stranger asked me if things were really so bad (true story, kids...I was tempted to yell that they were). Maybe I should work on smiling more.
Amy: You're very observant.
T: Yeah. Ms. Maxwell, are you related to Ms. Miller?
Melanie: No. Why?
T: You have a pretty smile too, but you never smile either.
Melanie: That's because I'm angry.
I like Melanie's answer best.
Midway through orientation week my principal told me that the seventh grade will be smaller this coming year. This is great news bc it means that our upper grades are leveling out and fewer kids are leaving/being held back. It is less great news bc it means we no longer need to teach seven sections of Civics (Ian taught five, I taught two). She offered me the chance to keep my schedule as is and have Ian take on two sections of ninth grade world history or to leave Ian with five sections of Civics and for me to become a dedicated high school teacher, taking on two sections of ninth grade world history. I struggled with it for awhile, but in the end decided to keep my schedule as is. There are practical reasons (not having to prep a new class) as well as idealistic ones (my passion is for government, not social studies, and I really do enjoy teaching middle school in addition to twelfth grade), but it was a challenging and interesting thought process to go through; I really pushed myself to make sure I wasnt taking the easy way out and avoiding a new career challenge.
After orientation, it was time to prepare for my trip to California. (The subject line, P.S., is a reference to what I can see from the small patio on which I am currently sitting.) My preparations included buying new sandals and a new swimsuit and then not thinking much about the trip at all. I baby sat on Saturday and Brian and I saw the new Die Hard (if you liked the other ones or you like movies where things go fast and blow up (in implausible, but visually awesome, ways), I'd recommend it). There was a lot of surreal-ness to the trip for me. Not that I didn't recognize I was going, but that the length of the trip would hit me at odd times. Still, Monday I packed enough clothes for twenty-six days and a lot of different occasions into a suitcase and small bag and dropped my car with Brian's mom. Brian dropped me at the airport Tuesday morning (I held it together pretty well, but there were definitely some intermittent tears on my part throughout the airport) and after five hours on a plane, I met Maggie at baggage claim.
So far, the vacation part of the trip has been great. We have a much bigger SUV than we bargained for to tool around in (sometimes, folks, the upgrade is not really an improvement), but I managed to only get it stuck in the covered, below ground parking at our hotel once. Yesterday we had our first celebrity sighting (James Gandolfini! Tony Soprano! In baggage claim? I guess...) and then wandered through Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Today the plan is for a lot of beach time and then, maybe, Transformers or maybe shopping. Tomorrow, a little touristy stuff if we don't get to it today, and then a trip down to San Diego to rendezvous with my family. All in all, it should be good.
I'm thinking Maggie might be awake now (it's seven am and I've been up for an hour), so I'm going to go start getting ready. The three hour time difference sure makes getting an early start easy! Have a very happy Independence Day everyone!
Orientation week was okay. It felt longer than usual, but that had nothing to do with the kids. I taught five classes of incoming seventh grade boys every day for 45 minutes. It was a lot of day, but the boys, for the most part, were polite and funny and aiming to please. Hard to complain about that, really. I don't have a ton of entertaining quotes and interactions like I usually do, but here are two that I enjoyed.
1: In the cafeteria foyer. I am directing my boys into the lunchroom silently, thereby disrupting their chance to talk with any of the girls, who are also walking through the foyer on their way to gym.
Me: In a line, gentlemen. A line. A single file line. No, no talking. The girls will be here next year. Keep walking. (Mind you, I'm saying this as I'm essentially herding them into the cafeteria).
::boys are in and seated::
M: (overheard) Man, Ms. Miller be wreckin' our game!
That's me, ladies and gentlemen, a game wrecker.
2: Thursday morning, waiting in the gym to be directed to our bus for the day-long field trip to Univ of MD. I have just laughed at something my friend Amy has said.
T: Ms. Miller, you have a pretty smile.
Me: Thank you. ::smile::
T: Yeah. You have a pretty smile, but you never do smile.
Me: You know, the other day I was walking down the street and a stranger asked me if things were really so bad (true story, kids...I was tempted to yell that they were). Maybe I should work on smiling more.
Amy: You're very observant.
T: Yeah. Ms. Maxwell, are you related to Ms. Miller?
Melanie: No. Why?
T: You have a pretty smile too, but you never smile either.
Melanie: That's because I'm angry.
I like Melanie's answer best.
Midway through orientation week my principal told me that the seventh grade will be smaller this coming year. This is great news bc it means that our upper grades are leveling out and fewer kids are leaving/being held back. It is less great news bc it means we no longer need to teach seven sections of Civics (Ian taught five, I taught two). She offered me the chance to keep my schedule as is and have Ian take on two sections of ninth grade world history or to leave Ian with five sections of Civics and for me to become a dedicated high school teacher, taking on two sections of ninth grade world history. I struggled with it for awhile, but in the end decided to keep my schedule as is. There are practical reasons (not having to prep a new class) as well as idealistic ones (my passion is for government, not social studies, and I really do enjoy teaching middle school in addition to twelfth grade), but it was a challenging and interesting thought process to go through; I really pushed myself to make sure I wasnt taking the easy way out and avoiding a new career challenge.
After orientation, it was time to prepare for my trip to California. (The subject line, P.S., is a reference to what I can see from the small patio on which I am currently sitting.) My preparations included buying new sandals and a new swimsuit and then not thinking much about the trip at all. I baby sat on Saturday and Brian and I saw the new Die Hard (if you liked the other ones or you like movies where things go fast and blow up (in implausible, but visually awesome, ways), I'd recommend it). There was a lot of surreal-ness to the trip for me. Not that I didn't recognize I was going, but that the length of the trip would hit me at odd times. Still, Monday I packed enough clothes for twenty-six days and a lot of different occasions into a suitcase and small bag and dropped my car with Brian's mom. Brian dropped me at the airport Tuesday morning (I held it together pretty well, but there were definitely some intermittent tears on my part throughout the airport) and after five hours on a plane, I met Maggie at baggage claim.
So far, the vacation part of the trip has been great. We have a much bigger SUV than we bargained for to tool around in (sometimes, folks, the upgrade is not really an improvement), but I managed to only get it stuck in the covered, below ground parking at our hotel once. Yesterday we had our first celebrity sighting (James Gandolfini! Tony Soprano! In baggage claim? I guess...) and then wandered through Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Today the plan is for a lot of beach time and then, maybe, Transformers or maybe shopping. Tomorrow, a little touristy stuff if we don't get to it today, and then a trip down to San Diego to rendezvous with my family. All in all, it should be good.
I'm thinking Maggie might be awake now (it's seven am and I've been up for an hour), so I'm going to go start getting ready. The three hour time difference sure makes getting an early start easy! Have a very happy Independence Day everyone!
Friday, June 22, 2007
What I did
This morning I ambitiously posted a list of things I wanted to do today. See below for a refresher. Here's what I actually got done today:
- Put together a sketch of the Civics summer school assignment. I did not, however, actually create the assignment packet for the kids or the rubrics for the teachers. I might just stay after school and/or use my midday break on Monday to get this done.
- Showered at the gym. Note that I did not work out at the gym. The water to my building was turned off so I simply took myself and my toiletries bag over to the gym and showered there. Nice for the membership to get some use.
- Met Brian for lunch. This was quick, since he has a lot at work right now, but it's always fun to get to see him in the middle of the day. Plus I had a yummy portabello mushroom sandwich and we ate outside.
- Bought aforementioned dress. It is just as green and wonderful now as it was when I tried it on last night. And it was $40, which is excellent.
- Read through and made adjustments to the lesson plans for summer orientation. Since I helped write them, this did not take long. I don't even have to go in on Sunday like I thought - it should work for me to arrive an hour early Monday to make copies, straighten the room, fix the boards, etc.
- Put away the mail, clothes, shoes, etc that had accumulated in my room over the course of the week.
- Took a nap on the new couch. It's long enough for me to lay on, which was an awesome discovery! It is also nice and deep and mostly comfortable for napping (I think I'll need to purchase some softer throw pillows one day).
- Posted this blog.
In all, a moderately unproductive day and yet, I'm not too worried. Doing pretty much nothing is not a bad way to spend your last day of vacation.
Finally recovered
Yesterday morning, after going to sleep around 11:30p the night before, I woke up at 7:45a. Last night, I went to bed at 11p and woke up at 6:36a. This compares with Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning when I slept until 9a or later. My body seems to have finally recovered from the year of teaching. The sad thing is that it happened just in time for me to go back to work on Monday. I can't decide if I would like it better if we just went straight from the last day of school into the orientation. I think it would suck, but not as much as this bizarre pseudo-vacation. Not that the week off has sucked, it hasn't. Just that having the week and then having to go back is rough. Oh well.
Things I'm going to do today:
Things I'm going to do today:
- write the Civics summer school project (32 hours of work, plus rubrics)
- look over and plan for orientation lessons (this may or may not include a trip to school)
- read at least one more section of Aristotle's Politics
- look for dress I found yesterday while shopping with EBeth (seriously, it was an AWESOME dress, but both dresses in my size had snags in the overlay)
It hit me this morning that I leave for LA in 10 days. I am in no way prepared for this trip. I should probably get on that. I need to do a lot of reading. I need to figure out how to pack for a month away that includes a wedding, a vacation with my best friend, a weekend with Brian and a lot of time in the classroom/library. I need to wrap my mind around the emotions that come with being gone for nearly four full weeks. Still, with all of that, I am excited about this opportunity and I know I will learn a lot. And that's something. I'm going to go ahead and get started on my day. I hope you have a happy Friday!
Monday, June 18, 2007
school's out!
I had just written a great post. Then I accidentally deleted it. It follows, then, that I am now too irritated to post properly. Here's the idea:
- Students went home Friday. Bags, suitcases, milk crates...all lined the parking lot waiting to be loaded into cars, vans and taxis while teachers gathered in the faculty lounge for ice cream and good byes.
- Graduation was Saturday morning. Twelve high school seniors gathered to be cheered, celebrated and supported by hundreds of friends, family and educators.
- My third year of teaching has officially come to an end. I almost can't believe it. We celebrated with a nice dinner at Brassiere Beck; if you like Belgian-esque food, it's worth checking out.
- Year four will be previewed for five days starting June 23rd as I teach generic Social Studies to the incoming seventh grade boys. I cannot begin to express the guilt, joy and relief I feel in knowing I will teach boys again next year. Feminist principles be damned, I guess.
- Day one of summer vacation went exceptionally well. I woke just enough to say good bye to Brian as he headed to work this morning. Then I slept until about 9a, which, for me, is rather luxurious and had breakfast. Later I went back to my house, showered, ran some errands and met Brian for lunch. I walked for awhile before succumbing to the heat and humidity, went home, turned on the AC and spent two hours talking and thinking and reading about whatever seemed interesting to me in the moment. Then I got a pedicure, read for a while at the dog park and headed back home for more reading in climat control. All in all, a spectacular start to the week off.
- I read Atonement today, which I recommend. It's a great story with good characters and a solid message that manages to not be preachy or excessive in its development. Plus it has a rather wonderful ending.
- My couch is being delivered tomorrow. The delivery window makes me think back to student govt days when you'd tell people to arrive at odd times in hopes of entreating them to arrive on time (8:07am? Must be something...). At any rate, it will be nice to have a couch, even if I rarely use it. Without one, the apartment seems less like somewhere a 27-year-old professional lives and more like somewhere a college intern is squatting. And no one needs that.
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