So, I'm going to visit a dear friend in California. I've missed her birthday and Christmas, so I wanted to give her something.
But what?
She loves Doctor Who, but more specifically, she loves River Song.
This is River Song.
She's like a sassy, curly haired, female Indiana Jones.
So I decided to buy some discounted Converse shoes (because they have a canvas-like texture), and yes, I know her shoe size. Tiny.
Then I played around.
I practiced on some super cheap Ked's (in my size), accomplished some major learning curves, (my shoes look rather sad and messy, so they'll just be work shoes or cabin shoes).
Then I began.
I'm working with acrylic paints, and I have dark shoes. The first thing I did is I wanted the shoes to have an overall blue hue, not black, so I watered down some blue acrylic paint, and let the shoes soak that up.
Next, I wanted to paint a cartoonish version of River song on the outside of the right shoe. I needed a lighter background, so I watered down some white acrylic, painted it on, let it dry. Then I drew an outline of her face in sharpie. Colored that in. I didn't want the colors to be too dynamic, so I tried to keep skin/hair in the same tone.
I tried to make her look sassy and big-haired. Last step was to make her lips red, and color in her eyes/eyebrows.
The end product! Not a bad $20 gift, eh? And I have no idea how long they'll last, wear-wise. Over time, I can see some of the acrylic cracking/peeling off. I need to find a better ratio of acrylic and water, so that it soaks into (and basically dyes) the canvas on the shoes.
"Why did you choose to teach? With your math degree, you could do something that would earn you a lot more money, and you wouldn't have to deal with all those nasty teenagers."
"You're crazy. I couldn't do what you do."
"One question. WHY?"
"Are you crazy?"
These comments are not uncommon when someone asks me what I do: I teach. Math. A terrifying combination. No one likes math. Everyone has anxiety about it. No one wants to be in school. Students treat their teachers like crap. Teachers (especially in Utah) don't get much in terms of money for work done. I understand why people think I'm crazy, silly, or unambitious when it comes to teaching.
After all, those who can't, teach.
...Not really. You see, I have found (in my limited experience) that most students do want to learn. Yes, many students have anxiety about math, but I can help ease those anxieties by offering a positive and safe learning environment, where students can thrive.
As for my decision to teach, I have to say, I've always liked it. I'm probably not your typical teacher, telling you everything I know: If I have 35 students who are 15 years old in my classroom, that is 525 years of experiences, perspectives, and ideas. We all come from different backgrounds, families, and I feel that in a safe environment, we can use that to our advantage. After all, 525 years is about 500 years older than me. I like tackling the challenge of putting together math lessons that students feel like they can relate to, and they also have a chance of bringing something to the table for the lesson--something from their lives (if they're willing to share it).
Teaching is fun! I get to experiment with so many factors to see how they affect my students and their learning: if I change the lighting, put different smells in the classroom, how does it seem to affect them? What kind of assessments do my students enjoy, eager to show me what they've learned? Which lessons do they keep bringing up throughout the year--because it meant something to them, resonated with them? Why did a specific lesson fall apart and blow up? It's challenging, hard, yet so fascinating. I really like teaching. I learn so much from it. And I absolutely love learning.
Lastly, to those who shake their heads, commenting on how little I earn in terms of money, I say this: I only want a roof, food, clothes, and transportation. I absolutely enjoy what I'm doing, why try to convince me that I want more? I don't. Teaching gives me something that money can't buy.
Lastly, if you enjoy passionate poetry slams, I highly recommend Taylor Mali's What Teachers Make. (This is the censored version, you can find the original on youtube, if you wish.)
