This past summer I had the opportunity to attend Young Life Camp in Virginia. We went to a camp called Rockbridge. It was definitely one of the best camps I have ever been to. The amount of friendships I made and the girls I became closer with was amazing. I will forever hold all of those friendships dear to my heart. At this camp, the girls in my cabin became a family. By the end of the trip, we didn’t want to leave each other. We spent an entire week together and grew closer to each other every single day. We made a lot of memories, memories that i will never forget. With there being so many memories made, it was hard for me to choose a favorite but I would have to say the ropes course was definitely high on the list. This one was my favorite because we all got to witness everyone overcome fear and obstacles. Some of the girls in my cabin didn’t want to complete the course or were afraid. But everyone overcame their battles and finished. It was awesome to see people overcome their fears and step out of their comfort zones. Another thing I will always remember from this camp were all the inside jokes we made. Everytime I think of skittles, I think of Jennifer. We would all just sit in our cabin and laugh for a long period of time. It was so weird coming back to Batesville at the end of the week. It was so weird not waking up to all the other girls in the morning. The first week back was sad. I remember it only being the first day I was back and I already missed the camp and the girls so much. If any of you have a chance to go to Young Life Camp, GO! It is honestly the best week of your life. I know there are a lot of weeks in a year and even in your life, but this is one week you will always remember for the rest of your life. You will make friendships you never thought you would and they will last a lifetime.
0 Comments
This week I took possibly the largest leap of my teaching career. I don't believe in baby steps, and if I do anything, I go all in right away. I think planning and preparation are important, but not as important as boldly making decisions that are scary, challenging, and lead me into unknown territory. I'm much more likely to assess a decision after I've made it than I am to calculate it before hand (this is both a major flaw AND a reason for many of my successes).
So, this week I decided to ditch my desk. My classroom no longer has a defined "teacher" space. That may sound like a strange and ridiculous concept, and it very well could be. It also might not sound that crazy, depending on who is reading this. But to me, it makes me incredibly nervous and outstandingly excited. Because now I'm vulnerable. I have no barrier between myself and my students. Instead of my space and their space, I have truly created "our" space. When I need to do work, I sit with my students, not apart from them. When I'm not walking around the room I'm still right there with them, engaging with them and their work. This decision is not for everybody. A desk is a highly practical, sometimes necessary space. But for my classroom culture, it didn't work. For thousands of teachers, it does. I made this decision because in my classroom we are co-creators. I want my room to be an environment of people working toward a common goal, and encountering common struggles and successes. To me, my desk was getting in the way of that. I have the privilege of teaching Creative Writing, and my classroom needs to reflect the creative process, including both the teacher and students being vulnerable. If I'm going to ask them to be brave, I have to model that. You see, without a desk, I am more accessible. I am more present. I am more with my students, not just in the same room as them. This may seem like a small adjustment, but to me, and I'm sure to any teachers reading this, it changes everything. Just last week in my class of 31 students (!!!) I grabbed a seat at a table with a student who was working on his mystery podcast project. I didn't sit down to specifically talk with him, I just needed a place to set my computer and answer a few quick emails. But while I was sitting there, he was engaging with me and asking me questions. I don't think the absence of my old desk made this happen. But I do know that I am bolder in engaging with my students because of that decision. I am no longer just a facilitator in the classroom, but an active member and collaborator in the room. And it's exciting, and it's scary, and it may not work for everybody. But it's working for me, and I can't wait to see how how my classroom culture evolves because of it. A vacation should be a time to relax and see the world. It should be a getaway from real life where you can sink into the sand or snow with comfort and ease. These are the top ten vacation destinations where you can see the world and relax all in one.
2. Rome, Italy The Eternal City boasts an amazing line-up of “must see” attractions. The list includes places like the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and many more places close by. Another fun thing to do in Rome is to visit nearby Vatican City. Vatican City has many historical sites like St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. 3. Tahiti, French Polynesia Tahiti is the largest island in French Polynesia, with unique landscapes and beautiful water. When in Tahiti you can stay in a bungalow over the beautiful blue waters. Tahiti is top ranked for the best honeymoon destination, making it perfect for a nice secluded getaway. 4. Machu Picchu, Peru Machu Picchu in Peru is the ancient lost city of the Incan Empire. The four day hike up the Inca Trail is not for the faint of heart, but the view from the city is well worth it. The beautiful sunrise and sunset will not disappoint. 5. Yosemite National Park, USA Yosemite National Park boasts many natural wonders like Glacier Point and the Half Dome. For the full-effect skip the hotel and camp outside. Hit the trails early and get that perfect photo-op with a beautiful sunrise. 7. Grand Canyon, USA The Grand Canyon is a stunning 277 mile long and 18 mile wide canyon with many outdoor activities. For adrenaline and adventure junkies, hiking the canyon can be a fun experience. Popular trails like the Bright Angel and Rim trails are hiked everyday by many people. 8. Santorini, Greece As one of the top honeymoon destinations, Santorini offers amazing sunsets, pastel villages, and gorgeous beaches. Santorini also near the archeological site of Ancient Thira. In Santorini you can visit the two main villages of Fira and Oia. 9. Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu is the most visited island in Hawaii, and the largest, with a standout culture. The beautiful beaches and historical significance makes Honolulu an even more inviting place. You can go to one of the most famous beaches in Hawaii called Waikiki Beach, or you could go shopping or dining in the many upscale places nearby. 10. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is the perfect place to go on a safari. The Great Migration happens every year more than one million animals travel to this land in search of food and breeding. Here you can see lions, zebras, and elephants interact in their natural habitats. Hi I am Avery Roell and I really love to travel and do new things on vacation. I am not a big fan of the beach because I would rather do something more adventurous and fun. I like to try new things and this list is my top ten places I want to visit someday. Preparing yourself for the military is not going to be easy at all. You’re going to want to prepare yourself as much as possible because if you don’t when you get to basic training it will all hit you at once. You will then realize you should have prepared yourself. No matter how in shape you are and prepared it won’t be easy whatsoever, but preparing yourself will better yourself when trying to overcome all the obstacles you run into. Some recruiting stations have training on Thursdays. You could run anywhere from a mile to 8 miles or possibly even more. Before running that you could be doing many other exercises that will tire you so running those 8 miles won’t be easy in the first place, but after other training then running 8 miles I don’t even want to talk about how hard that would be. You also have to think about what you eat because when in boot camp you won’t be able to eat whatever you want. You eat what you get and it won’t be junk food at all. In the Army on Sunday’s during basic training you get to call your family anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. It can all depend on how you and your company are doing through the week.
My name is Ben Kurtz. I am a senior at Batesville High School. I love skiing with my friends and family. I like going on long distance bike rides.
|
AuthorEach blog post is written by a different contributing student author. Archives
May 2019
Categories |