Starting back...

Hi, all!

Welcome back.

I have been offline for quite awhile, gathering my thoughts, my strength and so forth. I have not written in my blog for almost two months. This has been almost necessary, as the daily blog is rather taxing on my time and effort after awhile. I needed a break.

Here we go again.

For those of you who don't remember, I am involved in Project Promise, a transition program for professionals that have been doing other things, but now wish to become teachers. In the late summer and fall of 2004, we began our program. In the fall, we studied numerous "Teacher Things" in our STEPS program (Students, Technology, Environments, Planning and Success). We were in the classroom for a total of two months, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day. In addition, our cohort (what we call ourselves out of a sense of comaraderie) spent a week at a very tiny school out on the Eastern Plains of Colorado teaching. We also spent 10 weeks teaching at a Junior High School in the Fort Collins area.

Then came Christmas.

Now, we are back to work. We spent two weeks in the CSU classroom from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. each day, learning more. We have primarily be discussing diversity and special needs populations. This has been a welcome change for me, as I have extensive experience working with the special needs population and feel comfortable in that arena.

However, much of the diversity talk has been tough. As a "priveleged white male," I often feel that I should be... I don't know what... Something.... "Ashamed?" Maybe that's it. Many topics in the realm of "diversity" surround the Oppression of the White Male. After a little while, this wears thin. I am who and where I am. I try hard to be respectful of all people and do my very best to eliminate racist or insensitive talk in my classrooms. However, I feel that I should be different somehow or more remorseful or something. I don't know what.

After two weeks at CSU, we are preparing for our Next Great Adventure, our Urban Experience. That kicks off on Monday, January 24th, 2005. We leave at 7:05 a.m.