Miss Stacey, Paperbackswap

If I could be like anyone I have to say I'd be honored to be Miss Stacey. While watching Anne of Green Gables again today I'm reminded what a remarkable woman she is, and how ahead of her time. Something about education always makes me think that everyone in the past was crazy and didn't do it correctly...just not the case. I was looking up things about Miss Stacey and someone mentioned that she was in the style of Charlotte Mason...I read up a bit on her and it turns out in the early 1900's they weren't completely insane. Then I got super excited about all the theory I read in college, and I was reminded again of John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky and the others that I fell in love with and "pilfered" their methods and styles to shape my own. There are modern influences as well: Raffe Esquith, Esme Raji Codell, Johnathan Kozol, and so many others. Jo Robinson came to the Newberg School distrct last week to give a workshop about reading, etc. She was incredible, but one things she said in particular stood out to me. "We stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us." It's funny I so often can only see right where I am, and that nothing else in education or life really, has every been different than right here and now. But the fact is there are giants that have come before me, with the same struggles, same love and passion and same crazy students. It's encouraging really, but also overwhelmling...that many teachers over the years, and we haven't perfected anything yet.

Paperbackswap is a fabulous organization. You post books that you don't want anymore online and people decide they want them and send for them. Then you get "credits" and you order books from other people that you want. And so it goes, back and forth...the epitomy of recylcing in one of the best ways possible...reaching out to others with literature! What could be better? I'm quite sure that the 7 people recieving books from me this week will think that I'm slightly insane as I've included notes in each package. It's just so exciting, sending a book to a stranger. Someone across the continent is going to open the book full of possibilities and with different experiences and thoughts and feelings read a book that has been pivitol for me in my life. I just think it's thrilling! What a fabulous idea, and thank you to the creator whoever he/they may be...I'm quite content to recycle my books!