What, no toilet seat covers?

Apparently, the good state of Illinois has decided that it is unnecessary to employ the use of disposable toilet-seat covers in public restrooms. You know, the sort of waxy-tissue paper kind in the metal containers above the toilet, "provided by the management for your protection" and "first pull up then pull down", those toilet seat covers? Yeah, not so much. Evidently the management does not care about my protection. Hmph!

Other than that, Chicago and Illinois are, well, pretty normal. I saw a firefly the light up the other evening, which made me squeal with delight, although everybody else seemed to think that it was unusual to take notice of it. But you know, we've been there before, and yes, we will convert them to re-learning the joy of fireflies. Fun times will be had by all, indeed indeed!

Okay, I'm keeping this post light and brief because I actually only have about a 10-minute window during lunch in which I can use the internet at the library and dash somehting off. Mostly, I just wanted to say that.... I'm here in Chicago! I made it! Traveling went surprisingly smooth, all of the people are delightful, God is awesome, this year will be incredibly challenging as well as incredibly fruitful, and kids are AMAZING. During the summer I'll be student teaching in a freshman biology course, though over the year my assignment will be 5th through 8th grade science. I'm really excited!

Okay, I'm actually not in Chicago itself at the moment-- we have a five-day orientation/retreat-ish period at Northwestern (which is, fittingly, just north-west of Chicago). We've been staying (for free!) in grad student housing, and having long times of reflection, orientation, and beginning training during this week. This afternoon after classes (4:30ish) we will be headed back to the city, and to our home! This is what is really exciting, because I haven't been to my house yet and I haven't seen my room! I am longing just to get settled and unpacked and to be in my home... I am also longing to sleep. Which most likely will not happen this weekend, as we have many many things we have to do, including (but not limited to):

*setting up house and individual bank accounts
*grocery shopping at Costco and Sam's Club
*buying supplies for the house
*unpacking and setting up the room
*setting up house schedules for cooking, cleaning
*getting to know my housemates
*doing all the reading assignments for Northwestern
*and much, much more!

Busy, busy time! And now I have to go back to school!

I hope that post-graduation finds everybody well, well-slept, blessed, reflective, calm... I definitely miss you all, and I am so sorry if I haven't been able yet to reach you by phone. I have been trying to call at least one person per night, but I've been so exhausted that it is pretty difficult. If you call and leave a message, though, I will be so happy! =)

xoxoxo

Bouncy Erin!!

To my devoted readers,

I am *so* excited!

Eeeeeeeh! *squealy, excited noise*

I just got my school and community assignments for ICTC! I am going to be teaching 6th grade home room, social studies and religion, and 5th through 8th grade science at Santa Maria Addolorata (Our Lady of the Sorrows) in West Chicago. The student body is primarily hispanic (so I will get to practice my spanish, yay!) and Bill, one of the directors of the program, told me that he really likes the school.

Oh my goodness, I am so excited, I am all bouncing around the Meyer library!

I also have my housing assignment, which is the Rooney Community. I have no idea about the history of the name, but I visited there for the final gathering of the Come and See Weekend in January, and it was very homey. Apparently they are getting new carpet and painting the house, so it will be all sparkley and new when I get there! I'm living with 5 other people (4 girls and one guy). Dominic, the guy living in Rooney, sent out an email survey late last night that I jumped on as in one of my fits of procrastination (that is another story entirely). It has been so much fun to hear responses from everybody in the program -- I am *so* excited to see what God has in store for us this year. I know it's going to be absolutely incredible.

It's just coming together all right before my eyes! I also just got an email from Bill about assignments that I'm to have completed by the time I get to Chicago for my first week of school (we'll be taking classes at Northwestern):

***

Week 1

ESSAY – Elementary/Secondary:

The first assignment for your portfolio is entry 1a. This is due June 17th. Please bring two copies of your essay. June 17th?! Aiya! That is just 4 days after graduation, and slightly over a week after finals end! Plus, I just stayed up until 4:45 this morning working on a paper! (another story entirely) Now I have another paper, eeep!

Entry 1a) Over the course of the next year, you will be developing your philosophy of education. As a first step in this process, please reflect on the following issues:

What are the aims of education?

How do people learn?

What is the role of the teacher?

What is the relationship between the school and society?

Given your analysis of and reflection on these questions, please write a three to five page essay outlining your basic philosophy of education. aahhh, okay, yeah I can definitely talk about this. Only three to five pages? hm... We are not asking for bullet points or discrete answers to the questions above; rather, please submit a narrative essay embodying your answers to these questions. In addition, include a section in which you briefly describe the ideal teacher (elementary) or your ideal math/science teacher (secondary), and identify the most important challenges that you believe might be obstacles to the realization of that ideal. Please note, we are not asking for a research paper whew!, and therefore you do not need to consult reference sources.


Readings:

*The Skin That We Speak by Lisa Delpit –
Read selected Introduction and Chapter 1 by June 17th.
Additional readings will be assigned from this text during the
summer; dates TBA.

*Savage Inequalities (Selected readings) by Jonathan Kozol -
Read the Introduction and Chapter 2 by June 17th.

*Teaching to Change the World (Selected readings) by Oakes &
Lipton –
Read Chapter 1 by June 17th.

*Educational Psychology by Robert Slavin –
Read Preface (pp. xvii-xxiii) and Chapters 1-3 (pp. 1-99) by June 17th.

*Today’s Schools (Selected Chapters 9-12) by Hewitt & Whittier –
Read Chapters 11 & 12 by June 21st.
Read Chapters 9 & 10 by June 28th.

*****

Okay, that sounds do-able. That sounds more than do-able, it sounds preferential to the other work/studying I have to do now. I am so excited! (Flashback to 12th grade calculus teacher who assiged me "I'm so excited" by the Pointer Sisters as my personal theme song.)

But, let's not get carried away. There is still work to be done between now and then-- and miles to go before I sleep. Thank goodness for cafecito.

With fondness,

Erincita

P.S. I love God!

Love Linda Lou

The following is an email my roommate Maria received from her Aunt Linda:

Hey Maria,
There is a new guy on the block where i work. His name is Nick. He is a graduate this year of Chemical Engineering. He too will be taking the mcat. If looking to be fixed up with anyone i highly recommend him. Nice Guy .Full of energy and lust for life. (great blue eyes also)Maybe you two can be pen pals for Now what do you say ?
So as i understand it , it is hot where you are and cool in San Fran correCant wait to seeyou- Love Linda Lou.

God bless relatives... I mean, what would we do without them to keep us insane?? Goodness gracious, I was *dying* as I was reading this letter! Maybe because my mom is Italian, and that is my image of crazy family, but as I was re-enacting this letter in all its hilarity I just had to give Aunt Linda Lou the stereotypical East-coast, Italian nasal aunt voice. Oh yes, complete with the hands and the smeared lipstick: *Niiiice guy!* You really should meet him. ((in a loud, raspy whisper)) He's a doctor.

After all, we are 21 years old! Some of us are even 22, or *gasp* 23!! It is high time we start thinking about s e t t l i n g d o w n .

For some reason, when I look at us, settling down is just about the *last* thing that I think about. We are so SILLY! There's no way that we are anything more than slightly more mature 5-year olds, I mean, seriously. What 22-year old loves among her most favorite things to do in the entire world to run through sprinklers or spin around to get dizzy or laugh constantly or just be completely ridiculous?