There are several goals and perceptions I have about teaching that I wish to realize at some point.The realities of a busy teaching schedule, especially the first years, dictates the priority I may be able to put on these goals and wishes. I know this, I am acutely cognizant of this fact so when I explain these items, I do it with the realization that I may not be able to do all of them as soon as I hit the ground running. With that said, I will still try.
OPMC©
Office Pond Management Corps©
The OPMC was an idea I had
last year while watching a new office building going in in Evendale. The
part-time job I have kept through Graduate School forces me to go from
office building to office building. In any give day I would visit 8 or
9 office complexes. I began to notice that the newer complexes all had
"catch ponds" positioned right in front of the complex or connected
to the parking lot. I did some checking and found out that when an office
building goes in, newer codes require catch ponds to be built. These ponds
serve to catch rain runoff, especially deluge because the field or ground
that the lot is placed upon no longer absorbs or percs this water, creating
potential flooding and pollutant runoff scenarios. Some of these ponds
are beautiful. They are nestled into wonderful settings. Typically, they
are built with only one thing in mind, satisfy codes, and hope it doesn't
algae over! So many times these ponds are dug, a fountain is installed,
and then it is left in a spartan manner. What I started to notice at some
of these office complexes is that these ponds began to teem with life.
I did some checking and found out that these ponds are really quite healthy,
able to sustain all kinds of native species. This is where the idea for
OPMC came in.
OPMC would be a club that would be made up of students
that would maintain and use these ponds as environmental classrooms. They
would check the health of the ponds, introduce native species, and basically
run experiments that would be tantamount to managing the habitat. In return,
office management groups like Duke, CBRE, and the building owners would
be given a plaque that designates their involvement with the local community.
On top of that, OPMC clubs would be planting aesthetically pleasing marsh
grasses and building sustainable, healthy wetland environments. There
would be chapters at various high schools. In the end, these groups with
experience may be able to be used as consultants when companies start
out to build these ponds.
The experience would be invaluable to the students, and the benefits for the management companies would be immeasurable. I have spoken to several representatives from management groups in the area and each has exhibited some form of interest with one of them committing to the idea provided some terms are discussed that on first site, seem very reasonable.
By far my second favorite subject to teach would have to be English/Language Arts. I love to write, and my goal and part of my teaching style is to incorporate a wide variety of cross curricular strategies into my teaching. English and Social Studies lend themselves to harmonious occupation. I want to eventually gain my English Licensure so that I can provide a more holistic approach to my teaching. Studying All Quiet on the Western Front while teaching a WWI unit in American History is how I want to teach.
The Newcomb Foundation is an idea I have had for quite a while. Once hired, I plan on trying to implement this program into the school's lineup of extracurricular activities. The U.S.S. Newcomb was a World War Two Fletcher Class Destroyer that served in the Pacific Theater. I began to maintain a database about the ship and its crew members a few years ago and have enjoyed it immensely. I have had to put those duties on hold while in Graduate School, but the overall goal of maintaining and preserving the history is my main concern. To this end, the Newcomb Foundation would be a club or organization that is interested in preserving WWII history through databases, creating projects, web sites, etc. The focus will not only be on the Newcomb itself, but will expand categorically as the interests of the students changes. WWII history would be the main theme or purpose of the group. Students would learn how to research, interview, archive, compile projects, create documentaries, maintain web sites, and many other skills that would be marketable for post secondary students to have. Work on U.S.S. Newcomb projects would be ongoing, and collaborative, but students (or partners) will also work on their own projects throughout the year that they will then have for their own portfolios. These projects would be forever preserved in the Foundation Archive online or in hard copy form or both. After a few years, the Social Studies department would be blessed with a good collection of visual displays and projects that would be tantamount to an exhibit that the community could come and visit as well as utilize for research.
Write
a book or two?
Yes, there are several book ideas circulating in my head for some time
now. This would be a practice for my summers of course but if successful,
would provide a positive influence on my students, as well as positive
exposure for the school in which I teach. I would like to write a book
about Jeannette Rankin, FDR, and the lead up to Pearl Harbor.
I think that a real, genuine, careful study of Roosevelt's behavior leading up to the war is long overdue. This is a book that I believe, has been overlooked due to the strong feelings of a generation toward FDR. I think it is time now though. Another book I have in mind is fictional, has to do with attorneys of notorious clients. My third book idea involves the security profession. Ambitious plans, but with summers "off," manageable.
While I am not interested in pursuing administration, I am very interested in pursuing a leadership role within any Social Studies department I may find myself. I want to teach, right up to the day I can't, but I also want to have the satisfaction of helping to guide the Social Studies Department for which I am a part. I feel like I can contribute in a positive manner to this end and want to take an active role in developing curriculum, and focus. It is selfish, of course, but no less noble a quest.