Am I too busy?

We had a day off from school today because of the extreme cold. -20 air temperature.

So, I got up just a little later than normal, made coffee and made my way to the office. I decided to finally take on some of those projects that I have been putting off for weeks and weeks. Organizing the files sitting on the file box, put away the remnants of holiday decorations and stuff and clean. As I'm digging through the file box, I came across the journal I started over a decade ago; I always have to read a few entries just to torture myself and see what petty little shit I was worry about in high school or college. Turns out some of it was NOT so petty, but, I did come across an entry that started: "It's been almost a year since I've written." I'm not sure if I am "too busy" to write or if it is because I am too happy, or too sad, or too preoccupied with the part of the brain that doesn't reflect. I am not educated on the parts of the brain, but I since I began journaling, and subsequently, blogging, there are long gaps of time between some entries.

Perhaps it lies with what I make a priority. But what is happening in my life that my priorities change and I don't blog/write/reflect for months at at time - and USUALLY if not always regret it. Apparently I don't regret it enough, or I would continue to write at least weekly.

I've had these same thoughts with my professional life. I'm considering starting a classroom blog, perhaps for just me, or to record what happens daily in the classroom, or perhaps for students, parents and teachers. I'm looking into www.wordpress.org and www.freeforums.org and some others, so we'll see what comes of it.

A quote that really struck me, sent by Jamie, that I don't want to lose, so I am posting here.

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." --Stephen Roberts

First Lesson of the Year: Your Brain Lies To You

I'm always searching for stories or ideas for my classroom. I came across an interesting article in the New York Times about Brains that might make for a great conversation starter. Research essnetially says that in the memory acquisition and storage process, we tend to suffer from source amnesia and the new information we learn reinforces what we want to remember, as opposed to what the facts might actually say.

Picture the first day of school. Classes full of 18 year olds who have been through years of study. Some remember big ideas, others details and any combination of both.

Should you trust what you know? How do you know? What can/should you do to make sure you have a few reliable pieces of information that might be able to help you sort out the right from wrong?

I think it will be a good spring board for discussion when I am laying out the standards, the curriculum and the varying opinions on how and why individuals, businesses and governments make the decisions they do.