Days 1-10 — I.School

I.School Field Trips

Colorado to Wyoming to Idaho to Oregon to Point Roberts to Campbell River BC- thus far:

If you are escaping public education and would have a piqued interest in, well, something different, look no further than I.School. An abundant of senseless tours and educational learning with absolutely no grades, no bells, no point. Learning for the sake of learning.

Step 1- Get really sick of public schools to the point of no return;

Begin- Fantasizing future travels during faculty meetings- faculty breakfasts, faculty bowling/golfing/ usual distractions from actual learning.

Personally- I started drawing, distracting myself beyond boredom, and writing scathing personally humorous sketches around public education- because,-why not? Most times spent in meetings are worthy of shockingly mockingly scathing retort. Don’t agree?

Simply listen to the hushed voices leaving Any faculty meeting, Any time of the school year. Too afraid to speak up, too afraid to ask questions, too afraid to upset the current regime- whomever thinks they (administration) have power of the current regime. They do not.

Nope. I personally related to- and had more conversations with staff secretaries, janitorial and custodial personal. They ALL have the real power. Once, we had a principal gone for 10 days. Administrative leave. No one knew.

Another time- the “administrative secretary” was gone for two days. Two Days! Chaos arose.

Another time, the head janitor had a three day leave of absence ,and the school halls looked like a third world country- as seen on TV.

I.School Lessons in teaching. Bottoms Up! Supportive staff from the ‘lowest ranking’ are the rulers of school. They have all the power.

Gravitate toward the interesting. Teachers, peers that seem on the fringe, but not too scary. They usually have knowledge. Or at least interesting conversation.

If only school as a whole were entirely more engaging, more interesting and more self- propagating. Imagine that… Then snap back to- that will never happen. Especially when we don’t have time nor head space to discuss much beyond Screens and clocks.

Don’t think things will ever change? Then you will be right. I propose in I.School we have interesting conversations.

Tired? I.Repeat-

Step 1- After tired. Re-tired, try Step 2: Plan an escape. Imagine sitting in school, say-in a desk, testing, in a meeting, pep rally- Plan. What would you rather be doing than sitting here. Really think beyond the “I want a million zillion dollars…” then what?

Prioritize wants and needs with the ‘what you have right now’ mentality. That million zillion dollars may be more imaginary than your actual imagination.

I started really thinking about what I would want to do say at 1:19 on a Monday morning. Normally I would be teaching my 5th or 6th block of the day. Don’t get me wrong- I always enjoyed students! Yes, even the toads. All kids deserve to learn. To have time to learn in a safe environment.

It is Monday May 2nd- sitting in a public library in far north British Columbia. Far away from meetings, closer to learning and hopefully someday teaching again.

No internet service. No problem. Hand writing is more dependable and more trustworthy. When I write it down it makes it more real. Transcribing it is more jumbled- but accurate.

Monday, May 5th 2025 Cinco de Mayo But first,

Notes from the road.

Little America, Idaho. American Flags over bridge to golf course.

Bill board-baby “My Heart is beating, mom. Chose my life.”

Stinker Gas Station: Sign, and then Attendant verbally- “Would you to donate for victims of domestic violence?” (Me, ugh!!! “Um, not today?”). Attendant: “would you AT least like to round up?” (Me- understanding some basic psychology of advertising and emotional manipulation- so many things going on in my head with just one question. “Would you like to help women?” The very question is a trap. A logical fallacy of “either/or” in a coerced situation for both the attendant and customer, I. The learning continues.

Either or/ More or Less. Road trips make me anxious. Traveling. Riding in cars, flying, but especially cars. So in my past imagination world of traveling around the US in a van (a combo of childhood Barbie camper van play time, coupled with an escape from a-dull-ty faculty meetings) I had to figure out how.

Job #1. Stay calm. I’ve got music playlists, calm meditations. Counting 1-10, breathing, podcasts. Very organized and rated from 1-10. 10 being ‘threat level’ time for Mario. Thats another story. Point is- The What is one thing. (Travel, for I) The How is another.(Staying f-calm) And thats what you can (I) build towards every day. It is Way more motivating to do breathing techniques when its for personal gains- rather than “brain breaks” in between data testing.

Same desk, different perspective. Instantaneously.

Because Road trips have made me anxious, but the adventures give me such joy’s in Life, Either or? Ingrid. I want more adventures, more learning, less- of what I left. Yes, I am less clean, I have less stuff; I am more joyous waking up next to a river, listening to birds. Learning. Tests are daily, creatively challenging ways to adapt.

Story time along the road. Columbia River. What is in a Name:

Following Lewis and Clark’s Journey, I read about the Nez Perce War. Old and Young Chief Joseph. US Cavalry- Chose: More or Less? “Give up all your lands and assimilate; Or die.” June 1863. Reminded me of The Godfather, “Either your brains or your signature will be on paper.” This is no fiction. This is real. Reading as many primary documents as I could, and watching a YouTube series. My perspective changed.

The name Nez Perce, was French for ‘nose-pierce’ which was most likely inacruate, for the nimiipuu bands living around the River.

nimiipuu ironic and more literal translation, means “we the people.” Known for compassion and fierce resistance to French and English Colonization.

**Lesson- nimiipuu bands and what happened to them. (“I will fight no More”) “do not sell the land of your fathers bones.”

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April 27th. Vancouver BC- Driver kills- crowd who was celebrating Lapu-Lapu. Filipino resistance to Spanish Colonization.

Killed Magellan. What? I never knew that? I taught “Magellans circumnavigation, and he died along the way. Did not know why, or how. A poisonous arrow to the leg!

Saw: I.TRAVL licence plate.:)

Grocery List- Elk Falls: Salad, Seltzer water, Salmon, Bear Spray,

**Wrote Lyrics to “Kiniski’s Ferry-Waif Cut Tavern/ French cut ruining man” Ask Eric to create melody.

May 5th Cinco De Mayo,

Mexicans fought off Spanish

Lesson to research.

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Watched Slug/ Snail. Birds. Trees. River. Smells lUSH!