Hi 12! — I.School

I.School

1.2.

Objective:

What do you want?

Procedure:

Scientific Experiment 1.2.

Notes:

The purpose of semester one I.School is to set up solid personal foundations of self-care. Establishing the “I,”physically, emotionally, intellectually, and through values and behaviors you decide upon.

And before the I, what is the Why? I mean why put any effort into self care? Why is it? Why is it that you want to do?

My Why is the I. My why is U. Students with a capital U. Why? because U asked me to.

Which brings me to my I.School final project. In other words, what have I done for my own revolution?

I care, but grammar and punctuation is not going to be a top priority in I.School. On purpose. Mostly. Have you ever written an essay for school with any sort of authenticity or heart only to have it returned with red “frags,” misspellings, grammar and punctuation corrections? My thought is, that what you have to say is more important than fragmented sentences and pronoun protrusions alliterated. Who you are is more important! The fixings can come later. So, yea, I do imagine grammar elitists and quasi perfectionist squirming at mah gaffs and mixed up sentence structure and downright made up words. Your welcome. Childish rebellion snugging out. This is not a grade! You do not get to grade my revolution. So there! And also, I do think clarification is important and I am open for helpful editing by trusted students, but the message comes first! Darn
I quit! Before I retired, I took a permanent sabbatical. This is important because I chose not to participate in a system that I think is cruel and unusual to kids. Quitting is not a favorite party conversation, so it usually gets changed to peoples dreamy eyed questions of retirement. “What’s it like?” Followed by, what they think it will be like for them. “… I bet sleeping in is the best.” Seniors in high school understand that conversation. For example, when asked, what do you want to do after graduation? If you say go to college, “take a year off to…” do anything. Many conversations get harangued, manipulated into what the other wants to hear. Make sense? My point is, I had to make some hard decisions. People want to think ‘revolution’ is out there somewhere, or someone else has to do it. I am telling you it was not easy and I have hurt people in the process. It is important to clarify that although I am more-truly enjoying this life now, it has not been without struggle.
I retired. Early. I loved teaching and I saw myself substituting or teaching on and off for the rest of my life. It’s not uncommon for retired teachers/ people in education to return. I chose not to. I am “lucky” to have the option. This is a warning for future employees. Having the option to retire at any age is dwindling. #2 business management systems prefer forced labor. Less income, more labor. Conversations in the meantime will lead you to believe success/ paradise/ retirement is right around the corner. Just obey.
I lost 40 pounds. And kept it off for two years. Two light years.
I cut my hair. Long story. Short.
I got fired from a food service job after three days. Short story. Longer than I wanted.
I/we bought a van that I like to call a little I.school bus. Well, it has so many names. Goldie Vawn, Apa, the mystery machine, TBD.
I started a pretend school. I.School became my playground. What started off as a joke in class has become my life.
I.School plus one van = Travel ‘Learning on a bus’.
I have taken classes, read books, practiced skills, learned to cook.
I have created personal structure within flexibility, which is my motto. The freedom to do what I want needs structure. However, it is my structured order. It is not the order of #2’s agenda. M-F Saturday and Sunday.
I have started traveling around, in my van-bus. Listening and learning. Recording.

12 O’ Clock.Tick tock. “High Noon” sounds too ominous. But “Hi 12” is a more cheerful, still poignant point, I’d like to make. What do you want? What are you waiting for? 1.2.

End of semester Report:

I have not woken up to an alarm in two years. I sleep more better. Eating dis-order became more ordered. I have more fun, more meaningful daily high-lights. I am doing what I love so much- learning. Too bad I couldn’t do it in school. So, I’m creating my own.

Below are 4 ID photos depicting my last decade teaching.

Below that is my semester 2022 Fall Final. A learning experiment.