Two for Tuesday- I.School my.school

As I tip my toe into the unknown waters of my fictitious (and apparently overly verbose) I.School, I hesitantly share this: The water is fine!  Un-re-fine-d, but fine.

I am excited when I wake up. Genuinely, positively giddy. Example- this morning I wrote down some ideas on education, as always. I journaled and researched. Posted. (I question my day to day posts but the big picture- for me? the long run is going swimmingly well, as ‘planned’.)

Tea/ coffee chats with hubby. Make bed. Kiss hubby bye bye, say, “play nice with the other children,”  (old joke. stop. Reflect on what it took to create this moment, this minuscule fraction of time, and how much I appreciate having this very old jokes with an old- but younger than me- friend). Priceless. 

Back to computer. In researching Shakespeare, I stumbled upon four enthralling topics- a haunted grave, a cult, a Harvard Business Review writer (trust me, its riveting) and Fredrick Douglass’ dissertation. I love seeing how they all connect. Like an uber nerdy connect the dots game. Made just for me, by me.

I’ll read for hours. Satisfied and ready to move, I’ll walk. Get stuff done- laundry, dishes etc, Then it is more  I.School time. The three classes I am currently ‘enrolled’ in include biology and nutrition; intro to drawing; and astronomy. Three half-hour lectures every day, every other day or whenever I damn well feel like it for about 10 weeks- I figure. No tests, no quizzes, all genuine knowledge. Because I genuinely like to learn. 

I keep a small blackboard in my room with todays date, predicted weather, and “Two-for-Tuesday’s activities”. Like a teacher-boss!

Today is an extra busy day as we (I) am preparing for yet another holiday. We at I.School love holidays, only my.Style. Tomorrows a double holiday! Drum roll!! 

Groundhog Day! Because, why not?

Objectives: Analyze Nietzsches’ Eternal recurrence with themes from Groundhog Day. (I did mention it is MY.Style… giggle) 

Vocabulary: Fredrick Nietzsche, Eternal recurrence, Groundhog Day

Activities: Movie Marathon- Groundhog Day, Happy Death Day, and a choice of three others- if desired. 

Supplies: Pancake fixins, eggs how you like (scrambled soft please), birthday cake, coffee.

Assessment: Answer this prompt- If you were to live today over and over again- Knowing you would repeat every choice you make- today- for an eternity, would you do anything different? Why? Why would you? Why wouldn’t you?

Bonus points- if you related Socrates idea of “the Good Life” from Platos “Apology” allegory to Nietzsche’s Eternal recurrence. 

Double bonus points- if you play connect the dots with nutrition, drawing and astronomy as they relate to recurrence. Example- how is This the good life!? How do you know?

Ok, how are pancakes, eggs, cake and coffee integral to the lesson? Is an anticipated question. Actually, if this ever gets noticed, I’d like to know what students think. All learners welcome. If you say “it’s in the original movie.” Then I’ll say, “yes, and….” 

And if you ask, “how did you get here to this awesomeness Newson? How did this greatness and Good Life bestow upon you?” 

I’ll say, Because “I am really, Really pissed off!”

I resent not having more times like this for the last 40 something years; I resent the brutality of public education and its soul-crushing circus symposium. 

I resent wasted time from BM’s (business management systems) interference in public education and, well, waste! I resent hours of monitoring/ “puppeteering” standardized tests. If recurrence was a choice?

Door #1. Recurrence: watching precious kids pressing #2 pencils on those ridiculous “elvish-marked, abortive rooting” ‘Scantrons’ (Global Corporation profiting from tests), “hog” assessments… (thanks Bill S’ Richard III).

Door #L  (cuz why?). Recurrence: Writing about tip toeing in a thesaurus ridden jungle of mystery, adventure; yes and, looking like a dunderhead; yes, and making ooodles of mistakes, but at least they are YOUR mistakes, and did I mention pancakes? 

“Why I’ll take door number L, Monty.”  The water is unrefinedly, fine. No removal of impurities necessary. 

Homework: Read Nietzsche’s Resentiment and how it relates to his concept of “Master Slave Morality.” And/Or find a time to look at the moon. (Trick assignment.) 

As mentioned, tomorrow is a double holiday- it is going to be a pre-arranged SNOW DAY!! We may get a fraction of an inch, we may get four feet. Who cares. It’s an I.School newly crated and made up additional holiday, miracle. 
Note: It is 8:58 AM. And, yes, let’s begin our I-day. 

Update: success: