Packet of Wildflower Seeds

In case you didn't know, teaching is an incredibly difficult profession. It is especially hard the first few years as you create new lesson plans, work on classroom management skills, and navigate interactions with colleagues, superiors, and parents. I fully support utilizing whatever resources are available to you in order to make the beginning of your career easier. When I knew I would be taking time off after starting a family, I tried to find ways I could help my replacement start off as strongly as possible. If I remember correctly, he had some informal instruction experience but little formal teaching experience. I copied everything I had to leave for him: notes (whether typed or handwritten), labs, and tests. I wrote post-it notes to indicate things I would have changed, and I passed along sites I felt were particularly good sources of information. I also e-mailed him all of my power point presentations. My hope was that if he didn't have to spend tremendous amounts of...

I wanted to give my blog the simpler name "Wildflower Seeds," but it was already taken. Instead, it became "Packet of Wildflower Seeds;" the physical packet referenced in my title sits on a bulletin board in my house. Why would I keep a packet of seeds instead of planting them? The following information isn't news to many of my friends and family members. For even more individuals, the revelation might not be surprising. I'm not sure how everyone else will react. I suffer from anxiety. And depression. I always seem to mention anxiety first, if I even acknowledge the depression at all, because it feels more socially acceptable. Anxiety might be associated with a driven personality, while depression makes you unhinged. The truth is, I experience both, and they are both terrible at times. I probably needed to seek help earlier, but I first tried counseling in college, where I could utilize the free resources the school offered. I didn't particularly c...

A number of animal advocates insist that all zoos should cease operation and that the animals in their care should be released into the wild, where they belong. I would agree...if humans were perfect. The fossil record reveals that the composition of the biosphere is not static (we no longer have Triceratops , after all), but human activity is certainly leading to an expedited disappearance of many modern species. Hunting, habitat destruction, and pollution have driven many species to the brink of extinction. We need institutions to help stop and then correct the damage we have already done. Zoos are instrumental in countering these issues in a number of ways. The first may be the most obvious: zoos are educational. People are more likely to care about animals when they see them in person; they can feel like they have developed a relationship with their favorites and might want to help if they learn the species is in trouble. Through exhibits, classes, and presentations, zoos are...

I probably seem a little late in addressing this topic, but I was reminded of it this past weekend at a meeting for zoo volunteers. We watched a video of the Detroit Zoo director discussing the role of zoos in wildlife care and conservation; he called out shows in which humans stand on killer whales as not fulfilling the proper goals. Before it closed, there was a SeaWorld not very far from where I lived. My family went a few times, and my Girl Scout troop even got to sleep there overnight. We stayed in the Shark Encounter exhibit, and it was exciting to wake up with sharks swimming overhead. It's not hard to see why, as a child, I loved SeaWorld. The shows were entertaining, and I found the animals very interesting. I saw species I couldn't see in any other zoo. In fact, I loved the animals so much that I began to consider a career in marine biology. I even contemplate becoming a trainer, but I realized I would probably never pass the swim tests in cold, salty water. To so...

In anticipation of upcoming graduations, I started writing a post about one aspect of my own college experience. I needed to take a break while writing it, and after some time had passed, I realized that my initial story came across poorly. I want these posts to be introspective, but I don't want them to be self-indulgent. I hope you might nod your head in understanding while reading them; I don't want you to roll your eyes. Thus, I deleted my first attempt and started over. For those of you who do not know my academic history, here is the short version of the story: I went to optometry school after only three years of college. It was a relatively last-minute decision. Because of AP credits and summer classes, I still earned a degree, but I didn't participate in a graduation ceremony. I left optometry school during the first semester when I finally let myself admit that I wasn't interested in that career. I missed out on some opportunities by not doing that fourth y...

My husband is 100% Polish. One grandparent and all of his great-grandparents were born in Poland. Even a relative who may have been born in an area that was once part of Russia listed "Polish" as his native language. Polish traditions are still pretty strong in his family, and I have to admit, I'm a little jealous of their cultural heritage. What is my own ethnic background? In short, I don't know exactly. When I was younger, my parents always told me I was Irish and German. They were a little vague on the percentages of each and when my ancestors came to the United States. Additionally, we don't have any explicit traditions linking us to those particular cultures. I sometimes joked that I was a "mutt" waiting to be adopted by a more specific tradition. I have recently begun to research more of my family history. I have verified that at least a few relatives came from Germany, probably in the 1800s. Another line seems to go back to Wales; that family...