Category: Mythology

Giving wolves a bad name.

I really hate lies. Lies make the world so…diminished. I’m not talking about the “little white lies” that we use to not hurt someone’s feelings, although those can be pretty dreadful, too. I’m talking about the big whoppers that put people’s lives, time, and trust at risk. Lies are as old as time. I’m also not talking about stories that everyone knows is a story and is enjoying. I’m talking about intentional, deceitful, “I am knowingly trying to pull one over on other people” lies. I have students who are so in the habit of lying, they don’t even know it. The first thing out of their mouths when they’re answering a question is a lie. Example: Me to student: “Please change your laptop screen–(laptop screen is filled with gang/street imagery)–you are only allowed to have a solid color, or our mascot.” “No way, Mrs. L! Another teacher told me…blah blah blah blah…” Since other teachers are even more strict than I am, I am CONFIDENT another teacher did not say it was okay to have those images on her laptop. One. Hundred. Percent.  I had one student whom I said hello to in the courtyard before class, and then when she was tardy, proceeded to tell me the bus was late. Um, yeah…the bus may have been late (it wasn’t — we hear announcements) but apparently you weren’t ON IT BECAUSE I SAID HELLO TO YOU IN THE COURTYARD FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO!

(Deep breath.)

Now, there’s the news story out of Colorado about the crazy dad who told everyone his little boy was up in a balloon. I only listened to this story from the peripheral (sidelines), but when I heard more details I was horrified. The parents must be devastated! If I lost one of my children, I would never recover. Teachers who have lost students are never totally the same. I am not being dramatic when I tell you it breaks your heart.

And then it came out that this dad was lying, it was a hoax. 

What should happen to parents who make their children play a part in a nationwide, no–worldwide– deception? Who manipulate the media in this way?

As my husband said, ‘We (people in general) want to help those in danger. How are we going to want to keep doing that, having a moral and ethical reaction when some one’s really in danger?”

Take care, students — this is why your parents and teachers want you to be a “critical thinker.” Don’t take part in the lies that undermine the trust.

I trust you now, too–don’t lie to me. I want to help you when you’re in danger, of any kind. Especially if you’re being dangerous to yourself.

Read this fable, and compare it to the modern news story:

http://www.dsokids.com/public/LessonPlans/Peter%20and%20The%20Wolf%20Story%20Sheet.pdf

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113899352

Archetype of the Week: Star-Crossed Lovers

While reading the movie review of Bright Star, directed by Jane Campion, I made a connection to another classic Greek tale of Pyramus and Thisbe. As we begin to study ancient mythology from a variety of cultures through modern times, we will learn more about how great writers often take the oldest stories, the stories told throughout time as their inspiration, because the experiences of humanity last throughout time. Why do you think writers use old stories to inspire new ones?

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112563951

http://www.world-english.org/stories_romeo_juliet.htm

A Murder of Crows…

Okay, I admit. Birds freak me out a little bit. I can see their resemblance to ancient dinosaurs, lizard-y scaly creatures, all talons and beaks…and curiosity. And now a recent NPR (National Public Radio) on-line article confirms my fears: crows remember us. Don’t make them mad. I took the test to see if I could find the crow in the crowd, use my memory and visual skills, and alas, could not. I couldn’t get a job as a scarecrow. I looked for a rounder eye, fluffier feathers, a scratched or hooked beak, and still, the crows escaped my memory. If one mean raven can ruin Edgar Allan Poe’s night, surely a few surly crows can make me feel uncomfortable. I know birds are vital to our planet’s health and ecosystem. Heck, where do you think the phrase ‘canary in a coalmine’ comes from? They are watching out for earth, and it’s probably best not to personify them too much, if at all. But, fears are irrational. And I knew crows were smart — I just didn’t know they were smarter than I am.

To check out the NPR video, article, and test your knowledge of crows, click here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106826971

How to describe the indescribable…

 

How do you describe the indescribable? How do you answer the unanswerable? Well, we must be open and flexible to thinking outside of our own experiences, and being willing to take emotional and mental risks. One way is to think about the world as if it were one tiny village, and we are all in this together. How would we treat one another if each of us were connected (and we are)?

http://www.miniature-earth.com/

dreaming of pomegranates…

 

 

 

 

I have become so immersed in Greek mythology it’s intruding into my dreams. Do you ever notice that sometimes there is a phrase or person who seems to be present during a certain time? This last week was a perfect example. We started Greek mythology in class, and I told my students about the three little pomegranate seeds that brought Persephone into an unfortunate marriage (although, I think she’s actually kind of digging the power now). Then, I wrote myself an email reminding me to bring in a pomegranate to class in case someone hadn’t seen one before. Next, my husband brought up pomegranates out of the blue. Then, pomegranate juice was being advertised all over Facebook. I know it seems like silly coincidences, and they are, but brains do love patterns. Last night I dreamed that Hades would place three pomegranate seeds on the threshold of the Underworld to keep Persephone (Proserpine) in check.  

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/religion/persephone.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZImeaytF3Y

I like the above student video very much, but..I think it was not Helios who told Demeter in another version. Can you find out who?

Exploring Mt. Olympus (Oxygen Tanks Optional!): Greek/Roman Mythology

Nike - Winged Victory

One subject area I’ve been looking forward to teaching is Greek/Roman Mythology. Learning about the bad behaving antics of the mythological deities is like picking up a copy of People magazine!  It’s ancient celebrity stories, all the dirt, all the fun!  Fights, romance, extra-marital affairs, quests, and Nike shoes – these folks have it all!

The only small, nagging concern is that we won’t have enough time in class to cover what we need. However, what I want to stress to my students is to remember, please, with humus and honey, that they have the power of technology that the majority of students in our nation do not have. Please make good use of it—the power of the technology isn’t just that it’s a resource –it’s TIME. You now have TIME: time to learn more about what interests you, time to extend your learning far beyond the classroom walls, time to ask questions and retrieve answers at your pace, with no one else judging or demanding an immediate answer.

So, let’s work out a little Grecian formula, and show what you know (meaning – get your assignments turned in!)  Here are some links to get you started. These are also on our Moodle ™ site as well:

http://www.herricks.org/webpages/SResearchProgra/fifthproj.cfm?subpage=6567

http://www.greekmythology.com/

http://www.mythweb.com/

http://messagenet.com/myths/