Girl Power

Is it Friday yet?

This week has really d r a g g e d on!  I am excited for the weekend and to get some sleep...I feel like I have been perpetually tired lately and have had a constant to-do list running through my head.  I am looking forward to turning the alarm off this weekend and getting some rest!

As a disclaimer this will be a wordy, intellectual post. If you're not in the mood for that, I understand: Come back next week or peruse some recent posts you've missed!

Today I wanted to share my musings on a Forbes article I recently read:

7 Ways You're Hurting Your Daughter's Future.  

The article opens with a quick discussion of the glass ceiling and the fact that even now, in the 21st century, women earn less than men.  It then goes on to list 7 factors that affect this gender gap and provides recommendations for parents to help prepare their daughters to reach their dreams, whatever those dreams may be.

Without getting into all the specifics (you can read them here), I'll just quickly list their 7 talking points and then share my thoughts and reflections on the subject...

1.  You teach her to be polite and quiet.

I do believe in teaching kids to be polite and use manners, but I equally believe in teaching kids to have a voice and not back down from their beliefs and dreams.  

love this!

2.  You buy her gender-specific toys.

I personally think this one should be amended to:  You only buy her gender-specific toys...

I was the ultimate girlie-girl, 

BUT...

I also grew up doing boy things...

3.  You tell her she's pretty...to the exclusion of everything else.

Teach her that her worth extends far beyond her appearance.

4.  You indoctrinate her into the princess cult.

Okay...maybe loving princesses isn't so bad, BUT, teach her about all the important work that princesses actually do!

5.  You give Dad all the physical tasks around the house.

Rosie did the work...and looked good doing it!

Love her polka dots and thick eyelashes!

6.  You only let her spend time with other girls.

I love it when my girls choose the blocks center or, on the flipside, my boys choose the kitchen center.

7.  You criticize your own body, and/or other women's bodies.  

Society puts enough pressure on us in terms of body image:  Rather than add to that, instill healthy habits in your daughter so she will have a strong, healthy body...not just a skinny body.

Okay and now for my really deep thoughts...get ready!

This article really spoke to me, because I have always been someone that has felt pulled in different directions in terms of womanhood, feminism, career, family...

I'm competitive and driven.  Throughout college I considered pursuing marketing, PR, law, public policy, international affairs, and more.  I thrive in high pressure situations and could see myself being very happy in the "business world."

On the other hand, though, I'm nurturing and absolutely love kids.  I like to hug them tight and let them know they're loved.  I like to see their eyes light up when they are excited about learning something new.  I like finger painting...and cutting...and gluing.  You can see the contrast, yes?

Similarly, I'm conflicted when it comes to gender roles.

I aspire to be domestic and ladylike.  I want to be admired for having a beautiful home, cooking gourmet meals, and being able to throw a great party. I want to be pretty and wear lots of pink.  I was the little girl that spent most of my free time playing house and dress-up.  I like being taken care of and having a man to help with the heavy lifting.

I also aspire, though, to be admired for my mind and ability to share my thoughts and opinions.  I want to be seen as the girl that can get all dressed up, but also isn't afraid to get down and dirty and be real.  I want to be respected as someone who is confident and sure of herself.  Bryce has told me that his favorite thing about me is the fact that I'm fiery...I know who I am and don't let others push me around. I love that he admires that quality.

Since reading this article and in turn reflecting on myself, my take home message is balance.  I think for my generation feminism is about being able to choose.  Be the woman in the board room wearing pink. Let your man be a knight in shining armor, but make sure that he also knows just how capable you are...and help him when he needs it.  I think that gender roles are very much shaped by society, but I also think there are inherent differences between men and women.  I don't think that's  a bad thing.  I think we should embrace our differences and capitalize on them.

As a future mother, I will take Forbes's 7 suggestions into account...in fact, I'm quite impressed by their ideas.  I want my future daughter to know that she can be whatever she wants...whether that means being a fashion designer or an aeronautical engineer.  She can do everything the boys can do...but she also has the choice whether or not to do the same things that they do.

And finally, as I was writing this post this commercial came on (how apropos!) and I think it is the perfect closing:

So now...if you've made it this far, what are your thoughts?  I've found that I tend to learn the most from listening to other people's opinions.

Have a great day!

Character, Not Color

I am very happy to be off school today for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

I had originally planned to do a weekend recap today with snapshots from the weekend, but as I've been thinking about today's significance I thought a more thoughtful post was in order...

As you might expect, we have been teaching the kids about Martin Luther King Jr. in the last week.  Explaining a situation like segregation to five year olds is tough.

Furthermore, most of my students are black or multiracial, making my job even bigger.  Learning about a man that fought so much for their futures is of utmost importance.  Without launching a discussion about today's social issues or race, I'd like to also point out that many of my students' don't have the most positive role models in their homes.  Personally, as a teacher, I sometimes wonder how far my impact will extend throughout their lives.  Will these children that I try to love, uplift, and educate rise above social barriers or simply continue the cycle of poverty that they've experienced?

I have two favorite activities that I do with my kindergartners when teaching about MLK.  The first is that I absolutely love the book My Brother Martin.  It may be slightly advanced for kindergartners, but it is one that is easy to bring down to their level.  The book is written by Christine King Farris, the sister of Martin Luther King Jr.  I like it so much, because it tells the story of Martin as a child.  It references him by his nickname M.L. and shares stories of pranks that he did as a child.  I think that so often historical figures are put up on this pedestal to children.  They have such a grand persona that it makes it difficult for children to relate.  By laughing over the story of Martin and his siblings playing jokes on unsuspecting neighbors, students are able to think "he was just like me."

After reading the book this week, the students, unprompted by me, began a discussion of their racial backgrounds.  When I gave examples of his impact today, students jumped at the fact that blacks and whites can marry.  My students all raised their hands proudly stating whether they were "black" "white" or "mixed" (a term I totally wasn't expecting to come out of their mouths) and even going so far as to explain "light skinned" or "dark skinned."  I did not actively participate, rather just sat back and let them proudly share who they are from a racial standpoint.  I want my students to see their race as something to be proud of and to see positive roles models, like Martin Luther King Jr.  

Finally, the other activity I love is to actually show students a clip of the "I Have a Dream" speech.  Not only can they see what an impact he was by seeing the large crowd, but they can also see him "alive" and hear the passion in his voice.  Over and over I repeat my favorite quote of his to them:  

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

I want them to know that character is what counts most, more than any physical feature that can be seen from the outside.

What do you find to be the greatest words or contributions of Martin Luther King Jr.?

If you are a parent, or fellow teacher, how do you explain "grown up" topics like segregation to young kids?

Come back Wednesday for a delicious Southern recipe:  Pimiento Cheese Ham Biscuits!

Have a great day!

Thankful

Happy Black Friday my friends!

I might be a day late, but I wanted to take some time to give thanks over here at Sundresses and Smiles.  These days, as y'all know, my life is fast-paced and it is so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day rush and forget to stop and just feel thankful.  So today, I'd like to post my thanks.  This is a long post, but it is truly heartfelt and truly "me."

Thanksgiving yesterday was wonderful.  My family usually does a low key Thanksgiving--we have my grandmothers over and just enjoy a nice meal and time to visit together.  As previously mentioned on the blog, I make an annual dessert for Thanksgiving.  I didn't share the reason behind my annual French Silk Pie before, but I will share it with you now as the opening to my thankful post.  A little over three years ago, my grandfather died.  He was such an incredible man--he was one of the most genuinely kind people I have ever known; he was also smart, witty, and passionate.  One of his favorite desserts was French Silk Pie.  Every year at Thanksgiving we would have a pumpkin pie, a French Silk pie, and another dessert that I would make.  We began to feel dessert overload and I thought it would be smart to consolidate our desserts by making my own homemade French Silk Pie.  It has been a tradition ever since and is now even more special since Grandpa has passed.  Though I miss him often, I am so thankful to have had 20 years with my grandfather--he and I spent much time together and I am lucky that he is one of the people that shaped my life.

Yesterday's Pie--we think it may have been the best yet!

See recipe here!

Secondly, I am so thankful to be part of such an incredible family.  Though we may be dysfunctional and a bit wacky at times, I wouldn't change what we have.  I am incredibly close with my parents as well as my extended family and "framily" (a term we use to describe close friends that are considered family).

Father's Day Dinner 2011

Next on the list are my friends.  I am so lucky to have an incredible group of close friends--the kind of friends I can be myself around, lean on when I need a helping hand, and have fun with.  

ABE & ARS

ARS isn't mentioned on the blog frequently, but she is my true "BFF"--we met when we were 13 and just 2 years later, her family moved to North Carolina.  Now, 10 years, later we are still best friends even though we only get to see each other about once a year!

The list of people I am thankful for, of course would not be complete without Bryce.  I have so enjoyed sharing our romance on the blog with you and I can share with y'all now that it continues to get better and better.  I have never felt this loved in my life and never thought it was possible to find someone so perfectly matched for me.

Our First Picture Together!

I can't believe how far we've come since then!

I also wanted to take a moment to say thanks to all of you, my loyal followers!  I have not been the best blogger over these last few months--living life has gotten in the way.  Your friendship, fun, and passion inspire me every day and make me feel so grateful that I joined this blogging community just over 8 months ago!

 And I'll just list a few more....

• my sweet class of 1st graders
• the beauty of the world around me
• the color pink
• the daily luxuries that I take for granted that so much of the world does not have
• the ocean and taste of salt on my lips
• Richmond, VA
• white wine
• the joy of curling up with a good book

What are you thankful for?

Now for a quick peek into my schedule over the next few weeks:

-Mon, Nov 28:  MY 23RD BIRTHDAY!!!  HIP HIP HOORAY!

-Fri, Dec 2:  My last day of student teaching

-Fri, Dec 2:  Bryce's Company Christmas Party

-Sat, Dec 3:  Crabtree Falls Camping Trip

-Mon, Dec 5:  Thesis/Field Project Rough Draft due

-Wed, Dec 7:  Thesis/Field Project Presentations

-Thurs, Dec 15:  Thesis/Field Project Final Draft due

-Sat, Dec 17:  Bryce's and My First Annual Christmas Party!

All that being said, I am going to be busy busy!!  I am hoping to squeeze in some time for blogging over the next few weeks, but have a feeling my time will be tight.  Wish me luck!

Have a fabulous holiday weekend!

Virginia Wine Making

Happy Thursday readers!

Whew, this week has been a long one!  Yesterday I left the house at 7:00 am and didn't make it home until 10:00 pm.  Luckily, it was such a late night because I visited some special people after my seminar in Cville.  I was thrilled to have dinner with the family I babysat for over 2 years--C, the 2 and a half year old said "No, I want you stay forever all day" as I told him I had to go!   Dinner was followed by Arch's (fabulous Cville frozen yogurt) and girl talk with one of my residents from last year.

All that being said, I am SO glad to have Student Teaching Guest Post #7 today which is by none other than...BRYCE!  If I haven't mentioned it yet, Bryce has quite the green thumb (unlike me) and has been working on making his very own wine.  I can't wait to try this wine in the future and today, his guest post will share the story of his winemaking journey--enjoy!

As a young man, I spent many weekends and summers on my family’s farm in Southside Virginia.  My family has lived in Charlotte and Campbell Counties for the better part of three hundred years and were predominately tobacco and cattle farmers, as they still are today. 

I can remember spending many summer afternoons looking for arrowheads in between long rows of bright tobacco and listening to music and stories told by my great uncles who were born in the 1920’s and grew up during the depression-era. They would always have “homebrew” (homemade wine, beer, and moonshine) and passed on their love of farming and home brewing to all of their nephews.  Growing up on a farm, there were always extra fermentable fruits, such as wild blackberries, huckleberries, persimmons, apples, and wild native grapes (probably of the Scuppernong variety) and during The Great Depression, they made use of everything that they had.

The tradition of American winemaking is almost as old as the Commonwealth of Virginia itself, and can be traced back to Thomas Jefferson in Albemarle County.  Jefferson, who has always been one of my heroes for being a great statesman and horticulturist, also shared in my love of all things viticulture.  He saw the similarities of the Virginia climate and soil to those of France, and began cultivating grapes here in Virginia. 

Figure 1: The current vineyards of Monticello (photo courtesy of Monticello)

http://www.monticello.org/site/house-and-gardens/vineyards

Unfortunately, Jefferson had limited success with imported ancient European varieties such as Vitis vinifera (a species dating to between 130 to 200 Million years ago). Due to native diseases and pests, he had to continually replant his vineyard and probably never produced any wine at Monticello.  It was not until more recent years, when grafting to native grape varieties and the use of pesticides were common practice, that growing good winemaking cultivars was a success in the United States.  However, Jefferson is arguably the greatest steward of growing grapes in Virginia and is the undisputed patron of American winemaking.

Three years ago, I decided to plant sixteen (16) Corot Noir grapevines in Middlesex County, Virginia.  The Middle Peninsula is probably not the greatest place to grow grapes, but I have seen some success in the last few years.  Generally, the first year is devoted to establishing your vineyard and allowing the young vines to mature with vegetative growth.  The second year is for training your vines to a trellis or wire. 

Figure 2: Early second year – BAC and Jeb (the best black lab ever) after I finished putting in the wires

The third year will see some grape production, if you have been successful in the endeavors of the two previous years.

This September, I harvested my first grape crop and began producing my first vintage. 

Figure 3: De-stemming the freshly picked grapes

After sorting, de-stemming, and washing the harvested grapes, they are mashed by hand and put in a bucket to ferment. To start the fermentation process, yeast and sugar are added to the grape juice, skins, and seeds.  During fermentation, the special strain of winemaking yeast eats the sugar (both natural and added), and as a product produces both alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO₂). When either the sugar has all been eaten by the yeast or the alcohol content gets too high for the yeast to survive, the yeast will die and the fermentation is complete.

Figure 4: My homemade fermenting vessel made from a five gallon bucket.  The plastic piece on top is an air lock/water trap to allow CO₂ to escape and to prevent wild yeast or undesirable bacteria to contaminate the wine.

Figure 5: The Must (from the Latin Vinum mustum meaning “young wine”) in the last stage of fermentation.  In parlance, must is the wine, before it can be considered “wine.”

This is the current stage in my production. To follow will include:

• pressing - squeezing the grapes to exude any wine that they are holding

• fining - the process that allows the lees (dead yeast and suspended solids) to precipitate and settle

• racking - the process of siphoning wine off of the lees

• bottling

• maturation 

As you can see, there is a lot of labor and love that goes into making a very small amount of wine (there are about 2.5 gallons here).  This was the first year of grape production, so hopefully yield will improve.  I think that quality is always better than quantity and that artisanal production has much merit in any instance. 

Projects like these are often a great school in their own right.  They teach patience, forward thinking and planning, and most often humility.  It is a very special experience to see the fruit of your labors come to fruition (puns intended), and also the creation of a product that you oversaw from start to finish.

Lest we forget the most important thing…you get to drink the wine! It can take a good year (and arguably much longer) for a wine to mature enough to be enjoyable, so I will let you know how it turns out.

Virginiae Fidem Praesto.  Enjoy!

Best,

Bryce

Have a great day!

Reminder: Blog Book Discussion

Happy Friday, my friends!

Today I have just a short post for you. Last night I was busy getting everything done in time to make it to a girlfriend's for the season premiere of Grey's (are any of you fans as well?) and didn't have the usual time I put into my posts.

That being said, all I have for you today is a reminder:

I wanted to remind you all of the blog book discussion I introduced during August's installment of African Aspirations (see here).  The book we will be discussing is Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone.

I announced the discussion nearly two months ago to ensure I would have plenty of time to read the book, and....guess what?  I just started!  So have no fear--if you are just reading about this discussion and want to join in, you still have time!  The book is a quick read and really sucks you in!  The discussion questions and my responses will be posted Monday, October 3.  Additionally, I will have a link-up for you to add your posts and answers, as well as other thoughts/reflections you may have.  I will post the discussion questions on my Facebook page (here) by next Friday!   

To read the full directions, click here!

Have a great weekend---much of mine will be spent READING!

The Road Ahead

Happy Friday everyone!  Glad to see Blogger is finally working again!  My post on The Help from yesterday has seemingly disappeared, but hopefully it will come back soon!

I thought I'd take today to share a little bit of the road ahead for me with y'all given that I've now finished my 4th Year of college.

My parents just left, and have moved out all of my stuff with the exception of my bedding and the clothes I'll need for tonight and tomorrow.  It's pretty odd, being in this empty dorm room.

I'm sure a few of you are confused, because I've talked about my undergrad experience and also the fact that I'm working on my Masters of Teaching.  I'm in UVA's Curry School of Education which is a 5 Year program, where you work on your undergraduate degree and master's degree at the same time and allows you to get your master's in one extra year rather than two.  So since my third year, I have been dual enrolled in undergraduate and graduate level classes.  I'm graduating early from the program and am doing it in four and a half years and am now officially a graduate student.  Tomorrow I will leave my dorm and go home for a day and half and then return to Cville for the start of summer school on Monday.  I will have three weeks of summer school to take two classes which are the culminating classes for my Master's.  I then will go home for the summer at the beginning of June and will nanny Cuties A and B.  August brings the start of student teaching in a 1st grade class.  I am doing my student teaching from home and will graduate with my Bachelor's in psychology and Master's of Teaching in January.  I plan to apply for Teach for America in the fall as well.  This is a very exciting time for me and though I've loved college, I'm really ready for the next chapter in my life.  

This will be me full time starting in the Fall!

I only hope that I grow as close with the students and teacher in my student teaching placement as I have my field placement class this semester!

I'm sure this summer and student teaching will bring many new and exciting adventures, which I can't wait to share with you!

Any tips for me as I embark on this next phase of my life?

Have a great weekend!

Promoting Equity In Schools

Did I mention these next few weeks are jam-packed for me?  Yes, I did!  Well, today I have a major project due for my Language Block class (covering all of my work in the field thus far this semester), a big science assignment due, oh and a debate in my Ethics & Human Rights discussion section that my TA emailed us about...YESTERDAY (thanks!).

I feel like this girl!

In addition to all that work, my mom visited yesterday for lunch...lunch turned into ice cream and a Target trip, which then turned into lots of girl talk, and ultimately dinner.  I was so grateful to have her here, however, that took a huge chunk out of my work time and I just didn't have time to write a good post.  So, I decided to post this draft I wrote a few weeks ago.

LOVE this pic of my mom and me!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of seeing Pedro Noguera, a leader in the field of education, speak.  He spoke particularly about ways to address the achievement gap in our education system and I was quite inspired.  His speech is on YouTube and I plan to post it and my thoughts down the road.

We watched this YouTube video in class as an introduction to Noguera and I find it quite interesting and hope you do too!.

Noguera, executive director of the Metropolitan Center for Urban Education speaks about promoting equity amongst students.

This video was shown in one of my education classes.  It caused me to reflect on my own experiences as well as the experiences friends have shared.  I was a public school girl msyelf, and received a superb education.  That wasn't the case for everyone in my school though.  I was on the advanced/honors/AP track from elementary school on and experienced classes that challenged me to think differently and exposed me to brilliant teachers.  In addition, to having an exceptional honors/AP program, my school also had a really great special education department.  I had the chance to volunteer in the special ed class and was impressed by the relationships formed amongst students and faculty and well as their learning of life and career skills in the real world.  Where the real inequity lied in my school, however, was for the average students.  Students enrolled in standard classes had a very hit-or-miss experience.  There were a few great teachers sprinkled in amongst a lot of average teachers and a even a few duds.  The point I am trying to make is that inequity exists everywhere (not just inner-city)-- in wealthy suburban public schools like mine, in private schools, in charter schools, in parochial schools, etc....

As a future teacher this is an issue I think needs to be addressed-- but how?  Should we try and tackle it first at the classroom level?  Work at the school, district, or federal level for reform?  What do you think would help make schooling more equitable?  What were your experiences in school or what are your children's experiences now?

Madison's Montpelier

This weekend wasn't too eventful--my next three weeks are jam-packed with both social events as well as schoolwork, so I intentionally left this weekend free to relax and prepare for the coming weeks.  I did, however, do a little shopping and have a field trip to Montpelier (James Madison's home) on Saturday.

When shopping, I found a great Vineyard Vines skirt (which will be perfect for teaching) on sale at Belk and two tops at J.Crew.

my purchases

I woke up to a dreary day on Saturday, but decided to make the most of my field trip despite the weather.  The first stop of our field trip was Gilmore Cabin.  The Gilmore Cabin was built by George Gilmore at Montpelier after emancipation (circa 1870).  His land was leased from James Madison's nephew.  In 1901, the Gilmores purchased the 16 acres of land and members of the Gilmore family lived on the farm until the early 1930s.  It is the first restored freedman's home in the United States.

Gilmore Cabin

upstairs where the children would have slept

Our next stop was the Montpelier Train Depot.  This train depot was built in 1910 by the duPont family who owned Montpelier from 1901-1983.  The train depot was built during segregation and is an example of what life was like during the era of Jim Crow laws.  I have learned about segregation and Jim Crow laws since elementary school and have always known how inherently wrong segregation was, however, seeing up close what it was like really had an effect on me.  From the outside it appears the "White" and "Colored" sides of the depot are equal in size, however the "Colored" side is only about a quarter of the size of the "White" side. Additionally, the depot had a post office, and whites could retrieve their mail inside, while blacks had to get it from outside.

Allie at the Train Depot

Our last stop of the day was Montpelier estate.  It was BEAUTIFUL!  When the duPonts owned Montpelier they changed it from the traditional brick to pink stucco.  On Constitution Day (September 17) in 2008, after a five year, $24 million restoration project, Montpelier in its original state was revealed.

Pink Montpelier..I must say, I am a big fan of that blue door!

Restored Montpelier

Our tour of the house was very interesting.  My favorite tidbit from the day was learning about how influential Dolley Madison was.  Our tour guide shared a story of how she was greatly responsible for her husband's re-election, which I will now share with you.  During Madison's term he was attacked by the press and became unpopular.  Dolley decided to take matters into her own hands:  Being quite the socialite, she began holding tea parties at the White House.  It was a huge honor to be invited to these tea parties and women were just dying for an invite!  Those invited would bring their husbands along (who then would get the chance to mingle with the president).  During this time they would see that Madison was not the horrible man the papers portrayed him to be and ultimately he was re-elected.  Dolley was so loved that she eventually became the first woman to be awarded an honorary seat in Congress.

Statue of Dolley and James on the back lawn.

Before heading out we toured the Madison Gardens and stopped by the gift shop where I found the cutest blue and white bunny for just $12.95!

Even on a dreary day, the flowers were lovely!

The bunny is perfect for Easter!

I also really wanted this book in the giftshop, but figured I could get it cheaper on Amazon.

Do you have any favorite historic sites?  What did you do this weekend?

President's Dinner

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the President's Dinner at Carr's Hill put on by the 4th Year Trustees.  It was especially exciting, because, this is President Sullivan's first year at UVA.

Carr's Hill (home of the UVA President)

wouldn't you love this to be your dining room?

just lovely!

The three course meal was delicious.  It started with a mixed green salad, followed by Chicken Piccata with sides of Dauphinoise Potatoes, baked with gruyère cheese and cream and a fresh Vegetable Medley.  The dessert was  Chocolate Chambord Mousse.  

At the end of the meal, President Sullivan shared some of her wisdom and took questions.  In her speech, she emphasized the futures that lie ahead of us as UVA graduates and how we have all in some way made our marks on the University Community. 

I was also particularly impressed by her ability to answer student questions.  I will share my two favorites of her answers.  When one student asked what she hopes to accomplish as President, she explained that our previous President erected 134 new buildings in his twenty years at the University.  She explained that she hopes to focus much more on what is going on inside the buildings; many of our most esteemed professors are nearing retirement age, so she's hoping to hire new, young faculty members that are prepared to educate 21st century students.  Secondly, in response to a student question related to the allegations against former UVA professor Michael Mann's climate research, she spoke about the importance of academic freedom.  She explained that research by both faculty and students should be led by their natural curiosity, rather than what may be politically popular at the time.

Allie and President Sullivan

As a side note, it's been a hectic week!  I have an important midterm today, so aside from writing my posts, I haven't been doing as much blogging this week.  I promise that tonight I will spend some time checking out my usual reads as well as all the blogs of new friends that have recently stopped by my site!

African Aspirations

I try to keep this blog as upbeat and fun as possible, however, I do think it is important to sometimes talk about the not so pleasant things in our world.

In high school I was in enrolled in a specialty center for "Leadership, Government, and Global Economics."  The lessons I learned throughout those 4 years helped shape the person I am now.  Sophomore year, our two leadership classes were Sociology and Contemporary World Affairs.  Together, these two classes really opened my eyes to the stratification in our world.  I was inspired to make a difference, and am particularly interested in Africa.

I plan to use the first day of every month to post about Africa.  I see it as a way to start each month thinking and gracious for all that we have.  Some posts will focus on the tragedies occurring across Africa, while others may focus on its beauty and excitement.  Today's post will be an overview of the African continent.

• Africa's population is approximately one billion people 
• (The U.S. population is 300 million)
• The per capita income (for the entire continent) is $1456.07 
• (The U.S. per capita income is nearly $50,000)
• The infant mortality rate is 78 per 1000 births 
• (The U.S. infant mortality rate is approximately 7/1000)

• Life expectancy at birth is 56 
• (The U.S. life expectancy at birth is 78)
• 22.5 million people are estimated to be living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa 
• (One million people are estimated to be living with HIV in the U.S. Africa's population is roughly three times that of ours, so for a more accurate comparison, if we were the size of Africa, we would have approximately 3 million people living with HIV, still only 1/7 the amount as in Africa.)
• Despite having an abundance of natural resources, Africa is the poorest and most underdeveloped continent
• It is home to the Nile River and Ancient Egypt Pyramids, Mount Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls, Ngorongoro Crater, the Sahara Desert, and Serengeti Plain

Victoria Falls

Serengeti

Have you been to Africa?  Is there a certain place or cause you are particularly passionate about?  I hope my passion to become aware and make a difference will inspire you to do the same (whether it be at the local, regional, national, or global level).  We can ALL make a difference in some way.

As a much less serious side note, does anyone have any fun April Fools to share?

Have a great weekend!

I found my facts using Google, and these websites:  African Development Bank, Avert, and the ever useful Wikipedia.

Khan Academy

Knowing my interest in education, my good friend CMV shared this video with me last week-- I've been so busy I had not had the chance to watch until yesterday.



If you don't have 20 minutes to watch this now the gist of it is that Salman Khan (a former hedge fund analyst) began Khan Academy by simply posting math tutorial videos on YouTube to help his cousins.  When the videos gained popularity, he decided to found Khan Academy.  His website Khan Academy has videos teaching math concepts ranging from basic addition to Calculus and beyond (I bet they would have helped my first year of college in the bear that was Statistics...).  He is currently expanding the website to cover other content areas and suggests that teachers use the technology to "flip" the classroom:  Assigning the video lectures as homework, and doing traditional homework problems in class.

Last semester, in my master's level "Teaching Elementary School Math" course I learned that math is now taught very differently than when I was a younger student.  More emphasis is placed on the use of different and multiple processes to finding solutions, rather than simply following one method to the correct answer.  Technology and hands-on manipulatives are also incorporated much more frequently.  This newer, more radical approach is beneficial to many students!

Even better, the icing on the cake is:  Khan Academy offers all these videos (as well as other services such as data collection for teachers) completely FREE!

What do you think of Khan Academy?  Would it have helped you?  Why not try it now-- learn something new!

What modern innovations do you think would have made school more accessible and fun for you?