Words are Important

Recently I posted the following meme on my Facebook page:

I posted it because it is from one of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride, and also because as an English teacher, I have to say this to my students a lot.

A friend of mine, also an English teacher, commented on the picture.  She mentioned that, after a year of reading AP Language essays, she had begun to hate the word "plethora" because her students were overusing it.  I jokingly responded that I didn't like the word, nor did I know really how it was pronounced...was it pleth-er-uh or pleth-OR-uh?  A former student of mine commented, asking why it mattered, as long as we knew what the student meant.  I responded that most English teachers have pet peeve words or phrases.  He interpreted this exchange as if we were mocking our students.  This is not, in fact, true.  We were discussing word usage.

There's a lot of subtext in the exchange that someone who is not an English teacher may be unaware of.  We English teachers spend a lot of time looking at words.  We teach about words.  We notice words, even when we are not in English teacher mode.  We analyze words, not only in the literature texts we teach but also in the student work we read.  We try to instill in our students the importance of words in any kind of writing: both the writing they read and the writing they create themselves.

Words are important.  We English teachers pay attention to them.  A lot.

A famous quotation attributed to Mark Twain states, "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."  My problem with a word like "plethora" is that I believe it is a word that many people (students in particular) use because they believe it sounds intelligent.  They don't use it because it expresses their ideas exactly.  They are using the word to impress.

Whenever I teach students about vocabulary and word choice, I try to help them understand one basic fact: they should choose words that express their ideas as precisely as possible.  John Keating, Robin Williams' character in the movie "Dead Poets Society" told his class, "So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do."  The point he is making is that in order for language to be effective, it must be exact.

Language must have meaning.  Today there are so many words that are overused to the extent that their power is lost.  Think about a word like "awesome".  The definition of the word is "extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear," yet we use this word to describe anything from frozen yogurt to the latest baseball victory.  This is a word that should be reserved for true power: the presence of God, the destruction after a volcano.  It should be used for anything that inspires genuine awe. 

I realize that most people don't really notice words in the same way that I do.  It's part of my daily existence to pay attention to words.  Words do, however make an impression on each of us whether we notice it or not.  Just as an experiment, the next time you see an advertisement, watch the news, or read an article in the newspaper, think about some of the standout words.  The men and women who create them pay attention to the words they choose because they want to achieve a certain reaction from you, their audience.  Those choices are not made lightly because the creators have a specific goal in mind, and they know that certain words will trigger certain reactions in you.

Here is part of the exchange, just for the record:
My friend's first response:  You know what was a favorite of my students this year? Plethora. I started hating the word "plethora."
Me:  I don't like it much, either. Now, is it pronounced PLETH-ER-AH, or PLETH-OR-AH? I have heard it both ways.
My friend: I think it depends on your accent.

I'll let you decide if it's mocking our students or not.

An Open Letter to a Student

Dear Student:
I did something awful last week that was hurtful to you.  It was a complete accident, but nonetheless it should not have happened.  It's probably the biggest mistake I have made as a teacher.  It exposed you and there is nothing I can do to make up for this.  You have probably lost any trust you may have had in me, and that breaks my heart. 

You will never understand how much this has eaten me up inside.  I have lost so much sleep over this and I will continue to do so.  It will nag at me, probably for the rest of my life.

I hope you understand that I would never intentionally do something to hurt any of my students.  Throughout this entire school year I have given you more emotional and mental time and energy than to any of my other students.  Your parents are in regular contact with me about your work and work habits.  It has gotten to the point where I dread seeing an email from your mom.  I know that when she emails, she is going to ask me if all of the 0 grades on your progress report are accurate.  She is going to tell me that you've told her everything is caught up, but I am going to have to share with her that you have not, in fact, turned in that work. 

For some reason you seem to believe that no one is on your side.  For some reason you seem to believe that the habits you develop as a young person will not translate into the habits you keep as an adult.  Somehow you have decided that failing a class is not going to have any consequences later in life.

I know that you won't believe this, but everything I have done with respect to your work habits in class is because I care for you.  I probably care too much.  I think I care more about your grades than you do.  I have given you too much emotional space inside my heart.  And after this, the space you occupy is even bigger, because I can't stop thinking about it.

I also confess that I am angry with you too.  Your response to my apology was nasty and hurtful.  If you really understood how awful I feel about this, maybe you'd be more understanding.  If you understood how much I worry about you, maybe you wouldn't have been so nasty.  Perhaps not.  You have a chip on your shoulder, and my actions have understandably made it larger. 

What I really need to do now is to move on.  There's nothing I can do but pray that you, God and I will forgive me.   I know that I have God's forgiveness, but I probably won't ever have yours or mine.

Dealing with Diabetes

In January of 2013, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  My blood work came back and my sugars were high enough for me to be called diabetic, but in the low range.  My doctor was confident that if I made the commitment to diet and exercise, I would be able to lower my blood sugar numbers and put my diabetes into what she called "remission."

I think that most people, when finding out about such a diagnosis, first feel confused and angry.  I was confused, it's true, but my doctor provided me with some good information about diet and exercise and I decided to do some research on my own to start a plan to change my eating habits.  She also recommended that I try a diabetes education program and so I decided to find one that worked.  Fortunately a local hospital provides one-on-one diabetes education with a licensed diabetes educator for free!  As soon as I found this out, I asked my doctor to refer me to the program and made my first appointment.

My diabetes counselor has provided me with a wealth of materials, including developing a meal plan for me.  I meet with her once every few weeks, and she monitors my progress and helps me to set goals.  She also teaches me about the kinds of lifestyle changes I need to make in order to cope with diabetes. 

I have learned a lot through this diagnosis.  I am determined to live well with this condition.  I do not see diabetes as a handicap or something to hold me back.  I do not need to feel like I am depriving myself through following my meal plan.  In fact, I view this as a challenge.  I like figuring out how I can fit the foods I like into my plan.  I enjoy trying new recipes that fit into the plan.  I have been able to use the Internet, especially Pinterest, to explore new recipes and ideas for dealing with this diagnosis.  I have learned that being intentional about what I eat and do has benefits beyond just my diabetes. 

In fact, I’d like to say that right now I am in the best health for a really long time.  I am eating better, exercising more, and feeling extremely optimistic about life.  Since January I have already lost 34 pounds and at my most recent doctor’s appointment, my doctor was very encouraged.  She even suggested that in a few months I may be able to reduce the medication she has prescribed for me if my progress continues.  I have also been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and since my diabetes diagnosis and weight loss, my blood pressure has been at its lowest in years.

I am determined to continue my progress with my disease management.  I know I will always be diabetic, but I am resolved to stem the advancement of the disease in my body.  I know I can use diet and exercise to my advantage in this regard.  I do not want to be dependent on insulin or other medication to control my disease.  I want to live a full and healthy life in spite of diabetes.

Little Turkey Meatloaves

Lately I have been trying to eat foods that are better for me.  I have recently been diagnosed as a diabetic and my doctor wants me to battle it through diet and exercise.  I was not surprised by the diagnosis and I am looking at it as the chance to really clean up my habits.  I had been making some small steps toward better health but I have been making "two steps forward, one step back" style progress.

So tonight I was driving home and thinking about what was in my refrigerator and freezer that I could make for dinner.  I had just bought some frozen sweet potato fries, and I was thinking about something that would go with those as a side dish.  It's a cold, snowy, blustery day, and I was in the mood for some comfort food.

Honestly I don't know how "healthy" these turkey meatloaves are, but I loaded them with vegetables for flavor and moisture.

Here's the recipe:

1 pound ground turkey
1 medium egg
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup or so of chopped mushrooms (I used regular button mushrooms)
1/2 cup of onions and peppers, chopped (I had a frozen blend that contained green, red, and yellow peppers with onions)
1/2 can of diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup spinach, chopped (I used fresh baby spinach but you could use frozen if you thawed and drained it.)
chopped garlic to taste (I think I used about a teaspoon of chopped garlic from a jar)
shredded cheese (I used Kroger's shredded queso quesadilla cheese)
barbecue sauce to spread on top of the mini loaves (if desired)

I meant to add some seasoning, but I forgot.  You could add some salt-free seasoning, or some Italian seasoning, or salt and pepper to taste.  I didn't miss it.

Preheat your oven to 400.

Mix all of the ingredients together, except for the cheese and barbecue sauce.

You will need a muffin tin (I used my large muffin tin that makes 6 muffins).  You are going to fill the miniature loaves with cheese, so put part of the meat mixture into the muffin tins, making sure that it lines the tins with a little depression in the middle.  Add the cheese and then cover the cheese with more of the meat mixture.

Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes.  The mini loaves did not get a "crust" on the edges, which I had hoped for, but I was hungry and they were fully cooked.  Probably they could have gone another 5 minutes to get that crusty edge.  After that, then baste some of the barbecue sauce on top of each mini loaf and return to the oven for a few minutes.

I didn't put BBQ sauce on all of them, and I tried a bit of the "with" and a bit of the "without".  Both were good...I suppose you could use any kind of sauce on top if you like.

Christmas Music

I have been listening to Christmas music since the beginning of October.  I have to restrain myself from waiting that long.  There is such a variety of styles and songs out there that the month of December just isn't long enough to listen to everything I want to.  Don't ask me to pick my favorite song.  I have particular arrangements of different songs that are my favorites, such as the Drifters' version of "White Christmas", or Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby".  Then there are the sacred songs..."Silent Night"(In German, of course) and "Joy to the World".  I especially love some of the old English carols, like "The Holly and the Ivy", "Jesus Christ the Apple Tree", and "Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day".  Then there are some German favorites, "Kling Glöckchen, Klingelingeling", or "Leise Rieslet der Schnee".

Today as I was out and about, I was playing Mercy Me's Christmas Sessions CD.  They have an arrangement of Longfellow's "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" that is quite nice.  The year that this CD came out, some other Christian artists performed their own version of this song.  The lyrics are quite simple:


I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

The third and fourth stanza are appropriate to the events that have happened in recent days.  We have witnessed several ways that hate can mock our ideal of peace on earth.  If we focus on these events, we can see the strength of hatred in our world.  Yet in the face of these events, we also witness how communities can gather together to support and love each other.  The families who were victims of the home explosion on the southside of Indianapolis have received generosity from the entire city.  The students of Sandy Hook elementary have been adopted by an entire nation.

The message of the song, "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep" is evident in the response of the nation to these recent tragedies.  Many would say that if God weren't dead or asleep, he would never have allowed such horrors to occur.  I can only respond by saying that we live in a fallen world, and God does not cause such events to happen, nor does he desire them.  However he has given us free will and doesn't control us.  He lets us make our own decisions and then we must cope with the consequences.

I believe that God uses such events in our lives, the good and the bad, to help us become the people he intends us to be. He uses our strengths and weaknesses to his glory.

Christmas Vacation Cooking...Taco Soup

I love Christmas vacation.  I love cold weather, and we haven't had any properly cold weather until today, my second day of vacation.

Yesterday, on my first day of vacation, I helped my mom babysit my little niece.  She needed to sew my niece's Christmas dress, and watching an 8-month-old baby is not conducive to sewing.  So I went over and watched my niece while she sewed.  For lunch, I ate leftover taco soup that my sister made, and it was quite yummy.  I asked her how she made it and she told me her "recipe"...originally she used a recipe but now she does it by memory, and innovation each time she cooks it.

Last night, we got our first real snowfall of the season AND it was appropriately cold and windy.  (It's about time, because earlier this week we had temperatures in the 50s!)  I had an appointment and did a little shopping and so I was out and about in this blustery, cold weather.  It put me into the mood for soup.  On my way home I thought about the contents of my pantry and realized that I had all of the ingredients to make a version of the taco soup as she explained it to me.  

I took my first Christmas vacation nap and then decided to cook the soup when I woke up.  I didn't take pictures as I went, but I did take a picture of the final product in a bowl.

So here's the recipe; realize that I made this up as I went along, from my sister's explanation of what she did.  Also realize that I cook for myself, so this will yield about 4-5 servings.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground turkey (you could probably use ground beef)

Taco seasoning to taste (I used this homemade version that I found on Pinterest.)

1 can of Campbell's Fiesta Cheese soup

1 tsp of beef boullion dissolved into 1 cup of water (I imagine you could use 1 cup of beef broth)

1 can of diced tomatoes, seasoned for Chili (I used Aldi's brand)

1/2 can of black beans

about 1 cup of frozen corn

about 1/2 cup of frozen bell pepper and onion mix (Kroger has a nice sliced red and green pepper with onion)

1. Brown the ground turkey with the taco seasoning.
2. Combine the bouillon and water and bring to a boil, adding the cheese soup and mix it so the cheese soup is combined with the bouillon.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the cooked turkey, and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

Serve with your favorite taco accompaniments: cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, guacamole!

Are we really safe?

The last few days have been quite stressful for me as a teacher.  Not only have I been preparing myself and my students for the end of the semester (final projects, final exams, etc.), but I have also had to deal with what happened on Friday in Newtown, Connecticut.  The entire nation is again in shock at the horror of this latest mass shooting.

As is typical, we are asking all kinds of questions, demanding answers, and wondering how another tragedy like this can be prevented.  People from both sides of the gun control debate are offering solutions.  Religious leaders blame the lack of faith, the rise of godlessness, and the removal of God from the schools.  Politicians and others blame parents, the lack of access to mental health care, and more.

Everyone is demanding an easy answer, and many answers have been proposed from all over the spectrum of those responding.

The thing is, there IS an easy answer, but it isn't the one we want.

How can we prevent tragedies like this from happening again?  We can't.  That's the easy answer, but as I said, it isn't the one we want.

Because I was raised in the Christian tradition, I believe that our world and our flesh is NOT inherently good, but inherently evil.  The New American Standard translation of Psalm 51:5 reads, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me."  Sin (iniquity) is part of our world, part of our nature.

Anyone who has been around young children for any amount of time should know that we have to teach them how to be unselfish, kind, and polite.  Children are naturally selfish.  They throw tantrums when they don't get what they want.  They grab.  They hit.  They cry.  These behaviors are not learned; they come naturally.  Sharing, caring for others, and all of the other acceptable behaviors must be taught.

We can pass all the laws we want, we can regulate guns, we can allow teachers to carry concealed weapons, we can do any number of things to make us feel secure, but it won't change human nature.  Someone will still find a way to bring about mass tragedy.  Many have noted that it is easier to obtain the ingredients for a bomb than it is to get a gun.  Locally, a house was blown up, killing 2 people and displacing hundreds of people.

We can point the finger of blame at any number of specific causes, but ultimately the blame rests on human nature.  If we don't perpetrate such horrible crimes, we glorify or minimize them.  Sensationalizing and glorifying such acts encourages those who seek the attention.  Minimizing violence creates a sense of apathy to our fellow men.

Perhaps the problem of minimizing such actions results from the fact that unless we are directly, personally affected by any kind of tragedy, it is easy to move on with our own lives.  My daily life isn't directly affected by the shootings, my daily life wasn't affected by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Sandy, I don't have a family member who is deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.  Without a direct connection to such tragedies, we can get over it much sooner than those directly affected by it.

I don't feel unsafe in my daily life.  I don't worry about whether a crazed gunman will enter my school building.  I don't imagine a drunk driver will plow into my vehicle as I drive throughout the city.  I don't expect a devastating tornado to reduce my home to smithereens.  I'm not guaranteed safety any more than anyone else is.  Honestly, I don't think about my safety very often.  Perhaps I should.  Will worrying about how safe I am make me safer?  Not likely.  I can just pray for God's protection and trust that his will is done in my life.