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Saturday, February 1, 2014

Happy Lunar New Year!


So... it is a New Year!  Today begins the Year of the Horse!


Since I seem to have lost about 2 months in my posting, I will eliminate the traditional Holiday Greetings!
Needless to say, I hope I did not offend by forgetting this traditional time.


 I love the Lunar New Year as it gives me a chance to regroup myself after the craziness of the end of our traditional calendar year - 15 days.  It also helps that I love Chinese Food, and it gives me a reason to order out Lemon Chicken.


I will begin my New Year, as always trying to organize myself, my mind, and my environment so I make better use of all.  This seems like a tall order, but with everything that goes in in my life, it will become necessary.


My stitching continues on fast an furious; learning to make those great traditional holiday stockings like my grandmother made; practicing the art of "double knitting" for warm hats, re-upholstering chairs and making throw pillows.  My students continually surprise me with what they want to make, so as they challenge themselves they challenge and inspire me.  


I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the Master's Capstone Project - Linking Family and Consumer Science with STEAM education. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics).


The results of my research show a direct correlation, but the implementation of the integration is lacking. So now I have to ask:
  • Have we silo'd  education so much that the practical applications have become so far removed that students can not see the links?  
  • Have we as FCS teachers done such a good job that we have created our own obsolescence?  
  • If the above is true, then why the high levels of obesity, lack of financial literacy, and screams for teaching Critical Thinking and Creativity?
So my year of the Horse will gallop on at breakneck speed - I just hope I can hold on for the ride!