Periodically, I find that my normal routine is shot to H-E-double hockey sticks. It happens. It could be the weather. It could be family. It could be errands. It could be a combination of the above.
This week you might think it has to do with the weather--tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, etc. But you would be wrong.
I knew this week would be rough three weeks ago.
Today is my daughter's last day of finals. School was out last Friday, but they have reverted to a finals schedule for three days this week. 9 AM - 12 PM. Two tests in the morning for three days. And driving time is roughly 20-30 minutes ONE WAY, depending on traffic and accidents.
Today is the last day.
I have to drive her to school -- since it's later in the morning, the hubs can't do it -- get some errands done and take a shower, and then I go back to get her.
Today is even crazier. Pick her up to take her to a pool party after school, then another mom will pick her up for a sleep-over birthday party, but I have to take the kidlet's overnight stuff to the other house.
Tomorrow will be a mess with taking my mom to the beauty shop, driving BACK across town to pick the kidlet up, and BACK again to pick my mom up from the beauty shop! All of this driving will happen between 8:45 and 10:15.
*Note to self: FILL THE CAR WITH GAS!
Oh, I suppose I could be walking at 6:30 in the morning, but then I wouldn't be writing this blog, now would I??
And with all kidlet's studying, she hasn't been going to swim practice, thus my second venue for walking is gone until Thursday night.
I'll get back on schedule. I always do. Besides I thrive from my walkies, and not doing them makes me sad. It's my thinking time. This is how I solve the great mysteries of live . . . or maybe just plot out my next picture book.
I see Friday as being my first day back to a routine schedule, but then again, Memorial Day weekend is coming up and I foresee a little bit of traveling in my future.
I'll have to fit my walkies in when I can.
And so should you.
Having a routine is wonderful. But sometimes life gets in the way and we need to MAKE the time for exercise.
If you don't have the time to walk for an hour or go to the gym, then keep moving---clean the house, walk up and down the stairs numerous times, pick weeds in the yard, mow the lawn.
The key is to keep moving. No you probably won't get any aerobic activity from these items, but you also won't be sitting on a chair with a remote in one hand and a bag of Jalapeno Cheetos in the other, will you?
Later, Peeps!
5/21/13
Tornadoes
Yesterday, for the third time in fifteen years, Moore, OK was hit yet again with a devastating tornado. My heart goes out to all the families who lost loved ones in this storm. Two elementary schools were hit. At one school, everyone survived with a few minor injuries, while the other school wasn't so lucky. When tornadoes become so powerful (F4 or F5) with a wind speed of 200+ mph and a wide path, there is nothing you can do except pray to a greater being because it's out of your hands.
One of my European friends wondered how we get tornadoes over and over again, while yet, they don't get them. Actually, Europe does get some tornadoes, but they are few and far between or cold ones that fall apart before they hit the ground to do damage.
So what happens?
Tornado season is usually March-June, but we have had them in January and October before as it all depends on what's happening in the atmosphere. Drought has hit the center of the country over the last two years, which has moved the atmospheric elements to the north and east of us.
But now they're back.
The reason TX, OK and KS seem to attract tornadoes is due to their location in the Great Plains. Warm air is brought up from the Gulf of Mexico and mixes with the cold Jet Stream trough coming from the Colorado Rockies. When the air on the land heats up and becomes super humid, it rises. This convection mixes with the cold upper level air, forming a swirling vortex. Sometimes the vortex only peeps out of the clouds. Other times, it becomes a tornado. The strength of the tornado depends on the strength of the atmospheric conditions.
All you can do is be prepared.
Go to the lowest level of your house. Go to an inner room with no windows--closet or bathroom--flying glass is a big problem. Pad the room as much as possible and/or cover yourself with a blanket. Have a flashlight and radio with you. And wear shoes, not flip-flops, but real shoes--sneakers. Recently, they've been recommending wearing a helmet of sorts, most tornado deaths are due to head injuries.
Many new houses are built with a 'fraidy-hole' or tornado shelter. Most houses don't have basements, because of the water tables flooding them, but a storm shelter of this sort would be ideal.
There are a few FB notices calling for 'safe rooms' in schools. Instead of spending billions on football stadiums, spend some money on the safety of our children.
But as I mentioned earlier, a massive tornado will tear through anything, and the only safe place is under ground.
That said, I've lived in Oklahoma for over 45 years. I've only seen one tornado--probably because I was in my fraidy-hole--that wasn't on the news. In 1992, a tornado came through Tulsa on the night before my wedding. It wiped out a church only 1/4 mile away from the church I was married in. We didn't have electricity, but it was a beautiful wedding anyway.
Tornadoes happen, just like all acts of Mother Nature--hurricanes, floods, earthquakes. We must respect her and take precautions. That is all we can do.
Later, Peeps!
All you can do is be prepared.
Go to the lowest level of your house. Go to an inner room with no windows--closet or bathroom--flying glass is a big problem. Pad the room as much as possible and/or cover yourself with a blanket. Have a flashlight and radio with you. And wear shoes, not flip-flops, but real shoes--sneakers. Recently, they've been recommending wearing a helmet of sorts, most tornado deaths are due to head injuries.
Many new houses are built with a 'fraidy-hole' or tornado shelter. Most houses don't have basements, because of the water tables flooding them, but a storm shelter of this sort would be ideal.
There are a few FB notices calling for 'safe rooms' in schools. Instead of spending billions on football stadiums, spend some money on the safety of our children.
But as I mentioned earlier, a massive tornado will tear through anything, and the only safe place is under ground.
That said, I've lived in Oklahoma for over 45 years. I've only seen one tornado--probably because I was in my fraidy-hole--that wasn't on the news. In 1992, a tornado came through Tulsa on the night before my wedding. It wiped out a church only 1/4 mile away from the church I was married in. We didn't have electricity, but it was a beautiful wedding anyway.
Tornadoes happen, just like all acts of Mother Nature--hurricanes, floods, earthquakes. We must respect her and take precautions. That is all we can do.
Later, Peeps!
5/20/13
Aloha Long Course Meet
This last weekend we watched the kidlet swim in her first, and probably only, long course meet of the season. We have various camps and other things going on that it will be difficult to fit a weekend swim meet into the schedule.
I insisted upon this meet because:
Most of the kidlet's events were NT--not timed--which means she's never swam that particular event in an official meet before. She swims the distances, but not in long course version.
Prior to the meet being cancelled, the kidlet was having a really good meet, earning 90 points. I have no idea what the 'point' system is, but it gives you the points on the app. I think it helps in overall team ranking and swimmer ranking--to help rank them when they are NT for an event, but really, I have no clue.
On Friday:
200 IM, shaving 27.58 seconds off her previous time with a time of 3:13.25 putting her in 10 place for all the 12 & Unders who swam--missed OAG by A LOT, but it was her first Long Course event since last summer.
On Saturday, we spent a hellish day on the bleachers as the morning session went over by an hour, but we arrived when we were supposed to be there . . . seven hours later we hobbled out, crippled for the evening.
Here's Saturday's events:
She swam the 200 Free Relay with the 'C' group of senior girls from Swim Tulsa. She was the youngest one on this team as the girls had all 'aged up' (when you turn 13, you automatically swim with Gold team) in the past six months. The team finished 12 overall, from a NT seeded position of 16, with a time of 2:20.36. She swam the third leg with the second fasted time of the team--34.43 seconds.
200 Meter Free--no seeded time--2:58.45--missed qualifying for Long Course Age Groups (OAG) by 1 second.
100 Meter Back--NT--1:30.99-- Missed qualifying for OAG by 4 seconds
200 Meter Breast --NT--3:44.85--Qualified for OAG (by 1 second)
50 Meter Free--NT--36.53--Missed qualifying by 2 seconds. Even if she could use her relay split time, she would have missed qualifying by 0.03 seconds.
Sunday:
200 Meter Back -- NT -- 3:06.39--Qualified for OAG (by 8 seconds)
And then, after sitting there for five hours they cancelled the meet--This was when we heard about the Shawnee tornado. She wasn't able to swim the 100 Fly, 100 Breast, or 100 Free, but all-in-all, she had a wonderful meet.
It was hard for her to know how fast to swim when she didn't have a previous time in an event, plus many times the other NT's in the heat scratched and she was swimming against only one or two other girls.
That's it for now.
Later, Peeps!
I insisted upon this meet because:
- it was in Jenks and only 15 minutes from our house
- we could do all 3 days without much cost other than the actual events (no hotel, no eating out--beyond our normal, no excessive driving, etc)
- this meet took place the weekend before finals
- Sunday would be cancelled mid-meet, due to tornadoes
- there's a really cool app for this--Meet Mobile--search for the meet, find your swimmer, favorite them, and it gives you all the times, seed times, place times, split times, etc.
Most of the kidlet's events were NT--not timed--which means she's never swam that particular event in an official meet before. She swims the distances, but not in long course version.
Prior to the meet being cancelled, the kidlet was having a really good meet, earning 90 points. I have no idea what the 'point' system is, but it gives you the points on the app. I think it helps in overall team ranking and swimmer ranking--to help rank them when they are NT for an event, but really, I have no clue.
On Friday:
200 IM, shaving 27.58 seconds off her previous time with a time of 3:13.25 putting her in 10 place for all the 12 & Unders who swam--missed OAG by A LOT, but it was her first Long Course event since last summer.
On Saturday, we spent a hellish day on the bleachers as the morning session went over by an hour, but we arrived when we were supposed to be there . . . seven hours later we hobbled out, crippled for the evening.
Here's Saturday's events:
She swam the 200 Free Relay with the 'C' group of senior girls from Swim Tulsa. She was the youngest one on this team as the girls had all 'aged up' (when you turn 13, you automatically swim with Gold team) in the past six months. The team finished 12 overall, from a NT seeded position of 16, with a time of 2:20.36. She swam the third leg with the second fasted time of the team--34.43 seconds.
200 Meter Free--no seeded time--2:58.45--missed qualifying for Long Course Age Groups (OAG) by 1 second.
100 Meter Back--NT--1:30.99-- Missed qualifying for OAG by 4 seconds
200 Meter Breast --NT--3:44.85--Qualified for OAG (by 1 second)
50 Meter Free--NT--36.53--Missed qualifying by 2 seconds. Even if she could use her relay split time, she would have missed qualifying by 0.03 seconds.
Sunday:
200 Meter Back -- NT -- 3:06.39--Qualified for OAG (by 8 seconds)
And then, after sitting there for five hours they cancelled the meet--This was when we heard about the Shawnee tornado. She wasn't able to swim the 100 Fly, 100 Breast, or 100 Free, but all-in-all, she had a wonderful meet.
It was hard for her to know how fast to swim when she didn't have a previous time in an event, plus many times the other NT's in the heat scratched and she was swimming against only one or two other girls.
That's it for now.
Later, Peeps!
5/17/13
Brenda Novak's For the Cure of Juvenile Diabetes Auction
Started at the beginning of May and will run to May 31. I've been remiss about posting this, but it was in the tabs of my blog header.
There are tons of items/vacations/writerly/non-writerly/crafty/non-crafty/books stuff to bid on.
Of course, I've donated to the cause again this year.
Today is a one day auction for my truffle candies. At 6:30 AM, they already are going for $23.
Check the links for the other items to pull you to the page and then see what other stuff is available for the bidding!
Brenda Novak's 2013 For the Cure Auction is open to donations! Click the embedded link to find all sorts of goodies that will be up for auction. Plan ahead. The auction starts May 1 and closes May 31, 2013. Many of my chocolates will be up for one day auctions. I'm supposed to be notified so I can tweet/FB/Google+ my peeps!
This year I'm donating under the Art, Jewelry, Handcrafted items:
Currently going for a STEAL at $70. Last year this afghan raised $160!
Please take some time and look over all the wonderful items that have been donated to the cause. Many of them have reserves that have yet to be met. Please help Brenda raise donations for Juvenile Diabetes research.
There are tons of items/vacations/writerly/non-writerly/crafty/non-crafty/books stuff to bid on.
Of course, I've donated to the cause again this year.
Today is a one day auction for my truffle candies. At 6:30 AM, they already are going for $23.
Check the links for the other items to pull you to the page and then see what other stuff is available for the bidding!
Brenda Novak's 2013 For the Cure Auction is open to donations! Click the embedded link to find all sorts of goodies that will be up for auction. Plan ahead. The auction starts May 1 and closes May 31, 2013. Many of my chocolates will be up for one day auctions. I'm supposed to be notified so I can tweet/FB/Google+ my peeps!
This year I'm donating under the Art, Jewelry, Handcrafted items:
Currently going for a STEAL at $70. Last year this afghan raised $160!
 |
| Angels All Around afghan |
 |
| Close up of angels
If you want a color other than ivory, you will have to choose it from a list of possible colors and give me 4-6 weeks to make it.
|
Molded candies:
Truffle filling flavors offered--yes, I make all my own fillings using prodigious amounts of butter, heavy cream, high quality Ghirardelli chocolate (white and dark), liquor, along with appropriate fruits and nuts.
As of this posting, they are going for $35-38/box
-Amaretto—Amaretto di Saronno (almond) liquor
-Bäranjäger—a honey liquor
-Black Forest—minced cherries soaked in Kirshwasser prior to blending into a dark truffle filling.
-ButterShots—Butterscotch schnapps made into a dark truffle filling
-Chambord—Puree of blackberries and raspberries (seeds are strained out) and Chambord liquor
-Cranberry Cosmo--cranberries, vodka, with a twist of orange zest
-Frangelico—Frangelico (hazelnut) liquor
-Gingerbread--ginger root in vodka, with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and molasses
-Grand Marnier—juice and zest from oranges and Grand Marnier
-Key Lime—Juice and zest from Key Limes, and Tanqueray Gin
-Limoncello—#1 favorite flavor “perfect combination of sweet, lemony tartness”—lemon juice and zest, and Limoncello liquor
-Peppermint Schnapps—Rumple Minze schnapps and peppermint oil
-Rum Raisin—Raisins macerated in Bacardi Select rum
-Strawberry Margarita—frozen strawberries, lime juice and Cuervo Gold tequila
-Whiskey Toffee—Jack Daniels black label whiskey and toffee pieces
AND
Five Boxes of Sea Salt Caramels
As of this posting, they are going for $43-50/box!
Sea Salt Caramels—seriously to DIE for—buttery, creamy caramel with a crunch of sea salt for the sweet and salty treat we all seem to crave-milk or dark chocolate dipped
Please take some time and look over all the wonderful items that have been donated to the cause. Many of them have reserves that have yet to be met. Please help Brenda raise donations for Juvenile Diabetes research.
Later, Peeps!
5/16/13
Parenting 101 -- Coffee drinking or NOT
Yesterday, my kidlet wanted to drink a cup of coffee. She's 12 and has been fighting allergies. I suggested taking a Claritin instead. She refused.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you said the coconut one tasted good."
Like that's a good reason to start drinking coffee. I do prefer the Donut Shop Coconut Mocha one over the Emeril's Jamaica Me Crazy, but the only reason she wants to try coffee is because some of the kids at school go to Starbucks on a daily basis. Their frappa-lappa-dingdong drinks aren't COFFEE no matter how you brew it.
"Fine, but if you don't like it give it to me and I'll drink it."
The coffee brews in the Keurig. I add sweetener AND cream to it.
"It's too hot." so she puts it in the freezer.
"Why don't you put an ice cube in it?"
She does . . . along with another large spoonful of sweetener.
"Why are you adding more sweetener?"
"Because it's bitter."
"But that's what real coffee tastes like. It has a bitterness to it that hits the back of your tongue. It's an acquired taste, like drinking beer."
Not that I want her to drink beer, but it took me a long time to a) enjoy the taste of coffee, b) enjoy the taste of beer--the real stuff, not the 3.2 water they call beer in this state.
"So you don't like it?"
She shakes her head and hands me the cup. By this time the swill is cold, overly sweetened and simply not worth drinking.
"Pour it down the drain. It's ruined. By the way you owe me a dollar for that K-cup you wasted."
She rummages around in my 'everything' drawer and hands me four quarters--of my money, mind you!
"Here."
I sigh . . . deeply. "Just put it back and we'll call it even."
"But it won't be a deal until you take it from me and then give it back to me to put it in the drawer."
"Fine." I took the money and gave it back to here.
"Can I make a hot cocoa now?"
"Sure."
The lesson learned here is that the kidlet won't be drinking coffee any time soon.
:-) Ain't it fun being a parent?
Later, Peeps!
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you said the coconut one tasted good."
Like that's a good reason to start drinking coffee. I do prefer the Donut Shop Coconut Mocha one over the Emeril's Jamaica Me Crazy, but the only reason she wants to try coffee is because some of the kids at school go to Starbucks on a daily basis. Their frappa-lappa-dingdong drinks aren't COFFEE no matter how you brew it.
"Fine, but if you don't like it give it to me and I'll drink it."
The coffee brews in the Keurig. I add sweetener AND cream to it.
"It's too hot." so she puts it in the freezer.
"Why don't you put an ice cube in it?"
She does . . . along with another large spoonful of sweetener.
"Why are you adding more sweetener?"
"Because it's bitter."
"But that's what real coffee tastes like. It has a bitterness to it that hits the back of your tongue. It's an acquired taste, like drinking beer."
Not that I want her to drink beer, but it took me a long time to a) enjoy the taste of coffee, b) enjoy the taste of beer--the real stuff, not the 3.2 water they call beer in this state.
"So you don't like it?"
She shakes her head and hands me the cup. By this time the swill is cold, overly sweetened and simply not worth drinking.
"Pour it down the drain. It's ruined. By the way you owe me a dollar for that K-cup you wasted."
She rummages around in my 'everything' drawer and hands me four quarters--of my money, mind you!
"Here."
I sigh . . . deeply. "Just put it back and we'll call it even."
"But it won't be a deal until you take it from me and then give it back to me to put it in the drawer."
"Fine." I took the money and gave it back to here.
"Can I make a hot cocoa now?"
"Sure."
The lesson learned here is that the kidlet won't be drinking coffee any time soon.
:-) Ain't it fun being a parent?
Later, Peeps!
5/15/13
Weighty Wednesday -- WW 360 concept
I tried. Really, I did. I tried to like the concept of the 360 program from Weight Watchers.
But I don't like it. Not at all.
The idea behind the 360 part of the program--as I understand it--is to work on an area of your life for a month to make that part of your life--to bring it full circle, if you will.
To me, it's like beating a dead horse.
Up until January--when this program started--Weight Watchers and I had been psychically connected in a weird way. When I needed a certain concept in my life--they presented it during the meeting. This happened for over a year and a half worth of meetings and 50 pounds of weight loss.
Now, they are talking about different forms of a particular subject ad nauseum for an entire month!
I feel like I'm a kid again . . . and you know what kids do when parents lecture them?
They tune them out. They do the opposite of what the parent wants.
I'm having a hard time with dropping this little bit of weight that I had gained, because the meetings aren't inspiring me or motivating me to push through my obstacles. And don't tell me that they have a gazillion researchers discovering that this is the best way.
Because, for me, it isn't. I'm one of the blips outside the core research subjects.
Think about all those scientific studies that "proved" one thing or another only to have it vilified ten years later?
Food 'pyramid' anyone?? I knew this was a bad idea from the get-go.
Though I love my leader and my group, I don't love the program, which means I'll have to go through my old blogs to find the incentive to get back to goal.
In my mind, the 360 program is a PROGRAM FAIL . . . so I guess it really was a good thing that I decided NOT to be a Weight Watcher leader, because I'd have a hard time selling something I didn't fully believe in.
Right now, I feel as if I'm alone in this weight struggle and I don't like the feeling. I wish Weight Watchers would return to the way the program was set up the last two years. I understand the need to change and keeping it fresh.
But like what's happening with Facebook--new and changed does NOT always equate with better.
Later, Peeps!
But I don't like it. Not at all.
The idea behind the 360 part of the program--as I understand it--is to work on an area of your life for a month to make that part of your life--to bring it full circle, if you will.
To me, it's like beating a dead horse.
Up until January--when this program started--Weight Watchers and I had been psychically connected in a weird way. When I needed a certain concept in my life--they presented it during the meeting. This happened for over a year and a half worth of meetings and 50 pounds of weight loss.
Now, they are talking about different forms of a particular subject ad nauseum for an entire month!
I feel like I'm a kid again . . . and you know what kids do when parents lecture them?
They tune them out. They do the opposite of what the parent wants.
I'm having a hard time with dropping this little bit of weight that I had gained, because the meetings aren't inspiring me or motivating me to push through my obstacles. And don't tell me that they have a gazillion researchers discovering that this is the best way.
Because, for me, it isn't. I'm one of the blips outside the core research subjects.
Think about all those scientific studies that "proved" one thing or another only to have it vilified ten years later?
Food 'pyramid' anyone?? I knew this was a bad idea from the get-go.
Though I love my leader and my group, I don't love the program, which means I'll have to go through my old blogs to find the incentive to get back to goal.
In my mind, the 360 program is a PROGRAM FAIL . . . so I guess it really was a good thing that I decided NOT to be a Weight Watcher leader, because I'd have a hard time selling something I didn't fully believe in.
Right now, I feel as if I'm alone in this weight struggle and I don't like the feeling. I wish Weight Watchers would return to the way the program was set up the last two years. I understand the need to change and keeping it fresh.
But like what's happening with Facebook--new and changed does NOT always equate with better.
Later, Peeps!
5/14/13
Last Week of School
Wow, it's hard to believe that this is the last week of school before finals next week. This second semester has flown by. This will be a mildly crazy week followed by a totally whack-a-doodle week next week.
In other words, my schedule of normalcy is gone with the wind.
I have to admit that I feel sorry for the poor kidlet. She has two quizzes and one test today. She was having a such difficult time figuring out an equation in pre-algebra that she even asked me for help. Actually, I had been very good student in math, but it has been many, many years since I've used it.
The kidlet asked for my help, so I was going to do the best I could to help her. Her frustration level was extremely high by this point, tears were in her eyes as she tossed her paper with a bunch of scribbles at me. "Here."
Okay . . . I start reading.
"It's not that side I'm having problems with. I don't know what 'C' means."
Right . . . "I need a point of reference, where's your book?"
"The book won't help you."
Like having some half-written equation would?? "I need to skim over the chapter you're reading to be able to help you figure out what the teacher is asking."
The book is tossed in my lap. I start skimming. This chapter is about calculating the surface area of prisms, cylinders, cubes, etc. Okay. Their are also two examples on the page. Once for the prism, which had Ph . . . which translated to Prism height. Simple deduction led me to believe Ch in her equation meant Cylinder height.
Got it. Now to explain to the kidlet who is frustrated beyond measure and has mentally shut down for the night.
After trying a few different methods of explaining and five minutes later. I had a happy kid who understood the concept. She just needed to have the equation explained in a different manner.
This example just underlines the concept that not everyone learns the same way. Sometimes teachers--and parents--need to change the language so that the student understands the concept.
It's still the same concept.
It's still the same answer.
But sometimes we need to attempt it from a different direction than the norm.
I didn't learn this particular lesson until my twenties when I started learning how to ride. My instructor kept telling me to "Put my heels down". For over two years, I tried forcing my heels down. And then I was at a riding clinic, the clinic instructor used the words, "Put your weight in your heels."
The light bulb went off. This concept made perfect sense to me. And I knew exactly what my instructor had been asking all those years--she just never used the correct words that triggered the light bulb in my mind.
Many teachers teach one way, but the really good teachers will find a way to teach the student who has to look at things a little differently.
Food for thought. Later, Peeps!
In other words, my schedule of normalcy is gone with the wind.
I have to admit that I feel sorry for the poor kidlet. She has two quizzes and one test today. She was having a such difficult time figuring out an equation in pre-algebra that she even asked me for help. Actually, I had been very good student in math, but it has been many, many years since I've used it.
The kidlet asked for my help, so I was going to do the best I could to help her. Her frustration level was extremely high by this point, tears were in her eyes as she tossed her paper with a bunch of scribbles at me. "Here."
Okay . . . I start reading.
"It's not that side I'm having problems with. I don't know what 'C' means."
Right . . . "I need a point of reference, where's your book?"
"The book won't help you."
Like having some half-written equation would?? "I need to skim over the chapter you're reading to be able to help you figure out what the teacher is asking."
The book is tossed in my lap. I start skimming. This chapter is about calculating the surface area of prisms, cylinders, cubes, etc. Okay. Their are also two examples on the page. Once for the prism, which had Ph . . . which translated to Prism height. Simple deduction led me to believe Ch in her equation meant Cylinder height.
Got it. Now to explain to the kidlet who is frustrated beyond measure and has mentally shut down for the night.
After trying a few different methods of explaining and five minutes later. I had a happy kid who understood the concept. She just needed to have the equation explained in a different manner.
This example just underlines the concept that not everyone learns the same way. Sometimes teachers--and parents--need to change the language so that the student understands the concept.
It's still the same concept.
It's still the same answer.
But sometimes we need to attempt it from a different direction than the norm.
I didn't learn this particular lesson until my twenties when I started learning how to ride. My instructor kept telling me to "Put my heels down". For over two years, I tried forcing my heels down. And then I was at a riding clinic, the clinic instructor used the words, "Put your weight in your heels."
The light bulb went off. This concept made perfect sense to me. And I knew exactly what my instructor had been asking all those years--she just never used the correct words that triggered the light bulb in my mind.
Many teachers teach one way, but the really good teachers will find a way to teach the student who has to look at things a little differently.
Food for thought. Later, Peeps!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)