The Rivers School Blog

2009-08-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

"This summer, Rivers teachers are embarking on a variety of activities through the school’s faculty enrichment grants, which aim to promote the intellectual growth of Rivers teachers through research, education, and other independent projects. Today, we hear from David Burzillo, who will be studying Sumerian,an ancient language from Southern Mesopotamia."

One of the many challenges of learning Sumerian is getting used to the many aspects of the language that make it so different from English. One major difference is how words are built up in the language. When language analysis and the grouping of languages into families was taking place in earnest in the 19^th century, linguists came up with a typology for classifying the world’s languages. Three major types were identified, based on the way that words were created. Isolating languages are languages in which basically every morpheme is a separate word. Chinese is an isolating language. Fusional or inflectional languages fuse endings to word roots and use the word endings to convey important information about person, number, tense, etc… Latin is a fusional or inflectional language. Sumerian is an agglutinative language. In agglutinative languages strings of prefixes and suffixes are linked to nominal and verbal roots to make words. For a novice Sumerian student like me, recognizing the verbal roots and then identifying the various prefixes and suffixes that go with them is incredibly time consuming.

To illustrate, here is an example from an inscription of Amar-Sin on a stamped brick:

Column II of a Brick Inscription of Amar-Sin

One of the many verbs in the inscription is in line eleven of the second column, the last line in the image. Its transliteration is:

“ḫe₂-eb-til-le-ne”

This line is transcribed by Sumerologists in the following way:

“ḫe₂.(i₃)b.til.e.ene.0”

This line of the inscription is part of a curse, in which Amar-Sin calls upon the gods Nanna and Ningal to “put an end to the offspring” of anyone who changes the position of the statue he has set up or tears down its pedestal.

The verbal root is til, which means “to live.” This, though, is only one of the seven elements that make up this verb. What is the function of all the other elements? What information do they convey?

1. ḫe₂is a modal prefix, regularly used to introduce curses.

2. i₃ is a conjugation prefix. (The i contracted into the e of the previous sign, a common occurrence in Sumerian.) As I noted in an earlier blog, Sumerologists are not in agreement about the actual function of conjugation prefixes.

3. b is a personal prefix, which refers back to the direct object (offspring) in the previous line.

4. til is the verbal root

5. e indicates that this is a maru verb, a type of Sumerian verb which probably indicates an incompleted action

6. ene is a plural marker, needed because the subject of the verb is plural (the gods Nanna and Ningal)

7. 0 is a personal affix which cross-references the subjects (again, the gods Nanna and Ningal)

As you can see from this verb form, despite the fact that the verbal root is quite simple, there is a lot of important information conveyed in the prefixes and affixes attached to it. It is this characteristic of combining prefixes and suffixes and roots which led to the definition of Sumerian as an agglutinative language, and it is one of the many aspects of the language which takes some getting used to.

David Burzillo

My Summer Internship

2009-08-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

Throughout my internship I had so many amazing experiences. I was able to shadow a respiratory therapist and observe an intubation, participate in the PALS (pediatric advanced life support) course with the critical care fellows, follow attending physicians during rounds, learn how to place a central venous line (a special IV), learn how to place a breathing tube and how to properly ventilate a patient, watch a cardiac catheterization (a surgery during which a catheter is threaded through the patient’s vasculature all the way into his heart in order to diagnose or treat a condition), learn about cardiac arrhythmias and treat them using a defibrillator. I also learned about human anatomy, physiology, and medicine through watching and helping run simulations. Everyday was an adventure during which I knew that I would learn something new.

Last post from Mexico

2009-08-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Little Fingers

2009-08-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

The importance of singing and talking to hospitalized babies

2009-07-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

This summer, Rivers students are embarking on a variety of interesting and challenging adventures, from doing community service abroad to attending prestigious music camps. Throughout the coming months, we will be periodically checking in with a handful of students to learn more about their experiences. Today, we hear from Emily Hoberman, who is working at the Children’s Hospital this summer.

Over the past six weeks, I have observed and learned much about the communication and interaction between babies and the people who are taking care of them. One of the most interesting things that I have observed is how the babies respond to how you are feeling and your mood. For example, on Wednesday I was holding a two-month old baby. I was a little nervous when I was first holding her because she was quite ill and fragile. As a result of my nervousness, the baby's breathing was faster than normal and her body seemed tense. After ten minutes, however, as I became less nervous, she became less nervous and actually started to hiccup, which usually means that the baby is completely relaxed. Also, when I took a deep breath in and yawned, her breathing slowed down even more, and she yawned too! It was very interesting to see this physiological reaction.

The child life specialist and the nurses have taught me various other techniques to interact with the babies. These techniques include telling them stories and simply talking to them as if you were talking to an adult. When I first heard of these approaches, I was surprised and did not understand how they could possibly work, or how the baby could understand what I was saying. However, after actually trying out this technique it seemed to work perfectly. The babies enjoy the chatter and usually fall asleep peacefully or easily calm down from crying. Another technique is singing to them. Although I do not have the greatest of voices and was fearful that the babies would start hysterically crying when they heard my singing, I tried this approach. I always tend to sing holiday songs, and the babies love them!

In addition to these techniques for keeping the babies entertained and calm, they also help the babies stay developmentally on track. Since a sick baby can often be confined to his hospital room in isolation or under severe precautions for months at a time, he does not experience the same level of social interaction that a baby living at home and experiencing the outside world does. All of the above techniques are thus extremely effective in keeping the baby in as normal an environment as possible and keeping them developmentally on track.

At the end of my day, I am often amazed by the strength of the children, their families and the care providers at Children's Hospital. Improving the quality of life for hospitalized kids is a top priority at Children's. In fact, the job of the Child Life Service Department is mostly to normalize a child's experience while they are hospitalized. Whether it is mimicking the constant hum of noise from the outside world, recognizing an important milestone such as Mother's Day, or providing the important human touch, this department helps to support the children and their families during this difficult time in their lives.

--Emily Hoberman

Hablando Español huan niquitica ica nahuatl (and speaking English, too)

2009-07-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

2009-07-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

"This summer, Rivers teachers are embarking on a variety of activities through the school’s faculty enrichment grants, which aim to promote the intellectual growth of Rivers teachers through research, education, and other independent projects. Today, we hear from David Burzillo, who is studying Sumerian,an ancient language from Southern Mesopotamia."

For the past 130 years, Sumerian scholars have worked hard to figure out the vocabulary and grammar of the Sumerian language. While much progress has been made, there are still many aspects of Sumerian which remain mysterious, and debates and disagreements abound in the scholarly community. Despite this fact, there is much that is agreed upon, and scholars are pretty confident about much of the language. As a result, many documents have been translated, and the Sumerian history they reveal is an important part of many ancient and world history courses today.

I thought I would give a brief explanation of how a text in Sumerian is translated. The text above is a royal inscription from a clay brick. The inscription contains a dedication to Nanna, the Sumerian moon god, and the god to whom the largest (and most famous) temple of the city of Ur was dedicated. The brick was dedicated by Ur-Nammu, the founder of the dynasty, who probably ruled from 2112 BCE to 2095 BCE.

The first step in the process in to transliterate the inscription, which means writing out the values of each sign. The transliteration tells the reader exactly what signs are present. (This text has eight lines, which are read starting from the top of the left-hand column and moving down, and then going to the top of the right-hand column and moving down.)

The transliteration of this inscription looks like this:

1 ^dšeš-ki (=Nanna)

2. lugal-a-ni

3. Ur- ^dNammu

4. lugal-šeš-ab-ki (=Urim₅^ki)-ma-ke₄

5. e₂-a-ni

6. mu-na-du3

7. bad₃-šeš-ki(=Urim₅^ki)-ma

8. mu-na-du₃

The next step is to produce a transcription of the signs. Sumerian scholars do not believe that the original purpose of the cuneiform writing system was to render the spoken language as exactly as possible in writing; many scholars think that, at least early on, the writing system might have been more of a shorthand, and scribes were left to fill in the blanks. A transcription attempts to show the best estimate of the “correct phonological shape” of the inscription, what the language actually conveyed. As you will see, there are differences between the transliterated version of the inscription and its transcription.

The transcription of this inscription looks like this:

1. [Nanna

2. lugal.ani].(r)

3. [Ur.Nammu

4. lugal.Urim₅.ak].e

5. [e₂.ani].Æ

6. mu.na.(n.)du3.Æ

7. bad.urim₅.a.Æ

8. mu.na.(n.)du3.Æ

Finally, the translation takes place:

1. For Nanna,

2. his king—

3. Ur-Nammu

4. the king of Ur—

5. his temple—

6. built

7. The city wall of Ur—

8. he built for him.

I will not discuss all the details of this short text, but I will note a couple of points:

1. Sumerian is an agglutinative language, meaning it builds up words by joining many different prefixes and affixes to verbal and nominal roots. The verb in lines 6 and 8, for example, consist of five elements. The mu is called a conjugation prefix. There are a number of conjugation prefixes, but scholars are not sure what purpose they served. The na is called a directional prefix, and it tells something about case relationships. In line 6 for example, the na cross references the dative case (marked with an .r in line 1). The n is a personal affix. It tells the reader about the relationship between the agent and patient (the terminology used in ergative languages for what we call the subject and direct object). The n here cross references the agent, Ur-Nammu, who is described in lines 3 and 4, and is marked with an .e. Next comes the verbal root du₃. This verb means to build. Finally, there is a personal affix. In the case of this verb form, there is no need for one, so in the transcription a Æ is written. (This Æ would actually be a zero with a line through it, but I could not get it to appear correctly in the blog.) This particular verb is pretty simple; many Sumerian verbs contain many more prefixes and affixes.

2. Note that in line 1 there are three signs for Nanna, the moon god. The d (in superscript) is a determinative. It would not be pronounced in spoken Sumerian, but it tells the reader of a written text that what followed was the name of a god. The šeš-ki signs together represent Nanna.

3. Finally, in line 4 the transliteration reads lugal-Urim₅^ki-ma-ke₄but the transcription reads lugal.Urim₅.ak.e.The m of the ma sign duplicates the m at the end of Urim, so the second of the two m’s is not written. The a of ma is joined with the k of ke₄. The ak sign is the genitive marker. Finally, the e of the ke₄ is the ergative marker, indicating that what precedes these signs is the agent (or subject) of the statement. This line of the inscription is a pretty good indication of how the writing system is not an exact phonetic representation of the language.

David Burzillo

Week Five

2009-07-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

Today began my fifth week of volunteering at Children's Hospital. When I arrived on the floor this morning, I was greeted by a loud chorus of crying babies. The problem with being on a floor with many babies is that when one baby cries, all of the others join in. However, I have become used to the "audio excitement" and it no longer bothers me.

For the first hour, I held a tiny two week old baby. When I first started holding babies, I was so nervous about hurting them or even moving because they are so small, and many of them come to the floor right from the NICU. Almost all of them are attached to IVs and other monitors which makes holding them a challenge at times. It frequently doesn't feel like I am holding anything when I rock these babies because they are so small, and generally weigh only five to seven pounds. I have learned many techniques for calming the babies such as holding them very close to my body so that they can feel the rhythm of my breathing and can also feel my body's warmth. I have learned that slowly rocking the babies with my arms while rocking in the chair usually puts them to sleep.

After holding several more babies, I played with a five year old boy for over two hours. He and I started off the morning by playing eight games of Guess Who, seven of which he won. Afterwards, he taught me just about every game that one can play with cards, such as SlapJack and Trash, many of which I had never heard of. For such a young person, he was extremely good. I was only slightly embarrassed that he was beating me at many of the games he was teaching me until we started to play Checkers. At that point, after two hours of games and cards, he proceeded to beat me in three games of Checkers! Again, I was very impressed with his skills at these games.

The floor was fairly quiet in the afternoon, so I was assigned the task of completely reorganizing one of the bulletin boards in the main hallway. The board displays the many pictures sent from families of the kids who once spent time being cared for on my floor. This task took about one hour and then I was asked to rock one of the babies that I have been holding since my first week at work. When I first met her, she was only ten days old, and it is truly amazing and wonderful to see how much she has grown. It gives me a great feeling knowing that I gave her hours of comfort during these weeks by gently holding and rocking her as well as singing her lullabies. While this job may not be as intellectually challenging as some, it is very emotionally fulfilling, knowing that I am making a positive difference in the lives of these babies, children and their families.

Next week, I will share more about the importance of singing, talking, playing and reading to the babies and young children during their time at the hospital.

--Emily Hoberman

A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim

2009-07-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

My First Week

2009-07-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

A little history: Mexico's indigenous peoples, the program, y yo

2009-07-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

This summer, Rivers teachers are embarking on a variety of activities through the school’s faculty enrichment grants, which aim to promote the intellectual growth of Rivers teachers through research, education, and other independent projects. Today, we hear from Ben Leeming, who is traveling to Zacatecas, Mexico to study the Uto-Aztecan language of Nahuatl.

The indigenous peoples of Mexico and those of the United States share some similarities (you know, having their lands seized by invading Europeans and the ensuing oppression, forced assimilation, death, etc., etc.) However, there are significant differences worth noting. To be an Indian in the United States, one need only be able to claim blood relation. One can be one-quarter or one-sixteenth Indian and be accepted as such. While some still live on reservations, Indians of modern-day America (at least in the northeast) for the most part look and talk and dress like you and me. In Mexico, Indian identity is a radically different thing. Yes, blood matters. However, in the eyes of Mexico’s indigenous peoples, one must be 100% Indian to be Indian. If you even have one non-Indian blood relative, you are not Indian. But there’s much more.

The most salient identifying marks of the Indian from point of view of both Indians and non-Indians in Mexico are: skin color (dark, not light), where you live (rural, not urban), socio-economic status (poor, not middle class or rich), and most of all, language (indigenous, not Spanish). In fact, the word the indigenous peoples of Mexico use to name themselves is not "indio" but "macehualli", which is Nahuatl for "poor commoner, peon." If one doesn’t fit these characteristics, if, for example, an Indian leaves the village, moves to the city, adopts an urban lifestyle, dress, and speech, they are no longer Indian, they are now mestizo. Of course, it is precisely this process, young Indians leaving the village for the city, losing their language and their traditions, that is happening all across Mexico today and is resulting in the astonishing loss of indigenous language and culture.

However, can you blame them? To be Indian in Mexico, today and since the 16th century has been synonymous with being poor, uneducated, without opportunities for advancement or access to many privileges of society, and more often than not, the object of outright oppression, violence, and some would even say, genocidal programs aimed at forced assimilation or eradication. The pressure on indigenous peoples to assimilate continues to be strong and manifests itself in everything from government policy to racist attitudes among the non-Indian population.

The Program

When I tell people from Mexico that I am in Zacatecas to learn to speak Nahuatl, they all reply, "Zacatecas? Why Zacatecas? No body speaks Nahuatl here. You should try Veracruz." It's true. In general, there is no indigenous Nahuatl-speaking population currently living in the state of Zacatecas. (Although there used to be. Back in the colonial period this was a major Nahua area. In fact, one of the documents we have been working on translating here is a 17th century petition from a town called Tlaltenango, which is in Zacatecas. It's is written by the Nahuatl-speaking elders of the town in Nahuatl to the bishop of Zacatecas.) But the question is a valid one: why study Nahuatl in Zacatecas? The story goes like this:

About 15 years ago, a small group of Nahua teenagers from the Huasteca region (San Louis Potosí and Veracruz) came to Zacatecas on scholarship to study at a college preparatory school (in Spanish of course, not Nahuatl). The goal of the program was to enable young indigenous people to complete a high school education and then matriculate at a college of their choosing. Before too long, there was a good sized population of Nahuatl-speaking students living and studying (and in some cases, living and working) in Zacatecas. In 1992, John Sullivan moved to Zacatecas (already having completed a PhD and knowing Nahuatl) and discovered this diaspora community of Nahuas, met the program's co-founder, a native speaker from Veracruz named Delfina de la Cruz, and founded IDIEZ (Instituto de Docenia e Investigación Etnológica de Zacatecas). The goal of IDIEZ was and is to bring native speaking and non-native speaking students together at the Autonomous University of Zacatecas to conduct investigative research into the language and culture of Nahuatl-speaking peoples with the express purpose of "revitalizing" (not preserving - that sounds too much like a museum exhibit) Nahua culture and language in Mexico today.

What is so significant about this goal and this program? A few things come to mind:

1. The history of indigenous peoples of Mexico has been exclusively written by non-indigenous peoples. The scholars who research, teach, and write about indigenous peoples and their culture and history are by and large mestizo (if Mexican) or American/European scholars. This program aims to train indigenous researchers and scholars to be able to conduct research, publish papers, write books, or teach their own history and culture. Think of it: for (virtually) the first time since the early colonial era (when there were some indigenous historians and scholars), indigenous peoples are beginning to reclaim their historical voice and make an entirely different and critically important contribution to the history of their own peoples! This is not only exciting, it's vital.

2. This program links Nahuatl language and culture from the colonial period to Nahuatl language and culture of today. This link is critical because for the most part it has been severed. By and large, Nahuas of today (those macehuallmeh from the villages) have very little idea about their own history, that they HAVE a history beyond the traditions and beliefs which have survived by being passed down through the generations. This program reconnects these two worlds (the ancient and the modern) through education, research, language training, and scholarship. Nahua students learn that these are not two histories, but one.

3. For non-indigenous students (like me) there are many benefits of such a program. I have previously cited a number: exposure to native speakers and learning the intricacies of pronunciation, the benefits on my own research and scholarship of having first-hand knowledge of the culture of today's Nahuas, etc. But I think that perhaps the most important reason for attending such a program is the following. Indigenous languages and cultures are being lost at an alarming rate all across Mexico (and the world). There isn't that much being done about it, either. (John Sullivan reports to me that the Mexican government isn't interested in indigenous languages. Period.) Even if all the native-speaking graduates of this program were to go out and do scholarship, publish, and speak about their history, language, and culture, there is NO WAY it would be able to stem to tide of language extinction. Simply put: in order to counteract this loss, any and all qualified help is needed. White, North American scholars (like me) are a necessary part of the effort to save (revitalize?) indigenous histories. Hence this program, hence my interest in Nahuatl, hence my being in Zacatecas this summer!

¡hasta moztla todos!

Job Description and Overview of an Average Day

2009-07-06T15:40:00.001-07:00

This summer I am volunteering at Children's Hospital in Boston for two days each week, Tuesday and Wednesday. I work for the Child Life Specialist, and have a variety of jobs on the floor such as holding and rocking babies to sleep and playing with young kids in the playroom. The floor is for children ranging from babies that are just ten days old to kids that are seven years old. While doing a job such as rocking a baby to sleep may seem easy and relaxing, it is actually the opposite, and can be emotionally draining. The kids are very sick, and generally come right from surgery. Although it can be tiring, it is a job that I truly enjoy doing, as it is comforting to see a baby fall asleep in your arms and watch a young child play with toys such as Playdough and baby dolls.

An average day at work consists of arriving in Boston by 9 :00 AM, and cleaning the floor's playroom and dirty toys for about 30 minutes. During the next four hours, I will usually hold three to four babies for approximately one hour each. After taking a quick lunch break, I come back to the playroom by 2 :00 PM, and work on an art project that the Child Life Specialist needs help with (e.g., painting the babies' feet, and putting the prints on paper to make July 4th cards.) After this, and for the last two hours, I will either hold more babies or play with the older children. Playing with the children who are between three and seven years old can be difficult, as they easily lose interest in the activities that they are engaged in. I usually walk around the floor with them, read them books, or do an art project with them. I have worked for three weeks on this floor, and am loving everything about it!

-Emily Hoberman

Back in the classroom

2009-06-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

This summer, Rivers teachers are embarking on a variety of activities through the school’s faculty enrichment grants, which aim to promote the intellectual growth of Rivers teachers through research, education, and other independent projects. Today, we hear from Ben Leeming, who is traveling to Zacatecas, Mexico to study the Uto-Aztecan language of Nahuatl.

I have begun to develop a morning routine which includes leaving the house around 8:00, making the 10 minute walk to the Institute (grabbing a coffee along the way…still haven’t found a good place and am refusing to be drawn to the one Star Bucks – that’s how they write it – in Zacatecas). When I get to the institute I am usually the first one there so the place is quiet and I can attend to the daily batch of emails – or update the blog – before my 9:00 class. Speaking of classes, this is how my typical day is shaping up:

8-something – 9:00 email

9:00-11:00 beginning modern Huastecan Nahuatl

11:00-12:00 tutoring (one-one-one session with Sabina, from Veracruz and a native Nahuatl speaker)

12:30-1:45 home for lunch and playing with the kids

2:00-4:00 beginning classical Nahuatl (the form of Nahuatl used in the 16th – 18th centuries, and the form used in the documents I study and translate)

4:30-5:45 home for dinner and playing with the kids

6:00-8:00 intermediate/advanced classical Nahuatl

8:30 home for bedtime (the kids', that is...)

Classes are going well, but 7 hours a day is a lot! (Not to mention approximately an hour of walking to and from the Institute!) As far as the modern class, learning a new language is hard work. It’s awkward, difficult, and my tongue often ends up in a knot. I feel like an elementary school student all over again. But it is fun, and the native-speaking instructors are really good. Their methodology is TPR (total physical response) which basically means you act everything out and there is very little (if any) “traditional” blackboard teaching. I am getting a feel for the ins and outs of pronouncing Nahuatl words – very different in many cases from English or Spanish – and in some cases pretty similar. I am saying things like, “quena” (yes) and “axcanah” (no), “queniuhqui tiitztoc” (how are you?), “ximoquetza” (stand up!) and “ximocehui” (sit down!) as well as the colors: “xoxoctic” (green), “chichiltic” (red – related to the word “chilli” as in red chili pepper), and “chipahuac” (white).

I just had my first oral test. It basically consisted of half a dozen spoken questions for which I had to produce responses in Nahuatl. I don’t think I have had an oral assessment since high school so I bumbled a couple of the questions. (Something tells me that they won’t flunk me out of the program, though…)

Back to the classes: I was initially skeptical of the “need” to learn to speak a modern dialect of Nahuatl since my pursuits will rarely take me past my office, a library or perhaps an archive somewhere. However, the philosophy of this program’s director is gradually beginning to sink in and make sense to me. If one learns only the archaic form of the language, one has only ONE lense through which to view that language. However, if one learns more than one variant of the language, one has another lense, and therefore is equipped with a broader perspective and is able to make more nuanced conclusions. The Nahuatl spoken today in the region of Mexico known as the Huasteca (basically the state of Veracruz) is one of the oldest or least changed dialects of Nahuatl. But it IS different in some important respects. By being able to compare the older Nahuatl with the Nahuatl that is spoken today, someone like me has (or will have) a much richer understanding of how that language works, how it evolves and has evolved over time, etc.

Another huge benefit from learning the language from native speakers is this: all that we know about pronunciation of classical Nahuatl comes from written descriptions recorded by the Spanish priests and friars who were the first non-native linguists to study Nahuatl. In the case of one major grammarian, Horacio Carrochi, when trying to describe exactly how to pronounce a difficult sound, he is forced to write, “I can’t explain how to pronounce this word. You have to hear a native speaker say it.” For anyone studying Nahuatl in the isolation of a classroom in the States or Europe, one is left to wonder, but for us, my teacher can simply SAY the word and I can hear for myself exactly what it sounds like (at least in the modern dialect…which in most cases we are pretty sure is similar in sound).

As for the classes in classical (older) Nahuatl, these are my favorite times of the day. The beginning class is definitely “too easy” for me, but I am attending anyway because the instructor, John Sullivan – US born and educated scholar – is a vast wealth of knowledge about the language and I am learning SO MUCH even about the “basics”. As for the advanced class, the approach is not quite as structured as the beginning, and we use primary source documents to delve into the more complex aspects of the language. This is where I am most happy and comfortable. We are currently working though a 17th cent. document from Tlaltenago (south of here in the state of Zacatecas) which was written by the Nahua elders to the bishop in Zac. city (where I am now) complaining about their priest and asking for a new one. It seems that this priest, one Salvador Hernández, didn’t speak Nahuatl very well and cared more for his Caxtilteca (spanish) parishoners than his Nahuatl-speaking ones. So we basically take the translation line by line, and wrestle with it as a group. This is what I love to do most. And it looks like I am the most experienced member of this class, aside from our Profe, of course. Being the most advanced learner is good for the ego, but it also means that I am not quite as challenged as I would otherwise be (maybe) and I am hoping that it will get harder. But I am still learning A TON and it feels really good to be immersed in the language I love so much. I am hoping to be able to spend some one on one time with Prof. Sullivan working through some of the problem passages in Molina I know that this will be extremely helpful.

Final comment: having a trilingual learning experience is great, but exhausting. Classes are conducted entirely in Nahuatl and Spanish (for the modern) and Nahuatl, Spanish, and English (but barely!) for the classical. I often feel like an alien trying to speak a new language, when I speak both Spanish and Nahuatl, but I can hear my Spanish gradually improving. My Nahuatl, on the other hand…ask me at the end of the summer.

So, things are going well from my angle. I’m so glad to be here and am trying to soak up as much of life in Mexico as possible.

Day 4-12: Pamplona to Burgos

2009-06-25T01:43:00.000-07:00

Peru Trip - The First Five Days

2009-06-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

This summer, Rivers students are embarking on a variety of interesting and challenging adventures, from doing medical research at local hospitals to attending prestigious music camps. Over the next two weeks, middle school faculty members Susan McGee and Laura Brewer will be traveling with twelve students on a trip to Peru that will include language exchange, cultural immersion and community service. Today we hear from Ms. Brewer as she talks about the experiences her students have been having in Peru.

We are here, and are finally acclimated to the altitude. I admit to a little reluctance to leaving the bubble of the amazing experience we are having to look at a computer screen. I am sitting in a renovated monastery in Urubamba at 9800 feet (nothing compared to where we´ve been!) We are in the Sacred Valley of the Incas surrounded by towering sharp mountain peaks. The valley is warm and mild, and the crops are still being harvested in the late fall season. But for a few minutes, we will try to communicate a bit of what we have done, but just picture me here at a keyboard with the letters taped onto the keys...

So far, in the first five days, Peru is everything we could have hoped for. Monday was a long day of travel and excitement, with our final arrival at the hotel in Lima at about 1 AM. We awakened in this enormous, flat, dry city. Looking outside the hotel, a small square park was already being swept by local women in green city uniforms, and men pedaling bicycles with enormous flat baskets collected recycleables and other garbage. In ten minutes flat, the park was immaculate, and three dogs continued snoozing in the center in the early morning sun. Tuesday the 16th, Joel Miranda contributed, We left for the airport to catch a flight to Arequipa. The flight lasted about two hours, which was nothing compared to the 16 1/2 hours we spent traveling the day before. We went to have a Peruvian lunch which was highlighted by a local band playing for us. Then we walked to the museum where they keep the Frozen Girl, Juanita who was an Incan mummy found in the Andes mountains. We were able to see her body and relics kept with her. We also visited the Monasterio de Santa Catalina. This was a monastery for nuns in the 1600s and was mainly inhabited by second daughters of wealthy colonial families. They could not marry. The monastery was enormous and abutted the beautiful Santa Catalina cathedral in Arequipa. There were numerous streets within the grounds, each named for a city in Spain and copying thier architecture.

Brendan Connolly writes about Wednesday, Today we had a long bus ride to Puno. We got our last looks at Misti, Picho Pichu, and Chinchachi (the three volcanoes above Arequipa). We got to see some magnificent landforms and then got to some open road. Along the way we saw families of Andean deer called vicunas, and thousands of llamas and alpacas being herded on the altiplano. We were all feeling the affects of the altitude. Even the walk from the bus 100 feet down a small hill to have lunch left us feeling winded. (And not just Laura and Susie!) The barren altiplano is farmed in the traditional way, by hand, and looks very lonely. You can see for miles, and spot teeny little people far away across fields and hills watching their herds in brightly colored wool clothing. In the browns of the altiplano, it makes it easy to see your family members, who look to me like they might have been nearly a mile distant. Brendan concludes, When we were almost at Lake Titicaca, we stopped to see some Inca ruins (Sillustani on Lake Umayo - amazing) The ruins held mummies that were found and taken out, but the burial places are still there.

Thursday was one of the most interesting days of my life, and the kids could not believe what we saw. Kate Mecke writes, Today we took a boat to Taquile Island, located in Lake Titicaca. It has practically zero electricity and zero cars. The boat ride to the island allowed us to view the massive lake from many perspectives. On our way we stopped by a village (Uros Islands) that created a floating island using solely (torturro) reeds and other natural materials. The locals showed us how their ancestors created the island and their many other fascinating ways of life. They then allowed us to take a ride in a large reed boat. We reboarded our own boat and headed once again to Taquile Island. As we arrived we were treated with hospitality as well as a fantastic lunch (local trout from the lake). The residents welcomed us warmly into their private homes where we would be spending the night. The remainder of the day was devoted to exploring the island, as well as seeing a mgnificent sunset. Despite our language barrier, we were able to play games with the local children and put our Spanish to some use. Before dinner, we were adorned with native dress. Traditional dancing and a warm fire (as well as some fire jumping) followed dinner and put a perfect finish to a great day. The homes were not heated but neat and tidy and the blankets were heavy and warm. Everyone slept well.

Friday, June 19th. Carly Devereux journaled, Today we woke up at 5:30 to watch the beautiful Taquilean Island sunrise over the Bolivian mountains. As we watched the sky getting lighter, the people of the island awakened, carrying their bundles across the hillsides. After a short nap to recover from our early wakeup, we ate a breakfast of pancakes and hard boiled eggs. From there we walked up the steep hillside to a secondary school with kids our own age. We toured around and learned how the school worked. After our tour, we played a basketball game against them. Although we won (side comment: our kids could only play hockey-length shifts and so the game couldn´t have continued much longer. Smiles everywhere. Our kids lined up for the handshakes - it was awesome, and then Tyler gave them the ball.) We walked across the island, which consisted of many stairs (524, but Susie and I were not counting at 12,000 feet...) On the boat ride back, we played many intense card games and relaxed in the sun on roof deck. When we pulled into the port of Puno, we were driven to the center of the city in 7 bicycle cabs (taxicholo) and walked around the city blacks and plazas.

Saturday, June 20. The last day of fall. As you may have heard local farmers are protesting the planned privatization of water and have blocked the two roads between Puno and Cuzco, which changed our day a bit. We flew (actually very quickly and efficiently - thanks to quick work by Andean Treks) to Lima and then Cusco, arriving at noon. We had a leisurely lunch, and did some drawing on a hillside, listening to the braying of donkeys, watching workers on the tops of huge hayfilled trucks laughing on their ways down the road. Griffin Green says, We saw glacier topped mountains, which were stunning, and then we saw the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The hotel that we are staying in is an old manastery with very fine art. ¨We spent most of the day traveling, but we saw some amazing scenery.

This is really only the tip of the iceberg. We´ll try to blog again, but reentry to the real world... Everyone is happy and healthy, our guide is fantastic with the kids, and we are having a lot of fun.

2009-06-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

David Burzillo

As I noted in my last blog, Sumerian and Egyptian are the oldest languages for which writing exists. Most scholars view cuneiform, the writing system invented for Sumerian, as being slightly older than hieroglyphics, the writing system invented for Egyptian. (Some Egyptologists have argued, based on recently discovered drawings from the Egyptian desert, that Egyptian writing is older than the oldest cuneiform, but they have not forged a consensus.)

Writing is best defined as “visible speech.” Writing systems make spoken words “visible” in three basic ways. First, the individual sounds of a language--its phonemes or vowels and consonants--can be represented by individual symbols, called an alphabet. The writing system we use for the English language is a good example of this. This type of system requires a person to memorize somewhere between 20-30 symbols, which can be combined to represent words. A second method breaks up spoken words syllabically, and the symbols of the writing system represent various combinations of vowels and consonants. Syllabic systems require a person to memorize somewhere between 40-85 symbols. A syllabic writing system is still used today to represent the Cherokee language. A third type of writing system, logographic, is composed of symbols, which represent entire words. These systems often have hundreds of symbols to memorize; in some cases, like Chinese, there are thousands of symbols.

The cuneiform writing of the Sumerians consists of about 600 signs. It is not purely alphabetic, syllabic, or logographic, but rather the signs are drawn from each category. A handful of signs represent individual vowels; most signs represent either syllables or whole words. In many cases, an individual sign can have multiple functions.

In the first image below, part of an inscription of the King Amar-Suen of the Ur III Dynasty, one sign will nicely illustrate the versatility of cuneiform signs. (Note that the inscription has a curve to it because it was written around a door socket.) The second image shows one sign, which probably was a representation of a star initially. It appears in many contexts in the inscription. Look for this sign in the following lines:

In line 9, this sign is used as a determinative. Determinatives were used by Sumerian scribes to indicate the class of things that a word belonged to. These signs were not pronounced in spoken language, but they were important in writing, and there were determinatives for wooden objects, stone objects, cities, gods, men, women, etc…. In this case the sign means that the name of a god follows. In this case the god is Enlil, the chief god of Sumeria. Interestingly, some of the kings of this dynasty thought of themselves as gods, which was typical in Egypt but unusual in Sumeria, and so their names contain this sign in written texts.

In line 10, this sign is used as a logograph and represents the word “dingir” or god. Coupled with the “zid” sign, which means “true or effective,” the line translates as “the effective god.”

Finally, in line 14, this same sign is used syllabically, as “an.” Coupled with the sign that follows it, it is one of two syllables which form the word “anub, “ which means “corner.” It is part of a longer expression that is often used to refer to powerful kings in Sumeria. This expression translates best in English as “the king of the four quarters.”

David Burzillo

Day 1-3: St. Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona

2009-06-16T04:26:00.000-07:00

Alaina Cotillo

2009-06-15T17:47:00.000-07:00

2009-06-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

David Burzillo

I have always been fascinated by the early civilizations of Mesopotamia--the name ancient Greek writers gave to the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, an area now familiar to most people as Iraq. Some years ago, I received a faculty enrichment grant to study one of the early languages of this region, Akkadian, a language better known by its Babylonian and Assyrian dialects. This summer I will be studying Sumerian.

As an historian, language and writing have always fascinated me because of their importance to the story of human history and the evidence they provide for historians to do their work. The use of language is one of the most important characteristics differentiating our species from other animals. Linguists differ on the date of the first use of language by humans, but even the most recent date goes back to about 50,000 years ago. Linguists typically define writing as “visible speech,” and as such, you cannot have writing without language. The first evidence of human writing comes from about 5000 years ago, long after the first use of language. Note that writing is not necessary for language to exist.

Sumerian and Egyptian are the oldest human languages for which written records exist. Knowledge of ancient Egypt was never lost, but knowledge of its language was, only to be spectacularly recovered by Jean Francois Champollion in the 1820’s primarily through his work on the Rosetta Stone. In contrast, knowledge of the Sumerians, their language, and their writing system were all lost until the middle of the nineteenth century. Enthusiasm for Biblical archaeology led to numerous excavations in the Near East by Europeans at sites such as Nineveh, Nimrud, and many others, revealing the ancient cities of Mesopotamia, many of which had played important roles in the stories of the Old Testament. In the process archaeologists unearthed thousands of clay tablets with wedge-shaped symbols on them, a writing system which today is known as cuneiform. Old Persian and Babylonian were some of the first languages of the region that were deciphered by scholars. As knowledge of Babylonian improved, some scholars who could not make sense of odd words in certain tablets suggested that another language was present in them. As it turns out Babylonian scribes produced numerous tablets with Babylonian words in one column and their Sumerian equivalents in the other. These tablets are now known as lexical lists and were used to teach Sumerian to Babylonian scribes. By the late 1860’s, scholars were able to correctly label the unknown language in these columns as Sumerian. While some scholars were initially unwilling to accept the existence of the Sumerians and their language, excavations at Nineveh and Lagash later in the century provided unequivocal proof of the existence of this people and language.

The study of Sumerian poses a number of challenges. While the language is considered deciphered, and scholars can read numerous texts in Sumerian, the language is far from fully understood. Because of this, some historians of language and writing classify the Sumerian language as “unknown.” There are many obstacles to a complete understanding of the language. First, linguists group languages in families, and questions about an unknown language can sometimes be answered by analogy to known languages from that family. Sumerian, unfortunately, is an isolate—it is not related to any other language, living or dead--so analogy cannot be used to shed light on obscure elements of it. Second, the largest number of documents in Sumerian come from a period called Ur III by historians. This period began in 2112 BCE, perhaps two thousand years after Sumerian began to be spoken, so linguists are unsure how close this form of Sumerian is to the original form of the language. Finally, linguists worry about the extent to which our knowledge of Sumerian is influenced by its usage by Babylonian scribes. Since the lexical lists composed by these scribes are so important to our knowledge of Sumerian, how much of what they wrote down about Sumerian was influenced by these languages? How reliable a picture of Sumerian do these texts actually present? Sumerian studies have come a long way in the past 130 years, but there is still a great deal that we don’t know about the language.

A final thought: a Sumerian student in 3000 BCE, would learn the Sumerian language in the same way that I learned English: at home from listening to and interacting with family. Once he started attending school, there was already some facility with the language. At school the finer points of grammar might be learned and practiced and more complex, technical vocabulary learned, but the young scribe could focus on learning the 500 or so signs that were needed to write the language. A modern student of Sumerian needs to learn the language and the signs at the same time. This, I suppose, is the biggest challenge of learning Sumerian: as a modern student of the language, I am not bringing any knowledge of the language to the table as I begin “scribal school.” I must learn the language and the writing system simultaneously.

The attached image is an inscription from a clay brick. It celebrates Ur Nammu, the founder of the Ur III dynasty, and his building of the city wall of Ur and a temple for the moon god Nanna.

David Burzillo

2009-05-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Finishing Touches

2009-05-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

2009-05-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

For several weeks in May, Rivers seniors embark on self-directed independent study projects that can involve anything from volunteering at a soup kitchen to running a marathon. Over the next few weeks, we will be periodically checking in with a handful of students to learn more about their experiences. Today, we hear from Ian Brownstein, who is working on fulfilling his level I and II certification for rocketry.

Today I finally finished the goals I set for myself earlier this month. I have nearly completed two high-powered rockets: one rocket capable of sonic flight and one rocket carrying onboard electronics. I understand how the onboard electronics my rockets require work and is prepared to use them for my next launch. I have designed and constructed a liner rail launch pad that has been tested to show its ability to make my rockets fly straighter and to prevent the pad from falling over with larger rockets. I have read and learned new methods to build rockets and learned some of the laws and regulations surrounding model rocketry required to pass my level two certification in the future. I learned about these restrictions this week by reading the Handbook of Model Rocketry by G. Harry Stine. This is the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) handbook that all NAR members are recommended to read. This was a helpful experience for me since I learned rocketry on my own. It filled all of the gaps in my knowledge making some of the most frustrating parts of rocket construction much easier. I also completed the rocket capable of sonic flight today with the exception of its fiberglass coat, which is still in the mail. It was a relatively easy to build rocket with no surprises or unexpected components but I had to strengthen the rocket for its near breaking of the sound barrier less than a second after the start of its first flight. To do this I had to apply multiple coats of epoxy to not only the outside fins but also the insides of the body tube and all of the internal components of the rocket. Once the fiberglassing material arrives I will be able to paint the rocket and it will be launch with the BBX on July 18th.

2009-05-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

For several weeks in May, Rivers seniors embark on self-directed independent study projects that can involve anything from volunteering at a soup kitchen to, say, earning a rocketry certification. Over the next few weeks, we will be periodically checking in with a handful of students to learn more about their experiences. Today, we hear from Kate Burns, who is working at the Boston Children’s Hospital.
Today I heard back from two of the physicians that I e-mailed! I was so thrilled that these world renowned doctors took the time out of their day to even read my e-mail and to respond.
The first doctor I heard back from was Dr. Edwin van der Voort, a Senior Staff member of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Sophia Children’s Hospital in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Dr. van der Voort is also a representative of Europe on the Board of Directors for the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies.
The second physician who responded to my e-mail was Prof. Dr Bettina von Dessauer. I was thrilled to hear back from Prof. Dr. von Dessauer because I have not had the best of luck finding information on Latin America’s policies yet. Dr. Bettina is the director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in Santiago, Chile at Hospital Roberto del Río. She explained to me that Chile unfortunately does not have a national statement for decision-making in Critical Care Medicine. However, her hospital had published guidelines that are acknowledged as the leading protocol in Chile. Hearing from Dr. von Dessauer was also exciting because she is also the President of SLACIP — Sociedad Latino Americana Cuidados Intensivos Pediatricos. SLACIP members include Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador, and almost every Latin American nation. So, her information was a significant contribution to my research because I had still not been able to find SLACIP’s official statement.
One of my favorite things about medicine is how it can really unite the international community. I mean, who doesn’t want to help cure illness? I thought it was crazy that I could e-mail people around the world, who I had never met before, and they would be willing to help me.
But, I haven’t just been waiting for responses to my e-mail. Since last Thursday, I’ve really tried to condense and organize the information that I already had. I want to give Dr. van der Velden significant research that will be easy for her to turn into a paper. So, I typed up and edited all of my findings until I had eleven pages of information, size ten font. My information is organized so that the relevant clinical studies are first, presented in chart form. I then include all of the official national statements. So far, I have guidelines from Chile, the Netherlands, the United States, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, and Japan. Now, I just need Italy and France.
Once I had finished compiling all of my information, I started wondering about international medical communities. With the recent outbreak of Swine Flu, I had been hearing about the World Health Organization a lot and decided to see if it had a statement on palliative care. Once I found WHO’s statement, I went on to find guidelines from the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) and the 5th International Consensus Conference in Critical Care – the conference included basically ever major medical nation in the world. These were great finds and basically summed up my research.
Now, I’m looking at the differences in guidelines, trying to see if they might be because of different cultures, regions, or languages. That’ll be the final step to assisting Dr. van der Velden, and that’s my focus for this last week.
-Kate Burns

2009-05-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

What a day yesterday! The race was a success! The event began Saturday afternoon when my dad, mom, sister and I road tripped the 3.5 hour drive to Burlington, Vermont. Upon arrival we dinned at the local Italian restaurant for a large carbohydrate filled dinner of pasta to fuel our bodies for the race the following morning. After an early dinner, we headed back to our hotel rooms for a good night sleep. My alarm woke me bright and early at 6:15am and we were out the door by quarter of 7. After a simple breakfast of a bagel and a banana, we made our way to the starting line on Battery Street. Meeting us there were Anne, a Heated Lions athlete, Liz, Anne's mother, and Rebecca Lynch, co-founder of the organization. After pictures were taken and hugs were given, we dropped my dad off at the starting line and took our places to cheer on the runners as they took off.

My dad ran the first 13.1 miles making great time, and I met him at the midway relay mark right at the time I was expecting him. He handed me the chip that went around each runner's ankle, and I was off! With my ipod playing music to pump me up, crowds of people lined up along the sides of the course, and my determination and dedication to the Special Olympics Heated Lions, my running adrenaline kicked in! As I passed the signs for each mile, I knew I was one step closer to the finish line. Once I saw the sign for mile 23 and knew that there were only 3 miles remaining I picked up speed and thought of crossing that finish line. When I finally reached the mile 25 mark, with 1 mile remaining and the crowd roaring, I ran the last of the course with a smile on my face and a huge sense of accomplishment as I reached the finish line to find my mom, dad, sister and Heated Lions fans cheering me on. It was such an amazing feeling to complete the half marathon, and for such a great cause. My dad and I recieved medals for our finish, and we captured some post-race pictures. A heartwarming moment after the race was when my dad took off his metal and placed it over Anne's head as she beamed with a smile on her face. She was so happy to be a champion, and she truly was for coming out and supporting my dad and me all the way up in Vermont!

After the race I got plenty of water and food to re-fuel my body as we headed back to the car for our long drive back home. I continued to wear the metal around my neck, and I felt a sense of pride and joy for my accomplishment. I was always the one who was proud of the Heated Lions athletes, but this time I knew they would be the ones proud of me! What a rewarding day it was!

-Liza Warshaver

2009-05-24T16:43:00.000-07:00

Since the completion of my Mini BBX rocket I have been preparing it for its inaugural launch. The rockets electronic parachute ejection system and its electronic upper stage motor ignition system have been the cause of the majority of my problems. The company that sells and produces the rocket, Public Missiles Ltd., no longer sells the igniters necessary to use these systems. I have gone through dozens of online rocketry suppliers and have only found one that sells the necessary component for both of these systems. Sadly the parts may not reach me until mid-June because they are HAZMAT materials but even this wait will not delay my launch date scheduled for mid-July.

I have also begun working on my second rocket, the Tiny Pterodactyl, which is a two-foot tall rocket that can achieve transonic speeds (almost the speed of sound). I am hoping to break the sound barrier by preparing the rocket to hold a recently released motor that is bigger than those previously tested on the rocket but will still fit into the motor mount. To prepare it for this type of flight I am going to fiberglass the entire rocket using a cloth that, when mixed with epoxy, dries into a fiberglass material. I am planning epoxying the rocket tonight and fiberglassing it tomorrow but the completed rocket should look like the image below (which is the rocket fully assembled without epoxy to test that the parts all fit together correctly).

In addition I traveled to Vermont last Thursday to test out my new launch pad with a rocket I built last summer. Although I lost the rocket in an unexpected wind, the pad worked beautifully shooting the rocket at an almost perfect trajectory while only sustaining minimal burn marks, which traditional pads suffer from after every launch. I once had a pad that sustained so may of these burns that the bottom of the pad had a 2-inch diameter hole by the time I retired it. A video of the launch is at the top of my post with a few comments from those who witnessed the flight from a different edge of the field.

2009-05-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

I just got word in today that a group of the Heated Lions athletes (some shown above) will be making the trip up to Burlington, Vermont with their families to cheer me on sunday morning at the race! I know it will make the race that much more meaningful and exciting having the kids there with me! It is so heartwarming to see the support I am getting from so many friends and families as I support the Special Olympics Heated Lions. Donations have kept rolling in, and I am so thankful for everyones' generosity; I know the athletes are beyond greatful for all of the support for the organization.

Three days left until the big day. What I am most focused on over the next few days is nutrition for the race. Carbohydrates are especially important the two days and the night before the race. Carbohydrates should consume about 70% of your daily diet intake. The best type of carbohydrate is one that is low in GI so that your blood glucose levels maintain a steady state. Carbohydrates are slower to break down so they will provide your body with energy during the race.

Friday and Saturday are rest days for me, and I must be sure to get plenty of it in order to be fully rested and energized when Sunday morning rolls around. The race is almost here!

-Liza Warshaver

2009-05-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

2009-05-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

For several weeks in May, Rivers seniors embark on self-directed independent study projects that can involve anything from volunteering at a soup kitchen to, say, earning a rocketry certification. Over the next few weeks, we will be periodically checking in with a handful of students to learn more about their experiences. Today, we hear from Kate Burns, who is working at the Boston Children’s Hospital.
I'm now in the middle of my second week of interning at Children's Hospital in Boston. I've been working at as a research assistant for Dr. Meredith Van der Velden, who is an attending in the Intensive Care Unit. Dr. Van der Velden is conducting research on the decision making for critically ill patients for different nations around the world. I was drawn to this internship because this past summer I interned in the Simulator Suite, which is run by the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) physicians. So all summer, I was able to shadow different health care professionals and see how they worked in the unit. While this was super interesting, taking care of the patients is only one part of being a doctor; another equally important aspect is research.
So, for my first day, I had to learn how to do this research. I took a tutorial on how to access the PubMed Database, an online website of a compilation of different medical articles. However, this site is huge. I practiced by simply searching for critical care medicine, and 44,072 articles came up. Clearly, that was not going to work. So, I spent the entire day watching different tutorial videos and was able to narrow my search down to only 20 reviews - way more manageable.
I've spent the rest of the week doing specific research. The interesting twist about Dr. Van der Velden's research is that she wants to compare different nations' decision making processes across the world. No one has ever really compared the guidelines suggested by the Japanese Pediatric Society to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Van der Velden will analyze the differences to try to understand what cultural or societal factors influence the decision making process.
Now because I'm not fluent in Japanese, Italian, and well anything except English, I have had some problems getting specific guidelines and statements from certain nations. Luckily, I've been able to e-mail the founders of these societies asking for information. It's been so interesting to see major the differences between nations. For example, America believes that the parents should be the main decision maker in palliative care, whereas Italy does not even feel its necessary to inform the parents what the team has decided for treatment of their child.
Now, all of this research has been really excited for me, but another great part of my internship is simply being at the hospital. I've been able to go on rounds Grey's Anatomy and Scrubs style, shadowing Dr. Van der Velden and her team as they assess their patients. Also, last week a visiting physician came from Austria to discuss his groundbreaking research on the importance of body temperature for critically ill patients. I went to Grand Rounds where he explained his findings to the all of the ICU physicians. Everyone at Children's Hospital has been so supportive of my project and really want me to learn as much as I can for the three weeks that I'm here.
So, right now, I'm waiting to hear back from my e-mail correspondents, and in the mean time, I think I'm going to focus on South American countries.
-Kate Burns

2009-05-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend I focused on the Terrier Booster of my Mini BBX. The internal construction was much easier to assemble than the upper-stage because the booster was just like many of the kits I had built in the past (except there was no nosecone to put on top). This was unlike the upper stage of the BBX which had a complex holding mechanism for the electronic that I was unfamiliar with. But, similar to the upper-stage, the spray-paint job was a pain. The basic process is shown step-by-step above but for some reason my white spray paint easily dripped forcing me to do countless coats in attempt to smooth the bumps on the booster. The end result was quiet a sight. The just short of seven-foot titian stands on its launch pad like a king on his throne. For a small time rocketeer who has only imagined a high-powered rocket this is truly and amazing sight. The only problem is that I have to wait until July 18th to launch it with the booster stage and see its full power. Only 60 days until liftoff!

2009-05-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

This week is the final week before the race. After a long 10 mile run over the weekend, I am now in "tappering mode," which is the week before the race when you take it easy to conserve your strength and energy for the big day; the schedule calls for a 4 mile, 3 mile, 2 mile run tuesday, wednesday and thursday, and the final two rest days on friday and saturday. Sunday is the big 13 mile day so I need to make sure I am fully rested and energized for the race!

The fundraising has been going extremely well. I have already raised over $4,000, just $1,000 shy of my set goal with still just under two weeks remaining in the projects. Above are pictures of the athletes and me, and each time I look at them I am reminded of how much they truly appreciate what I am doing and how greatly they will benefit from my help. Just like I am happiest when I am exercising or playing, so are the athletes, and with my help in raising money for the Special Olympic Heated Lions Organization they will be able to compete, play and do what they love most!

-Liza Warshaver

2009-05-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

2009-05-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

One of the most frustrating parts of rocketry is dealing with the postal service. Rocket kits and parts ship smoothly through the system but if you buy one pack of igniters or a single rocket motor your delivery time exponentially increases with your distance from the packages origin because you have added a "hazardous material" (or HAZMAT) to your purchase. Because of this I have not been able to progress in the main rocket of my project until just an hour ago when my package, which took a week and a half compared to the usual two days from Michigan, arrived at my doorstep. Instead I took on the path I rarely follow, following the kits artistic directions. My Mini BBX came with decal sheets and spray-painting instructions (which I thought I had completed before my last post) but I misread 1-13/16" as 1-3/16" when cutting the decal sheet so I went all spray paint for this kit. Spray-painting anything more than a stripe on a rocket is another one of the most frustrating parts of rocketry. It took me four separate attempts to make the four red blocks on the base of my rocket but in the end I conquered the artistic aspect of rocketry (which can be seen in the before and after pictures on the bottom half of my rocket above).

In addition to waiting for the delivery of the booster stage of the BBX I made the first steps for the second half of my project, designing a rail launch pad. Most launch pads use rods instead of rails but rods easily bend in the wind or with large rockets attached so for HPR most rocketeers prefer rail pads. When I mentioned the idea to my father and showed him a picture of approximately what I planned on designing and constructing he came home less than a week later with fully constructed pad he and his co-workers built at his shop (the second to last picture above). Instead of just taking the gift and scrapping part of my project proposal I decided to learn how to use Solidworks, and engineering design software. I have contacted a friend of my father who teaches the software and am attending one of his classes next week in addition to studying a book on the program, which he has given to me.

Then, just an hour before I was about to post my blog for the day my package arrived. In the last picture above are all the parts to the booster stage of my kit which you will be able to see as it is assembled via my future posts.

-Ian Brownstein

2009-05-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

For several weeks in May, Rivers seniors embark on self-directed independent study projects that can involve anything from volunteering at a soup kitchen to, say, earning a rocketry certification. Over the next few weeks, we will be periodically checking in with a handful of students to learn more about their experiences. Today, we hear from Liza Warshaver, who is training to run the Vermont city marathon and raise money for the Heated Lions, a basketball team for special-needs students.

It's just 10 days until the big day. On Sunday, May 24th, I will be running the marathon in a relay with my Dad in order to raise money for the Special Olympics Program, The Heated Lions.

I have been following Hal Hignon's Novice Half Marathon Training Schedule, and this week consisted of a 9 mile weekend long run followed by a 3 mile, 5 mile, 3 mile run three of the days this week. The short runs have been pretty easy and relaxing for me; however, its the weekend long runs that have been tough. Because the runs are much longer, I have had to fuel my body with plenty of liquids and food during the run. I have been taking the fuel belt with me filled with several tiny water containers, powerbars, and bananas. Making sure I stay hydrated and fueled is one of the most important aspects for me when training for the big race.

The fundraising aspect has begun as I have created and sent out a letter explaining the race and the Special Olympics Organization that I am raising money on behalf of. So far we already have raised over $2,000, and it's only the first week! My goal is to raise at least $5,000 for the organization! Below is a copy of the fundraising letter that I have created and sent out to many supporters.

"Dear Friends and Family,

On Sunday, May 24th, my Dad and I will be running a relay in the Burlington Vermont City Marathon. My Dad will run the first 13 miles, and I will close out the last 13 miles to cross the finish line.

Four years ago, my Dad and I, along with the Bacon family, founded the first youth Special Olympics basketball team in Boston’s Metro-west area. Half the team wanted to be named the Miami Heat, and the other half the Detroit Lions. The athletes compromised on the Heated Lions, a program that provides young athletes with year round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic type sports. I’ve had the opportunity to give these many children with intellectual and/or physical disabilities the chance to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families and other Special Olympic athletes and the community. It has been my most rewarding experience throughout my time in high school, and I have grown to know and love each of the Heated Lion athletes.

In just four short years, we have gone from a team of only seven athletes participating in a rundown gym to two full teams of over 30 athletes in total, complete with uniforms, cheerleaders, practices at my high school’s new athletic center and our own website (www.heatedlions.org). In addition, we have added a soccer and track team for the fall and spring.

Our long term goal for the Heated Lions program is to continue with the year round Special Olympic competition, but more importantly, to one day house athletes as adults, train them for the workforce and fulfill their dream to live independently. With your help we can make this goal a reality!

On behalf of the Heated Lions athletes and families, we thank you for your generous support.

Warm regards,
Liza Warshaver"

-Liza Warshaver

First Few Days

2009-05-13T20:05:00.000-07:00

For several weeks in May, Rivers seniors embark on self-directed independent study projects that can involve anything from volunteering at a soup kitchen to, in one case, earning a rocketry certification. Over the next few weeks, we will be periodically checking in with a handful of students to learn more about their experiences. Today, we hear from Kate Voorhes, who is interning at the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Yesterday, walking toward the stage door of the Symphony from the Green Line, Starbucks iced coffee in hand, feeling independent and like I had finally had a glimpse of the so-called "real world," I started my senior project as an intern at the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Music has been a crucial part of my life since I began playing the piano at five years old. Now, I play flute in the Rivers school orchestra among other groups. I actually just got home from giving a concert (Mozart Concerto in G for Flute). When the seniors first heard about the senior project requirement a few months ago, I thought about how I could spend the three weeks I was given to do something that truly interested me, instead of wasting the month away doing something insignificant simply trying to fulfill the graduation requirement. Over the winter, I had attended the Boston Pops Christmas Concert, which was upbeat and beautiful. Having performed in Jordan Hall several times, seeing Symphony Hall was simply breathtaking, and I knew that spending my time working at the Symphony would definitely be worth it.

Ms. Sabine Chouljian, the manager of volunteers at the BSAV (Boston Symphony Association of Volunteers), is basically my boss, and assigns me projects and jobs to do. There is one other intern (older than me) working with me, and we do similar tasks, but usually at alternate times. This month is not only the "Pops Season," which as you know is extremely busy, but also the transition time for Tanglewood (in the summer). I never really thought about how much goes on behind the scenes in order for the BSO to thrive like it does today. The Symphony is hosting tons of events this month and one of my jobs is to help keep all of these functions running smoothly and efficiently. Sabine started me yesterday making hundreds of binders full of BSAV directories for an upcoming event. Today, I made phone calls to confirm patrons' attendance at the Audience Celebration Event this Saturday, which is a concert to honor the 50 year-plus members of the BSO. I think I called about five hundred elders, and only two declined. I found myself grinning when an elderly lady thanked me so much for reminding her because she had totally forgotten. She was so adorable. Reaching out to these grateful people was tedious but put a permanent smile on my face for the remainder of the day.

After dialing countless numbers, an older volunteer gave me and a few visitors a tour of the Symphony. I learned about the entire history of the BSO, went backstage, down to the basement, into the practicing rooms, and even stood on the stage briefly (you actually aren't supposed to..). I learned about all the different way in which Symphony Hall was designed to make it one of the most acoustically distinguished buildings in the world. There is a layer of thick felt under the first layer of wood on the stage to prevent creaking; the side balconies are as narrow as possible to prevent interfering with the sound; the ceiling slopes upward and the floor slopes down to make the hall shaped like a horn; the hall was the first to be designed with a specific formula in mind so that the reverberation time is exactly 1.9 seconds (one of the best in the world!); and even the greek statues embedded high up in the walls serve a purpose in making the hall's acoustics better. I learned about every conductor, heard stories about a short harpist getting locked into her harp's case (it was so spacious that she used it as her changing room), and even saw where they store all the chairs/pews after they remove them as they transition from BSO season to Pops season. I still can't believe that it only takes one day to take out all the pews (which are over 100 years old) and replace them with the round tables and chairs for the Pops. The principal violinist was hanging out down at one of the lounges...and that's when I realized that I was interning at a place where I would be surrounded by famous people all day long. The security guard whom I pass every day on my way into the Symphony is even "tight" with Keith Lockhart. The countless number of limos pulling up to the side door when I first arrived wasn't my wakeup call, but rather seeing musicians lounging around their workplace like normal people when their photos and plaques are hanging along the famous hallways of the Symphony was the shocker. These famous musicians are just people like me that happen to be really good at playing instruments. All I can say is that I feel so lucky to be working in this beautiful and world-renownded building, and I can't wait for what's next!

-Kate Voorhes

2009-05-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

Since January of this year I have periodically begun working on my first high-powered rocketry kit, the mini BBX (shown in the pictures above). It is a Public Missiles kit that uses an onboard electronic system to release one drogue parachute at the rockets apogee and a 36" parachute at a height of my choosing. While I have never dealt with this advanced an electronic system onboard a rocket, what really makes this rocket a new experience for me is the fact that it is a high-powered rocket. High-powered rocketry (HPR) includes rockets using more than 160 Newton-seconds of total impulse, exceeding 3.3 pounds, or using metal parts. In order to launch high-powered rockets you have to be certified by the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). For my senior project I am building rockets (such as the mini BBX above) in order to receive level one certification and preparing for my level two certification (which includes a written examination in addition to the successful launch of a level two rocket). I will continue blogging about my progress and post pictures of my new rockets as my project develops.
-Ian Brownstein

Saying Goodbye

2009-03-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

As we stood idle on the bus ready to leave, the children from Open Door banged on the tinted windows and yelled goodbye for the millionth time. Our entire group was lucky enough to spend part of our final afternoon together at Open Door. After playing games, doing gimp, and having a dance party, we walked the children home like we always did. However, this time we spent much longer in the street outside of their homes hugging and saying goodbye. None of us wanted to say our final goodbyes. Some of the children even followed us back to our hotel when we finally mustered up the strength to leave their street. There, the children helped us haul our luggage to the bus, and we had them sign our notebooks for memories’ sake. The inevitable moment came when our group had to board the bus. We still waved out the window, blew kisses, and mouthed the words “te iubesc” (I love you) to the children outside whose eyes were now forming tears. Ours were too. When the bus started to roll away, the children chased after us, still waving. We all watched them until we rounded the corner and couldn’t see them out our windows anymore. Although at that moment we lost sight of them, we will never lose sight of the treasured memories we share with them and the lessons we learned during our time in Romania.

-Leah Stansky

Sightseeing and back to work!

2009-03-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

We arrived back in Bistrita around 9:30 on Sunday night from our weekend sightseeing trip. On Saturday we took a two hour bus ride to Tirgu-Mures, where a tour guide showed us around the old citadel, the cultural building, and a few of the other prominent sites in the city. We then hopped back on the bus for a one-hour ride to Sighisoara. Upon our arrival in this medieval city, the oldest in Eastern Europe that is still inhabited, we checked into our hotel and did some sightseeing on our own. We walked the streets and paths going into every cheesy Dracula-themed gift shop we passed. (Sighisoara is Dracula’s birthplace.) We gave some serious business to one particular shop across from our hotel. Every time we walked in the door (probably twenty different times), the two ladies behind the counter would smile because they knew we were buying.
We spent the night at the hotel and slept in on Sunday morning. Most of the day was spent searching for new paths we hadn’t been down the day before. We also found a cart in the street that was selling fresh bread made right in front of us. It wasn’t exactly bread loaves as much as it was a thin spiral of dough dipped in cinnamon. It was amazing though, and after eating a loaf between seven of us, we went back for two more. We also walked down into the more modern city towards the end of the day, where we explored some shoe stores and sat in the park. We found our bus driver around 6:00 p.m. and headed back to Bistrita, making one pit stop for snacks on the way.
Monday morning we split up into new groups and headed off to the hospital and the placement center. Susie, AJ, Leah, Lindsay and I went to the placement center to play with the special needs children.
Unfortunately when we got there we were informed that two of the kids were sick, so we played mainly with four of the children: Nicoletta, Vasi, Mia, and Lecree. They were all very entertaining and after our three hours with them had passed, the majority of our group took a much-needed power nap in the “playroom.”
In the afternoon our groups switched, and the group that had been going to Open Door last week stayed at the Placement Center to be with the girls in the after school program there. I was with the girls last week, so I went to Open Door today. The kids were so funny, and after we helped them with homework we played for about three hours straight. We went through multiple rounds of Uno, countless flashcards, and I even got my hair done by one of the girls, Mona. After they had taken all of our nametags, we walked the kids home. I raced some of the kids up the sidewalk and gave another boy, Adrian, a piggy-back-ride for the majority of the walk.
I can’t wait to see the kids tomorrow and pick up where I left off today.
~Alexis Antonelli

Temporary Improvements

2009-03-13T07:31:00.000-07:00

This morning, we split into two groups. One went to the Placement Center, where they spent one-on-one time with children living with mental and physical disabilities. I went with the other group to the hospital, where we spent a few hours with a group of abandoned babies two to seven months old. I walked in and saw the cutest baby girl named Georgiana; she has big blue eyes and can’t sit still. It turned out that she was going to get picked up to go to her new foster family that morning. Hopefully it’ll go well, and she’ll have a new home. Then I held a two-month-old boy named Mihail who looked a little like a very contemplative and concerned old man. He was tired and before long fell asleep in my arms. Every now and then he would stretch out and smile, and it was adorable. I think that these babies get more one-on-one attention than children in other institutions, but all the individual attention a child can get is valuable since contact is such an important part of emotional development. I know that, due to our limited time here, we can’t have a lasting affect on the lives of such young children, but I’m glad that we are here to provide, in the very least, temporary improvement.
After a morning spent at the hospital, I went again to Open Door, the after-school program for Roma children. There, they are given extra work to help them improve in the subjects they’ve been studying in school. They are also given a hot meal, a shower, and clean clothes. Romas are discriminated against in Romania, and have limited opportunities to improve their quality of life. Hopefully, Open Door will motivate the children there to go on to receive a higher education and improve their lives. The kids there live in houses made of barbed wire, sheet metal, and wood, most without running water or electricity. Despite sub-standard living conditions, they’re absolutely hilarious and just as spirited as kids who have a stable home environment and an air conditioner. It’s an incredible program and a huge triumph for the amazing people who organized and run it.
Yesterday I spent the morning at the Placement Center. There are toys there and wonderful professionals who care for the seven children I met. But it’s still heartbreaking and difficult being there because all I want to do is help the children overcome these impossible obstacles. And I can’t. I realize that the six days I’ll be volunteering here will not be enough to make a significant difference to them, and that’s been the most difficult facet of this trip. In day-to-day life back home, I approached problems with a “fix it” attitude, and, of course, I can do nothing of the sort here. I want to make it better, and I know that I can’t.
-- Anna Cummings

The Beginning

2009-03-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

Our departure date coincided with Andrea’s birthday. Our chaperone Susie McGee made a Devil’s Food birthday cake with cream cheese frosting, which we all ate before leaving from Rivers that afternoon. After an anxiously awaited eight-hour flight, another hour flight, a final two and a half hour flight, followed by a two-hour bus ride, we finally made it to our hotel in Bistrita, Romania (Transylvania). Only one of our bags was lost! Although exhausted, Dan and Susie forced us to stay up in order to get used to the time-change. After dinner and discussing the pertinent history of Romania, we all instantly fell asleep at nine.
Waking up to the sounds of roosters cockadoodledooing outside our windows, we were eager to begin our first day of work. Alexandra from Fundatia Inocenti met us at the hotel, and we followed her to the office. There, we met Marin, the director of Fundatia Inocenti, and he provided an orientation of the history of their programs and our participation. We then split up into two groups to begin our work with the children. Leah, Alexis, Lindsay, and Kate went to the Hospital and Ryan, Andrea, Anna, and Alicia went to the Placement Center. At the Hospital, the group decorated bags with some of the kids and their mothers. At the Placement Center, the group played with the special needs children. The groups joined at noon for lunch.
In the afternoon, Leah, Alexis, Lindsay, and Kate went to the Placement Center. They made appreciation bracelets for the Romanian student volunteers. Following this activity, the four girls played with a group of ten Romanian girls in the Placement Center’s afternoon program. Ryan, Andrea, Anna, and Alicia went to Open Door, an after school program for local Roma (gypsy) children. Here, they played and interacted with the children. Natalie, the head worker at the program, left America after visiting Romania a few years ago. Struck by the difficult conditions present in the lives of Roma children, Natalie has dedicated the past three years working with a group of 12. This after school program not only provides running water and clean clothes for the children, but also assists the kids with school homework. The workers at Open Door give the children points, which in turn can be exchanged for prizes. This aspect provides motivation for the children to do extra work, which elevates their literacy.
Today, March 11, was not only our first day of work but Susie’s birthday. Throughout the day we all were so immersed in the work that even Susie herself forgot her birthday! At dinner we surprised her with a cake that we all shared. After the first day of work, the whole group feels impressed with the welcomes we have received. Also, the dedication of the Romanians working with these children has inspired us.
-La revedere! From the 2009 Romania Crew

Anticipation Before the Romania Trip

2009-02-26T17:26:00.001-08:00

Six fellow juniors and one senior will be joining me on a trip to Romania this March break. We all agree that the departure date, March 9, is rapidly approaching and that the pressure to complete and to purchase all the necessities is intensifying. We were provided with a list of important items that the Romania Children Relief (RCR) workers need. In the past weeks we have been struggling to find the time to meet as a whole group in order to assign jobs to each member. Our faculty leaders, Ms. McGee and Mr. McCartney, have been guiding us as we plan how to monopolize our stay in Romania. Essentially, our goal for the trip is to make the day of a Romanian orphan a little bit brighter, and to have fun while doing it. Hearing the stories from previous trips, it is clear that this experience can potentially change our lives. Personally, I anticipate learning from the kids just as much as I hope they will learn from me.
As a student going on the trip, one has to think of an activity for a variety of kids. The orphans we will be working with range in age from babies to pre-teens. We will be splitting our time at several different sites, including a hospital, an after school group, and a placement center. Some of the kids will have mental disabilities but the severity is unknown. All of us are anxiously awaiting our trip and are scared because we don't know exactly what to expect. Our biggest fear is communication: the children are unable to speak English. Despite this, Ms. McGee and Mr. McCartney have assured us that many of the RCR workers are bilingual and communicating with the kids won't be a problem. Although we are unsure of the internet access available to us in Romania, we plan on blogging about our experiences as many times as possible.

Before the Summit

2009-02-19T17:10:00.000-08:00

This coming weekend will possibly be one of the most important in the history of the Rivers Jazz Department. From the perspective of a trombone player within both the Big Band and the Select Combo I, the date which was once only a speck on the horizon has become a palpable reality. This sudden change has been documented strongly in our rehearsals, as for the past month, we have doubled our efforts, our output, and our willingness to work with the music to which we have become inexolerably committed. I suppose it would be safe to say that by now, we no longer just play the music, but rather, we feel it. For a musician, this is the ultimate goal in the long process of learning and understanding a piece, a composer, or a playing style, and in the case of this competition, it is a very positive sign. This coming sunday, we will be going head to head with some of the finest youth jazz ensembles on the east coast, many of them from specialized performing arts schools. In all honesty, we have no idea how these groups will sound in relation to us. However, it can be guarunteed that they will all feel the music just as strongly as we do, and that they will play it with as much effort as we have ourselves. As the day of the competition draws ever closer, we find ourselves nervous with anticipation, but comforted by our work and our improvement in understanding the music of Mingus.

Mingus Summit Overview

2009-02-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

In January, both the jazz combo and big band at The Rivers School were selected from a pool of more than 100 schools in the Northeast to compete in the first annual Charles Mingus Competition at the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) in New York. The two groups were each among the five finalists in their respective categories at the event, which takes place as part of a three-day “Mingus Summit” at MSM February 20 to 22, 2009. This blog captures the thoughts, views, and experiences of two students over the upcoming three days as they head to NYC for the competition.

The Student Led Parent Conference

2009-02-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

After all of these weeks of preparation, I will finally have my student-led parent conference. Now that I have reflected, written about my reflections, and tabbed specific examples of work in my portfolio, I am completely prepared.

There are still some things I am a bit nervous about. What will it be like talking to my parents about myself academically for a whole hour? I am afraid that it will be awkward, or that I will run out of things to say. I know I have a whole outline planned but what if my parents don't want to stick to it? Even though I have worries, I know that at the end I will be so happy, because I have accomplished a lot in this process. And I'm excited for my conference too, because it will be cool to look back through my portfolio at all my work and see how far I've come in the past three years I've been at Rivers. I hope everything goes well tonight!

Setting Goals and Tabbing the Portfolios

2009-01-30T18:13:00.000-08:00

Since I have finished all of my reflection assignments, the next two things to do are to set goals and write an outline for the conference. Setting goals is something we do every term, but this term it is particularly important because my goals will be incorporated into the conference. I start my goal setting process by reading my comments. I highlight my strengths in one color and my weaknesses in another. Then, I set goals to further my strengths and improve upon my weaknesses. Some of the things I want to improve on based on my comments are taking initiative to take a leadership role during class and asking more questions during class to further the discussions.

We also have spent a lot of time in the past two days working on the outlines for our conferences. My outline consists of four topics that I want to cover during my conference. They are The Ways That I Learn Best, Areas Where I Have Shown Improvement, Areas Where I Can Still Improve and My Work Ethic. Each of these topics then has several examples. For the first section, Ways That I Learn Best, I chose three methods of learning that have been beneficial to me: collaborating with others, experimenting and making mistakes, and organizing information. Then I found examples of work in my portfolio that demonstrate how these methods have worked, such as a french quiz where I organized the vocab words by into colored flash cards by the gender of the words to help me study. After I chose all of my examples, I stuck a color coded post it note to each one so I will easily be able to find it during my conference. My portfolio looks pretty funny right now, because there are about thirty green, blue and purple post it notes sticking out of it from all sides!

Our conferences are going to have a lot of structure. We have written very specific outlines so we know exactly what to show our parents and so that we make sure that we remember to say everything we want to when the time comes. It is a challenge to get all of this work done, but I am glad that it is so organized because I am a bit intimidated to just talk about myself and my work all alone with my parents for a full hour and know that some of my friends feel the same way. Luckily we still have a week until the big night. I know that I will be rehearsing a lot!

Student Led Parent Conferences

2009-01-25T17:21:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, the eighth grade class had a special meeting. Ms. McGee, the head of the middle school, and Mr. Howarth, the dean of the middle school, told us that we were going to lead our own conferences with our parents. Each 8th grader was given a folder with a sheet that told about each of the assignments we would need to complete in order to prepare for the conference. At first I was thinking "having a conference all alone with my parents will be so awkward." But then I looked over the assignment sheet and my thoughts turned to "how will I ever find the time to finish all of these reflections?" There were a lot of assignments, with questions ranging from "How can you use your strengths to help you with your weaknesses" to "What are your favorite subjects and why?" I got right to work, looking through my portfolio to help me think of what to say. Luckily I didn't have to finish all the assignments that day. We were given a schedule for completing the assignments. The first few were due the next wednesday. The first question was pretty simple- "what are your strengths as a learner? be sure to consider all aspects of your life such as academics, performing arts, sports etc." I immediately thought about the fall soccer season, where I was not the best player on the team, but I was so determined to improve that I ended up having a very successful season. So thinking about this, I wrote a couple of paragraphs about how determination has helped me in other situations as well. The second question was a little harder- "What are your weaknesses as a learner?" It was hard to admit to my weaknesses, but I knew I did have some. I ended up writing about how I allow myself to get distracted by my peers, referring to a math homework assignment that I didn't do as well as I would have like on because I wasn't focused in class the day it was explained. As I got into a rhythm answering the first couple of assignments, I began to relax and realize that it wasn't as much work as I had initially thought, and so far the process has helped me to realize what I am doing well and what I need to improve upon, which is exactly what I will need to discuss in my conference. And I even began thinking "hey, this is kinda fun!" There are still eight assignments to go, but now that I've gotten started I know I can handle them.