I have a lot of things going on. None of them are ground-breaking, exciting, or even big. Just, keeping me jumping around and trying to feel organized.
I've got my Game-Based Learning class. And I seem to be the only person in the class who isn't completely offended by the author of the text we're reading. I think she sounds totally reasonable and her ideas are brilliant. Most of my classmates seem to think she's jumped off the deep end in her belief that the characteristics of games, if incorporated into our daily lives, could make our lives better. I read what she writes and hear what my therapist has told me about finding motivation (wanting to do better in the game, not "winning" just building skills), the importance of community and communication to improve happiness (being involved in multiplayer games), breaking up tasks into reasonable goals (quests) and appreciating the rewards (experience points, "gold") that come from achieving those goals. To me, it's absolutely a reasonable idea, and an innovative way to think about engaging students in school - by making the mandatory effort of attending school into more of game where they feel like they're voluntarily participating in improving themselves, motivated and engaged to "level up" in knowledge and skills.
I'm reading and seeing that she writes about the EXTREME ideas - things like Quest to Learn - an entire school that is basically a living, breathing World of Warcraft. But she isn't actually proposing that we become that immersed in games. She's just trying to get us to see that the extreme examples work, and the less extreme examples can work, too, if implemented correctly. And it's trial and error - it's a new field of research, a new way to approach games and to approach life. Unfortunately, she's so extreme in her introduction to the book, that many of my classmates seem to be completely thrown off already, and it's making them very cautious about accepting any of her ideas.
I've got some knitting projects going. The sweater for an adorable baby in New York is coming along nicely. This photo looks like it was taken in black and white, but I swear, it's a minty green - with white and darker green stripes. And the pattern is Little Princess Kimono (seemed appropriate given my current location). I'm going to try to find pink cherry blossom buttons for it, when it's done. I've got about half of one sleeve done since this photo was taken. I like the pattern - it's seamless! Since this is only my second sweater, I thought it would be nice to do something kind of simple.
I'm also trying to get our summer plans set. I'm still planning on taking Kaylee to Michigan for the summer (July through Labor Day). But we don't have plane tickets yet, and we also have to fit in a trip to the West Coast for a wedding a visit with Dylan's parents. And I'm also feeling a bit intimated about traveling alone with Kaylee. She's got a lot of BIG stuff - car seat, stroller, crib. Then I worry about sleeping arrangements in Michigan. She could have her own room (miraculous!) but unlike last year, I now know she can climb out of the crib (though, thankfully, she doesn't do it often!) so if I let her have her own room it has to be totally toddler proofed. And, well, not easy with my father around. He's clueless about the trouble toddlers can get into.
I'm also trying to make sure I'm making the most of Tokyo while we're here. I've definitely hit the mid-city slump. Our first few weeks in a city, I'm busy trying to find the things I'll need regularly - good grocery stores, restaurants that are good for last minute dinners, playgrounds and indoor play spaces that are easy to get to and relatively inexpensive. And the most prominent tourist things that I really want to add to my checklist. At the end of a city, in the last two weeks or so, I get really into the tourist thing, realizing I've overlooked good restaurants or beautiful parks, etc. And I try to squeeze as much in as I can. In the middle - the majority of the city run - I'm just doing the day to day thing. Just like anyone living anywhere. I'm definitely in that slump now - taking the routine for granted. And because the last few weeks here are going to be crazy busy - packing for multiple destinations, finishing up my classes, having Kaylee home all day because school will be out - and I know we still haven't done much of the tourist thing here, I want to be sure I'm making time now.
We may not have made it to any of the famous cherry blossom parks during peak season, but at least I can say I got to appreciate them.
No comments:
Post a Comment