handwritten on April 13, 2017
Someone Once Told Me The Grass Was Much Greener....
This last blog post concludes the series of blogs related to life, perspective and the ability to focus on the beauty we have rather than the beauty we want.
The past month or so I have been challenging myself to travel outside my comfort zone. This meant encouraging myself not to teach summer school. This meant going on a run and feeling terrible but also great afterwards. This also meant inquiring about and participating in a new volunteer experience working with children in a different capacity (Child Life Department at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.) This also meant practicing piano for many hours to play for an upcoming wedding...
handwritten on April 10, 2017
It has been a while since I blogged about the "Grass Being Greener" on the other side. I've decided today to focus on new lessons learned through more of a free verse style below:
Surely those weren't there before...
I was running in the neighborhood
sun shining
finally no clouds
a true prize in Pittsburgh
"Hey look at that door.."
My brother said...
That door wasn't painted that color before
I love that style of brick
those gates
the red shingles with a mustard door
Surely those weren't there before
grease and sandwiches
beat down on the pavement
"Did you see that new store that opened?"
"The food smells delicious"
"Hey look how pretty those flowers are blooming.."
purple and pale...
handwritten on March 12, 2017
I have had a discussion with many my students about not comparing themselves to the other students in the classroom. Many students have come up to me saying things such as: "I know he is smarter than me." Or " These two students are definitely the smartest in the class."
"The Grass is Greener on the Other Side, Miss Amoscato"
What if I was in that class? What if I was in fourth grade math? What if I knew this? What if I could do this as well as the person sitting next to me?
This idea of "smart" or "not smart" is honestly created through the cultural nature of our school system. Students labeled "GIFTED" at an early age are watched by their peers as they saunter out of the classroom to...
handwritten on March 5, 2017
And I paid a visit(Well, it's possible I missed it)It seemed different,Yet exactly the same
Someone once told me...the grass was much greener....on the other side. For me, I have come to realize that "the other side" is not changing my career, my volunteer opportunties, my friendships. "The other side" is appreciating something new or different from my everyday routine. I don't get much time to visit "my other side" anytime other than the weekend. However, on the weekends, I try to visit my side in a different way. I paid a visit and traveled to the other side this weekend by attending a Chinese Dance show . . .
The show was different, absolutely. I got to see one of my own student...
handwritten on March 4, 2017
This journal entry is part two in my "someone once told me the grass was much greener...right where you are."
It was after teaching flute lessons on Thursday that I felt the grass I was standing on grow greener at my feet. Then when I was coming back home, a song came on the radio and the lyrics "Everyone's got to find that something to hold on to." So I came to the realization that the "something" I continue to hold onto is music. It's not a profession but it has served as a way for me to connect with students in a different community and have a way to communicate with one another.
Fake Milk. Fake milk? That's what we talked about during the middle of our flute lesson on Thursday. Two of...
