curiosity = a strong desire to know or learn something

After the 3 grad school rejections, I had serious doubts about my capabilities to write, to read, to apply, to be academic in general. While I know there are several unrelated factors that explain why it didn't work out this round, I do still think it's important to be curious in order to be open and mindful. I am going to focus on my curiosity this month, as well as maintaining the other qualities I've been thinking about. I want to keep myself interested and interesting, so these are some of the things on my list-

Teach your students something that they are interested in - starting with this week as Career Week, hoping to create a lesson plan that teaches them more about career choices and why it is so important to be able to read and write well in order to get a job.

Feed their curiosity - ask them what they are interested about learning, and teach them that! While I have already shoved art history, European history, and sustainable agriculture down their throats this year in my lessons, I am going to take a step back and ask them what they want to learn in these last 2 months, and try to create project-based lessons for us to participate in.

Do research outside of school - continuing to search for a grad program that might work with this new position, have to take an ELA course this summer or next fall, so I am going to do some research about how my credits from UCD last year could possibly transfer to something I could begin next fall or winter to finish my master's degree. Also, collect resources for arts teachers in Denver, I am going to go observe another theater teacher and try to network within the city about drama-teacher related professional development that I can pursue.

Among other things - reduce the waste I produce, see what happens when I am more mindful of how much trash I use, and think creatively about how I can reduce that. Last night I stayed up until 1am cleaning out my closet, and I plan on continuing to purge myself of things that I don't use regularly or don't need to keep around. Also, being more mindful of this at work, and educating my students about reducing waste.

Continue to exercise, maybe try exercising in the morning before work, try a zumba class at my gym, ride my bike to new places in Denver, spring skiing, go on a juice fast for one day, cook more meals for the week and try to eliminate eating out for the whole month, host an Easter brunch.

Sharpen the brain! Rent movies on Netflix that I would never normally choose, continue to read more books, read the news online daily, read interesting blogs, find new music to listen to, practice guitar, meet new people, incite interesting conversations. Keep on uncovering ideas about faith and God through reading, conversations and visiting different places of worship or spirituality.

Although in reviewing this list, I already feel as though I am a curious person by nature, perhaps by bringing my curiosity to the forefront, I will appreciate what I am learning more immediately and it will transfer into living more presently and more mindfully. As my yoga teacher constantly says, life is not about a journey's ending point but about being on the journey itself.

Curiously,
C