I am feeling happy, drained, supported, and exceptional at the end of a local week spending time with over 30 teachers and 5 facilitators. I usually appreciate my hometown and the area surrounding it, more so now after watching vicariously as teachers from across the country experienced the Cheney EWU campus, Upper Columbia, Kettle Falls, and Spokane's Kendall Yards. Spending time with teachers and university faculty members invigorates me every time. I will cherish moments with all I encountered, and with a few - I will never forget you. Thank you for interacting and spending time with me. | |
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I admit to Washington State bias regarding the Second World War - Kaiser Aluminum from Spokane, Boeing B-17s and more from Seattle, and Hanford producing war materials for the the atomic bomb. I have been straightened up, and am now flying right... or just have a MUCH GREATER love and respect of California. I spent an amazing week with lectures, articles, books, field trips, presentations, and colleague from around the country. I will share my greatest take aways, build on my website, and honor the people I had lots of fun with at University of California at Berkeley aka. CAL, or BERKELEY, or CAL BERKELEY. 1) Miners once rushed to California for gold, with WWII in mind, people came with the first steel mill in the west (Kaiser Steel), defense contractors, female factory workers, African-American factory workers, and Mexican farm laborers.
2) Professor Mark Brilliant, a man aptly named, teaches a course called "Frontiers" at Cal... I need to check into it... look at the materials. 3) Japanese-Americans were incarcerated, imprisoned, interned, or "sent to camps." 112,000 were Nisei meaning second generation thus AMERICAN CITIZENS, the Isei were not ALLOWED to become citizens by law. Check into the Jacob Reese photos for better understanding. 4) Port Chicago 50 is a narrative that should be taught, embraced, and worked with as a case study by all those that teach U.S. History. 5) The Bay Area is an amazing, multifaceted place with incredible history.
6) EGA – eagle, globe, and anchor earned at the top of the “Grim Reaper” at the end of the 54 hour long “CRUCIBLE,” SDI gives the recruit the title of Marine for the first time.
7) “thank you for your service” response “thank you for your support” 8) Commandant’s Reading List – three books per quarter with book reports to help earn points toward your next assignment (MOS) 9) training to make Marines, and win battles 10) the first to fight, fight tonight, let’s go 11) IT – INCENTIVE TRAINING (push-ups, cleaning duties, Saturday duties, extra watch duty) 12) GOOD INITIATIVE, BAD ______________ . timing, joke, execution, follow through, etc. is the way a mistake is addressed in a positive reinforcement fashion. I hope this web page is NOT “good initiate, bad web page.” MY TAKE AWAYS: 1) THE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL FITNESS IS SURREAL. 2) PROFESSIONALISM IN TRAINING IS EXEMPLARY. 3) SEEING IS BELIEVING, I LOVED THE EXPERIENCE. WORDS: YES SIR – about 40 % of time, AYE AYE SIR – about 50 % of time, NO SIR – about 10 % of time. Eyes – “click, sir” Ears “open, sir “ink stick” – pen “moon beam” – flashlight “go fasters” – boots, running shoes “port hole” – windows or eye glasses “scuttlebutt” – gossip, potato chips, snacks, very versatile term “hatch” – door “cover” – hat “head call” – go to the bathroom “beautification detail” – outdoor work crew raking rocks, picking garbage. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have been there.
They are not trying to WASH anyone out. The SDI is providing the same experience those that come before have survived. The Recruiting Station Sergeants and Staff Sergeants do their job wonderfully. The recruit that makes it to Marine Corps Recruit Depot – San Diego (MCRD – SD) will nearly ALL survive the experience to become a U.S. Marine after 13 weeks of extensive work to become a “basically trained Marine.” The DI’s often lose 20 lbs. per 13 week cycle while working 20 hour days. There are three DI’s plus a fourth called the “KILL HAT” responsible for much of the Incentive Training. The SDI is there for all conversations and care for the recruits, the “J HAT” is number 2 responsible for marching (drill), the “3” is in charge of the “HOUSE” the squad bay where the recruits stay.
Master Gunnery Sergeant Sang (who happens to be a Marine female): "WE ARE ALL ALPHA MALES, EVEN THE FEMALES."
I am fortunate to be a part of a group of teachers from around the United States, and the world even (a U.S. military base teacher here from Japan). The National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the Landmarks of American Culture Workshop. Last evening, we met at Red Lion Hotel on the River in my hometown in Spokane, WA. An icebreaking exercise with our represented states was a wonderful way to allow every teacher in the room a chance to speak. Things that I found interesting thus far are: 1) science teachers, social studies teachers, librarians, and literature teachers all in the same room, 2) the overall impact and connection of people to nuclear issues around the world, 3) nearly two-thirds of the participants are men, and 4) teachers are teachers. This program is a week long action packed opportunity in 100 degrees in Richland and the Tri-Cities. |
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“This blog is not an official U.S. State Dept. blog. The views and information presented are the grantee’s own and do not represent the Teachers for Global Classrooms, IREX, or the U.S. Department of State.” |