Our "Mini" Campus

In case you have not noticed, Prescott is a small town. It is cute and friendly, but does lack some of the luster and excitement of the big city. As a woman who is from Seattle, I have come to relay on some such amenities. There are a few coffee houses in our little town, but to be honest, non of them stacked up to my expectations until recently. The Raven Cafe just opened this spring and let me say..."Amen"! Finally a place to sit, study, drink really good coffee or great beers, and chat with friends. The owner of the cafe has really gone out of his way to establish a beautiful and culturally rich space for Prescottonians to congregate. It has actually become an extension of campus. On any give day or night you can run into fellow classmates, faculty of PC alumni. Not the place to hide of you are skipping class. : )
So if you need a break from the hussel and bussel of campus, or need to fill your belly with yummy, environmentally conscious food, hop down town and take up a seat at the Raven Cafe. Chances are I will see you there!

Campus Evolution

The summer is upon us. Spring graduates have flown the nest, on to bigger and better things. Returning students submitted their final portfolios and are off on summer break. The campus, al be it open, takes on a very different energy during the summer. Administrative offices are in full swing and there are the occasional Graduate students, or people working on Independent Study programs for the summer, but for the most part, it is very quiet. The town itself takes on a different vibe. Sure there is the absence of the students from all three colleges, but it is more than that. Phoenix is beginning to become unbearably hot and the residents often run to Prescott for higher elevation relief. Tourists from all over the country come to experience the local culture and truth Southwestern flavor. Our little town has a fresh face and one I am just getting to know. As one of the few students who will remain in town for the summer term, I am excited to investigate the summer changes.

Thank you lord for school breaks. There is ootles of research about how long students can concentrate on one subject at a time without taking a break. The general consensus among educators is that students cannot focus for more than 50 minutes. I would like to do a similar study evaluating how long college students can take classes without a break. My personal take on it, is no longer than four consecutive weeks. This is the end of week four and we are ready for a break!
I will be traveling home to Seattle for 10 days to hang with old friends in my favorite restaurants and coffee houses. Needless to say, I am excited. I am having a good quarter, learning amazing things in classes I really enjoy, but there is only so much the human brain can absorb before shutting off. I look forward to the opportunity for the information to marinate. So happy people, I will be away having fun and giving my brain a rest. See you all in a couple of weeks.

Learning: Not Just Academic

The classes I am taking this quarter range in the ways in which they push me to grow. On one hand I have a very academicly challenging class that is packed full of new material to be assimilated into my brain and my practice. Interesting but a big challenge. On the other hand I have a class that really pushes my mental and personal boundaries. We are asked to evaluate and deconstruct big topics about our identity and place in the world. Equally as much work but in an entirely different way. I find that by the end of the days, were I have both classes, my mind is swimming! Sure, we are in an institution of academia and we are expected to leave as a competent leader in our field of expertise. But we are also people and that can never be divorced from the work we do in our careers. I think we need to do as much work on ourselves as we do on acquiring information, in order to be successful individuals and members of our society.

Back From Block

Wow, what a ride it has been. I spent my block in India doing an independents study, where I evaluated literacy across cultural boundaries. Fascinating! Now I am back and settling into the PC community. For those of us on the track to Teacher Certification, the journey can seem like a road map leading up to the pinnacle of student teaching. Although I have designed my own degree, there are still a number of requirements I need to check off the list before entering the classroom. I will be doing my teaching this coming fall and the horizon is growing exceedingly near. I met with a mentor today to discuss the remaining process. I am so thrilled and yet so anxious. On one hand I think, "Ok Bethena, you were born to be a teacher, it is the only thing you have ever wanted to do, you have more knowledge than can ever be covered in one class, it will be great. Do not worry." Then on the other hand I think, "Oh Lord, there are so many state standards I have to cover and so much to teach my kids in such a short time! How the heck am I going to get it all gone?! Yikes." My mentor reassured me that all good teachers go through the same thing and at the end of the day it WILL be ok. So I trust her experience and wisdom and will get up tomorrow and do it all again.

School and Community

This Sunday I had the honor of serving my community as a part of my educational experience. One of my classes has as a service learning component. Three of us from this class decided to go out into our community and feed the hungry. We connected with a local chapter of "Food not Bombs". This international network of committed citizens, collects ingredients from local stores and cooks meals for the hungry. We put together quite a feast and took it down to the courthouse square. For hours we sat, ate good food, and had amazing conversations with those who came to break bread with us. It helped me to remember that my education is not separate from my life and that I should continue to seek out avenues of connection. At this point in the end of the term I can become overwhelmed with the amount of work I have and forget that there is a whole world outside of campus. This Sunday helped to me remember the big picture. I guess that is what service learning is all about.

Dancing it Up

This Friday many students went out into the community and had a wild night of Contra Dancing! It was soooo much fun. There must have been about a hundred people there of all ages and walks of life. It is a bit like square dancing. You and your partner work your way down lines of other dancers, swinging and laughing. I have not had that much fun in ages. It is all the rage here in Prescott and I plan on jumping on the band wagon. Come on by and join the fun.