Islam & The Female Body

This is an Arab woman named Amina. She posted topless photos of herself on the internet and inscribed on her torso "My Body is My Own and Not the Source of Anyone's Honor." She was then kidnapped and held captive in a Tunisian psychiatric hospital. A radical religious Leader of an Islamic sect has demanded that she be beaten and stoned to death.

stand up in her honor April 4th against misogyny.
Why?
Because a woman's body is beautiful and we should all have the right to do with it as we choose!

Social Influence

Body Language

I am the teacher who hangs out with the kids who are punished during recess and have to sit against the fence while everyone else gets to play.

Let's analyze my students body language for a minute, shall we?  The girl on the left is cross and pouty, while the girl on the right is like, "Oh yea, I am a bad girl and I know it. And I am proud of it too," throwing up the peace sign with her tongue sticking out.

 You know how they say, "glass half empty, glass half full."  The child on the left's glass is half empty.  The child on the right's glass is half full.   You know how I know this?  The girl on the right owns her behavior and makes the best out of the situation, while the other one sits in resentment.

Even little children can show adults life lessons if we choose to pay close enough attention.

Just Another Day On The Playground

There are about 5 recesses a day, which gives me plenty of opportunity to make the rounds between different grades.  This afternoon I hung out with the first graders.  We pretended to be Kungfu fighting  Power Ranger superheroes.  Fortunately for us, there wasn't too much crime going on on the playground today, so we were able to mess around ;)

Sisterhood

Today I went over to my little sister Naama's house after school.  We painted each other's faces with colored lipsticks.  She painted a rainbow on my cheek and I gave her whiskers.  I think this captures both of our personalities rather well.  She is fierce; whereas I am playful.  I bring out her inner silly and she brings out my "time to take things seriously" mode.  Good thing I have a 12 year old to balance me out.

We Are Human-- Not Sheep

A teacher should not tell a student WHAT to think, they should teach a student HOW to think.  Take a look at the message this picture conveys:

The teacher thinks inside the blank box, as do the students in the front two rows whom she has influenced.  The teacher is trimming the student in the third row's critical thinking abilities into a square.  But the child in the last row remains an untouched circle.

Learning is not about conforming.  Learning is about exploring the multiple possibilities while thinking for yourself.  All children deserve to have this right!!

A Colorful City

Today I had the day off and took a jaunt through the backstreets of Tel Aviv.  I made the theme of my excursion "Not all those who wander are lost."  I spent my time analyzing symbolism and street art.

Graffiti 

A slate of imprinted stone with a biblical reference hanging on an apartment building.  This is rather common in Israel.

This is a famous artist with galleries all over Tel Aviv.  I do not know the artist's name.  All I know is that I love butterflies and a lot of her artwork is made up of colorful butterflies!

Symbolism on an abandoned building.  Star of David and pound sign.

Be Free!!!

My great grandmother's name was Rose.  I am named after her in Hebrew.  

Wise owl on the building of an art gallery I walked pass.

Colorful back door of a restaurant in the Shook.

Stop to smell the flowers.

Heart Mosaic.