CLASSES & JOBS

My friend once went into an employment agency in need of immediate work. He handed over his resume and list of skills and after a three minute glance at it, the woman informed him that all she had available was a job being a personal marketing tool.

“What is that?” my friend asked, and she proceeded to give him a very long speech about the high demand companies have for personal marketing tools. When my friend was still unclear as to the actual description of job, she pointed out the window. Across the street at a local pizza place a man stood outside holding a sign that read: “Oven Ready Pizza To Go $5.” While this was not the ideal immediate work my friend was looking for, it was something. And after he stood holding his own sign for a few days, he decided to enroll in marketing classes and began looking for the jobs he really wanted.

Teaching English overseas is a great way to travel and immerse yourself in a different culture, and usually you end up learning the native language while you’re there. There are many programs out there that make it easy to get involved in something like this. And speaking from experience, it’s worth it. I taught English in Mexico for a month, and I loved every moment of it. I picked up some great Spanish speaking skills, and I made friendships that will last a lifetime.

My friend taught English in Madagascar as part of an internship and it changed her life. She had the privilege of teaching both children and adults who would stop her on the street after classes and practice what they had learned. It was an experience that she wouldn’t trade for anything, and because of it she hopes to teach again. In addition to a great life experience, she was able to pick up some French and Malagasy as well.

A child’s brain is still developing and evolving as they grow. An essential element to assist in this growth is education. A child needs to learn how to speak, to walk, to eat, to drink, to behave, etc. Parents are responsible for their child’s education. Many people believe that they must start their child in school at a young age and many people believe otherwise. Whether the child is educated in the home, public school, or private school they will learn necessary behaviors and traits to communicate effectively with others.

Businesses and families come together with education software and educational toys. They are created with the purpose of being beneficial as well as stimulating for a child to use or play with. Children have limited concentration compared to adults. Every child is different and has a personality all their own. Engaging in a social atmosphere enables a child to learn to share and to communicate with other children.

Another trend in child education is developing talents while young. Many parents will enroll their child in soccer, swimming, ballet, dance, piano lessons, baseball, basketball, or skiing at a young age as it is easier for them to learn these talents. Some children will learn different languages as a youth so they can gain a better understanding because of their malleable brains. Awareness of a child’s surroundings for safety can also be a part of their education. As a popular belief, to live is to learn and to learn is to live.

Graphic design is so interesting because it’s a blend of old style art, which has been around forever, and computers, which are new technology. Graphic artists can produce some of the most amazing modern art there is, and corporations pay a lot for talented graphic artists. People become graphic designers by taking classes at college and getting a degree in graphic design. Courses last anywhere from one year to several years, depending upon the level of specialization the person chooses.

Good designers can design art on their computers that is absolutely amazing. A friend in college was really creative and really into using a photo editing program. He could take any ordinary photograph and create something that you would want to stare at for hours. Every detail that went into his graphic design was well thought out and created something amazing.

I always opted for the less traditional whenever I took P.E. in college. Some of the more memorable were the bowling and golf classes I took. Those two have something in common–it’s all about your aim. I know just from playing Frisbee that I have a wicked hook when I throw-or swing. It makes for some interesting plays on the green, but you should see what it does in the bowling alley! I cannot ever seem to throw or follow-through without sending the object slightly-or at times considerably-off course. So I compensate, and that makes for some interesting moments as well. So, if you ever challenge me to a simple game of Frisbee, keep your eye on that flying disc-it’s not headed where you think it is. . . .

My most memorable college class was actually my very first one. Its title in the course catalog was “Intensive Writing,” but on our first day, included both on the syllabus and her lecture, the instructor made sure our class understood that she approached it as “intensive writhing.” If you are the type who is not into introspection, critical thinking, challenge or self-awareness, then her description would be correct. I’m sure I struggled, but looking back I only remember that I adored the class.

We read and wrote a great deal, but we had field trips too. I recall one outing that was designed solely to help us bond as class members. I did not mind the trust walk or anything else, but the “fall backwards and let your teammates catch you” activity taught me that I don’t trust anyone, but I will give into social pressure rather than make a scene. My fellow students did catch me, but I remember standing from that height, my back to them, fully expecting them not to break my fall. I only went through with it so I would not disappoint this teacher I revered so much. And yet, even with this little glitch, I loved the course. This one class firmly etched in my mind that, if you follow the words from Delphi, to “know thyself,” you must read and write and write and write and live and write again.