My Heroes Have Always Been Cyclists
1 Comment Published by yael February 27th, 2008 in general
(5 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...I can’t really remember when I first learned how to ride a bike. I do remember my childhood bicycle, a pink one with a white basket with a flower. I also have fond memories of racing down a very very steep driveway and hitting a neighbor’s big giant plant. I learned that my handlebar breaks did not work very well and that I needed to peddle backwards to stop, which is kind of difficult when you are careening forward. But of course I kept riding.
One sad day, my parents gave away my bicycle—and my brother’s as well. He received one before going off to college—and another when it was stolen (presumably because he forgot to lock it up.) I had to buy my own bicycle when I was in college, and I want reparations! Luckily, some really cool people jumped in and helped me. One was this amazing guy named T.C. O’Rourke. T.C. had the coolest bike ever, but that wouldn’t stop him from staring at every single one he saw. He called himself a bikesexual. He took me to this awesome Chicago bike shop and helped me pick out a lovely green bicycle. He knew exactly what to ask for and look for and somehow he scored it for me for under $100. The staff at Urban Bikes are also bike heroes of mine—they actually gave me a ride home (about an hour away) when I couldn’t, for some reason, take my bike on Metra. I think the program started the very next day. And Dave Glowacz turned me on to an amazing book of his, Urban Biker Tips and Tricks. It had everything I needed to know and then some on cycling in the city. I believe he also worked for the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation—a really awesome organization, although they made a huge mistake in not hiring me to work for them back in 2002.
But it was women in particular that helped me feel most comfortable riding a bike. Keetah Simonds, one of my college buddies (and later a housemate at our brief stint in Oxford) would ride her bike all the way from Waukegan to Chicago and back. How inspirational is that?! In addition, she also knew how to use bike tools and introduced me to the Alien ™. Then there was Gin Kilgore, a huge advocate for female cyclists. Gin always had the best bike clothes and tips for everything from basic maintenance to riding in the winter. I eagerly took notes whenever she spoke. And Jennifer (who was living in Cork, Ireland last I heard) actually took me riding to work for the very first time. I knew how to ride in the city but just needed someone to go with me once before I felt completely comfortable, and she gladly accommodated. Because of these fine women, I basked in the joy and freedom that is cycling. I even ended up going carless for an entire year and relying solely on my bicycle when I wound up in Tucson years later.
I am still in Tucson, and our Critical Mass bike rides here are nothing compared to those in Chicago. I’ve also had years of bad luck at local events for cycling enthusiasts. So I was super excited to see an ad in the Tucson Weekly for free bike classes conducted by League of American Bicyclist Cycling Instructors. I immediately decided to sign up for Road I: Street Savvy, Confidence and Safety. When I noticed there was a women’s version of the same class, I made sure to take that one.
Class started on a Thursday night with a slideshow detailing the history of women and the bicycle. We learned that by the late 19th century, women’s bicycles were blamed for everything from increased danger of attack to immodesty, promiscuity, insatiable sexual desire and lesbianism. This mostly had to do with women being unable to wear the big poofy dresses of the time in their bicycles. However, there were many women willing to step up and ride. Frances Willard was one of them—she named her bike Gladys for its “gladdening effect” on her health and mental well-being. Annie Londonderry was the first woman who rode around the world—with a time limit and earning money along the way. And Susan B. Anthony herself was quoted in 1896 as saying “I think [the bicycle] has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”
Of course, there were critics of all this, including some that cited women cyclists as an example of the “intoxication which comes from unfettered liberty.” Dangerous indeed. In 1897, Newnham College decided to award degrees to women taking the same classes as men. Previously, the women had taken classes but not received credit. There were protests over the new policy and a woman on a bicycle was burned in effigy. Girls on bikes were seen as quite dangerous; I am glad to be one of them.
The course was a great deal of fun. Our fearless leader, Kathryn Skinner, made what would otherwise be a boring slideshow palatable. We looked at bike laws and the reasoning behind them, and learned that we are not vehicles but are devices. We learned the names for a zillion different parts of a bike, and the difference between mountain, road, touring, recumbent and hybrid bikes—as well as girl bikes. We talked about basic adjustments and got some hands-on practice doing basic safety checks, patching inner tubes and changing flats. We looked at girl clothes and got a lot of knowledgeable and informative responses to all of our questions. And we also spent a couple hours going on a ride. During the ride we practiced making left turns onto Speedway off of Campbell. We could do box turns or pedestrian turns, but I was really proud of myself for choosing to make a vehicular left. Then we worked on drills in the parking lot so we’d be better able to look behind us. We worked on quick braking, dodging rocks, and emergency right turns. We also got free lunch!
Upon successful completion of a very easy test, we got a biker bucks for really good freebies! Just for taking this really amazing class, we wound up with an insulated water bottle, reflective stickers, a patch kit, a bike light kit, a really good Kryptonite U-lock (complete with cable lock), a frame pump, a helmet, tire levers (mine are pink!), and of course the manual and bike map and valuable information. They ran out of the free buffs, but I can’t complain since I would gladly have paid money for the course. The instructor, like I said, was amazing and the environment was comfortable and supportive. And you get a ton of free stuff! I always like to let people in on these deals and highly recommend the course. Check out http://bikeped.pima.gov/SafetyClasses.htm for more info.
teaching
1 Comment Published by yael November 25th, 2007 in general (3 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...Many of my dedicated readers have asked me why it has taken so long for articles to go up on the site. Indeed, I did promise that articles would be posted monthly. However, I also started my first year of teaching on August 7th. The past four months could most easily be classified as trial by fire, and if it wasn’t for the support of countless people around me I think I may have been swept away in the whirlwind.
Teaching is the hardest thing I have ever tried. Easily.
According to studies cited in Ellen R. Kronowitz’s Your First Year of Teaching and Beyond
My brother sent me an article entitled Teacher Attrition: A Costly Loss to the Nation and the States. The article stated that nearly a thousand teachers leave the profession each school day. Another thousand, the article continues, “change schools, many in pursuit of better working conditions. And these figures do not include the teachers who retire.” It is estimated that it costs $2.2 billion each year to replace teachers who leave the field, and an additional $2.7 billion to replace public school teachers who transfer.
There are many reasons teachers leave. We know that common sources of dissatisfaction include a wide variety of problems–unrealistic expectations, lack of physical and mental conditioning, heavy workloads, lack of planning time, isolation, value conflicts, salaries, problematic student behavior, lack of influence over school policy, and the fact that beginning teachers are often assigned to the most disruptive and least academically able students. My own list further included classroom management problems, lack of curriculum, inadequate resources and insufficient supplies. The areas that need work go on and on.
It is said that it takes new years three to seven years to reach the effectiveness level of veteran teachers, and I believe that this is an often unspoken area of concern among new teachers. I know that I feel that despite the hundreds of dollars I have spent on supplies and additional training, despite the support of many mentors, I know that I’m not yet able to provide my students with what they really need. Although there are a huge amount of problems in the education system (many of which I probably can’t yet articulate or even comprehend), it is far easier to blame the system or the students, the administration or the parents, or any other external locus of control than it is to admit one’s own areas that need development.
One of my own areas that needs development is class management. After spending $885 of my own money on supplies, equipment and training I reluctantly decided to solicit donations.
I am raising $124.95 for an e-learning course on class management by Harry Wong, the guru in the field. You can read about the program on http://www.classroommanagement.com.
After that amount is raised, I’m seeking generous souls to adopt my classroom.
All donations are tax-deductible. 100% of the donation goes to my classroom. Adopt-A-Classroom takes $0 out for administration.
To learn how you can support my efforts in the classroom click on the link below (or copy and paste it into your Internet browser):
Yael Grauer Adopt-A-Classroom Homepage
I really want to thank anyone who is considering donating towards the e-learning course I desperately need, which will greatly improve my quality of teaching and the lives of one hundred young ones this year alone. My friends, mentors, coworkers and especially my boyfriend will also be quite thankful, because when I’m having a bad month, they’re the ones that have to hear about it. :) Furthermore, good classroom management skills developed in the course will create a classroom climate where resources purchased or donated are more likely to be respected and taken care of so they can be used for years to come. And of course any classroom resources would be amazing. My students do not have the same resources as students in richer districts do, and yet they have to compete with them. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your love and generosity. Every bit counts!
Rest in Peace
0 Comments Published by yael October 28th, 2007 in articles (3 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...On November 2nd, I will be attending the All Soul’s Procession for the fifth year in a row. Inspired by the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the Tucson procession has existed since 1990 when local artist Susan Johnson grieved the passing of her father with a ritualistic performance piece-celebratory and creative. The Procession as I know it is Tucson’s biggest holiday, a huge street party with thousands of angelic and ghoulish beings descending the streets to mourn and celebrate the life and death of their loved ones. The parade culminates with ritual burning of slips of papers filled with prayers, dreams, hopes and wishes which are carried through the streets in a large urn. Then the celebration begins with performance art by fire dancers and fire spinners and a large, crazy afterparty.
One year at All Soul’s I put on too much glitter and $10 fairy wings. Last year I carried a picture of my grandfather, may he rest in piece. I am always amazed by the creativity in various forms: drumming, dancing, beautiful masks and costumes, stilt walkers spinning fire, wagons, dancing skeletons, giant puppets, dancers suspended from cranes. I remember crying one year marching under the 4th Avenue bridge while women holding torches towered above us, lighting up a huge sign which read LOVE > FEAR.
It is said that American culture doesn’t really know how to approach death. Instead of creating ofrendas, or altars, to those who have passed, we try not to talk about it too much. It is almost anethema, something to be tiptoed around. Clarissa Pinkola Estes is one of many authors and storytellers who has written about the life/death/life nature…about how in order for new things to be born some things must die. Nevertheless, that doesn’t make things easier.
This article is a tribute to some of those people close to me who have died. Most recently, both of my grandfathers have passed away. One was a hardworking optometrist who was fond of pumpernickel bagels and playing bridge. I remember his warm heart. I remember him helping my grandmother cook dinner, cutting up little cucumbers. I remember his athleticism and strength of character and spirit–not to mention his physical strength. He swam in the sea until the day he died. My mom’s father also died recently. I remember his fondness for education, the amount of time he spent studying, opening schools, working in administration. As a newfound educator just this year, I wonder what words of wisdom he would’ve had for me. I remember him reading the newspaper, playing chess, watching the news. I remember reading about his life in his book, realizing how many sacrifices he made as a Jew. He had to leave many countries in which he was persecuted just to get an education–when so many in this country take their educational opportunities for granted.
And I’ve been meaning to write an article about Chris for years now. I met him at a pub in Oxford when I was buying Rich a beer. I was my normal flighty self, requesting an incredibly strong brand of beer I’d discovered in Scotland and, when it wasn’t available, ordering tea instead. I told Chris he had nice hair and he remembered me when I ran into him at a protest later that week. I have him my number and eventually he called. We dated for six months and I found him idealistic, principled, reflective, thoughtful and kind beyond belief. I am grateful for the time we got to spend together, having long political conversations over beer. He explained more about British culture, mannerisms and subtle language differences for me than I could ever learn in a guidebook and with infinite patience few could muster. He even showed me all the Beatles references when I went to visit him in Liverpool-even though he hated the Beatles.
I miss my grandfathers. R.I.P. Sabba Moshe. R.I.P. Sabba David. But they died after long, full lives, having lived through the travesties of war and the blessings of new birth. When Chris died before his time, it left a hole in my heart. I miss him more than I can put in words.
So here’s to All Soul’s–to celebrating the deaths of those close to us and the lives that they lived, all the people they touched. I celebrate and honor their lives and the continuation of their life, for I know death is not the end but merely a beginning.
Tucsonans, I’ll see you at the Procession while I do my best… to never, ever forget.
Water Is Life
2 Comments Published by yael June 27th, 2007 in general, articles (5 votes, average: 5 out of 5) Loading ...When I was in high school, a canvasser for an environmental organization came to my door to raise money to clean up our city’s tap water. I quickly informed him that my parents were not home and that his organization’s minimum contribution amount exceeded my monthly allowance. However, I volunteered to write a letter to my local representative on the issue although I was too young to vote. I ran to the computer so that my letter would be ready for him to pick up by the time he was done soliciting donations in my neighborhood. As I was typing away, it dawned on me that I wasn’t exactly sure what was even in the drinking water. I now realize I was probably in the majority.
We’ve all seen the headlines warning of a wide variety of contaminants and their health effects. Everything from chlorine to PCBs, pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides, parasites and
heavy metals have made their way to our water supply and been implicated in causing various diseases. But what exactly makes it into your tap water? Luckily, the Environmental Working Group has published an informative report which provides details about water contaminants at the local level. You can even look up your own local water system report and pinpoint potential contaminants in your tap water.
But what can we do about it? I wrote a letter to my congressman a decade ago, and I even used to have a public access television show on water policy, but I also do my level best to drink clean water. I spent several months trying to figure out the best way to do this. Unfortunately, bottled water might not be the best alternative. Standards for bottled water are very similar to those set for tap water, and in fact 25% of bottled water is actually repackaged tap water. Distilled water certainly removes chemicals but removes trace minerals which are essential for good health. The chemicals can vaporize and recondense into the distilled water. Reverse osmosis filters are expensive and have been shown in studies to actually CONCENTRATE lead and aluminum instead of removing them. These expensive filters also do not reduce most volatile organic chemicals. I used to buy my water at a health food store, and I learned that it too filtered out trace minerals. This was concerning because high magnesium levels in drinking water have been linked to resistance to heart disease. Besides, distillers are quite expensive.
I ended up purchasing a Multi-pure filter because it is NSF certified to reduce the highest level of contaminants of any filter in the market. It also reduced the contaminants of concern in my area. Multi-Pure is certified by NSF under Standard 42- aesthetic effects for chlorine, chloramines and particulate matter. Multi-Pure is also certified under Standard 53- health effects for asbestos, certain endocrine disrupters, cysts, lead, mercury, MTBE, trihalomethanes, turbidity, and volatile organic compounds (51 chemicals & pesticides). At 7 cents a gallon, I also save close to $300 a year on water alone–this doesn’t even include gas to get to the health food store!
After purchasing a water filter, I realized that I was likely absorbing more chlorine in the shower than I was from drinking it. Luckily, shower filters and crystal bath balls are also available through Multi-pure. Once you take a shower with one of these, you’ll never go back!
Next, I began to think about what I was storing my water in. Glass and stainless steel are ideal choices, but I really prefer plastic water bottles. I looked into plastics that are safe for storing food and water and do not leach harmful substances. According to naturopathic doctor Joseph Mercola, the best types of plastic are polypropylene (#5 PP), high-density polyethylene (#2HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (#4HDPE). Although snopes.com would disagree, the Weston Price Foundation states that plastics can contain residues of polycarbonates called phthalates, which are endocrine disrupters.
As you can see, research on safe water is confusing and often time-consuming! If you need some help researching contaminants in your local drinking water, sorting through options and looking at the pros and cons of drinking water alternatives, please drop me a line. I would love to personally assist you in determining your best options for reducing the contaminants in your tap water based on your own unique needs and priorities. I am an independent Multi-pure distributor, but I am also very interested in researching water and promise to help you make the best decision for yourself and your family. If you would like my help, please send me an e-mail with the following information: your city and state, your water company and what your specific priorities are in a water filtration system (e.g. the taste of the water, any specific contaminants, your primary health concerns, purchase price, cost per gallon, certification, warranty, etc.) I’ll also need to know whether you prefer pure lab science in addressing these concerns or not!
On that note, make sure to get enough water this summer! Check out this awesome page put together by Catalyst Athletics which gives information on what that oft-quoted advice actually means.
For a more holistic view of water, check out Karen Robinson’s article about water, salt and hydration as well.
Drink up!
