Origami Troubles, Queer Anthropology and Climate Change
It was my first day in front of a classroom for a long time. I am out ESL summer school teaching in a leafy corner of Harrow. The day was long, but felt very short, and involved testing, and trying to remember new student's names.
Towards the end of the day, I puzzled them with some origami. They were spectacular with making this apparently easy dinosaur, but the three minute butterfly was too much for them. It was fun watching their confusion. It is a little sad I have a new class tomorrow, and amazing how quickly the bond developed.
I haven't taught so many Chinese students since I lived in China. It was weird listening to them talking amongst themselves in Chinese and picking up on some of the words. It took me back to when my anthropology and teaching journey began, and maybe wonder why I started down this alternative path in life, avoiding the mainstream at almost every corner. I wonder if that is about to change.
On the tube home I managed to skim read an article on Queer Anthropology, and its importance as a discipline. It is one of those areas, though probably not entirely mainstream, I meant to get into. The anthropologist made this interesting point that perhaps we should all be out there doing what we can to save the planet, as nothing else can happen without a planet earth. This echoes a lot of angst filled blog posts I have written.
Here is a link to the article by Cymene Howe.
https://culanth.org/fieldsights/701-porous-pleasures?platform=hootsuite
Queer Anthropology is something I wish I had stepped outside the box more for on my anthropology masters. Eventually I might one day develop an actual understanding of the field and what it has to offer.
Towards the end of the day, I puzzled them with some origami. They were spectacular with making this apparently easy dinosaur, but the three minute butterfly was too much for them. It was fun watching their confusion. It is a little sad I have a new class tomorrow, and amazing how quickly the bond developed.
I haven't taught so many Chinese students since I lived in China. It was weird listening to them talking amongst themselves in Chinese and picking up on some of the words. It took me back to when my anthropology and teaching journey began, and maybe wonder why I started down this alternative path in life, avoiding the mainstream at almost every corner. I wonder if that is about to change.
On the tube home I managed to skim read an article on Queer Anthropology, and its importance as a discipline. It is one of those areas, though probably not entirely mainstream, I meant to get into. The anthropologist made this interesting point that perhaps we should all be out there doing what we can to save the planet, as nothing else can happen without a planet earth. This echoes a lot of angst filled blog posts I have written.
Here is a link to the article by Cymene Howe.
https://culanth.org/fieldsights/701-porous-pleasures?platform=hootsuite
Queer Anthropology is something I wish I had stepped outside the box more for on my anthropology masters. Eventually I might one day develop an actual understanding of the field and what it has to offer.
Comments
Post a Comment