seeking retreat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdRBKcqDwBE&feature=youtu.be
sounds interminable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=077C5DmOHUM&feature=youtu.be
succor unavailable.
sounding retreat.

Looking back on my first post about my site sit, it was interesting to remember that the image I put up for my site was a map of campus, with Batten House circled. I didn't think about this at the time, but I think the fact that I put up such a large scale, "practical" image instead of a picture of my surroundings from the site echoes sort of my mentality going into the site sits. I had chosen the Batten jungle because I had gazed over it many times from the back porch, but had only once before been actually down in it (at night, nonetheless, so I saw hardly anything). All I knew of the jungle was from above, from a distance, and by making it my site sit, I would have to go down into it and explore its depths.

Having spent a bit of time in this place, it's curious coming back to the topographic maps I chose in winter.

If seven months ago someone were to have shown me this map of Bryn Mawr's campus, the thought of finding comfort in it would have never crossed my mind. For some reason, more than the maps that are around campus (with little sketches of each building), I find comfort in this bird's eye view map more. It might be because as a kid I used to spend time looking at my entire town through Google Earth, and then figuring out exactly which building was where in relation to the next (from the map), or it might just be my ability to zoom in and out and see it as clearly as I choose to. 

Retreat

Oxford English Dictionary

An act of leaving or escaping from a difficult or dangerous situation; a movement away from an attitude, idea, agreement, etc., esp. one that is being challenged or causing difficulties. Also: the action of doing this.

My original visualization: 

"We get to know the kids intimately- what their strengths and weaknesses are- and we work with them individually [...]. Assessments leads to support." (pg.164)

The overall message Kirp entails in chapter 6 draws my attention to the importance of incorporating the identity of student's into the teaching curriculum. As educators it's important to connect with our students and reassure them that yes, we are here to teach and help them understand new material, but that we also care about their well being. Our students are everyday people as well, their lives don't center only in classrooms. In order to help strive our student's academic performance we need to be able to understand who they are and what community they belong to. 

The visualization of the campus I put up on January 30 was a picture I took over the summer of 2013 of Bryn Mawr’s athletic fields. The words: experience, interrelationship, home, green, comfort, and biotic comes to mind when I look at the image. The reason I took the picture of the athletic fields was because I felt a sense of belonging after my journey and experience to the center of the labyrinth. I felt like I had a sense of what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be in the next 4 years of my education career. I knew Bryn Mawr was going to be my 2^nd home because I found comfort where I was. One thing I liked about Bryn Mawr on my first visit was how green it was.