Greetings and salutations! Welcome to my blog. I intend for this to be a place where armchair geographers and other people with too much time to come and learn about the world according to me. I am a trained professional - a teacher, even. Which means I know something about kids, a little about geography, and a whole lot about what I think.
I created this blog because I am trying to undo a great injustice. For many years, I have had child after child enter my class believing that he/she does not like geography. Too often, this field is taught as merely a list of places to memorize - with very little emphasis on understanding the grander picture. For that is what geography really is: the study of all of the connections which create the world in which we live. Over time, I began to see that these same children, when approaching geography as a grand mystery to explain everything, began to LOVE geography and became some of my best students. My hope is that by reading this blog and learning to explore the world around you - rather than merely study it, you will learn to love it as much as I do. I am kind of like a geography evangelist that way, I guess.
So why a ninja? Well, geography evangelist is kind of a long title. Plus, ninjas are cooler - WAY cooler. But mostly, it has to do with my kids...
Several years ago, one of my students told me I should start a blog so I could tell the world all the things I told them in class. He told me I should title it "My super amazing geography teacher has a blog." I loved the title, but felt it would be a bit too self-aggrandizing. On our trip to Japan, one of my students decided we should be ninjas - she even bought a ninja hood and several escapades ensued. What fun! After we got back from our trip, I was researching ninjas - as a way to liven up my classroom, and I discovered that one of the 17 skills of the ninja was - GEOGRAPHY! And so, ninjas we became. I am their ninja master - helping them figure out the world in which they live. Hopefully, you'll decide to become a ninja, as well, and join me on my campaign to make the world a better place. Well, I'd better sign off for now - I need some more practice with my throwing stars. Peace. Geoninja
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