Have you ever gone to a resturant and found something in your food that shouldn't have been there?
Ms. Vincent says:
YES.
We went to Barnhills on Stage Road and there were gnats in the salad. I didn't want to go there in the first place, but after that, I SURE did not eat anything.
The other time was at Sparky's right here in T-County. My sister hates Sparky's but I wanted bbq, so my dad took us there. And we ate (though my sister refused to) and when we were almost ready to leave, I saw A ROACH SWIMMING IN THE TEA.
Needless to say, we haven't been back, and that happened over ten years ago.
Has your family done anything to scare you on purpose? what was it?
Ms. Vincent says:
My sister used to stand outside the bathroom door and yell when I walked out.
We don't really do elaborate scare tactics on each other. I am afraid of everything--I don't even watch scary movies--so nobody has to work hard to scare me.
What bad experiences have you had while staying in someone else's house or in a hotel, that you felt were disgusting and unsanitary?
Ms. Vincent says:
Well, the last time my whole family went on vacation together, which was February, my brother-in-law broke the toilet in their room. Montgomery Bell State Park, y'all, don't go there.
Almost every summer of my childhood and adolescence were spent camping, so I've seen bugs everywhere and they don't bother me so much (as long as they are not ON ME).
I heard that South Carolina has palmetto bugs, which are like cockroaches that can fly, so I am never, ever, ever going there.
I guess I've been pretty lucky in that I've mostly stayed in clean hotels and houses. I really can't think of a bad experience related to hygiene.
Having been through college, how did you feel about your room mate/the school's faculty/your drama teacher? What college did you attend and why?
Ms. Vincent says:
I'll answer your last questions first; they're easier.
I went to Southeast Missouri State University, because they gave me the best scholarship. That is to say, they gave me a full ride with super benefits, and I only had to pay my phone bill. Literally. That was awesome.
(I later found out that SEMO has one of the most acclaimed education programs in the US, so that worked out well for me.)
My roommate during my freshman year was my high school best friend. We were not friends at the end of the year. My advice: room with someone you don't know. That way, when you hate each other at the end of the year, you don't feel bad about never talking to him/her again.
I lived by myself my sophomore and senior years. I love living by myself. I'm my favorite roommate.
My professors were pretty good, though there are always duds. And maybe they weren't really duds; maybe I just wasn't interested in the subject. That's always a possibility. I really liked my English professors--one in particular, Dr. Jennie Cooper, she was an excellent teacher--and I had several excellent education professors.
I wasn't involved in the theater program in college, so I didn't know any of the professors.
Okay, today my dad and I were driving home from Walmart and we saw this couple standing outside. And he just started cracking jokes about the couple and a deer. You just kinda had to be there. It was sooooooooo funny! What were some of the funniest things your dad has ever said?
Ms. Vincent says:
Well, when somebody in my family says negative things or is in a bad mood, my dad says, "Don't be such a Crabby Appleton!" I think that is pretty funny.
One year we decided to have an old-fashioned Christmas tree, with popcorn and tinsel and pine cones and cranberries. So my mom and sister and I were talking about stringing the cranberries on the tree, and my dad kept saying, "I don't know how you're going to do that; they're just going to fall off and make a big mess." We said, "Dad, they are BERRIES. They will stay on the string." But he didn't believe us. It wasn't until he saw us stringing the cranberries that he realized that HE'D thought we would be trying to put CRANBERRY SAUCE on the tree! (My grandma didn't cook much.)
He couldn't remember the word "wedgie" one time, and he was trying to describe it, so he said, "So-and-so had a crackie." That is one that we still make fun of him for.
What was the best vacation you've ever had.
Ms. Vincent says:
My second trip to London is my favorite vacation. I love London anyway, but not having worry about someone else really added to my enjoyment. I did whatever I wanted!
On that trip, I did a bunch of touristy stuff, but I tried not to look like a tourist. I pretended I lived there, which meant that I didn't stop and take pictures every ten seconds.
I also took a day trip to Dover, and that was one of the longest days of my life. I got lost, like, a billion times. If Dover had been bigger, I might still be wandering around there, looking for the train station. I did not take a right step ALL DAY. That's not true: I went through the underground tunnels at the castle compound (they were a super-secret headquarters during WWII), and I didn't get lost there. Of course, it was a guided tour. That's probably lucky for me.
I spent HOURS at the British Museum, since I hadn't been able to during my first visit to London. I went to the National Gallery and the Globe, and I just walked all around the city without any plans, just looking (except sometimes I was lost).
One of my favorite things about London is its public transport system. I hate to drive, but I love to ride the Tube. I wish we had a subway here; I would ride it all day long.
Another reason that I really enjoyed this vacation is that I met up with a friend of mine and we got to spend some time together. That was great!
If you could have ANY car, what would it be and why?
Ms. Vincent says:
Honestly, I am not a car person. I don't even like to drive. So I would have to say that whatever car came with its own driver would be the perfect car for me.
Actually, a robot driver would be kind of awesome. So, yeah, a car that has a robot driver, that's the car I want.
Have you ever been in a situation that made your face turn red and your back burn? Also known as embarrassment or thinking that you were in trouble?
Ms. Vincent says:
Yes, tons of times. Not so much that I think I'm in trouble, but I have been embarrassed a lot.
Just saying the wrong word, or--well, today, I called a kid Troy when his name is Trey; that was pretty dumb. If I say the wrong word or mispronounce it, I get embarrassed (this is why I use a dictionary all the time).
And I hate it when people sing to me in restaurants. That is why I always celebrate my birthday at home.
What do you think about the state of education and how do you think YOU can make it better?
Ms. Vincent says:
Hmmm ... do you have several hours to spare?
I find the current educational initiative to be, at best, misguided, and at worst, a giant load of crap.
I did not want to become an educator so that I could spend my life creating little automatons who could spit out "A, B, C, D" on a test. I became a teacher so that I could encourage a love of learning in the younger generations, to help them become well-rounded individuals, to build and enhance critical THINKING skills.
The current data-driven assessments are encouraging children NOT to think for themselves, and that is the single greatest fault that NCLB has. As a teacher, it frustrates me when students say, "I can't find the answer," (because it's not explicitly written, as in, THE ANSWER IS _____), or when they say, "I don't get it," which really means, "Why can't YOU just tell me the answer."
That is why I enjoy teaching theater arts: I get to do lots of stuff that a core-class teacher can't do. Most of all, I CAN FORCE YOU TO THINK.
You may have noticed that you've had to do a crapload of work in this class. It's true. But it's a lot less busywork and a lot more of what are called "authentic assessments."
Instead of giving multiple choice tests all the time, I require you to put your knowledge to work, by making you write your own commercials, or give an informative speech, or debate with your classmates. Yes, I do give tests, but the majority of your time doing activities, whether formal or informal, that prove to me that YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. That's what's important to me, not that you can guess a correct answer on a test, but that you can apply your knowledge in real-world situations.
I'm doing what I can, as an educator, to get my students to step beyond the multiple choice assessment and to USE THEIR BRAINS.
If you could have any other job for one day what would it be? and Why?
Ms. Vincent says:
I would like to be a researcher or detective of some kind.
I like to solve mysteries, but I don't like guts. If I were on CSI, I would be the lab tech, because I would vomit all over the crime scene, for real.
Here's one for you. Recently in the news, a polgamist camp was raided and hundreds of young girls were rescued. In that camp, it was ok to marry at a really young age to a much older man. Trials will be held to see if these marriages are legal and if the men will be tried. My question to you is what do you think about multiple underaged wives and should the men be convicted and why?
Ms. Vincent says:
First of all, it's illegal in this country to have more than one wife. It is also illegal for a person over the age of 18 to have sexual relations with a minor, even if the minor is consenting.
I find this practice to be reprehensible, personally. Hiding behind the blanket of religion does not make it all right. In fact, the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints is not even recognized by the Mormon church or, indeed, any government agency.
The practice of polygamy is disgusting. It sublimates women and creates a situation in which one man rules a small kingdom. The women are forced to accept the lifestyle and appreciate any attention their husband gives them. They often do not have jobs, other than that of being a baby machine and tending to their husband's needs.
Oh, and guess who supports these families ... YOU AND I DO!!! Because the women do not work, they are eligible for welfare, and because they have so many children, they get some pretty good money.
One more point (since I could rant about this for hours): Since the police infiltrated the compound, how many men have you seen? NONE. Instead, they've left their wives to be the faces of this tragedy. A REAL MAN would not leave his family to face this [poo]storm alone.
Who would you want to be the next president?
Ms. Vincent says:
I coverd this in another post.
In the whole world who scares you the most..... (besides me!)
Ms. Vincent says:
I scare myself. Not because I'm a serial killer or whatever (I'm not, by the way), but because I don't actually know what my limits are.
Of course, I govern my behavior by societal guidelines, and I'm not a criminal and have never been arrested, but ... what if I should snap one day? I don't plan to do so, and I hope I won't, but isn't that what everybody says?
There have been various times in my life when I've been very unhappy, or angry, or dissatisfied, and I allowed those feelings to control me; my work suffered, my social life suffered, even my mental and physical self suffered. If I hadn't taken myself out of the situations that were affecting me, who knows what might have happened? I don't think I would have done anything dangerous. I hope I wouldn't have done anything dangerous. I wasn't planning to do anything dangerous. Still ... what if?
Let me put your mind at ease: I'm happier now than I was during those troubled times; I've made peace with my past, present, and even (as much as I'm able) my future. I know who I am and HOW I am, and my sense of humor is much more developed than it had been. That helps a lot.
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