https://padlet.com/kzandarski5/6uw4w694y6ehw6ng Reflections on reading and writing. en-us 2021-01-15 16:49:01 UTC 2023-05-30 20:26:39 UTC hello@padlet.com kzandarski5 https://padlet.com/kzandarski5/6uw4w694y6ehw6ng/wish/1091977017 If you've arrived here let me begin by welcoming you. Thanks for stopping by. 
I'll start with an introduction of myself. You should feel welcome to call me Karen. I'm a proud graduate of CSU Stanislaus. I went back to school as an adult and studied English because I've always loved to read and write. I began teaching about seven years ago. I always feel like I am at home when I step onto the campus. 
In my spare time, I like to read and write (I'm an English teacher after all). I'm working on my doctorate in education, so I don't have a lot of spare time though. I also am a hobbyist photographer. It's a great hobby because it forces me to slow down and really look at the world, which is something I struggle to do. I tend to rush through trying to 'get things done.' I like to work out; it helps with physical and mental health, so I make time for that almost every day. I have four adult children that I enjoy spending time with. We try to get out to hike or have coffee together several times a week. One lives in Northern California, and I miss her desperately because of the pandemic. 
I always say that rap music is my guilty pleasure. I love words and the way people - all people - play with words to create meaning. I have long been fascinated with the way rap artists specifically do this.  I often have people, both in and outside of the classroom, look at me and assume that I couldn't possibly know or appreciate a type of music as 'rough' as rap can be. I like to think that I can cause people to question stereotypes and biases. I realize that there needs to be more conversation about misogyny, violence, and gender stereotypes depicted in this type of music, but I think that the conversations go much deeper and need to confront the institutionalized racism that has always been part of our country.   I hope we have some great discussions this semester. ]]> 2021-01-15 16:53:36 UTC https://padlet.com/kzandarski5/6uw4w694y6ehw6ng/wish/1091977017