Alien Pedagogy

I’ve switched to endurance training because a coworker and I have entered a ten kilometer run, which is apparently not even a half marathon.

For the first time in my life, I am able to run eight kilometers straight. It’s killing my knees and I may have to get a brace.

Running is far nicer than weight training because it’s very hard to cheat at running. There’s a distance and a time. One of my fellow weight lifters pointed out that I was cheating in my endurance lifting because I wasn’t fully bending my arms (I was only bending ninety degrees, which I’d thought was pretty solid).

I think I’ve lost weight since the start of this program, but I haven’t really monitored it.

Some benchmarks:

• About three months in.
• Top bench weight – 180 lbs. A lot for me.
• Triceps have almost doubled for top weight.
• I’m currently lifting for strength, but will begin lifting more reps of lighter weights for longer-lasting muscle.
• I’m no longer getting ravenous hunger from weight lifting.
• Ran 4.8 kilometers yesterday. A lot for me. I usually run 4 km, and felt the last 0.8 all the way through.
• Knees were sore last weekend, but they’re already recovered from yesterday’s running.
• Calculated my BMI (~26.5) and I am in the overweight category (25 – 30), which I also read is an “advanced risk category” for type 2 diabetes.

Most of my fitness program goes on at the school. I occasionally run with the running club and other times am running while they’re in the park. I’ve been playing more volleyball and 3v3 basketball. A student told me yesterday that I’m no longer just a nerd: I’m becoming athletic nerd.

My fitness program continues:

• I’ve been pushing myself since we returned from break. I broke my previous bench record and am approaching my body weight.
• Knees are very sore from trying to find my limit on leg press and squat.
• A coworker and I have signed up for a 10 km “marathon.” This will not be easy for me because I get bored of running after 20 minutes. But we’re going for it.
• Ran with the running club and then joined the staff and students for 3 on 3 basketball and then volleyball after school on Friday, a great finish to a pretty decent week.

I don’t own a scale, but people say I’m looking pretty decent.

I’ve discussed this before, but I’ll restate that I’m working on running with the school’s running club, Friday night staff (world) football, and weight training with several staff in the school’s weight room. I’m approaching the two month point.

Reflections:

• I feel more confident in my personal life.
• A larger section of the (jocks) staff respect me.
• I’ve with both staff and administrators.
• My belt is a little tighter.
• I’m always hungry, but I feel good about eating big meals when socializing.
• I pushed myself yesterday and I now bench 20 lbs more than I could two months ago.
• (This is likely technique as much as anything.)
• Quite a few of the running club students were impressed that their chubby English teacher could run.
• Work often gets in the way of going to the gym or running.

So far, so good.

One of my goals this year was to maintain a challenging exercise routine, which I shared with my principal in our goal discussion. He was pleased.

For me, improving my pedagogy and regularly exercising are closely related goals. Last year, I found that I was becoming irritable in class. I was tired. After I started jogging, the improvement of in my daily teaching was immediately noticeable. I had energy.

Today, I made an agreement with two other teachers that we would begin working out together. We began with a run, and I did very well. Then we began weight training, which I have never done. I could barely climb stairs at the end of our session.

I am ridiculously sore now, but I bet I’ll do well in class tomorrow.