Somthing random

Ok, time for a little confession. I like the Group of Seven.

You know those trivia games at bars? I kick butt in them, always have. Heck, back in grade school, I was the co-captian of the "W5H" team, which was kinda like the "Reach for the Top". The teacher didn't like my attitude, but I was so full of useless bits of info, I got on the team.

I mentioned the trivia game, as once I was playing with a number of teachers at a school's social night. These were educated people, but no one really knew who the GoS was. Well, the librarian did, but since she and the geeky Science guy set up the traivia game, they couldn't play. I got all seven artists, and my team won.

I was such a geek.

Now, why post this confession online? Why put it in a blog about education? Why brag about the ephemeria crawling around inside my head? Well, because it points to something in what and how we retain and use information put to use in a regular classroom and on our own.

The reason I like the GoS is becuase of Lawren Harris. I have been to the National Gallery of Art, and clapped eyes on the original. (Incidentally, never try and play rugby and take very young children to the NGO on the same weekend. It just doesn't go well, trust me) He was the money behind the GoS, and in my opinion the better of them. Well, except for Emily Carr. But she's known more as an artist from BC, which doesn't exactly sit well with my Ontario centred opinions on just about everything.

But how did I learn this? It isn'tin the Ontario curriculum. It isn't in any of the textbooks we use. How then, did I get interested? How does all this information stick to the inside of my skull?

Well, for one, I was interested in things Canadian. I got the information online and by searching Mills Library. The materials I have gone and done some personal research on. No one directed me, I did it on my own.

How did I get there? Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Which will be the subject of my next posting.