1 Presentation + 2 Authors = Lots of News

Where to begin?  September turned out to be a grant-filled month!

On September 9, I gave a Phineas Gage presentation to all 7^th grade students.  The 7^th grade language arts teachers brought their classes to the auditorium each period, and I spoke about my grant experiences.  During my talks, I showed a PowerPoint that included important pictures from my travels in regards to Gage.  After the 20-minute presentation, students were given the opportunity to ask questions. 

The presentation went extremely well; it was wonderful to interact with all of the students!  They did a fantastic job listening, responding to the presentation when applicable, and asking questions at the end. It felt wonderful to share my travels with such knowledgeable individuals; after all, each student had just finished reading the book, Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science and many shared my enthusiasm for Gage.   

Shortly after my presentation, I received a surprise email from John Fleishman, author of Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science.  Mr. Fleishman’s book is the reason I wrote the grant, and the reason I was even introduced to Gage in the first place. I was thrilled when I saw his email.  He had stumbled across my grant while reading the Countway Library of Medicine blog (https://cms.www.countway.harvard.edu/wp/?p=3813)

He graciously emailed me to tell me a little about himself and why he wrote the book, as well as to discuss the places we had mutually visited. In his last, Mr. Fleishman agreed to answer questions for my blog as well as potentially visit Creekside to talk with our 7^th grade students about his book.  I feel blessed to have such a contact, and I look forward to meeting Mr. Fleishman in the future. 

Then, this past Monday night, Malcolm Macmillan, author of An Odd Kind of Fame: Stories of Phineas Gage emailed me.  Mr. Macmillan is a professor at the University of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia and is widely known (at least within the Phineas Gage circles) as a Gage expert.  He maintains a blog about Phineas and any new findings about Gage's life.  (http://www.deakin.edu.au/hmnbs/psychology/gagepage/)

Mr. Macmillan had been notified of my grant from a colleague and was kind enough to email me to discuss the traveling he had done for his Gage research.  Needless to say, when I received Mr. Macmillan’s email, I was ecstatic to hear from such a famous (to me) person.

This past month has been wonderful with my grant.  Speaking with Creekside’s 7^th grade students and “meeting” two wonderful Gage authors is a lot more than I would have imagined seven months ago when I found out I had received this grant.  It makes me wonder what will happen in the months to follow…I’ll keep you posted!

So, How's the Gage Documentary Coming Along?

Truth be told, it isn’t.  Not that I don’t plan on doing it—I do.  It’s just that when I came back from Chile (the last of my travels), I moved.  After the moving came the painting, the hanging of curtains and wall art, changing my address, organizing my belongings, and the list went on and on. By the time I got settled into my new place, it was time to prepare for the beginning of school.  (Oh, and for all you Mac-lover students out there, I also bought a Macbook Pro before school began so I would have something on which to create the documentary. :))

People ask if it’s any different teaching the book this year due to my travels this past summer.  The answer is, yes, but not as much as I expected.  Maybe that’s because I’m only reading it with one class instead of four or five as I have done in the past.  Maybe it’s because I struggle a bit to connect my traveling with the book, which may not make sense, but let me explain.  It is so weird (in a good way!) to read about the places where Gage lived, see the monument dedicated to him, look at his skull on the cover, and know that I was there—that I saw it all.  I guess what I’m trying to say is that it still feels a bit surreal that I was able to experience all that I did this past summer.  I am very grateful, though, and hope to begin my last piece of the grant, the Gage documentary, within the next month.  Until then, here's a picture I took of a sunrise in Chile.  Enjoy!

Santiago, Valparaiso, and Vina del Mar

I’m back from Santiago, Valparaiso, and Vina del Mar!  All of the people in Chile were welcoming and friendly; despite our lack of Spanish skills (my friend knew some), we were able to navigate all three cities.   I saw the historic buildings of Santiago, explored the hills of Valparaiso, and walked along the coastal area of Vina del Mar!  While in Santiago, I found multiple buildings that were there during Gage’s time.  I made sure to film and take pictures of each one so that I can include them in the documentary.   In order to get to Santiago, my friend and I took a 9 ½ hour flight from Atlanta.  I couldn’t help but think about how long it would have taken Gage by boat to make his way to Santiago.  In thinking about Gage’s mode of transportation, I’m definitely thankful for my “short” flight!

Valparaiso is a gorgeous city!  At some point and time, there was an ordinance that passed which stated that the outside of buildings in Valparaiso could no longer be changed; therefore, the city almost appears frozen in time.  The houses are so immensely colorful, the roads are frequently made of cobblestone, and the hills are steep. In terms of the hills, think about San Francisco—only a lot more extreme!  Valparaiso was one of the two cites between which Gage drove, the other being Santiago.  

My last stop was Vina del Mar. Vina del Mar has a spectacularly beautiful coastline with the mountains and the hilltops of Valparaiso in the background.  I’m glad we visited Vina del Mar at the end of our trip because once you’re there you want to do very little besides enjoy the sights and relax throughout the day.  Vina del Mar is only minutes away from Valparaiso but has a completely different feel.  It’s less historic and more of a beach resort.  It was crowded our first two days there because it was a holiday and so many people drove from Santiago to vacation there.

Chile frequently experiences earthquakes—one of the worst occuring within the past year.  There were multiple times throughout my stay that people referenced the earthquake in terms of its destruction, and I saw its effects first hand.  For example:  a church that had just been renovated before the earthquake, once again, needs to be repaired.  Unfortunately, the people are not sure when this renovation is going to happen because there is no money available.  At one of the wineries I visited, the company lost millions of dollars in production due to the collapse of one of its underground storage facilities.  Our last night there, my friend and I were awakened early in the morning due to an earthquake.  There were actually multiple earthquakes that happened throughout that night, (their epicenters far away from Vina del Mar), and we had trouble sleeping!

I feel incredibly blessed that I was able to visit Chile and the cities where Phineas Gage once lived.  I now look forward to beginning the process of putting together my documentary!

I´m in CHILE!

Hello All,

I´m in Chile!  My friend and I got here safely yesterday morning and have spent the time since then sightseeing, shopping at a local market, and taking in the Chilean culture.  The weather here has been great!  Not too cold at all.  Tomorrow we leave for Valparaiso.  Santiago and Valparaiso are the two cities between which Phineas Gage drove his stage coach.  I filmed a traditional dance that was performed at a restuarant I was at today and tomorrow we are heading to some of the oldest neighborhoods in Santiago that I´ll film for the documentary as well.  You´ll have to excuse my short entry--I´m paying for this internet time and the keyboard is not one that I´m used to. :)  I hope to post one more time while I´m here in Chile, but if that´s not possible, look for a long post when I return.  Adios!

False Start

I was not supposed to post on my blog tonight.  I was supposed to be on a plane to Santiago, Chile.  I was supposed to wake up tomorrow morning to sound of the pilot announcing our arrival into the Santiago International Airport.  My evening consisted of a false start, though. My friend and I were scheduled to fly to Atlanta and from Atlanta to Santiago, Chile.  Our  flight to Atlanta was so delayed tonight, though, that there was no way we would ever catch our flight to Santiago.  So, instead of spending 24 hours in Atlanta waiting for the next flight to Santiago (since the next flight to Santiago was not until 10PM tomorrow night), we called our airline, asked if we could fly out tomorrow, and they rebooked us.  So, after all the packing and saying goodbye (and more packing), I'm still in Indiana.  False start tonight--real trip tomorrow!

My Fabulous Friday Morning

Last Friday morning, I was fortunate enough to be in Boston and continue working on my documentary by visiting the Warren Anatomical Museum.  Here's a brief timeline...

8:00:	Hopped on the “T” to head to the Harvard Medical School Campus.
9:30:	Met Dominic Hall, curator of the Warren Anatomical Museum; was given a tour of the building.
10:00:	Watched Mr. Hall and his assistants move Gage’s skull, tamping rod, and life cast into a room where I could film them (all the while in awe of the fact that they were willing to move such precious artifacts for me).
10:30:	Snapped TONS of pictures of the artifacts and filmed them as well.
11:00:	Interviewed Mr. Hall about Gage and Gage’s relationship to the museum.  Mr. Hall had fantastic answers to the questions I had brought with me from my students!  I’m excited to being editing my documentary later this summer.
12:00:	Left the Warren Anatomical Museum with a smile on my face!

During my other days in Boston,  I walked the Freedom Trail, took a Duck Tour around Boston with some friends (I would definitely recommend it!), and visited plenty of restaurants and markets.  The city is vibrant and friendly. The Boston Bruins were in the middle of their Stanley Cup run so different monumental figures, like Paul Revere, donned a Bruins jersey while I was there.  The weather was colder than I expected (in the 50’s and 60’s) and it rained all day on Saturday. However, the mix of the weather, the Bruins spirit, my amazing Gage morning, and some great friends all contributed to a phenomenal five days for me in Boston.   I head to Chile early next week; I am not sure how frequently I will  be on a computer, but I will definitely post about South America when I get a chance.  I leave with you some "action" shots from Friday morning.  Enjoy!

Why Am I Smiling?

Because I got THIS close (without touching, of course) to Phineas Gage's skull on Friday...

(This picture is of me behind his skull which is on the table.  Unfortunately, I cannot post pictures of his skull online, so you will just have to believe me. :))

Because I got to film Gage's skull, tamping iron, and life cast for my documentary...

(It was so amazing!)

Because the curator of The Warren Anatomical Museum was extremely helpful and fun to meet...

(And he was completely understanding of the fact that I wasn't a professional filmmaker.  Thank goodness. :))

Because I had 10 wonderful days on the East Coast...

(I returned home today and hope to post about my Boston experience tomorrow.)

Until then, have a wonderful evening!

Less Than 1,300 People...

That's how many people currently live in Cavendish, Vermont. Basically, its population is the size of Creekside Middle School! How crazy is that to think about?! I arrived in Cavendish, Vermont yesterday afternoon. The weather here is beautiful; the mountains and greenery are gorgeous and lush. Everyone describes Vermont as beautiful, and they are absolutely right!

This morning I took my "official" tour of Cavendish with a woman named Margo who is the coordinator of the Cavendish Historical Society. We met at the Historical Society Museum on Main Street. From there we walked to the railroad line that Gage and his men worked on in Cavendish. Margo pointed out approximately where the accident would have happened along the line. After checking out the railroad, Margo showed me a couple of houses that existed during Gage's time that are still in Cavendish today. She pointed out a house that stands on the site of  the inn where Gage was brought by his men after the accident. At the end of the tour I saw the plaque that memorialized Gage on the 150th anniversary of his accident. Margo was a wonderful tour guide who was able to provide a plethora of information about Gage's life and brain injuries that I hope to incorporate into my documentary. It is so neat to be in Cavendish!

I have fallen in love with Vermont, but tomorrow I head to Boston to begin enjoying the sites there. This post is a bit short because there is no wireless internet available so I'm typing it on the hotel computer.  I'll post again from Boston.  If anyone has suggestions about where to visit while I'm there, please feel free to leave a comment!  

It's Almost Time for Traveling!

This week is the last week of school.  My students are celebrating this fact, and so am I!  Next week, I continue my grant travel adventures.  For the first part of June, I will be on the East Coast; I will visit Cavendish, Vermont where Gage’s accident happened.  I have been in touch with a coordinator at the Cavendish Historical Society who will give me a tour of the town (population: ~1,500) including where Gage’s doctor lived, where he stayed to recover from the accident, and various other important places.  I’m very excited to visit Cavendish; I hear Vermont is beautiful!

My next stop will be Boston.  Every time someone asks me where I’m traveling, I list all of the cities, and people tend to get the most excited about Boston.  I’ve never been there before, and I am really looking forward to seeing the city.  While in Boston, I get to see Gage’s skull and tamping iron.  I will interview the curator of the Warren Anatomical Museum which is where the skull and tamping iron are displayed.  My students brainstormed some great questions for me to ask him!  I feel like this city, the artifacts, and the interview are going to be the central part of my documentary. 

After Boston, I will spend some time at home, and then depart for Chile.  In my next post, I will write about Chile and what I will do while in South America.  For now, though, I’m focused on finishing out the school year!

My First Adventure: San Francisco

I recently spent five wonderful days in San Francisco!   I attended the ASCD conference (a curriculum conference for administrators and educators) for two days.  It was a wonderful conference filled with engaging speakers and interesting information and suggestions.

After the conference I completed the first official part of my grant.  I made my way to the San Francisco History Center which is located on the 6th floor of the San Francisco Public Library.  Phineas Gage died in San Francisco in the company of his mother and sister.  He died from epileptic seizures which he began experiencing after his seven years in Chile.   At the San Francisco History Center I was able to view the book in which Phineas Gage's death is documented.  It was so neat to hold the book in which his death was documented!  The book was a funeral record for Lone Mountain from 1850-1862 and was put together by N. Gray and Co. Holding that book solidified to me even more that Phineas Gage was a living person, just like you and me, who survived a horrendous accident.  (He probably would have never even been famous had it not been for that fateful day when blasting through the mountains went horribly wrong.)  The book, several hundred pages in length, was handwritten in fountain ink.  I was not allowed to make any photocopies from it, but I was able to take pictures.  (See the end of this post for multiple pictures.)

I was also able to view a registry put together by the Daughters of the American Revolution in the mid 1900s that documents where Phineas Gage was originally buried.  The book contains the San Francisco Cemetery Records and documents burials from 1848-1863.  This book was created using a typewriter, and even when I located Gage's name, it did not contain a specific plot number.  Once again, though, it was amazing to be able to hold and look through such an intriguing  piece of history!

Another site I wanted to see in San Francisco was Gage's grave.  Gage was originally buried in Lone Mountain Cemetery, but when it became clear that the cemetery was not going to be large enough and San Francisco was rapidly expanding, all of the bodies were moved to Cypress Lawn Memorial Park just outside of San Francisco.  I was hoping to visit Gage's grave at Cypress Lawn, but it turns out that there is just a memorial for the Lone Mountain graves that were moved and no individual headstones.  I did not realize this fact until I called and spoke with someone at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park.  While I am disappointed that Gage's burial is not specifically marked, I am excited to view the most important part of his body in Boston: his skull!

A big "thank you" to Tom Carey, a librarian at the San Francisco History Center, who pulled the  books together for me before my visit!  Your help was much appreciated!

The Beginning

Last November I applied for a Lilly Endowment Teacher Creativity Grant.  This is a grant that is  awarded annuallyto 120 Indiana teachers, counselors, or principals.  (If you would like to learn more about the grant, visit http://www.lillyendowment.org/ and click on "Education.")

Fast forward to February.  On Thursday, February 17th, I arrived home to find a large envelope waiting for me.  As I opened up the envelope, I realized that I had become one of the lucky 120 grant recipients for 2011.  My grant proposal was based on the life of Phineas Gage.  (If you are not familiar with Gage, see the italicized paragraph below.)  I was awarded my grant to create a Phineas Gage documentary.  For this documentary I will interview Gage experts, film where his accident occurred, drive the stagecoach route he drove for 7 years,  see his grave, and much more.   I am excited about this unique opportunity! This blog is part of my grant as well; I hope to keep my students and all others informed about my travels--most of which will take place this summer.

Phineas Gage was a man who had a horrible accident on September 13, 1848;  Gage was blasting through the mountains of Vermont when an accidental explosion occurred and  a 3 1/2 foot tamping iron shot through his head.  Despite this horrific accident, Gage did not lose consciousness, and he was still able to walk and talk--he even documented his accident  in his notebook shortly thereafter!  The story of his life only gets more intriguing as doctors save him and document his recovery progress (though, as my students could tell you, he never fully recovered).