Linking Assignment #2 – Jasmine Chapman
As I read Jasmine’s entry, I thought about a term that I once came across, and that has deep meaning and a connection to this particular assignment. That term is ‘sonder‘. Basically, it means that one realizes that another person, even if they only appear momentarily in your life, perhaps in line ahead of you at a coffee shop, passing by on a sidewalk, or in the background of a photo, are living complex, vivid, and complicated lives as rich as your own. They all have challenges, successes, ambitions, and relationships that are as real to them as our own.
We are all connected of course, in various communities and with common experiences such as family, nationality, language, values, and so forth, and we also have distinct differences that colour our lives uniquely. The ‘What’s In Your Bag’ assignment provides a momentary and, perhaps, fragmented glimpse into the life of another person that we would otherwise not know. I’m sure that Jasmine isn’t opening up her bag to everyone she comes across in her life, (that would be weird), and, in an odd way, those of us that get to see in her bag are privileged to see some symbolism of her values, activities, and the demands of her personal and professional life.
[The guiding questions for this assignment have a lot to do with contrasting the web authoring tool that other students have used vis-a-vis our own, but since Jasmine is using the same platform as mine, I’ll skip that and focus on the narrative of her post]
The contents of her bag also read somewhat like a Venn diagram of my own – similarities and differences. It should not surpise many that her bag and mine share a number of commonalities; headphones, wallet, keys, gum, pen. It appears that Jasmine spends her time similarly to me, using music or audio to pass time, inform, or entertain. Wallet and keys are foundational to modern living. I can’t reasonably suggest her need for gum anymore than she could for mine, (which is for several reasons – a quick cover for coffee breath, a minor diversion when a break is needed, and, occasionally, a bribe for one of my children, or a humanizing connection for a student who appears in my office). The pen, well that matters to me as well.
The differences are intriguing. The range of what is clearly the purview of a classroom teacher is evident. Receipts, folded and loose cash, a school account form, and a map provide a glimpse into a field trip. This might have been in my bag a few years ago before I moved into administration. Field trips are both meticulously planned and predictably chaotic, after all, we are dealing with students. I don’t often have the chance to participate in these types of activities now, but I recall the need to collect last minute fees, fill out forms, and provide maps and itineraries for students.
What’s also interesting and perhaps different from my own personal habits is her dedication and values in having handmade, personally connected accessories and gifts. (For the record, I aspire to be more supportive of local artisans, but, aside from groceries (where I do shop at markets seasonally) I generally don’t shop much at all). Her handbag is quite a bit smaller than the bag I used in this assignment. Perhaps this is due to gender norms, and mine has the additional duty of being a tote-all for clothing, food, technology, etc. A hand bag would not be expected to have the same function. (Side note: I am surprised that Jasmine was able to fit that much stuff into such a small bag!)
Another piece of the narrative stands out as a difference. My bag and its items were very refelctive of me, whereas the contents of Jasmine’s bag are oriented towards family – coupons for receipts for activities, gifts, and family traditions. Her bag, although smaller, is much more reflective of her relationships.