My classroom smells like weed. It does almost 3 times a week now. At the beginning of the year, I would run downstairs or call the campus police. At one point I went to talk to the teachers that are downstairs to plead with them to watch the stairwell. Today, I sat in class. The students don't complain anymore. It doesn't give me a headache as quickly as it used to. It has become a part of the routine.
This morning I was talking about the Black History program with my mentor, Mrs. Smith. She was saying we needed to get the paperchase (a dance started by this upstanding citizen named EP) out of the program and replace the ending with something more historical than people dancing. The question at the end is how can you help Blacks achieve greatness? What is your role? And before the students would dance and one side would look thug and the other side would be lawyers/doctors that are flashing money.
For a long time I have been a supporter of W.E.B. DuBois' theory (not the man) about how African Americans can advance. He basically says that they need to have higher education and the Top Ten percent (elite) of the AA community needs to reach down and pull their brothers and sisters up. However, education does not always mean money. This is a hard thing to swallow. Realizing just because I have a masters, I may not ever make 6 figures. Watching this dance mentioned before it broke my heart. There is a huge disconnect between those who have and those who do not. The gap is widening. It was the first time I thought maybe Booker T. Washington's (BTW) theory was more practical than DuBois.
I hope you enjoyed some of the black history in the last week of February. It's good stuff.
Happy Birthday DuBois.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Confessions
Here is the time for some confessions:
My name is Christian ______ (this is still the internet) and I am a(n)....
1. Clove addict: I haven't smoked a clove cigarette since Poppy's birthday in November. Dr. Rosenburgh was talking to us in Seminar Friday and asked where we were when Obama was elected president.
Where was I? Klancey's apartment smoking a clove cigarette with Amy drinking coke and rum.
Sitting in class I thought "I wonder where they sell cloves in Memphis." No worries. I will never actually smoke one again, because I realize even after it being a year I still crave it.
*Side note: They make my mouth numb. I'm even allergic to them and still want them.
2. Restless: I never realized just how restless I am until I have been stuck for an entire year in the same city. It's hard for me. The other night I had a break down after talking with my Colorado friends. Sometimes Memphis is too hard on me. The tensions in the city and the closeness to the family is exhausting. But it's my city. I am called to Memphis, and that is why I will probably never leave.
My name is Christian ______ (this is still the internet) and I am a(n)....
1. Clove addict: I haven't smoked a clove cigarette since Poppy's birthday in November. Dr. Rosenburgh was talking to us in Seminar Friday and asked where we were when Obama was elected president.
Where was I? Klancey's apartment smoking a clove cigarette with Amy drinking coke and rum.
Sitting in class I thought "I wonder where they sell cloves in Memphis." No worries. I will never actually smoke one again, because I realize even after it being a year I still crave it.
*Side note: They make my mouth numb. I'm even allergic to them and still want them.
2. Restless: I never realized just how restless I am until I have been stuck for an entire year in the same city. It's hard for me. The other night I had a break down after talking with my Colorado friends. Sometimes Memphis is too hard on me. The tensions in the city and the closeness to the family is exhausting. But it's my city. I am called to Memphis, and that is why I will probably never leave.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Today Mrs. Smith went over 4 slides. It took most of the period. I sat at a desk and read.
The book is Survival in Aushwitz by Primo Levi. He was in Aushwitz (the most famous and brutal concentration camp). Because he was a chemist, they had him conduct some of the experiments. When he was captured he yelled out "Please don't kill me I am an Italian Jew," thinking that the new Facist regime was mainly interested in killing communists (he was one of those too). He actually was at Aushwitz when the Allies came and rescued them. He has written several books about his experiences. It's a hard read, but overall very good. I highly recommend it. It's at a higher reading level than other holocaust books I have read.
Other news... The Afghans have taken up Soviet war practices.
The book is Survival in Aushwitz by Primo Levi. He was in Aushwitz (the most famous and brutal concentration camp). Because he was a chemist, they had him conduct some of the experiments. When he was captured he yelled out "Please don't kill me I am an Italian Jew," thinking that the new Facist regime was mainly interested in killing communists (he was one of those too). He actually was at Aushwitz when the Allies came and rescued them. He has written several books about his experiences. It's a hard read, but overall very good. I highly recommend it. It's at a higher reading level than other holocaust books I have read.
Other news... The Afghans have taken up Soviet war practices.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The clock ticks
From Mrs. Smith's desk I can hear the clock tick the minutes away. I want to be asleep (aka watching Lost).
The school has blocked most of the websites that can be vital to Lesson Planning. Oh well...
The school has blocked most of the websites that can be vital to Lesson Planning. Oh well...
Sunday, February 14, 2010
What a week...
Monday: Snow Day
Tuesday: School with no mentor. Ellie's Birthday!
Wednesday: Flu (sleep all day)
Thursday: Flu worsens (sleep most of day)
Friday: Flu gets better (sleep all day)
Saturday: No energy... watch half of season 1 of Lost
Sunday: Got dressed (it was a chore) and thought about church. Parents called and asked if they could take me to lunch and get the truck. Went to lunch with the parents instead of church (it's the most I've ate since Tuesday). Watching the second half of season 1 of Lost.
Hopefully better tidings next week. Until then I'll be watching...
Tuesday: School with no mentor. Ellie's Birthday!
Wednesday: Flu (sleep all day)
Thursday: Flu worsens (sleep most of day)
Friday: Flu gets better (sleep all day)
Saturday: No energy... watch half of season 1 of Lost
Sunday: Got dressed (it was a chore) and thought about church. Parents called and asked if they could take me to lunch and get the truck. Went to lunch with the parents instead of church (it's the most I've ate since Tuesday). Watching the second half of season 1 of Lost.
Hopefully better tidings next week. Until then I'll be watching...
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
New Orleans
We went to New Orleans for a retreat. We learned more "best practices" for the classroom and got to visit two charter schools. Here are some highlights from the trip:
New Orleans College Prep (Middle School):
-- 150 students reading quietly while eating breakfast in the morning.
-- "Sweat the Small Stuff"
-- 100% and if not, do it again.
Akili (K-2):
-- "Not complicated, but hard"
-- "When doing gap closing education every second counts."
-- "Effective Teachers have to have a complete and total belief that all kids can learn"
One of the bulletin boards at Akili was a worksheet the kids did. It said I have a dream. My dreams is.... I can help my dream come true by..... Here are some of the responses:
--- I have a dream. My dream is "I want everybody to share" I can help my dream come true by "talking to them."
--- I have a dream. My dream is "My dream in my family never lose their job." I can help my dream come true by "being the best student."
--- I have a dream. My dream is "to be mayor." I can help my dream come true by "get an educason"
--- I have a dream. My dream is "in my dream I want no betty shooting." I can help my dream come true by "taking the guns away from mens."
The last one got me. It inspired me to share these with you. Both of these schools are providing their kids with the best education. They firmly believe that every kid goes to college. It's up to the kids and their mamas to decide if they are going to go, but they will have the opportunity by golly.
It was at Akili I saw 2nd grades doing collaborative work. They were fully engaged in the writing process and were having their stories peer reviewed. I have a 12th grader that can hardly read. Memphis needs people like those at Akili.
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