LOVE where I teach....

Every year around this time, the state releases your API score. The score is important for funding, but also it shows how you did on state testing, the California exit exam and graduation rates.

On our campus (in all 90+ years of existence) there has never been a score about 600. Well, we changed that. We grew 80 points (incredible) and landed at 614. It is the 3rd largest gain in Oakland and 2nd largest at the high school level (a charter took 1st).

It just proves we are doing something right. We are using research proven methods to teach our incredible youth. Although we are getting shut down next year, we are going out with a BANG!

Super proud of the students and of the staff that I get the privilege to teach alongside.

First Day of Year # 3

At 12 pm over the intercom comes the following announcement, "Teachers we are on lockdown. You all know what to do."

In my 3 years in Oakland, this is not the first time I have heard this announcement. So, as per routine I locked the door and we continued English class. In the past, lockdowns have usually lasted all of 15 minutes. Today it lasted 3.5 hours...I will remind you it was the first day of school.

The first day of school to me means a fresh start. A day full of promise where students are excited to come back for another year, and excited to get away from the daily grind that they all call life but instead the daily grind followed them to school-a safe haven.

Sure, it wasn't a big deal that I spent 3.5 hours with the same students hearing their complaints about the bathroom and that they were bored. But, it is the deeper issues that surface for me. As I drove away to the safety of my apartment, these same students were retreating to their homes. Homes in the same neighborhood that the incident took place. Same neighborhood where 2 people were still at-large. And these same students shrug it off as not a big deal but I know it affects them. It has to. You should not become immune to gun violence, shootings, robberies and you shouldn't have to.

So on day # 1 out of 180, I pray that our school provides safety for students. I pray that our city finds peace, if for nothing else but the youth who live in it. And I pray that I can pass along knowledge that deeply influences the youth...

Tomorrow is Day #2. Maybe that is our "true" fresh start.

Here goes the start of year # 3

It is hard to believe that year # 3 is beginning. After a summer of teaching new teachers where I learned a lot, but also worked a lot I am not 100% ready to go back to school. But, tomorrow at 8:30 am our staff retreat begins so I better get ready in 14 hours.

I will start the year with 19 students-6 of whom I have never met. I will be teaching 4 SDC classes, and one leadership elective class which I am excited about.

I feel confident in my teaching ability, but I also have something to prove. I am out to prove that I can impact student achievement in a BIG way. I can help students make HUGE gains in their reading, writing and math. Because if I am not, I am failing as their teacher....they need to make huge gains in order to be successful post-high school.

I know there is still a learning curve, but there are no more excuses. I can control what goes on in my classroom and that is what I plan to do.

Here's to 2011-2012 and what it brings...