To remember...

Amount the state of California spent last year on each minor in its juvenile-detention system: $224,712

Amount spent on each student in the Oakland public school system: $4,945

(January issue of Harper's Index)

Words to remember...

You are a great teacher, a true advocate for students. The proof is in maurtrell killing the chem quiz. The proof is in your classroom being a safe space for students during lunch time. The proof is in the difficult conversations that you engage in with people who don't treat students with an IEP as they deserve to be treated. You do great work everyday. Keep you head up and carry on. With love and respect....

Necessity of Teamwork

Excerpt from Pulling Together by John Murphy:

As geese flap their wings, they create an uplift for the bird following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if any bird were to fly alone.

If we share a common direction and a sense of community, we can get where we are going more quickly and easily because we are traveling on the thrust of one another! Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stay in formation with those who are headed where we want to go, and we will be willing to accept their help as well as give ours to others.

When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies at the point position.

If we take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership as with the geese, we become interdependent with one another.

The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. If we “honk,” we need to make sure it is positive and encouraging.

When a goose gets sick or wounded or is shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it is able to fly again or dies. They then launch out on their own, with another formation or catch up with the flock.

If we have as much sense as geese, we too will stand by each other in difficult times, as well as when we are strong. Let us all try to fly in formation and remember to drop back to help those who might need it!

I can honestly admit that there are a lot of times I feel alone in my teaching, with my students. I am constantly told to not bear the brunt of responsibility for the students I teach especially the African-American boys who are not on track to graduate yet alone make progress in school. This passage is a great reminder that it does take teamwork especially in the community I work in, to make progress with these young men. I need others to help me in this good fight because I can't do it alone.

It's all about Learning...

I had a really good day at school today. The students were willing to work hard, engage in the material and I had well prepared, engaging lessons. I love that I can connect with my students so much easier than last year-we can have fun, but also get stuff done.

But, during History today I reminded myself of the dire reality-these students CANNOT afford to lose a day of their education. They MUST take advantage of every moment in school and every moment out of school in order to even attempt to catch up on their reading and math levels.

I want to teach them how to read. It is all about their learning...and once they see progress, they will engage in the process EVEN more....

I have to learn to teach reading-it is necessary. I see hope in my students as do others around the school and we have to be able to provide the resources and instruction to raise their reading level.

Time to get busy. Time to work hard. Time to inspire change.

Things I am thankful for....

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for quite a bit in my life, but I wanted to put together a list of things I am thankful for that relate to the work I am doing in Oakland....Here is what I came up with:

1. Colleagues I work with: the dedication and passion they put into their work each and everyday is evident and inspiring to me on a daily basis.

2. Students: they consistently amaze me by their smiles, their laughs, their warm hearts and their determination to keep on going when everything in their life could cause them to stop. They warm my heart and make me smile.

3. Trell: the student who consistently puts a smile on my face and who I am extremely proud of. I have seen him make a huge turn around in his life and in his commitment to his education. He is ALWAYS engaged, pleasant, respectful and loving. He gives the best hugs, has the best smile and the most infectious laugh. On Friday, he was in my room after school making up homework and tests because he wants to earn his higher grades. Simply amazing....

4. Gloria: Outside of school and my teaching life, I could be great friends with Gloria. She ALWAYS amazes me because she has had to endure some tough life circumstances, but she is determined to make it. I will do anything to ensure that happens.

5. Nina: She is a 9th grader this year and never ceases to put a smile on my face. Every morning she comes to see me before school to say hello and give me a hug. She says funny things, but has THE most caring heart.

6. Many moments already this school year that have stopped me in my teaching and in my thinking because they are once in a lifetime. Moments where you see that a student gets it, moments where you see that they want to be in class with you learning, moments where you see the mutual love and respect for one another when at this time last year we were no where near that and moments where I can see that I am truly making a difference. I am extremely thankful for the work that I do and feel lucky to have been given the opportunity to be where I am teaching who I am.

This Thanksgiving, give thanks to life. Life has SO many blessings-the music we listen to, our health, the people that we are surrounded by, the food in front of us, the jobs we have, and all the little things that put smiles on our face. It is these things that make me thankful to be alive...

Pictures to remember

I want my experience in Oakland to last me a lifetime so I am going to try to document more of my experience through pictures....Here are some of my classroom, a couple students and the outside of my school.....

The mural painted outside school....

Students and I being silly...

Different angles of the beautiful classroom!

Ironic Day

Today had it's fill of first for me which I will blog about later, but it was also a tad ironic.

A lady from the district came to observe me during English and not only interrupted my class but proceeded to begin teaching the class. Needless to say, I was QUITE offended and frustrated when she told me she did not think I was/am doing a good job but is not eloquent AT ALL in expressing these things.

But, then my principal wrote an e-mail to his boss and the head of special education about an issue. And, he copied me on the e-mail and said some of the NICEST, most affirming comments that proved that I am doing a good job. There is nothing like reaffirming words from your boss...

The shock to my SDC Teacher (me) would almost guarantee that this would be her last year at EOSA, another unbearable lost.

We currently have an amazing SDC program at our school anchored by a dedicated, passionate, and committed teacher, Ms. Searing. The success of the program and Ms. Searing's ability to create a rigorous learning environment has everything to do with her assistant. Our program has the largest case load of any SDC program in East Oakland. One of the reasons why we have so many students is because the SDC classroom is a learning environment that is safe and expects students to perform well academically. It works because the two of them work well together.

That is about all I need to keep a smile on my face and passion in my heart....