300th Post!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcm5IK0Aa5I
Sunday, June 27, 2010
RANTS by Heather
This is going to be a random rant. I can do these types of things in the summer because I am not exhausted. So, I can read books and get really worked up about their content.
I read a lot of books about education, educating inner city youth, the inner city culture, etc. I read things I agree with, and things I STRONGLY disagree with. One things I do not read is those feel-good books that former inner-city teachers write after they've quit teaching about how they worked 20 hours a day and "saved" all the black kids. No thanks. (Probably linked it before, but here is the BEST ARTICLE EVER, just for good measure: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/opinion/19moore.html?_r=1&ex=157680000&en=e1a70ef41a0ef04d&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink )
For what it's worth, here's what I think:
1. I know I've talked about this before, but I CANNOT STAND the constant portrayal of teachers as martyrs. That if I **really** cared, I'd devote every waking moment to helping my students succeed. Sorry, but that is simply not a sustainable model. And, what are you DOING all of those hours? I mean, seriously.
2. I've read a lot about the KIPP model of schools. If you don't know about KIPP, basically the kids go to school from like 7am-5pm, have a longer school day and a longer school year. They are bombarded with learning. I have lots of problems with this, which I will expound upon. But my main problem is that it cannot be held as the standard for school reform because it is simply impossible to replicate on a large scale.
I get that maybe there are some parents out there that want this for their child. I also get that there are some parents that don't. It seems most people do not understand that second part. You want your kid to do well, but maybe you want to SEE your kid sometimes too. Learning is important, but so is family. Why should you be made to feel like you are a bad person/parent if you think that is simply too much?
And what about trying to make these kids successful WITHIN their neighborhood and their life? Aren't we trying to grow people here? So, they are in school for 90% of their childhood, but what happens when they go back home to the neighborhood? Do they enrich it? Or do they move away because it is "bad"? It seems to me that you should be trying to make the neighborhood itself better, rather than trying to "save" a select few from it.
KIPP has had major success in past years, and lots of critics say this is because they make parents sign a contract (we all know how many parents I'VE seen this school year) and because they can kick out low performers...which will of course inflate their scores.
3. I just read Geoffrey Canada's "Whatever It Takes." He is the founder of the Harlem Children's Zone, which does what I spoke about earlier: tries to transform the neighborhood instead of just the child. During the first half of the book, I was in complete agreement with him. You can't take one child and learn them to death and make everything okay. You have to look at the parents, the neighborhood, everything. He has Baby College, which teachers young mothers about cognitive development and reading to your child and things like that. At first my only concern was that he seems to have an endless supply of money. But while at first he talked constantly about transforming the whole neighborhood, towards the end you find out that to get into his elementary school, the parent has to sign the child up WHEN HE IS A BABY. Well, if you have a parent already that involved in their child's education, they aren't one of the "at-risk" ones.
4. Lastly, I hate Teach For America. Most of them that I've met have been taught that they are better than "regular" teachers and will go to great lengths to make sure you know it too. I read an article comparing them to going on a "two year jungle safari to teach the natives." Two years and then they go become investment bankers. Just FYI, hardly anyone is a decent teacher after two years. I only figured out what I was doing around year 3, and I'm still not great.
After all that rambling, my whole point is this: everyone who has a solution to fix schools is wrong. I don't know what the solution is either, but I know it's not these things. I know we need more money. I know teachers shouldn't have to deal with all the extra crap they have to put up with, they should be able teach. I know school success shouldn't be based on constant testing. I know kids should be taught to appreciate the process of learning, not rote memorization and "test-taking strategies." I know my kids need more than just extra algebra in the mornings--they need better nutrition, better medical care, more involved parents, earlier interventions, and more counseling.
P.S. I mostly hate all of these things because they have published books and made lots of money. Meanwhile I have this blog about--a white girl teaching black kids!!!---and yet, no famous book and no money. :( Oh well.
I read a lot of books about education, educating inner city youth, the inner city culture, etc. I read things I agree with, and things I STRONGLY disagree with. One things I do not read is those feel-good books that former inner-city teachers write after they've quit teaching about how they worked 20 hours a day and "saved" all the black kids. No thanks. (Probably linked it before, but here is the BEST ARTICLE EVER, just for good measure: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/opinion/19moore.html?_r=1&ex=157680000&en=e1a70ef41a0ef04d&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink )
For what it's worth, here's what I think:
1. I know I've talked about this before, but I CANNOT STAND the constant portrayal of teachers as martyrs. That if I **really** cared, I'd devote every waking moment to helping my students succeed. Sorry, but that is simply not a sustainable model. And, what are you DOING all of those hours? I mean, seriously.
2. I've read a lot about the KIPP model of schools. If you don't know about KIPP, basically the kids go to school from like 7am-5pm, have a longer school day and a longer school year. They are bombarded with learning. I have lots of problems with this, which I will expound upon. But my main problem is that it cannot be held as the standard for school reform because it is simply impossible to replicate on a large scale.
I get that maybe there are some parents out there that want this for their child. I also get that there are some parents that don't. It seems most people do not understand that second part. You want your kid to do well, but maybe you want to SEE your kid sometimes too. Learning is important, but so is family. Why should you be made to feel like you are a bad person/parent if you think that is simply too much?
And what about trying to make these kids successful WITHIN their neighborhood and their life? Aren't we trying to grow people here? So, they are in school for 90% of their childhood, but what happens when they go back home to the neighborhood? Do they enrich it? Or do they move away because it is "bad"? It seems to me that you should be trying to make the neighborhood itself better, rather than trying to "save" a select few from it.
KIPP has had major success in past years, and lots of critics say this is because they make parents sign a contract (we all know how many parents I'VE seen this school year) and because they can kick out low performers...which will of course inflate their scores.
3. I just read Geoffrey Canada's "Whatever It Takes." He is the founder of the Harlem Children's Zone, which does what I spoke about earlier: tries to transform the neighborhood instead of just the child. During the first half of the book, I was in complete agreement with him. You can't take one child and learn them to death and make everything okay. You have to look at the parents, the neighborhood, everything. He has Baby College, which teachers young mothers about cognitive development and reading to your child and things like that. At first my only concern was that he seems to have an endless supply of money. But while at first he talked constantly about transforming the whole neighborhood, towards the end you find out that to get into his elementary school, the parent has to sign the child up WHEN HE IS A BABY. Well, if you have a parent already that involved in their child's education, they aren't one of the "at-risk" ones.
4. Lastly, I hate Teach For America. Most of them that I've met have been taught that they are better than "regular" teachers and will go to great lengths to make sure you know it too. I read an article comparing them to going on a "two year jungle safari to teach the natives." Two years and then they go become investment bankers. Just FYI, hardly anyone is a decent teacher after two years. I only figured out what I was doing around year 3, and I'm still not great.
After all that rambling, my whole point is this: everyone who has a solution to fix schools is wrong. I don't know what the solution is either, but I know it's not these things. I know we need more money. I know teachers shouldn't have to deal with all the extra crap they have to put up with, they should be able teach. I know school success shouldn't be based on constant testing. I know kids should be taught to appreciate the process of learning, not rote memorization and "test-taking strategies." I know my kids need more than just extra algebra in the mornings--they need better nutrition, better medical care, more involved parents, earlier interventions, and more counseling.
P.S. I mostly hate all of these things because they have published books and made lots of money. Meanwhile I have this blog about--a white girl teaching black kids!!!---and yet, no famous book and no money. :( Oh well.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Sometimes You Have to Put Your Foot Down
Devin is in 7th grade.
His brother, Tevin, is in 8th grade.
Devin: "Miss Vinson, can I use your cellphone to call my brother?"
Me: "Tevin is right over there."
Devin: "No, my other brother."
Me: "...Is his name Kevin?"
Devin: "No."
Me: "Then, no, you can't."
His brother, Tevin, is in 8th grade.
Devin: "Miss Vinson, can I use your cellphone to call my brother?"
Me: "Tevin is right over there."
Devin: "No, my other brother."
Me: "...Is his name Kevin?"
Devin: "No."
Me: "Then, no, you can't."
8-01
They are, and forever will be, the most amazing class of students I have ever had. They are all intelligent, well-rounded, funny, caring, beautiful children and I will miss them for the rest of my life.
A New Low
That's right--this post is entitled "A New Low." I bet you didn't think that was possible! Well, folks, I am here to tell you it most definitely is.
On Wednesday, the Language Arts teacher on my team was absent. She is NEVER absent. She is the hardest working woman on earth. She stays every night until like 6pm, she is unstoppable.
Why was she absent? Oh, well, a kid in her last period took her car keys off her desk, took the car keys to a friend/relative/hoodlum...and this guy came up to the school and stole her car.
That's right, friends. A child had his/her teacher's car stolen. Right out of the parking lot. In the afternoon. Of a school day.
It gets better.
On Wednesday while she was out, she called into the school in the afternoon to see if there were any updates. "Oh, I forgot all about it." said Principal.
Wow, thanks for your concern!
She comes in Thursday. She asks Principal to come speak to the class in which it happened. "Nah, you can handle it. It'll be fine." The 7th grade administrator asks Principal to come speak to the ENTIRE seventh grade about it. She declines this as well.
The only reason other staff members know is because we talk to each other. If you aren't in the gossip loop, you don't know. There wasn't even a "Hey, watch your stuff" memo sent out.
I mean, what kind of logic is this? "If I don't think about it, then it didn't happen"??
On Wednesday, the Language Arts teacher on my team was absent. She is NEVER absent. She is the hardest working woman on earth. She stays every night until like 6pm, she is unstoppable.
Why was she absent? Oh, well, a kid in her last period took her car keys off her desk, took the car keys to a friend/relative/hoodlum...and this guy came up to the school and stole her car.
That's right, friends. A child had his/her teacher's car stolen. Right out of the parking lot. In the afternoon. Of a school day.
It gets better.
On Wednesday while she was out, she called into the school in the afternoon to see if there were any updates. "Oh, I forgot all about it." said Principal.
Wow, thanks for your concern!
She comes in Thursday. She asks Principal to come speak to the class in which it happened. "Nah, you can handle it. It'll be fine." The 7th grade administrator asks Principal to come speak to the ENTIRE seventh grade about it. She declines this as well.
The only reason other staff members know is because we talk to each other. If you aren't in the gossip loop, you don't know. There wasn't even a "Hey, watch your stuff" memo sent out.
I mean, what kind of logic is this? "If I don't think about it, then it didn't happen"??
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
This is How We Spend Our Mornings Lately
Waiting outside after somebody sets something on fire.
10 days.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
THERE ARE STILL 17 DAYS LEFT OF SCHOOL
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Anybody Know Where I Can Get $500?
DRAMA. Sheesh. I don't know what it is about me. In regular life, I am relatively drama-free. In school life, it clings to me like clothes I forgot to use fabric softener on.
Here is the current drama, henceforth known as THE GREAT BUS CONTROVERSY OF 2010.
As we all know, I did all the work last year for the 8th graders end of the year activities. This year, the 8th graders have really gotten nothing. There are many people to blame for this. Principal, mostly. She kept telling the teachers not to plan things because the kids were "bad." They didn't take up dues to pay for things. All kinds of other back door dealings that I wasn't privy to because 1. I'm not an 8th grade teacher and 2. I don't care.
So, about 2 months ago we had a big meeting with the 7th graders and told them they were getting 2 trips, one to Six Flags and one to skating. These were going to be good behavior trips, an encouragement for the kids to stay on task during the crazy month of May when everyone decides to lose their mind.
Well, almost immediately after we have this meeting, the CEO of the school system freezes the budget. So, we can't pay for buses to transport the kids. Everyone keeps telling us (the 7th grade team) to just charge the kids for the buses. But that would mean charging kids $75 to go to a barely decent Six Flags and $20 to go skating. I told them that was ridiculous and I wouldn't do it.
So we come up with the idea to write a letter to the son of our school's namesake, Mr. M. He's always talking about how we're a "family" but they don't really do much as far as supporting the school. With the help of other teachers, I wrote and typed a letter asking for about $750 to pay for our two buses, one for each trip. (Apparently, last year he gave some money to the school but Old Principal spent it all on ridiculous items. So I wrote in our letter that he could write the check directly to the Bus Company and leave out the middle man.)
Mr. M also owns a very successful business in the city, and our 6th grade administrator (Ms. G) works there part time. In fact, she's been working there longer than she has been in the school system. I had asked her about a month ago if she thought he'd be open to such a letter, and she said it was worth a shot. We wrote it, I gave it to her to deliver.
Every day since then, I've been in her room asking her if he said anything (skating was to be May 21, Six Flags May 28) She always said, "not yet."
On Thursday, I saw Mr. T. He comes into our school occasionally to substitute or just visit kids. He also has close ties with Mr.M and his main job is at his business. I was talking to him and just mentioned to him to maybe put a bug in the ear of Mr. M, as time was getting low. He said, "Give me your phone." He then called Mr. M. Surprise, Surprise, Mr. M had no idea what I was talking about.
However, he immediately agreed to pay for the two buses and told me to email him on Friday about the exact cost and who to make the check out to. I was so excited, I almost started to cry. And it was so easy! I had been sitting there nervous and twiddling my thumbs for weeks and a 5 minute phone call got it all right.
About 3:30pm, I'm in my classroom teaching my after-school program, when Ms. G comes in. I say, "Oh, hey. Did you speak with Mr. M?"
She says, "Yes. You know he wasn't going to keep that from me."
"What? I wasn't trying to keep anything from you." I gave YOU the letter!
She then says, "Well, since we've got the buses, you can take one to Six Flags with your kids but I don't want to go to Six Flags so I'll have to think of another trip for the other bus for my kids, maybe the Circus. So go ahead and get that ordered."
We then proceeded to have an argument, but the gist of it is this: I got buses for MY KIDS. I am not field trip planner extraordinaire for the whole school. If she wants buses, her or her 6th grade teachers can go ask for money themselves. She thinks that the same group of students doesn't deserve two trips when the other students don't have any trips. I told her to leave my room.
Friday comes along and I have informed the other 7th grade teachers of our little situation. They are very angry, of course.
It was a half day, so the students left at noon. During the afternoon, Ms. G goes to Principal and tells her this: Mr. M has gifted the school two buses for trips. So we will take the best kids in the school to Six Flags on May 28 and then the same group to the Circus in June. She thinks each grade should pick about 15 kids that can go. Principal agrees.
When I found out about an hour later, and tried to intervene I was told I was "too late" and everything was already a done deal.
I mean, I know I should be angry, and I guess I am sad that my kids get screwed. But I am so impressed with this level of bitchery I'm having a hard time getting upset. I mean, WOW, this woman really is the new queen and we should all bow down to her mastery of underhandedness.
So I spent Friday afternoon undoing all the work I did. I canceled my bus reservations, canceled the contract with Six Flags, told the secretary not to fax anything with my name on it to the school board (you have to fill out a huge form and get written permission for trips two weeks in advance.)
I mean, the least Ms. G can do is spend a few days actually organizing the trips, right?
Here is the current drama, henceforth known as THE GREAT BUS CONTROVERSY OF 2010.
As we all know, I did all the work last year for the 8th graders end of the year activities. This year, the 8th graders have really gotten nothing. There are many people to blame for this. Principal, mostly. She kept telling the teachers not to plan things because the kids were "bad." They didn't take up dues to pay for things. All kinds of other back door dealings that I wasn't privy to because 1. I'm not an 8th grade teacher and 2. I don't care.
So, about 2 months ago we had a big meeting with the 7th graders and told them they were getting 2 trips, one to Six Flags and one to skating. These were going to be good behavior trips, an encouragement for the kids to stay on task during the crazy month of May when everyone decides to lose their mind.
Well, almost immediately after we have this meeting, the CEO of the school system freezes the budget. So, we can't pay for buses to transport the kids. Everyone keeps telling us (the 7th grade team) to just charge the kids for the buses. But that would mean charging kids $75 to go to a barely decent Six Flags and $20 to go skating. I told them that was ridiculous and I wouldn't do it.
So we come up with the idea to write a letter to the son of our school's namesake, Mr. M. He's always talking about how we're a "family" but they don't really do much as far as supporting the school. With the help of other teachers, I wrote and typed a letter asking for about $750 to pay for our two buses, one for each trip. (Apparently, last year he gave some money to the school but Old Principal spent it all on ridiculous items. So I wrote in our letter that he could write the check directly to the Bus Company and leave out the middle man.)
Mr. M also owns a very successful business in the city, and our 6th grade administrator (Ms. G) works there part time. In fact, she's been working there longer than she has been in the school system. I had asked her about a month ago if she thought he'd be open to such a letter, and she said it was worth a shot. We wrote it, I gave it to her to deliver.
Every day since then, I've been in her room asking her if he said anything (skating was to be May 21, Six Flags May 28) She always said, "not yet."
On Thursday, I saw Mr. T. He comes into our school occasionally to substitute or just visit kids. He also has close ties with Mr.M and his main job is at his business. I was talking to him and just mentioned to him to maybe put a bug in the ear of Mr. M, as time was getting low. He said, "Give me your phone." He then called Mr. M. Surprise, Surprise, Mr. M had no idea what I was talking about.
However, he immediately agreed to pay for the two buses and told me to email him on Friday about the exact cost and who to make the check out to. I was so excited, I almost started to cry. And it was so easy! I had been sitting there nervous and twiddling my thumbs for weeks and a 5 minute phone call got it all right.
About 3:30pm, I'm in my classroom teaching my after-school program, when Ms. G comes in. I say, "Oh, hey. Did you speak with Mr. M?"
She says, "Yes. You know he wasn't going to keep that from me."
"What? I wasn't trying to keep anything from you." I gave YOU the letter!
She then says, "Well, since we've got the buses, you can take one to Six Flags with your kids but I don't want to go to Six Flags so I'll have to think of another trip for the other bus for my kids, maybe the Circus. So go ahead and get that ordered."
We then proceeded to have an argument, but the gist of it is this: I got buses for MY KIDS. I am not field trip planner extraordinaire for the whole school. If she wants buses, her or her 6th grade teachers can go ask for money themselves. She thinks that the same group of students doesn't deserve two trips when the other students don't have any trips. I told her to leave my room.
Friday comes along and I have informed the other 7th grade teachers of our little situation. They are very angry, of course.
It was a half day, so the students left at noon. During the afternoon, Ms. G goes to Principal and tells her this: Mr. M has gifted the school two buses for trips. So we will take the best kids in the school to Six Flags on May 28 and then the same group to the Circus in June. She thinks each grade should pick about 15 kids that can go. Principal agrees.
When I found out about an hour later, and tried to intervene I was told I was "too late" and everything was already a done deal.
I mean, I know I should be angry, and I guess I am sad that my kids get screwed. But I am so impressed with this level of bitchery I'm having a hard time getting upset. I mean, WOW, this woman really is the new queen and we should all bow down to her mastery of underhandedness.
So I spent Friday afternoon undoing all the work I did. I canceled my bus reservations, canceled the contract with Six Flags, told the secretary not to fax anything with my name on it to the school board (you have to fill out a huge form and get written permission for trips two weeks in advance.)
I mean, the least Ms. G can do is spend a few days actually organizing the trips, right?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Day I Almost Walked Out
This entire debacle took place over the course of FIVE MINUTES. FIVE.
This morning, this kid walks into my room 30 minutes late with no pass. As he is walking in, he does not even acknowledge me but he tells one of my girls that he is "going to beat the shit out of" her. She tells him to leave her alone, he says he will kill her. I tell him to shut up and sit down to do his work. He says, "I don't feel like doing this work but I will beat the shit out Ikema."
Goodbye!
I tell him that he can go. He walks out of my room. I get an office referral to write up that he threatened to kill/beat the shit out of another student and refused to sit down and do work.
While I am writing said office referral, Principal stands in the hallway and yells my name. She yells to me (while I am still in the classroom with all of my students) that I am not to put students out of class without an office referral.
I walk into the hallway and hand her the office referral. I walk away as she reads it. I walk into my classroom, go over to my desk and take a sip of water. By the time I am setting my water bottle down, Principal is bringing this boy back into my room saying, "Miss Vinson, we are going to give him a second chance. He is going to sit down and do his work." He says, "I don't want to do this work." She says to me, "He is going to try to do his work from now on." And she walks away. SHE WALKS AWAY.
I was so filled with rage that I had to leave the room. Thankfully another teacher was in the hallway, and he was able to watch my class for about 10 minutes while I flipped out. There are NO CONSEQUENCES for ANYTHING these kids do. He threatened to kill someone. I'm not an idiot. I know when kids are playing around. This girl was upset and was most definitely not joking around with this boy.
And I know I tell my kids all the time to stop worrying about other people, but there are literally crowds of children hanging out in the hallway at any given time, but ONE CHILD out of my room is some huge problem? The gym teacher can put his ENTIRE CLASS out, lock the door and sit in his room and nothing ever happens to him. Me, I put a kid out, with an office referral, for threatening and bullying another student and she doesn't even give him one minute of her time. Just puts him right back in there.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
This morning, this kid walks into my room 30 minutes late with no pass. As he is walking in, he does not even acknowledge me but he tells one of my girls that he is "going to beat the shit out of" her. She tells him to leave her alone, he says he will kill her. I tell him to shut up and sit down to do his work. He says, "I don't feel like doing this work but I will beat the shit out Ikema."
Goodbye!
I tell him that he can go. He walks out of my room. I get an office referral to write up that he threatened to kill/beat the shit out of another student and refused to sit down and do work.
While I am writing said office referral, Principal stands in the hallway and yells my name. She yells to me (while I am still in the classroom with all of my students) that I am not to put students out of class without an office referral.
I walk into the hallway and hand her the office referral. I walk away as she reads it. I walk into my classroom, go over to my desk and take a sip of water. By the time I am setting my water bottle down, Principal is bringing this boy back into my room saying, "Miss Vinson, we are going to give him a second chance. He is going to sit down and do his work." He says, "I don't want to do this work." She says to me, "He is going to try to do his work from now on." And she walks away. SHE WALKS AWAY.
I was so filled with rage that I had to leave the room. Thankfully another teacher was in the hallway, and he was able to watch my class for about 10 minutes while I flipped out. There are NO CONSEQUENCES for ANYTHING these kids do. He threatened to kill someone. I'm not an idiot. I know when kids are playing around. This girl was upset and was most definitely not joking around with this boy.
And I know I tell my kids all the time to stop worrying about other people, but there are literally crowds of children hanging out in the hallway at any given time, but ONE CHILD out of my room is some huge problem? The gym teacher can put his ENTIRE CLASS out, lock the door and sit in his room and nothing ever happens to him. Me, I put a kid out, with an office referral, for threatening and bullying another student and she doesn't even give him one minute of her time. Just puts him right back in there.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Monday, May 10, 2010
This Is The Kind of Logic I Have To Deal With
Cortez, who I had to wake up 6 times during the period, when I said no after he asked to go to the bathroom:
"God, Miss Vinson, you act like can't nobody go to sleep in here."
"God, Miss Vinson, you act like can't nobody go to sleep in here."
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