Some call me "Flem"

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I'm an elementary school teacher turned high school English teacher, School-Based Teacher Leader (SBTL), and adjunct professor here in Philly. These posts are the views, as I see them, from room 105, my first classroom number. Enjoy, engage, and share!

Friday, February 28, 2014

Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease!!

Not so sure about the love or peace, but there definitely was some chicken grease! (que the smile)

Today, all three of my classes and all three teachers held our 2nd Soul Food Fest to bid February 2014 farewell! The kids enjoyed it. We enjoyed it (overall). And the parents REALLY came through! Shout out to them!!! If you were one of the parents who contributed and you happened to find my blog, thank you!!




Saturday, February 22, 2014

A Hurt Son

The exchange between a grown man and his mother right now really hits home for so many children! I'm here in my apartment and I'm hearing a very loud, profanity-laced, one-sided conversation between an obviously hurt son and his mother on the other end of the phone.

Insert the f-bomb and a few sh-bombs between every two or three words and you'll have the gist of this man's side of the conversation. The statements are real. He was yelling loud enough for me to clearly hear sitting in my 4th floor apartment.

"You screwed up my life since I was a child!!!!"

"Honestly mom, when you go, I won't shed a tear!!"

"You weren't even there for me!!!"

"I'm my father's son! I had NOTHING to do with what he did to you!"

"You had all those men around us!"

"{so-n-so} TOUCHED ME! When I was seven mom!"

"I DID tell you! We went to court!!!!"

"If denying it makes you sleep better at night, then go 'head mom and deny it!"

My first thought was this man is probably just finally releasing years of pent-up hurt and frustration. That is totally understandable given what I heard.

In between those first thoughts, I began to shake my head. Children don't ask to come into this world and they certainly don't choose their parents. Being a public school teacher, I see this and other situations every single day of the week. Being a person who cares, it's hard to avoid taking these issues home with me every night.

Then mixed up with hurt for this guy and (unfair though it may be because I only heard one side of the convo) anger at the mother, I went straight to those who pin everything on teachers and schools, particularly, public school teachers serving in public schools. I think of those who don't want to fund counseling and other types of services for children to help them through challenges like these. I think of those who would ignore home life or community life as a help or hindrance to a child's academic and overall success.

I don't expect these deformers to get it. They don't teach. They are not public school teachers. If they did teach, it was community service for a couple of years, if that! They are not the boots on the ground in real public school classrooms.  They don't live in the communities and neighborhoods where our students come from. They don't have students cuss them out one day and then write a page long letter that includes words like, "Mr. Flemming, you're the last one I got left to look up to! I'm sorry!" They don't have students say, "Mr. Flemming, can you be my dad" or "Yoo, you really came to my house!" So, no I don't expect them to understand. I don't expect them to get it.

They're successful, and that's fine and dandy. I'm not jealous of their success and wish them well. What I DO want is for them to leave the teaching and learning to us! This is what we do! I want my children to have a shot at being successful as well. That comes through good teaching (not testing of the high stakes variety) and good learning (not bubbling in). Part and parcel of teaching and learning is having the human and financial resources in place to be able to do what needs to be done including getting and maintaining the services students need, especially those who are coming from poverty-stricken communities. It's their reality right now, fair or not, like it or not. There is a way out though!

The man that I heard just now, I hope he finds the inner-healing and strength he needs. That conversation may have been it. He represents so many students who are currently sitting in our classrooms. Let's not forget that! The reformers are going to constantly raise Cain and capital to do what they do. Reform agendas, like administrators, Presidents, Congresses, etc. have come and gone. We're still here! And I don't know about you, but I've got some more fight in me!

So onward teacher-soldiers! Let's be there for our kids, no matter what devilish schemes these reformers concoct!!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Better prepared...

In Philadelphia, we are quite used to "wintry" winters. Living in a temperate zone, we are not strangers to blizzards, snow storms, and various weather extremes from heat to cold.

This latest snow storm is at least the 6th or 7th of the season for us here in Philly. Though we know how to prep roads and preempt school closings---oh wait---school closings?? I digress...

It does seem that we are better prepared this time. Philadelphia's public schools announced a closing hours before the first flakes fell. Something that we are not used to. During at least two of the storms this season schools were open with half empty buildings, forcing emergency closings and four and five hour commutes back home.

This time SEPTA, our mass transit agency, detoured routes ahead of the flakes to avoid going into typical problems areas and to get commuters used to the new temporary routes. This "just in"....all bus routes will be suspended beginning at 10am this morning because of deteriorating roads!

This time teachers prepared students for the possibility of a 5-day weekend with Presidents Day being this weekend. My team and countless other teachers sent home enough work to last the equivalent an entire school week. I'm sure parents will appreciate their children having enough to do and not having to deal with "Bored Child Syndrome"

This time even Atlanta learned from the previous storm that embarrassed the city and kept people on roads for an entire day. Those who chose not to spend the night on the interstate abandoned their cars to walk miles to homes or hotels and return to their cars later. Children spent the night at school under the care of the same teachers who care for them during the day and who also get harassed by politicians and cooperate America.

What a winter! I don't like to complain, because I am not a heat person by no stretch of the imagination! 90+ degrees? No thanks!

Monday, February 10, 2014

Something's a little Fishy

I was not sure how the gentlemen in the Seafood Department at Pathmark would react when I decided to ask for "that fish" right there, with the head still on and to not prepare it for cooking but simply to take to my students because I am their science teacher.

"Yooo, that's wassup! That was my favorite subject in school yo! That's wassup! What school do you teach at?"

So that was his reaction and boy was I relieved!

We've been learning about oceanic food chains and sea life and this added some life (so-to-speak) to the videos, art work, presentations, and discussions!




Wednesday, February 5, 2014

No, I don't teach to the test...

No, I don't teach to the test!

Long after the politics of high stakes testing are gone, long after this program or that program has gained blinding excitement among those who don't know better then fizzled out, long after one president assumes then leaves office, what will my students, my children have learned? Their score on a third grade test? The "cross out" strategy? Do they even care? What did that do but create stress and anxiety?

I do not embrace educational deform efforts that include races and leaving children behind.

But, long after my students leave room 105 for the final time, I want to know that I have left an indelible mark on their lives! I want each and every one of them to know that they had a teacher who came everyday, presented his "A" game 95% or more of the time, taught with all his heart and helped them to grasp each and every concept, both academic and life-related!

So, no I don't teach to the test neither do I "test prep". I teach. The fact that each year the percentage of those who are "proficient" and "advanced" increases over the previous year, that simply is a by-product of good teaching and learning and not the coveted prize of months of teaching and sometimes toil!

They won't remember 1311 or 1082, but they will remember "the time when...", "that day Mr. Flemming...", and "that 'jawn' he brought to class".