Aunt Lucille

Aunt Lucille was the oldest living member in our family on my mother's side. She passed a couple of years back. Before she did, I had the chance to visit her a couple of times while she was in a nursing home not too far from my school.

Aunt Lucille was rough, but I loved her! She said what she meant and meant every single word she said. Growing up she'd share stories of her father and her claim to be his favorite. I recall the times she was lauded for her home made candy. A strict Christian of the Pentecostal Apostolic church, she played no games. She was Aunt Lucille, Mother Lucille Mathews, Sister Mathews however you wanted to address her depending on how you knew her.

The last time I visited her in the nursing home, she quickly reminded me of how tough she was. As I prepared to leave, I bent down to kiss her frail frame and she said, "You call that a kiss?" Aunt Lucille was blind and not too lucid anymore, but she was still Aunt Lucille! So, I smiled and went and "really" kissed her cheek. When I got back to the car, I sat and I wrote. I wrote about my experience that afternoon with Aunt Lucille. I didn't know that would be the last time that I would see Aunt Lucille alive.

Tonight I went to see "The Butler" for the first time. After watching the film, I had to come home and just write. Tonight reminded me of that experience with my Great-Aunt Lucille (my mother's aunt). That movie reminded me of the struggle of my ancestors of that generation. It reminded me of the charge that we have in this generation to carry the baton and make things a little better for the generation that is to come! This is why I teach!

The Butler

I sat. And….sat. And…………………sat. Until the final words of the credits descended the screen into wherever they go, I sat. The Butler is a powerful, riveting film that touches the heart, aches the soul, teases the tear ducts, stirs the anger, and strengthens the resolve; the resolve to continue the fight for racial equality and social justice.

I sat. And sat. Pondering, thinking, wondering.

I sit now. Word document open. Typing. No particular structure or order to my whatever…journal entry? Blog? Tweet? Thoughts, that’s it. Just….thoughts! These are just my thoughts, in no particular order and possibly breaking every syntactical rule and exception that exists in the English language.

The lyrics to “My Country Tis of Thee” reverberate in my mind. I don’t know when it was written, so I’m going to pause to look it up. Just did. A few different websites all suggest that the lyrics were written in 1831.

My country tis of thee,

Sweet land of liberty….stop, this part right here! In 1831, liberty was not experienced by everyone on U.S. soil. It wouldn’t be until 1863 when the Emancipation Proclamation was proclaimed, two years after that with the passage of the 13^th Amendment that slavery became illegal and nearly ONE HUNDRED years until the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

Land where my fathers died….true

Land of the pilgrims pride….okay??

From every mountain side, let freedom ring….they could only hope!

It is now 2013. I sit at my small desk in my apartment in Philadelphia on Saturday, August 31, 2013. Last weekend there was a huge march in Washington to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of THE march on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his now most notable speech later titled, “I Have A Dream”. This past Wednesday, on the 28^th, five hours of festivities marked the actual day on which the march took place, concluding with this nation’s first African American president, Barack H. Obama speaking at the exact same time when Dr. King spoke.

It is now 2013. We have come a long way. Every time our current president, Mr. Obama, gives a press conference, flies overseas, goes on a bus tour around college campuses, has white people protecting HIM, yes, we really have come a mighty long way!

It is 2013. Public schools in urban areas are closing by the dozens in places like Chicago and here in my hometown, Philadelphia. Teachers are being laid off by the thousands. Governments are holding much need funds for schools where an overwhelming number of students who poor and who are African American and Hispanic make up the majority.

History reminds us of the time when it was once illegal to teach blacks how to read and write. History also reminds us of how many overcame that obstacle and taught one another anyway. It reminds us of how many whites risked their lives and livelihoods to assist us in our struggle for freedom and equality.

The Butler. More than a film, this was the voice of everyone who lived during the years of slavery and the post slavery century of struggle. It was the voice of those whose veins carry the blood of true human warriors; the blood line that still runs warm in the veins of every child of color who lives in impoverished areas; areas where politicians in the last few years have metaphorically referred to as a “cesspool” and “rat hole”.

See the movie, but listen to the voices!

Lee Daniels’ (from Philadelphia might I add) The Butler

"We're doing a good thing!"

The response to my "How Many??" post has been overwhelming, in a good sense! When I wrote it I had just come home from marching with fellow teachers, parents, and students through Center City Philly and was upset that we even had to be there in the first place! I wasn't expecting it to reach as many as it did, just one teacher sounding off online.

For the kind words, thank you! They were very encouraging! I love my kids, I love teaching, and I hate any and everything that negatively impacts either!

We really are thousands in number all across this country and world....New Zealand---I'm glad you commented! I hope New Zealand doesn't follow the United States' lead in their treatment of teachers, particularly public school teachers. We are all in this fight together!!!

One of my partner teachers and I often say to each other in times of distress, "We're doing a good thing!" We repeat it over and over again if necessary. "We're doing a good thing! We're doing a good thing! We're doing a good thing!"

I did take the suggestion I saw and sent the letter in to the Philadelphia Inquirer. We'll see if they call me to verify my information and let me know that they are considering its publication.

Let's hang in there together in these troubling "education re(de)-form" times!

We really are doing a good thing!!!

Not a good feeling....

I can't help but feel set up to fail! I like challenges, particularly overcoming them. This one, however, is going to take quite a bit to overcome. Working as a teacher in Philadelphia's public school system along with a government that refuses to do right financially by children with limited resources and who are of color; this is taking its toll on us even before the school year starts. This isn't good!

How many??

Dear Mayor Nutter and Governor Corbett,
How many students do you have in your class?
How many tissue boxes do you buy for your class?
How many bottles of hand sanitizer do you buy for your class?
How many snack bars or pots of oatmeal do you cook for your hungry students?
How many shirts did you hurry to get from the corner store because of the red juice your student spilled on him?
How many pairs of socks do you buy for your little kindergarteners whose feet NEED socks with the sneakers they have on?
How many reams of paper do you buy to do your job?
How many class sets of books do your bid on via ebay so that your class can have a class set?
How many of your students' trips do you pay for at the last minute for a wide variety of reasons?
How many of your students come to you because they just need to cry and let it all out?
How many of your students come back years later to just say "thank you"?
How many pizzas have you purchased for your class because they all came to school that entire week or month?
How many pens, pencils, boxes of crayons, boxes of markers, and packages of lined paper have you purchased for your students?
How many times have you given your students $2.00....oh wait, it's gone UP....$2.25 to get home because they lost their money?
How many subscriptions to kid's educational magazines have you purchased so that your students can read real, authentic literary nonfiction?
How many subscriptions to internet educational software games/companies have you purchased to make learning come alive for your students?
How many computers have you spent money on to refurbish so that your classroom can at least have ONE in the class?
How much money have you spent to paint your classroom because it hadn't seen a coat of paint for at least a decade?
How many bookshelves and magazine racks have your purchased for your classroom so that reading can be inviting?
How many hats, gloves, and scarves have you bought for your 2nd graders?
How many gift cards have you purchased for your seniors in high school who are headed off to college?
How many fans have you bought so that your classroom can have SOME air flow?
Huh? How many? Answer me that!!

Wait, I have one more...

How many more "how many"s do you think I can come up with?
Don't wrack your brain, let me answer that for you!
A WHOLE LOT MORE!!!

You speak of shared pain? You berate us for not "sharing in sacrifice"? You want us to take a 13% pay cut? You say that we need to "step up"? You want us to pay to come to work? You want us to buy $45 million at a price tag of $133 million?

You, sirs, are clearly out of touch with the reality of our profession!

Sincerely
~Stephen R. Flemming and all the rest of us!!!

Because I am a teacher...

I have several confessions to make; things that I must admit.

I must admit, I've never been to medical school and am therefore not equipped to advise physicians on practicing medicine. Other doctors and boards and panels made up of doctors are in the best position to advise other doctors on the practice of medicine.

I confess, I've never been to law school. While I can read up on the law and watch shows on television, I am not in a position to advise those who are preparing to take the BAR exam. Only those who have taken the BAR and practice law can best advise those preparing for such an important exam.

I love the sound of classical music. Musicians seem to become one with their instruments and working in harmony with other musicians in orchestras, the sounds they produce are relaxing! As much as I love the sound of classical music, I do not know how to play a single instrument. I am not the one to call upon to conduct an orchestra. I admit it.

So, I admit that I am not equipped to provide advice to many professions. I admire and respect the work they do and the dialogue they engage in about their craft. Why don't many politicians and policy makers and backers get that?

Me, I am a teacher. I am an elementary school teacher, certified to teach students in kindergarten through 6th grade and because of my love and skill for teaching English/Language arts am certified to teach English to students in grade 7-12. I am in a position to participate in pedagogical discussions and advice because I am a teacher. I can offer suggestions for how to improve classroom practice, because I am a teacher.

I arrive early, stay late, tutor, plan, read, comfort, feed, clothe, supply, listen, write, blog, tweet, call, email, grade, cry, provide a shoulder, provide an ear, provide a hand, provide stability, care, and fight, because I am a teacher!!

Here's the thing, there are thousands just like me; many are teachers and many work in other areas of the school! So, why is it that many who don't know the first thing about teaching, seem to have the biggest mouths for how to improve it? I admit, that's pretty ludicrous!

So....

So, it's Monday morning. I borrowed a car for the weekend. I'm picking up my baby sister for work. Prior to arriving at her house, stopped to get a cup of coffee only to find that prices increased effective today. SEPTA fares have also increased this summer (my primary mode for transportation). And so the school district wants to CUT our salaries with everything else going up??????

The Trunk Party!

Today I attended the trunk party for one of my nieces. She's headed to the University of North Carolina. Proud of her is the understatement of the year! I wish her all the best and I know that she'll make all of her family here in Philadelphia and New York very very proud!! She will major in accounting and who knows, maybe even advise politicians that the math they use to calculate school budgetary needs is in a word.........OFF!!!!

But the main point of the post is this, as soon as I walk in, one of the brothers stops me and the conversation that he started (not me for once) was all about the state of public education, particularly in Philadelphia! The topics ranged from the fiscal crisis to the fact that his mother is three years retired after 38 years of teaching kindergarten in a public school in West Philadelphia, teachers that go above and beyond and really care, my paying for school out of pocket, the expense of teaching certifications and credits, and more. We must have passed the time and talked for more than an hour waiting for the event to begin.

Then, his mother, the 38-year kindergarten teacher, walks in. While I had met her some years ago, I didn't much expect that she would remember me. We, then, picked up the conversation from there! Our topics ranged from the care of our students that we provide, the kids we have with whom we stay in touch, the fact that we are more than just "teacher" to many of them, the financial mess, a colleague of hers who had taught for 50 years (wow!!!), our "beloved" mayor, and her curiosity as to what the PFT's next moves will be should things not be resolved.

Tonight was great! My niece is off to school, a young teacher had a chance to converse with a seasoned teacher, a non-teacher sympathizes with our calling and cause, it just was great!

Still scratching my head!!!

So, I cannot let go of the fact that John B. Kelly Elementary School has lost 6th grade to Mastery Charter School at Pickett, a few blocks away. For the last seven years, John B. Kelly has been a K-6th grade school. Using the district and nation's own provincial measures for academic success, scores, we've managed to raise those from 5th to 6th grade every year that the 6th grade teaching team has been a team; 6 of the 7 years.

The School District of Philadelphia decided that Kelly should be a K-5th grade school and that Mastery at Pickett should take over the 6th grade in their building, beginning September, 2013. I even commented about it while being interviewed for a response to Philly's financial crisis in the Huffington Post.

To end my umpteenth rant about this, here are a couple of pictures. I'll let them speak for themselves.

Perhaps if John B. Kelly doesn't make it this year, we'll get our 6th grade back, since 2 years of no AYP seems to be the prerequisite for expanding. Or maybe we'll do what Universal did at Vare, bring in a grade to teach that is against our "license agreement"; which the CFO admitted to at a recent SRC meeting when Feather Houstoun questioned him....I'm just saying. But wait, didn't they still acquire Alcorn Elementary? Hmm

Re: The Suburban Station Violinist

In an earlier blog post, I ranted and raved about this kid who I have seen for a couple of years now playing, very skillfully, his violin on the concourse of Suburban Station.

Since SEPTA is my primary form of transportation ( I have a car but with all this teacher money I make, I cannot afford to fix my baby up...story for another day) I frequently happen upon many "writeable" events. Riding the 13 trolley, moments ago, through Southwest Philly Mr. Violinist himself, Sean Bennett, boarded with a female companion.

I looked around the trolley to see if any of the other passengers' faces revealed that they knew who this young man was. No revelatory faces. With that, I really wanted become a "writeable" moment myself and stand to give this young man his props before the entire trolley, but decided against it. Instead I resolved to give him what we call in church, a Holy Ghost handshake (dropping a few dollars in his hand then walking away).

Why am I hype? As I stated before, he is a young, black male with a gift! If we were to undergo a psychological exercise and I were to say, "black teenage boy", what would immediately come to mind? Pants saggin', snap back wearin thug? Criminal? Jail? No good? Waste? SMH? Sean, among many other young black males, who aren't the "top story" on the 5pm newscasts, create the contrasting and alternative images that we all need to have of the black male.

As a teacher, I see my students for what they will become! Sean is like one of my students and I am excited for his future!! Sean could very well have been my student a few years back.

I really want him to get his own special report on one of the local networks. Searching the internet, I did find this philly.com article. Click, read, and enjoy:
http://articles.philly.com/2011-02-01/news/27092982_1_young-musicians-tina-davidson-rehearsal

There are many Seans out there! Some sit in our classrooms and many are pants-saggin, snap-back wearin thugs who have been to jail! They're just waiting for someone to tap into their untapped potential, waiting for that metaphoric "Holy Ghost" handshake!!

Diane Sawyer with Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey talking race in America

VIDEO: @DianeSawyer talks with @Oprah and @ForestWhitaker about race and change in America. http://t.co/07XnxnFG5m
— ABC World News (@ABCWorldNews) August 3, 2013

Charles G Hayes & Warriors Jesus Can Work It Out Remix

My Christian faith is a huge part of who I am. This is one of the songs that I have on "repeat" right now. There are quite a few things that I need the Lord to work out, not the least of which is the situation in our public schools and the leadership of this land! In any event, enjoy! Jesus can work it out!!