Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Over the weekend, I went to King of Prussia to go see the new Mandela film, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, based on the autobiography bearing the same title.

All I'll say is this, Idris Elba and Naomie Harris do a phenomenal job portraying Nelson and Winnie Mandela respectively!

Go see it!

You must go see the film!
Here's the trailer from youtube:

INNN, West Philadelphia, born and raised...

I thoroughly enjoyed the Fresh Prince of Bel Air sitcom starring West Philly's own Will Smith in the 1990s. I recently decided to purchase many seasons of the show on DVD for my viewing pleasure. There were many episodes that I had long forgot about which brought fresh laughs!

As an adult, I now look at the episodes with a different lens--only if I feel like thinking while watching.

The "Father Knows Best" episode of season 5 was about Ashley Banks's (Tatyana Ali) decision to secretly withdraw from her prestigious private school, Bel Air Academy, to attend the neighborhood public school, Morris High School.

Her decision sparks outrage and something that Uncle Phil (James Avery) called a "capital crime."

What's interesting though, is to hear the dialogue play out throughout the entire episode. We get to hear the characters' varied opinions of public schools and of private schools. (So now you understand why I chose to blog about the episode? Yup!)

Ashley thanks Will for opening her eyes to a real, non-"fake" world, where, as she states, there are real people "who take public transportation and don't have butlers." (That would be me, although I do hope to lose some of my "realness" and get my Honda back up and running again...but I digress.)

Will risks life and limb to defend Ashely's decision to Uncle Phil.

Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) is concerned about what a public school image would look like to a Princeton's admissions officer.

Vivian (Daphne Reid) wants to at least have a conversation about Ashley attending public school.

And we know that Uncle Phil is dead-set against it, even after meeting Ashley's homeroom teacher at Morris High. Note: It is Will who notes that it was a public school teacher who visited their home and questions when a teacher from Bel Air Academy ever visited.

If you can, watch the episode and see how it ends.  According to at least one particular youtube source, the episode can be found on Amazon's website. I have the DVDs and am enjoying a visit back to the 90s.

(No mention of charter schools. I'm just saying.)

Biogaphy of Jackie Robinson

A few moments ago I completed one biography of Jackie Robinson, Jackie Robinson: An American Hero by Anne Schraff. This particular biography is written for middle school-level students.

Up until now, I had never sat and read a biography on this great man, Jackie Robinson.  I had learned only tidbits of information on him while in school. So as an adult, I'm choosing to read up on him and others, not just for personal information's sake, but also in preparation to expose my current 5th grade students to pioneers and leaders who are/were of African American descent.

This particular biography, which I purchased through www.townsendpress.com for $1, explores the life of Robinson with just the right amount of information and at just the right pace for students in upper elementary and middle school or even high school. I'm an adult and I learned quite a bit from reading this particular biography.

I did not know that Jackie Robinson was quite skilled at a few sports. In school, we knew him just as a baseball great.

I did not know that he and his wife had a son who struggled with a drug addiction and some personality struggles.

Furthermore, I learned that Jackie Robinson considered himself a liberal Republican and often worked, politically,  on behalf of the Republican party at a time when most African Americans identified with the Democrats.

I enjoyed learning about Jackie Robinson in greater detail than what was covered in school, during Black History Month. As a result of reading this particular version of his biography, I'm inspired to read other versions.

The author of this particular biography, Anne Schraff, has authored several books geared toward adolescence that do not disappoint. For those who enjoy reading realistic fiction, the plots of which draw readers into the often unstable and complicated world of the American teenager, Schraff along with author Paul Langan, both do a phenomenal job of satiated that desire!

Inspired by Booker T. Washington

Shamefully, I admit that until this past Saturday, I had not read the autobiography of Booker T. Washington. So this past Saturday I started and completed, Up From Slavery: An Autobiography, Washington's life story. To finish the autobiography in a day isn't as daunting as it sounds, block out a couple of hours and wham...done!

"Inspired" doesn't even begin to capture how I felt all while reading the book!!! It was uplifting, encouraging, and just--------I don't know---------I'm stumped for words!

To read of his hard work, tireless determination, and awe-inspiring journey to become the best possible teacher, mentor, and father figure he could be, it really hit home!

As I read, I saw myself a few times in Booker T. Washington. I've long held the philosophy that I teach reading, writing, and life to my students. Infusing my little life-talks, and life's little truths every now and then during the day is the norm.

Some years after graduating and on one of his visits back to John B. Kelly, one former student said to me, "Mr. Flemming, I miss those little talks you'd give us."

Booker T. Washington:
"When the hotel season ended, I returned to Malden and taught in the town's black school. I began work at 8 a.m. and it usually continued until 10 p.m. In addition to teaching standard academic content, I taught the pupils how to comb their hair, use a toothbrush, and keep their clothing, hands, and faces clean."

I've never worked in a hotel, but upon graduating college, I decided to stay and teach here in Philadelphia, and in what happens to be a predominately black school. Sometimes my days start at 6:20am AT school and at times ends at 5:00pm, AT school!

In addition to anthologies, DVDs, and novels, maps, globes, and folders, I have kept bars of soap, lotion, a brush, and small deodorant bottles in a cabinet. "Yo bruh man, Mr. Johnny (pseudonym) sir, come here." {whispering to him} "When the class leaves, there's a bottle of lotion in that cabinet, use it," I'd say emphatically.  "If you have to come out of the house with your mouth and face ashy, just come to 105, open up the cabinet and lotion your face. Don't walk around like that any more, you hear me?"

Reading Mr. Washington's autobiography, gave me a little more pep in my step, more expresso in my coffee, and more gas in the tank to continue a little while longer on this journey, to run on ahead to see what the end's gonna be!

(This winter break is gonna do that too!! Believe that!!)

Rigor

Came into work a few moments ago. This was one of the items in my mailbox.
A "new" understanding huh? Oh okay!

Let us teach!

Had to tweet this--> "I think I'll take a couple of RTII's and wash it down with a shot of SWBAT before I lay down on my IOTs with my comfortable AYPs!"

Geez!! So unnerved!!!! Let us teach!! Human and financial resources are what we need, not more acronyms and buzz words!

SWBAT, IOT, IEP, RTII, CSAP, CR, CRAP, PSSA, AYP, RTTT

Sometimes 140 characters are just not enough!

Why didn't anyone tell me that SWBAT would give Susie Q. caring adults at home?

I sure wish I would've known that IOT was what it took to get Johnny A. to create that historical collage.

And for the love of apples, I sure in the heck wish I would have been privy to the fact that all it took was a couple of  RTIIs to get Shabookie to sit down for the 60 seconds it took for me to give directions!

I hate principals' meetings buzz words. I hate being told that I better phrase my objectives using the "SWBAT / IOT" format. I hate that fact that we have tight-wads majoring in the minor in and around the School District of Philadelphia, City Hall, Harrisburg and across the nation!

I'd tell some of these folks where they can take their buzz words, but I don't think the Lord would be happy with my suggested places. Therefore, I'll leave it to your imaginations what they can do with these acros and buzzies!

Stage a "Read In"

So, here's a John B. Kelly Elementary School room 105 tradition. It's an ELA tradition, but I didn't want the fact that I'm more of a content area teacher this year get in the way of a good tradition. Note: it gets better every year!

Why not?

I'm sitting here reading a section of a chapter in Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis's Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement (2007). This particular section, in a nutshell, speaks of the "researcher's" workshop and as a part, the professional relationship of classroom teacher and librarian.

NOW I'm steamed!!! Not because of anything the authors wrote, but because I'm a teacher in the city of Philadelphia. I'm a public school teacher in the largest school district in Pennsylvania and among the largest 10 or so in the entire nation. I'm HEATED because of the ostentatious lack of interest, respect, foresight, and investment of MY and others' tax dollars into what could be a first rate school district.

Our public schools have the potential to be so much more than what they are. It's not for a lack of qualified staff. It's not for a lack of interested and competent teachers and paraprofessionals. It's not for a lack of the commitment of many well meaning neighborhood coalitions of groups, parents, and meaningful stakeholders!

It's because of the lack of true and dedicated public servants! Many sit in plush offices, with a full staff of workers spewing their bombastic rhetoric and vitriolic diatribes bemoaning the hard work of committed, selfless, hardworking, dedicated, competent, experienced, and WILLING teachers and school staff here in Philadelphia and around the nation!

Our public schools should be more than what they are! Why not have a librarian in every school every day? We have students come every day! Why not have a certified school nurse in every school every day? We have students come every day! Why not have a certified reading specialist, who is not following the roster of a prep teacher (sorry, specialist teacher) in every school every day? We have students come every day! Why not an art, music, and instrumental music teacher in every school every day? We have students come every day! Why not a gym teacher in every school every day? We have students come every day! Why not a first rate library either adjacent to or in addition to a first rate computer lab in every school with the staff to work it in every school every day? We have students come every day! Why not a foreign language teacher in every school every day? We have students come every day! Why not certified school counselors in every school every day? We have students come every day! Why not social workers, truancy officers, nutritionists, specialized nontraditional curriculum tracts like chess, robotics, dance, drama, voice, computer animation, gardening, home economics and more in every school every day? We have students come every day!

I'm sick of this nonsense! I'm sick of this bafoonery! You defund us then blame us! You want some of our paychecks back while holding us to higher standards! You're insane! You've sown to the wind and rest assure, you will reap the whirlwind!

The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963

I sit here having just finished the last page of Christopher Paul Curtis's, The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963. The first word to come to mind was "riveting".

I started it two days ago and sat for a few hours tonight and finished it off.

The first half of the book gives us the main character's, Kenny's, first person view of his family. Ten year old Kenny, lives with his father, mother, older brother, and younger sister. He takes us on a typical everyday journey of a traditional working class African-American family. Scenes are set at home, in school, and in the neighborhood. Dad works outside the home while mom holds down the fort inside the home.

Chapter titles are one-liners from within the chapter, capturing the chapter's essence as only a 10-year old can.

We see such themes as sibling rivalry, bullying, tested friendship, and the "blood is thicker" principle all at work. Furthermore, we see the rebellious oldest son, whose parents are at their wits end, set the stage for the second half of the book.

Thinking that some time away from the hustle, bustle, and unrighteous influences of Flint, Michigan, the Watson parents decide that Byron, the oldest son, needs to spend some time away, in Birmingham, in 1963. There, Grandma Sands welcomes everyone with open arms, reuniting with her daughter, Mrs. Watson and her family whom she hadn't seen in a decade.

The family stays for a few weeks before a tragic event in the city forces them to cut the trip short, change the plan for their oldest son, and cause another of their children to feel shame!

There were times I chuckled, out right laughed, frowned, sighed, and put paper under each line so that my eyes would not catch a glimpse at what would be forthcoming.

I would recommend this book for those in 6th grade and up. The book does contain some cursing and swearing. I'd just give parents a heads up before they read the book with their child. As a parent, I'd want that heads-up.

Mrs. Michelle Obama

Here's an excerpt from The White House's website (http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/first-lady-michelle-obama)

"A product of Chicago public schools, Mrs. Obama studied sociology and African-American studies at Princeton University. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1988, she joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she later met the man who would become the love of her life."

I just thought it was important to note that she was a product of Chicago's Public Schools.

Drake vs. Drake

As a Social Studies and Science teacher, I try my very best to make the content meaningful, challenging, and interesting! Today as I was teaching and as they were learning about early English pirates/sea dogs, we came across the name Drake.

Once we got to that slide, I flashed this picture on the smart board.

The girls in one of the classes, literally went ballistic, as if Mr. Drake himself was going to come through the screen. That picture was then followed by an "x" through it and the statement, "not that Drake, but this one..." Sir Francis Drake, Queen Elisabeth's top "dog" (literally, they were called sea dogs, for those who didn't know)

This "fluke" of the Drakes, while a small diversion, changed the pace a bit of a terse review of what the students themselves had actually presented to the class the week prior.

Make it fun!

She is Malala!

Yesterday I showed the ABC News 20/20 Special on Malala, which first aired a few weeks ago. My 5th graders were definitely interested in her life's story. I asked them to consider a few questions as they watched. Some of the "notes" they took, ended up being three or four pages of vivid details from the documentary. We then turned this into a very traditional writing assignment under the guise of that "other" writing genre known as the constructed response. Doing that however, did not prove to be a difficult task for them. Most wanted to write about her!

Here's the link:

http://watchabc.go.com/2020/SH559026/VDKA0_h4z0gfdp/2020-1011-unbreakable-one-girl-changing-the-world

Skyping in Science class!

Today was great! We "skyped" and "hung out" on Google (Google Hangout) with entomology Ph.D candidates at Penn State! This was the first time I had ever attempted something like this and it was fun! My 5th graders asked many excellent questions and the Penn State students were very gracious and wonderful! I can say for sure that there are future scientists that are sitting in my classroom at John B. Kelly Elementary School!

Social Media and The Classroom

I'm not sure how other teachers use social media to teach or to communicate with families, but here's how I use social media:

Twitter for homework and announcements
www.twitter.com/Flemming105










Instagram for examples of projects, student work, or just funny scenes from the classroom! (Note, no student pictures without parental consent)
www.instagram.com/myclassroom105

Science Fun!!!

I've taught every major subject but science! This is my first year taking on that challenge! So far we've delved into entomology and my students, other colleagues, and students of other grades have caught the entomological fever! It is very exciting so see other children come up and say, "Mr. Flemming, I saw a bug in the hallway" or "Mr. Flemming, I saw a daddy-long legs in my house!"

Recently, my students caught a praying mantis in the school yard, bagged it and brought it in from recess. We took it to the classroom, took a couple of pictures, and all made our way back to the yard to set Major (that's what we named him) free! Check out some pics on our class instagram site (www.instagram.com/myclassroom105).

It is equally exciting to collaborate with other colleagues as they come across "bug" articles or video clips and share them with me!

Even though, we've moved on to cytology, we're weaving in and out of entomology as the children come across interesting finds (both living, dead, and otherwise). As recently as yesterday a kid found a dead ant in the classroom and is anxious to look at it under the microscopes I purchased for the class.

This is fun! I want my ELA back, but at the same time, I'm making the most of science by making it experiential!!

The Classroom...

Here's a link to my first ever article in a magazine of any type! I appreciate Forest of the Rain for giving me that chance. I love writing and I write frequently, but never have I done this before. I hope you enjoy my take on "The Classroom"

Click the link...

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A2hcmw/2013FallEditionLivin/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ffree.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F1358914%2F2013-Fall-Edition-Living-Education-eMagazine-Vol.-VII

Can THEY do this?

In my head, in front of the class, on the spot....I'd like to see politicians do this type of thinking in front of 30 5th graders, all while maintaining order, answering the class phone, and looking at a kid trying to sneak a snack!!!

"Okay, that lesson on the old East-West trade routes and the Turks' capture of Constantinople went better than I thought! The kids were engaged. We had a bit of fun while learning! I acted a complete nut just now, but it was for the good!! Thank God for Google Earth and this SMART board that my principal a few years ago purchased when there seemed to be a little bit of excess! I wanted to do a 45-minute/45-minute split of Social Studies and Science. So since this lesson went well, the kids were engaged and I can tell they are learning based on the use of slates and dry erase marker responses, I'll just keep going with this. At the '30 minutes' left mark of the Science/Social Studies block, I'll abbreviate what I was going to do and hit a major point or two, since I already planned to extend the Science block this Thursday and Friday anyway. I'll explain the entomology research project to them, take questions, then end the class. I'll put off the reading of this mini-article on predators until tomorrow."

"Okay, everybody, here's the question I want you to answer on your slates, what types of goods were..."

Being a black boy isn't a disease!

Dear World,

Being a black boy is not a disease that needs to be diagnosed, x-rayed, poked, prodded, studied, and drugged up! Since when did being a boy become an ailment, and particularly being a black boy??

I am SICK and TIRED of boys who look just like me being diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, ODD, ABCD, this D, that D and the other D!!! With those diagnoses, comes the medicine, the IEPs, the behavioral this and behavioral that; the stigma, the treatment, the preconceived notions and ultimately the ire of society!

It's no wonder prisons are stuffed with kids and men who look like me! It's no mystery why these guys are being killed on the streets in higher percentages than others! They are literally out of their minds, druggies since five!!

I'm not a conspiracy theorist (except when it comes to Governor Corbett and the funding of Philadelphia's public schools), I just can't help but notice what seem to be disproportionate numbers!

Make no mistake, I do not condone boys using this as an excuse for stupidity! You act dumb, dumb stuff will come, point blank! But as a society we can do our part and not assume that because a five-year-old boy runs around the school that something is wrong with him! Regain order, yes! But we need to think long and hard before we "treat"!!

Is something really the matter with him, or does he spend hours on end in our classrooms then goes home to the same amount of space for several more hours with many more people? Is he the product of a less than ideal pregnancy and would more "skittles" really help? Let's ask ourselves these and other questions before that prescription or IEP is written, because once written...

First, do no harm!

Yours truly,
Me

New Science Teacher

Science is the one subject I've never taught as an elementary school teacher. I remember Dr. Shmuckler at Temple teaching the science methods course. I remember my elementary science class with Mrs. LaComp, then with Mrs. Williams at another school, followed by Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Oxley, Mr. Mealy(sp), Ms. Lewis, Mr. Finley, Mr. Ulrich, and Mr. Belz....yes, I was a teacher-geek even then remembering most of my teachers...lol.

This year is my first year teaching science however. Since I was getting a new grade to teach, I figured I might was well dust off my science pedagogy from undergrad and take a stab at science.

All summer long I was apprehensive. I am an English/Language Arts teacher at heart and am currently in a program to be a certified reading specialist. If I was going to do this "science thing", I wanted to be all in, providing the best instruction and experience I could! So I read articles, blogs, tweets and the like all summer. I visited the websites of national science organizations, notable television programs and people, etc. to prepare for my three classes of 5th graders.

I just want to report, that while I have a ways to go both content-wise and pedagogically speaking, I'm starting to get the hang of it and am enjoying it. I teach with the premise that science should be experiential in nature; the premise for my ELA and Social Studies teaching. Note: I'm also teaching Social Studies this year, a subject I've taught quite a few times before and with which I am much more comfortable.

I want my English back for sure, but at least I know that if I go self-contained in perhaps a younger grade, I could do it.

Two Weeks In...

We are two weeks into the school year here in Philadelphia and morale is sinking quickly! That shouldn't be! Teachers are worn out and despondent. And it's no mystery why that's the case.

We are without essential services, personnel, and supplies. Many classes are beyond overcrowded around the district and teachers are finding themselves in communities and buildings they've never been in before. Even if in our particular classrooms things appear to be fine, we are one with our colleagues all around. Their pain is our pain! We also know that things can change for the worse quicker than we can blink!

On top of all that, the state, city, and district are insistent that teachers are the cause and solution of the financial debacle the district is in. They want us to take as much as a 13% cut in pay and contribute as much to our health benefits! They say that we need to share in the sacrifice and pain! Laughable! I already vented about that!

To turn the knife in our hearts, a new teacher evaluation system is in place which makes teachers "more accountable" for student achievement by attaching test scores to teachers! You have GOT to be kidding me!

The governor wants the PFT to buy $45 million at a price tag of more than $100 million. Seriously gov? Are you that thick-headed?

Philadelphia's teachers, counselors, nurses, and other school based staff, parent and student advocacy groups as well as national leaders and warriors in the fight for full and fair funding for public education are on the frontline, fighting back with all the strength we have to ensure that EVERY child, not just those in certain schools or from certain backgrounds, gets what s/he needs to have a chance at success too!!!!!

All of this, and we're just two weeks in! smh

A colleague of mine, sick of the nonsense is organizing a discussion/forum in her classroom for the faculty at our school next week. The purpose of the talk is to express concerns that are specific to our school and to come up with solutions that are real and attainable and to move unapologetically to make the teaching and learning environment in our building as stress free as possible. With a whole year ahead of us, and stress already real, something has to give!

Dear Kindergarteners

Dear Kindergarteners,
My name is Mr. Flemming and I am a teacher. Did you know that there are a whole lot of teachers? How high can you count? Can you count to ten? Well, there are more than ten! Can you count to twenty? Well, there are more than twenty!

Have you ever heard of the word "thousand"? WOW!!! That's a really big number!! If you hold your hands out really wide, it's bigger than that!!! Well, there are more than one thousand, more than two thousand, more than three thousand teachers, wow!!! There are a whole lot of THOUSANDS of teachers in schools everywhere!!

Today you started school. Maybe this was your first time or maybe you went to preschool or daycare!

I just want to tell you that I believe in you! That means that Mr. Flemming, and all of my THOUSANDS of teacher friends, we know that you are smart and that you are going to be good at reading and math and a whole lot of other things that boys and girls do when they are in school and at home!!

Do you like to draw or sing?  I like to draw and sing sometimes, but you probably sing and draw way better than me!! Maybe you can draw me a picture one day or sing the bigger kids a song. That's who I teach. I teach the bigger kids, they are in 5th grade this year!

Well, if you like to draw and sing and maybe play the drums, make sure you ask the principal, that's the boss, if you can sing and draw in school! There are teachers who would LOVE to help you draw or paint or sing or play the musical instruments! Does that sound like fun? It sounds fun to me!

I want you to promise Mr. Flemming one thing. Promise me that you will always work really really hard!! That means you'll do all of your school work and homework and that you will always try your best! Make sure you listen to your teachers and the other grown ups at school!! Okay?

It's probably time to go to bed. Mr. Flemming is very sleepy right now! You want to make sure you get a good night's sleep so that you can be on time for school tomorrow and so you won't be sleepy!

Good Night!
Have fun in school tomorrow!

~Mr. Flemming

'Twas the Night Before School Started (Philly version)

'Twas the Night Before School Started (Philly Version)
Stephen R. Flemming - Philly Public School Teacher

‘Twas the night before school started and all through the halls

Were the children, some teachers, and that’s about all!

One principal, some staff, a single secretary

No music! What art? Don’t even call that a library!

No counselors, few aids, and hardly supplies

Yet they call this a school? HA! What lies!

Barely enough funds, to open on Monday

Yet the Gov and the Mayor say, “Well, someday,

We’ll give you the money, you think you all need

But not before concessions from that blasted PFT!”

“Those teachers must give back some of the bountiful excess

You don’t need those high salaries or that hefty egg’s nest!”

But we’re saying, “No! You haven’t a clue!

What it takes to teach kids or make it on through

Through attitudes of despair and hopelessness ‘round

Because of the grown ups, who let them all down!

We spend hundreds of thousands collectively as staff

We sacrifice often to make supplies last!

So, no to give backs, we didn’t cause this problem

And we’re not responsible to help you both solve them!

So tomorrow we start, 8:30’s the time

Thirty-three kids, in two straight lines!

So on primary, on middle, and on teachers secondary

Elementary or high school, we’ve got to be ready!

On teaching, on learning, on standing up tall

Proud to be teachers, proud to called

Called to teach children and youth at all stages

Called to make an impact that’ll last through the ages!

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!!

"Let the Circle Be Unbroken" really mirrors today...

As I stated in a previous blog post, the content of Mildred Taylor's, Let the Circle Be Unbroken is very relevant today. In chapter eleven, a group of black young people were gathered on their school grounds. One of the racist white landowners' sons approaches a young black male, who was helping the organization efforts. He questioned him about his involvement.  Dube, who stutters and was very nervous, was too nervous to talk. He only nodded or shook his head. Here's more of what happened:

"You telling me the truth, boy?"
Dube nodded.
Stuart stared at Dube; Dube stared at the ground. "You hear from him or any other of them union men, I wanna know 'bout it. You hear me boy?"
Dube nodded, not looking up.
"That go the same for all of y'all. There ain't gonna be non union down in here, so y"ll tell that to your folks. No union!"

PA Governor's Mansion...a UNION connection??

Say it ain't so...

PA Governor's Mansion
Read the short "passage" on the governor's residence and who designed it.
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=1163949&parentname=ObjMgr&parentid=227&mode=2

A little about the architect George Ewing
http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/25851

Wait?!? What clubs and organizations did he belong to?

• Pennsylvania Society of Architects
• American Institute of Architects (AIA)
• Philadelphia Chapter, AIA
• Swarthmore Zoning Board

Here's some info about the AIA -->
http://www.aia.org/practicing/groups/international/uia/aiap073960
http://www.aiapa.org/about-us/local-chapters.html

Union connection? Seems like it to me!
Since our governor seems to be anti-union, I proposed we help him pack up and ship out!

Yes, Let's Talk Salaries....

So, the School Reform Commission (SRC), the state of PA, and the School District of Philadelphia all want to see salary cuts of up to 13%. ---> http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/school_files/District-wants-13-salary-cuts-other-big-changes.html

Philly Teachers' Salaries
Let's see how long it takes you to find out what we make. Exactly! Not long at all! Go to most charter school websites and you won't see teacher salaries.
http://webgui.phila.k12.pa.us/offices/e/ee/

PA Legislative Salaries
I was curious to see what our lawmakers here in PA make on average. Here are two sites that I found that give that info:
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/11/pennsylvania_lawmakers_get_aut.html
As of 2012 -->  http://www.empirecenter.org/html/legislative_salaries.cfm

Note: Base salary approximately $83,800 per year
Then, there are those who work for the legislators, here's info on what they make
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/images/video/2011_pdfs/041011-spend.pdf

What did the Governor say recently?
Here's the text:

Appearing at an event today in Philadelphia, Gov. Tom Corbett defended the state's role in the funding battle. "Forty-five million dollars in federal funding funneled through the state are contingent on reforms, including teacher concessions," Corbett said.
"We are working very closely with the local community, with the School Reform Commission. We've provided some resources, but we also need to see that there is movement from those same people that are rallying," said the governor.

Here's the source and the entire article:
http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/57946



Notes:
1.  It takes more than 10 years, and advanced degree AND additional 30 credits to make what a freshman legislator makes
2. It's nice that the governor won't take the increases he's due under the law. But, I think I'd sit nice and comfy in Southwest Philly at $174,914 a year, not too shabby.
3. So, I was curious to see what the governor's salary would be at a 13% cut (approx $152,000). I was also curious to see what 13% of his salary was (approx $22,738). Note: $22,738 is approximately what a little less than 36% of the Philadelphia population makes. So let's just say, about 33% of Philly's population makes nearly $22,738 a year according to --->  http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk

Note: I don't claim to be a resident statistician....but I can read and analyze!!!

Mildred Taylor's, "Let the Circle Be Unbroken"

For the xth time I'm reading the sequel to Mildred Taylor's, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. The book, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, picks up where the first book leaves off. With each rereading of books that I love, I get something different out them every time. With each rereading, I read with a different set of experiences based on which I form different opinions and draw different conclusions from previous readings of the books.

This is how reading and English classes should be; discussions of themes in literature based on the myriad experiences and background knowledge that students bring to the classroom. In this education reform era, teaching, much to our chagrin, has become everything but!!!

In any event, I didn't mean to go off on that tangent. My primary point was that this book deals with themes that we are very much experiencing today: race relations, unionism, the coming of age of a 14 year old black boy, unemployment, the role of strong women holding down households, etc.

Movies, videos, and games cannot capture the experiences that can be had in the reading of good quality books!!

National Constitution Center visit

For a second day, I made my way to a museum, childless! When we take students on trips, the primary focus, especially today, is on their safety. If we as teachers are fortunate enough, we can get a chance to enjoy the class trips and learn a thing or two as well.

Today's visit took me to the National Constitution Center, where I was able to spend a couple of hours in a relatively quiet museum, listening and learning about the U.S. Constitution.

During two of the three years that I taught 6th grade Social Studies, each class session began with our quoting the preamble to the constitution. We've also taken two different groups of 6th graders to the
Constitution Center.

In preparing to teach 5th grade Social Studies, I wanted to learn a little more about our history as a nation. The museum totally dedicated to the U.S. Constitution is a great place to start!

http://constitutioncenter.org/

Insectarium visit

A visit to Philadelphia's Insectarium will enahnce any elementary life science unit!! I've known about it for years. When running summer camps for the YMCA years ago, I've sent groups there for field trips. But today is the first day, I actually took the time to visit.

I enjoyed the experience. A fine compilation of living and dead species of insects, I observed quite a bit.

To make the experience a meaningful one for my students and not just a quick run-through of "OMG it's ALIVE and moving," I would prepare a list of questions for them to answer as they tour the relatively small museum on Frankford Avenue.
There's  a gift shop and, ironically enough, an exterminating company on the same premises. How about that for an "LOL"!

Enjoy!

http://www.myinsectarium.com/index.php

Silly Me! The arts were CUT!!

As I was excitedly posting tweets and posts about the high school kid, Sean, who is talented beyond his years playing his violin, a colleague reminded me of something. Instrumental music was cut in Philadelphia!!!!

The School Reform Commission recently took a chain saw to the school district budget, cutting personnel and programs to balance the budget. This included instrumental music teachers, thus cutting the instrumental music programs that exist(ed) in many of our schools!

More than 3800 teachers, counselors, secretaries, librarians, et al were laid off. This, in addition to the nearly 130 assistant principals that were also let go!

Unless Pennsylvania and this nation are serious about funding its public schools, we'll see an entire generation of robots, capable of filling in bubbles and choosing "c" (click the link).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY2mRM4i6tY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Suburban Station Violinists---Sean is his name!! That's right!

Young, black, male, and plays classical!!

Anyone who frequents SEPTA's Suburban Station in downtown Philadelphia would undoubtedly happen upon a young man who plays his violin with such skill and finesse, that you could easily miss your train listening to him go!!

There are many performers stationed throughout SEPTA's underground market place and main regional rail train station which spans several city blocks, but this kid takes the cake!
I briefly engaged him in a short conversation once in between performances. He goes to the High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) in South Philly. Note: CAPA is a PUBLIC high school!!!!

Though he goes to CAPA, he doesn't necessarily attribute his love of classical music and violin playing to CAPA. The environment, however, nurtures and promotes arts love with majors such as: Creative Writing, Instrumental Music, Visual Arts, Theater, Dance, and Vocal Music.

When I asked him what his gaols were, where he sees himself in the future, he responded that he definitely saw himself with a career in classical music.
Every single opportunity I get, including the one I had this past weekend, I drop a few dollars in the violin case that he has out.

There are times when he is accompanied by other youth who are also skillful with their instruments. But he is the constant.

What I really like is that this is an alternative image that hundreds, if not thousands, are getting of a young black male. His presence at Suburban Station is strategic! White collars pass through the station in droves and hear him play!! His pants don't sag, he doesn't wear a snap back and he is well spoken. The inverse of the aforementioned have their place somewhere, but the image that he portrays, gives many a reason to pause and reassess the first thing that comes to mind when "young black male" is mentioned!

I forget his name, unfortunately, but I'm sure a google or youtube search would assist with that. If I see it, it'll strike a "chord" and I'll post a follow-up!

The Nike Shirt Mix up!

So, Nike put out a shirt that placed an outline of the state of South Carolina, labeled as North Carolina with a pic of the symbol for the NFL's Carolina Panthers on it.

Some "radical" and "ideological" teachers could make the case that we should be teaching more than just reading and math. Perhaps, umm, I don't know, uhhh, maybe SOCIAL STUDIES!!!!!!!!

Here's the story
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/16/nike-carolina-shirt_n_3606417.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

World Famous........teacher?

Yes. Valerie Strauss writes of teacher, Rafe Esquith in the Washington Post recently as "the world's most famous teacher." You can read the interview for yourself and the title of his most recently published book.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/07/16/the-worlds-most-famous-teacher-blasts-school-reform/

The quote that I loved the most came after Strauss asked Esquith about the new common core standards:

"In my classroom, you still put a period at the end of a sentence....I don't need a new set of standards to make that clear to me."

And let the teachers' church say.......AMEN!

Forget "Snap" and "Crackle", 105 just POP(s)!!!!!!!!

Words cannot adequately capture the times that I've had with my students in room 105 at John B. Kelly Elementary School over the years! Each day was an adventure where some of the routines were the same but the experiences that would accompany those routines were unscripted, unexpected, and ultimately unforgettable!

As a teacher of English/Language Arts (my primary assignment for the last six years), it is easy to get into the same old, mundane, trite rituals and routines of the literacy block. But when I started referring to it as the "L-Block", when random foods were brought in to accompany the reading, when "Flem Flem" (my in-class rapper stage name...lol) busted out of no where or when I got my "Reverend" on while teaching, 105 transformed into more than just a room number!

105 became the room where EVERYTHING "popped." "105 get it poppin" became the chant! oNe Oh FIvE became synonymous with literary experiences to be remembered for a life-time; where "to become better readers we......READ.....we don't.....SWIM" (ALL CAPS indicate the class' choral response to my prompts) It became a place where kids wanted to come; where they wanted to learn; where announcements, meaningless assemblies, and the house phone all got in the way!

But make no mistake either. 105 was also a place to get tough love from a teacher who cared. Students were often sent to 105 for a little "Flem time". Where young boys needed to hear that we're not here for foolishness and games and that it "bet not" happen again that they need to be sent to 105. It became a place where young ladies needed to hear that they can go places in life and that acting a fool wasn't how to get there.

Ahhh yes! 105!

The thing is, there are "105"s all across the district, city, state, and country. Places where students are welcome to come, to be wrong and learn safely, to get the attention they crave, to hear what others didn't want to tell them yet need to be told, a place where the teacher will fight with all his strength and power and stop the sun, if he could, to give what his kids need to get, an education from someone who is knowledgeable and who cares!

As we sleep a little longer, clean out "that" closet, finally get to those stacks of papers, spend more time with our spouses and kids, all the while looking up resources for next year, and fighting for school funding that doesn't involve teachers' salaries being the solution, rest up! On September 9, 2013, there will be 30 (or more) smiling boys and girls or 5 classes of 30 (or more) sleepy teenagers that are coming. How will we ensure that our classrooms are places where they are welcomed? How will they know we care about them? How will we ensure that our classes "pop" with rich and meaningful teaching and learning experiences?

"Steve, what can I do?"

This morning as I was driving my baby sister to work, we passed by a nice, brand new Discovery Charter School building. As we passed that new building, I readily pointed out the school directly across the street, Leidy Elementary School. This school should sound familiar. It has closed for good as of June 30th!

Not 60 seconds later as we turned onto Girard Ave, I eagerly pointed out the recently erected Global Leadership Academy Charter School. A quick look to the left, Blankenburg Elementary School, a real public school that does not admit students via lottery along with huge media coverage.

After this brief rant, she turned to me and asked me, "Steve, what can I do?"

I answered, with no shortage of all the possibilities!

What to do with "all this money"???

Of course that is a rhetorical question, since I'm a teacher and comparitively speaking, we don't have "all this money"!

The School District of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania want to cut teacher salaries by up to 13% to save money.

In a recent interview with the Huffington Post, Arne Duncan stated that the students didn't create this problem. Hey, Mr. Duncan, neither did the teachers!

If they want to cut 13% of our salary, then everything else needs to be reduced by that same percentage: class size, work load, case load, charter schools, rent, mortgage, phone bill, tuition, electric, gas, water, car note, insurance, classroom supply costs out of pocket, food/clothes prices, SEPTA fares (oh wait, they just went up), contributions to poitical campaigns (ha!), salaries in City Hall, Harrisburg, and DC, the defense budget, shall I continue?

In the Huffington Post...

I am grateful to the person who recommended me to a reporter for the Huffington Post. I was recently interviewed via phone and asked to comment on the budget crisis that exacerbates the issues of an already cash-strapped school district.

Here's the link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/03/arne-duncan-philadelphia-school-layoffs_n_3537952.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

6th Grade at John B. Kelly Elementary School

John B. Kelly Elementary has had 6th grade classes for seven years.

Each year that this teaching team has had 6th grade (6 of the 7 years), we've managed to maintain the highest of academic and behavioral standards. We've managed to build rapports with our students that remain to this day. We've also managed to tackle the minimal criteria for academic performance, PSSA test scores. Scores do not measure all that a child has learned, the reason for my use of the term "minimal".

Using that minimal standard for academic progress, the standard that the district and others use, we've managed to increase the students' proficiency in reading and math every single year that we've been a team! Some years the increase reflected single digit percentage point increase and other years reflected double digit percentage point increases, but ALL were increases!

From 5th grade to 6th grade, the students' percentage points as a whole class increased each year in both reading and math! In what may be the final year of 6th grade at J.B. Kelly, the preliminary results show us going out with a (((BANG)))!!

34% of the students were proficient/advanced in reading for 5th grade to 51% in 6th grade
36% of the students were proficient/advanced in math for 5th grade to 65% in 6th grade
Note: it was the same group of children from 5th to 6th, PLUS a few from private and charter schools


The result: Mastery Charter School at Pickett, a few blocks away, will now become a 6th - 12th grade charter school and John B. Kelly Elementary School will now be a K-5th grade elementary school.

Why?

We made it!

There is a verse in the Bible from the book of Acts that states, "And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land."
Paul and his fellow prisoners were shipwrecked and had to find a way to safety. Some made it to shore on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship.

Well, today was the final day for public school teachers in Philadelphia. It has been one "wreck" of a year! Even still, we made it....on broken pieces!

The fight isn't over yet, however. There are more than 3,800 essential personnel who provide essential services who need their jobs restored so that the services our children need are restored. For that reason, many are traveling to Harrisburg to continue the pressure on lawmakers to fund public schools, particularly in urbanized areas, as they should!

For this reason, many who may not be able to make the trip to Harrisburg, will be calling, emailing, tweeting, meeting, stirring up dialogue in barbershops, beauty salons, YMCAs, on buses and rails, all in an attempt to restore services and to adequately fund schools and districts!

Since we started with the Bible, I'll end with it too. Jesus had a special place in his heart for children! He issued strong warnings for those who would offend them!

My two favorite subjects

Earlier today, while taking a nice air-conditioned train ride through town, I reflected on my two favorite subjects in elementary school.

Art.
Music.

I remember the questionnaires we'd get and those two being my responses.

I remember learning to play the violin, viola, and cello.

I remember learning how to read music.

I remember winning an art contest sponsored by the Chapel of Four Chaplains. I remember having to go to the Adam's Mark hotel for a banquet and to receive my $100 check. (I also remember my 1st grade teacher making us open a savings account, the ultimate destination of that $100 check)

I remember Mrs. Serota, the art teacher, Mr. Shelton the music teacher, and Mrs. Christensen, the music teacher who stepped in after Mr. Shelton passed away.

Here's what troubles me; the School District of Philadelphia has passed a budget that cuts such things as art and music. What troubles me is the fact that many schools already had to make a choice between art or music and now those options aren't on the table at all.

There is no reason why a city such as Philadelphia, a culturally significant icon and staple for the arts in the United States and around the world, should have a public school system destitute of such culturally significant and iconic programs!

While celebrating a new mural that pays tribute to the Roots (well deserved), in the same news cast we lament the loss of music and art in our schools!

Smh

Goodbye Ms. Ortiz

http://www.philly.com/philly/obituaries/20130502_Catherine_Ortiz__76__schoolteacher__businesswoman_and_community_activist.html

It's Thursday...No Nurse

"Mr. Flemming, I ate the school breakfast and now my stomach hurts. Can I go see the nurse?"

"Sweetheart, it's Thursday. So your stomach is going to have to hurt tomorrow if you wanna see the nurse. I told y'all, you can't get sick on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

Do you like what you do at work?

I was recently asked this question by a clergyman. "Do you like what you do at work?" I responded emphatically, "I love it! It has its tests and trials, especially this year, but yes, I love it!"

Like anything in life, it won't be peaches and cream 24/7, but I love teaching. I love working with children and youth and have been doing so since I was a younger lad myself.

Do you love what YOU do at work?

By the way, I teach in a real PUBLIC school in Philly!

Comprehension Deception

A child reads fluently. This means they can read right? NOT!!! Ask that child some questions!

Fluency + comprehension = reading (some would throw in intonation/prosidy)

Don't be deceived by fluency! Some children word-call as well as any adult, but without comprehension, word-calling is just that!

#RandomReadingTeacherPost

Becoming a better writing teacher

I am currently reading a book titled, "6 + 1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide Grades 3 and Up" by Ruth Culham. This is not for grad school, nor was it given out by my principal as a gift.

I want to become a better writing teacher, so I have taken it upon myself to engage in activities that aid me in reaching that goal.

Here are a few sentences from page 72 that really hit home, especially in this testing era:

"We are all under so much pressure to get those scores up, we often forget that it isn't scores that really matter, but the writing. And even if we don't forget, we tend to make compromises that cater to the tests. It takes courage to decide to stick to your principles, but your students will be so much the better for it."

The Test {que Beethoven's Symphony No 5 in C minor)

A colleague encouraged us to tweet our crazy high stakes testing stories using the hashtag #PSSACraziness.

I blogged earlier about some of us having to cover students' spring collages. Surely a butterfly collage in the hallway would give some clue about what the answer is to a passage question on chemistry. I digress...

When a student asks, "Mr. Flemming, if I erase an answer, are they going to think I cheated?" then we know this whole testing thing has gotten out of hand!

The Giver

I was in the 6th grade the first time I read Lois Lowry's "The Giver." My mother and I read it together. We were both thoroughly confused.

The next time I read it, I was a graduate student at Temple University in their M.S.Ed in Reading Education program and was only a little more sure of the book's themes and concepts.

The third time I read it, I was preparing to discuss the book with a small group of students a couple of years ago. I had a much better understanding, but was unsure of just how I would go about "teaching" the book. So I didn't.

This time, I have a better understanding of themes, concepts, inferences, ideologies, etc. This time I have a better sense of how I'll go about teaching it, experimenting on a small, select group of students.

Here's my pedagogical approach, talking!

I'll simply gather this small group of students during some lunch periods or during "guided reading" and we'll just talk.

So far, so good!

(I don't do guided reading in 6th grade)

Retired Rabble-rouser

I just ran into a retired school police officer.
"Are you a teacher," he asks
"Yes, how do you know?"
"I saw the emblem."
I forgot I was wearing my PFT button.
He says, "It's an injustice what they're doing to our children. They are going back to the pre-1954 days, separate but equal with this charter school here and that charter school there. I'm about to rabble-rouse"

He continued to tell of some of the injustices he saw while working as a delivery driver for the School District of Philadelphia back in the 70s. He told of how while making deliveries in certain neighborhoods, an entire truck delivery would be for one school. When he would do his afternoon run, the same amount of supplies would be spread among six schools in other neighborhoods.

He spoke of a substitute teacher friend of his would be a sub in some buildings that had everything and get to other schools subbing for the same grade and they had nothing worth using.

Mr. Meadows and I ended the short conversation with him encouraging me to "Keep up the fight!" I said, "Yes sir!!"

Art is meant to be....covered?

So, teachers were instructed to cover the spring collages that decked the halls of a particular elementary school in preparation for the "all important" state assessments. When confronting the powers that be, a teacher commented, "It's art though!" The reply was resolute, "the district will try to find anything..."

If we have gone so low in our administration of state assessments that art work must be covered, we've reached a new low!!! By the way, we have no art teacher so the art is the work of homeroom teachers' efforts to bring the students' artistic ability to life, fyi!

I'm just saying...

ABC's World News and the Spelling Bee report

Just a moment ago, ABC's World News reported on a change in the national spelling bee that involves vocabulary and meanings as opposed to just simply spelling the words.

First, let it be known that the students in my inner-city public school in Philadelphia have been doing VOCABULARY Bees for a while now. We never just spell the words, but we define them, give examples, and apply them where necessary!

Secondly, the example that ABC gave was a multiple choice question that asked kids to identify an example of onomatopoeia, with choices A-D, D being "buzz". George Stephanopolous commented that if you didn't "get that, you should hit the books."

Let it be known, that the 6th grade students at John B. Kelly Elementary School would have gotten that question correct. We are an inner city public school in Philadelphia.

I reiterate this because we always seem to get a bad rap as public schools and any chance I get to allow my students to shine in a positive light, I'll take advantage of it!

#JBKelly

BEG and BARGAIN for the BASICS??? Smh

Sitting at our General Membership meeting of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers yesterday, our president, Mr. Jerry Jordan outlined the School District of Philadelphia's contract proposal and the PFT's proposal.

I sat there and really had to 'smh' at what it was that we really have to sit and negoiate about.

Manageable class sizes
A nurse in every school every day
The professional freedom for teachers to use prep time as they professionally see fit
A certified art, music, and physical education teacher in every school

These items arwe among many other items on the list!
It is a crying shame that we have to beg and bargain for the basics!

Let the Expulsions Begin...

I know of a school where a new student started today. They went to a prestigious charter downtown near 440.

The teacher contacted me and informed me of the following...

A math teacher put work in front of this child. The child replied, "oh no, we only did 12th grade work at my charter school." The teacher replied, "Oh, well this 6th grade work should be no problem then." The child then began to cry and say "I don't know what this is."

Note: We take the PSSAs in a few weeks.

The 105 Experience

Hello, my name is Flem and it's been quite sometime since my last post.

Today, I was able to uphold a classroom tradition and even expand it a bit. At the end of February and particularly at the end of my and my students' analysis of Mildred Taylor's, "The Gold Cadillac" we have a soul food party. In years past, some were grand while others were nominal.

This year, I mandated the reading of Taylor's "Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry." This year, we dubbed it a "Soul Food Fest." This year all three of my classes participated at one time at "The Blue Wall" aka the area in our lunchroom where the random blue wall stands. This year we've had the most food and help than we've ever had!!

This year I advertised it on my facebook fan page. Finally, this year, we were not finished our analysis of the historical fiction novel.

It was fun to be able to, as I say, "read about it, then eat about it!"

Life is not all about testing, but that is a post for another day and time!!

Shout out to the students and families of the 6th grade experience, the 105 experience of John B. Kelly Elementary School!!

Keep 6th Grade at John B. Kelly!!