A Look Back #Flems2015

Undoubtedly, this time of year causes most of us to reflect on the year that was (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and to move with anticipation into the year that is just over the horizon!

My professional 2015 was rife with challenge after challenge, but also plentiful with victory and feel good moments! I'm choosing to place more emphasis on the good!!

Honored
There was the honor bestowed upon me and many other young education professionals
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/04/thanks-for-honor-billypenn.html

3rd Grade Lawyers
I cannot forget how proud my 3rd graders made me last year when their imaginative teacher took them on a field trip to court!!!
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/05/order-in-court.html

3rd Grade Geographers
There was also that time when my kids showed off....again!! (In a good way, on another trip!!)
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/05/they-showed-off-at-grumblethorpe.html

My summer teaching
I cannot forget about the summer. I taught middle and high school English to adjudicated youth. One good moment came when I heard one of my former students dropping some science on some of the younger ones. Ironic.
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/08/working-with-adjudicated-youth-part-4.html

Then this school year got started and the feel good moments continued.

This group of 3rd grade entomologists
We're entomologists for a portion of the school year. By this post (http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/11/beetle-break.html), we'd been entomologists for a couple of months.

8th Annual Read In
This "Read In" may have been the best one yet!
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/12/8th-annual-read-in.html

1st Book Fair in Years
3rd Grade sponsored a book fair (1st one in years)
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/12/we-remember-book-fairs.html

FORMER STUDENTS
I am genuinely happy to connect with former students, especially when they are doing well!!
I run into them and write about it (twitter/blog) frequently.
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/12/it-never-gets-old.html

Then there were these..

They took Saleem West, smh
Sometimes and in some of the places where I run into former students, tears well up in my eyes. The day I found out one of my former students was gunned down on the streets of Philadelphia. Not. Good.
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/11/saleem-west.html
http://articles.philly.com/2015-11-04/news/67990390_1_beer-gardens-north-philadelphia-philadelphia-police-department

Death of my Pastor
This and other moments were not so welcomed. The passing of my Pastor this past summer, just before school started was like a rug being snatched from under me/us.
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-hiatus.html

Then there was the stupid stuff. I chose not to blog about all of the professional negativity this past year. These two posts will represent the others and those I chose not to write about.
I'm not even going to dignify these with a sous-titre 

Post one is about my cardinal sin (or so you'd think)
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/05/learning-objectives.html

Post two is just......just...read...
http://myclassroom105.blogspot.com/2015/11/add-this-to-nonsense-column.html

2015, thanks for the memories!
2016, see you in a few!

(There were other great moments, very exciting might I add!! I may (or may not) share at some point. lol)

Another Young Life Lost

I know I'm not the only one sick of hearing about the murder of our youth by folks other than neurotic and rogue police officers. {Pauses and waits for the attacks}

Every time (almost daily) I hear of some youth being gunned down in the streets of Philly, I brace myself for the possibility that I'll be going to the funeral of another young man or woman I know, have taught, know of, or met once.

It would be untrue and irreverent to say that I'm relieved when I find out it's no one I know. My outrage is just the same! For it could have been a young man or woman I knew, have taught, knew of, or met once had our paths taken slightly different turns at some point.

More often than not, a young black life.
More often than not, taken by another young black life.
More often than not, a mother left to mourn a lost son.
More often than not, names soon forgotten once the newscast is over.....unless of course it was someone else who did the killing.

{Pauses and waits for the attacks}

That's different Flem. You drank the Kool Aid Flem.

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

This isn't an argument against current social justice movements, most of which have my support. But so, too, do the students I once taught whose classmates took a bullet and left us! They, too, deserve my support.

Flem, it's unfair to say we don't care about those young lives too!
I'd love to retweet.
I'd love to reply with an "AMEN" to those tweets too.
I'd love to "favorite" those tweets too.

{Pauses and waits for the attacks}

This isn't in reply to whatever the latest miscarriage of justice might be; to whatever cop felt s/he should be cop, judge, jury and executioner. I don't know the latest yet.

This is in response to a teenager being shot and killed tonight in Philadelphia. Another one.

Funny Moments from the "Read In"

Some of the more funny moments from my 8th Annual "Read In"

1.  Kid to news reporter about me, "Sometimes he (me) loses his marbles!!" (this is what I get for indirectly introducing idioms? lol) Our news reporter was quick when he replied, "Sometimes I lose mine too!" (Thanks for saving me from that awkward moment bruh lol)

2.  "Mr. Flemming, your mom is cute!"

3.  Watching the guest readers stumble over those alliterative sentences and phrases in some stories

4.  Noticing the guest readers wonder why we're all in pajamas and a couple of them saying, "You know, I wasn't gonna ask..."

5.  Listening to one of the kids say "mee-oow" when one of the girls came in her pjs. (Caught me COMPLETELY off guard and I don't *think* it was intended to be suggestive)

6.  A few guests commented that the school seemed like an endless maze to get to our classroom. One door way that lead to another, followed by another, then steps, twists, and turns....sheesh!! (Those who know my school, know that it's one big circle)

My 8th Annual "Read In"

Eight years ago, as the third teacher in a 3-way teaching cycle, teaching 6th grade English/Language Arts, I had an idea! Read. All. Day. And. Make. It. Fun.



To a 6th grader, that doesn't sound too promising, but add hot chocolate and cookies? Ahhh! When one girl said, "Oooo, that's decent!" I knew I was onto something! So I called it a "Read In", from the idea of historic "sit ins"

Since I started, I've taught three different grades, been a part of a two-teacher and three-teacher cycling team, was a  content area teacher (Science/Social Studies), and a self-contained third grade teacher! I've remained at the same school and experienced three different principals through the eight years of this event and as a 9th year teacher at the school.

Every year it got better and better. It morphed from a simple extended reading session with teacher-provided snacks into an experience that has included: gifts, new books for the day of the event itself (the Bluford Series which they loved), a little "commercial" I created, and homemade cookies by my big sis, Ms. Vanessa. One year our local councilwoman even came to read to them!

This year may have been the biggest metamorphosis yet!
My 8th Annual, "Mr. Flemming Read In"
(couldn't call it 6th grade "Read In" anymore, what, with all the changes and all)

I invited several guest readers to come and take part in the event by reading a story or two to the kids. Among the guests were my own mother and a local news reporter for our NBC affiliate!!

Mom brought goodie bags!
Mrs. Boehner, a retired librarian, brought class gifts including books!
Mr. George from NBC10 brought a little of what he does along with a story he did, in which I was interviewed.
And the college guys, my "nephs", fresh off the books for the semester, brought their hardy appetites! lol, jk (sorta)

Each guest read a book. In some cases, my students helped in choosing a book they wanted read to them!

Ms. Vanessa baked over a hundred cookies for the kids (and staff) to enjoy and ummm.....ENJOY, they did!! #Scrumptious!!! Chocolate chip was their favorite while many of my colleagues satiated their appetite with the oatmeal raisin and the chocolate on chocolate!!

For the past two years, "Mr. Flemming's Read In" has coincided with our school-wide Polar Express and Pajama Day! PERFECT!! We can come in pj's and read all day while enjoying snacks and listening to others read to us!!!

Last year, Cookie Monster pj's for me.
This year, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

The day was great!!
(Personal thanks to my mom and to George, "Kate", Vanessa, Jeremiah, Eric, Marsalis, Ashley, "Principal" (nickname for a mentor of mine not associated with the school), and the parents of my kids who contributed one way or another!!

Interspersed throughout this post, you've undoubtedly noticed the flyers advertising the annual event down through the years. Here are additional ones, followed by this year's announcements!

This year:

This year:

Our PD

This past Friday was a half day from the kids while teachers were treated (cough) to a half day professional development session. A large portion of the PD at oir school was dedicated to special education.

Pedagogy? Nope.

Best practice for working with children who are autistic? Nope.

Great things that have been done teaching children with multiple disabilities? Nope.

How to avoid law suits...

It Never Gets Old

Catching up with former students never gets old!!

Tonight I saw one of mine from five years ago! When she saw me she grabbed me and hugged me tight, almost to tears! We chatted for a few seconds and I expressed how I will always support her and all my other former students!!

An hour later, re-ran into another one, who I saw Friday night as well! Glad I did, because I couldn't remember his major in COLLEGE!!! Yes sir, COLLEGE!!!

Major: Social Work
College: a major university in PA

Despite the edu-political obstacles,  THIS never gets old!! It keeps me going!! It let's me know that doing what's right over doing what's convenient for the sake of some administrator is the best way to go!!

A Pattern is Emerging

Germantown High/CLOSED PERMANENTLY

Fulton Elementary/CLOSED PERMANENTLY

Pastorious Elementary- CONVERTED/Mastery

Pickett Middle School - CONVERTED/Mastery

Wister Elementary- 6th grade taken and given to Mastery Charter prior to the 2013-2014 school year and now slated for conversion for the 2016-2017 (next) year! Guess who? Mastery Charter!

J.B. Kelly - 6th grade taken and given to
Mastery Charter prior to the 2013-2014 school year

Filter

Lingelbach

Roosevelt

The conjugal relations in Philly's sickening ed reform love affair scene have to stop! You're nasty! Just trifling! Love, money, and power! I can think of few to no other reasons as to why Philly moves full steam ahead with this nonsense! Somebody needs to start asking and demanding answers!!!

My Convo with 2 Bartram Kids

While off of work today, I made my way to Falone's, a cheese steak spot down Southwest Philly.

While there, I saw two high school age young brothers. I asked if they went to Bartram. Yes. (It was after school)

I then asked whether they had a new principal since the one appointed was removed after pushing a girl who spat on him. No new principal yet.

Curious about their opinion regarding the situation, I inquired. They had harsh words for the girl who ASSAULTED the principal! While they noted that they do not hit females, they also admitted they would've reacted, presumably, as ANYONE would!!
I cannot repeat the colorful language they used, but you can imagine how they would have reacted.

The conversation then shifted to what grade they were in and what their plans were for after high school. Both are juniors and both want to go to trade school, one to be an auto mechanic and the other didn't exactly know what field yet. "Do it!" was my reply. Go!

During the conversation, I did inform them that I was a teacher in the district and that I had considered a move to teach English at Bartram and hadn't dismissed the thought.
I, also informed them that there were teachers who supported the principal based on the facts we were presented with.

All three of us agreed that spitting on someone took it to a whole new level and was not at all acceptable. But, according to them she was back in school the next day. If that's true, that move was a slap.....or spit...in educators' faces throughout the city!!!

Even if it isn't true, it's plausible. Based on what I observe on a daily basis, the incredulous is no longer the incredulous, but rather the unacceptable new norm!!

To know me is to know I love working with and teaching the generation that is now, our youth. I enjoyed that 5 minute convo while waiting on my chicken cheese steak, little mayo, pepper and naked fries.
Here's how I know they were listening and really engaged in conversation and that I wasn't annoying them:
1. They kept speaking with me and THEY kept the convo going and...
2. After I thought I was finished, one asked what school I taught at again

I should've gotten their autographs....my beginning of the school year custom!

I wished them well and they said "ard" (the 'ard ole head' kind) as we parted ways.

Their pants saggin, thug look and language didn't intimidate me none. Take the time and chat, rap to some of these kids, it could mean the world to them!

Personal Day

Today I did something I had never done since becoming a teacher, took a whole personal day to do nothing. The last time I took a whole personal day (2010) I used it to go to court.

While I do take pride in my attendance and punctuality, this district has a way of stressing one out if one (I) allows it! So, while I struggled with taking the day off, because I know subs are rare these days...again...because of the district, I had to. Fighting takes energy and I'm good for nothing broken down and stressed!

Today was beautiful and I did whatever I felt, namely rest my mind and body!

Read A Story!

In an age when all knowing principals and district administrators (some of whom taught for all of two years---maybe---as Teach for America alumni) are directing teaching not to read aloud to children, what I did earlier today demonstrates why I may or may not listen to what said admins have to say!

We were preparing for a walking trip to a local historical site. Because of a little miscommunication, we waited in the school library for quite some time. After a while (and after being told nicely to vacate a particular space), I directed children to another carpeted area and picked up a random book I hadn't read nor heard of before today. As, they were chatting among themselves, I started to read the title at a decibel slightly above their tones.  Magic!!!

My heart skipped a beat at the excitement on their faces and in what they said as they gathered around me without being told and as if on que, got very excited, all at once! Their teacher was reading a book to them. Nothing new, but it was happening.....again, and this time in the library, away from the classroom, and as we were waiting to go on the trip.

The books pages were tattered and yellow. The book was coming apart. And I think on some subliminal level, that added to the excitement!!

The book, One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian

It was great! I hadn't read it, so the kids and I all formed opinions, made predictions, checked predictions....aloud! It was actually a great story!!!

The experience of teaching and learning cannot be relegated to the four walls of a classroom or to some fictional "gradual release block", it has to be real, meaningful, and sometimes unintentional!

Connecting with the "Brothaz"

What a whirlwind week it was this past week. There was the wonderful book fair that my grade partners and I spearheaded, as we were still responsible for teaching our classes and holding report card conferences in the morning and on one of the evenings. (Never mind the carbon monoxide issue among others)

It's no mystery that the teaching profession is dominated by women, especially at the elementary level. It's also no mystery that during most parent/teacher interactions will likely involve a female parent or guardian.

Being a black male elementary school teacher, in a predominately black elementary school, I believe the connections I form with students and parents alike is a unique one (since black men only make up 2% of the public school teaching force). Bonds are also often formed and a sense of brotherhood realized whenever I interact with older brothers, fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other male figures in the (not just my) students' lives when they come into the school.

Two such occurrences happened this week and I believe it made the brothers comfortable. One was a grandfather and the other was a young father. We talked school, education, grades, and may have even veered off topic at times. And that's OK. I think it made them feel apart.

Teacher and 'brotha from anotha motha' occurrences aren't daily, but when they do happen I believe it sends a few messages on some subconscious level:
1.  Men are welcome in elementary schools and it's OK
2.  Men teach and it's OK
3.  Men can care for children and it's OK
4.  Men don't have to wait in lines for the restroom and it's OK!
(I think I just made some female colleagues nationwide upset with that)
{runs for cover}

But then there is that one bathroom that almost always become the unisex bathroom and we end up with "minus 1"....and I guess that's OK too!

lol

We Remember Book Fairs

Not since 2010 has our school organized and operated a Scholastic Book Fair. This past week, we did. The 3rd grade teachers organized the week long fair and 'excited' doesn't even begin to capture the feelings of students, parents, community members,  staff, and faculty alike!!!!!!!!

All day long, all week long, and during conferences, there was a steady stream of parents, students, and staff!

"Magical" is the word one 4th grade teacher described the literary ambiance; the sights and relaxing holiday music playing in the background!

"Relaxing" is another adjective a teacher used to sum up her thoughts as she passed through.

Many others reminisced and took small groups of teachers congregating near the copy machine back to childhood days, to book fairs and other ELEMENTARY school activities "back then".

School was a place we didn't dread coming to! We remember working hard. We remember drills and worksheets. We remember phonics. We remember morning and afternoon recess and recess at lunch. We remember gym, music, and art. We remember white 'daisy dukes' gym shorts for the guys and the blue gym jumpers for the girls.

We remember book fairs.

Day in the Life...

Unswept floors
Un-emptied trash
filthy/sticky floors
Unswept broken long light bulbs (from Tuesday and still there)
Unvacuumed library carpets
Trash all over the auditorium
Vomit allowed to dry from more than two Mondays ago
Bed bugs
staff locked out of the building on 3 different occasions including food service staff who must prepare breakfast
and now carbon monoxide leaks (no fire department called and staff left in the dark)

But, staff get called on house phones in the midst of all of this for:
1 - Student learning objectives that need to be inputted
2 - Whether or not a book fair will open (didn't want to set up while there was carbon monoxide and boilers being tended to)

Priorities?

Bodine High Class Reunion

It's not a "major" year (10, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50...), but it is a year.
In a few moments I'm headed out to to an "in-between" year class reunion with my fellow Bodine High School classmates and graduates! A corps of the class worked very hard to put it all together!!

Some of us met up a few years ago and again earlier in the fall of this year, but this one is promising to be the biggest one yet and I am really looking forward to it!!

Among us are physicians, contractors, veterans of the U.S. Armed Services (thank you), psychologists, accountants, teachers, principals, systems analysts, world travelers, spouses, parents, best friends since high school, college professors, judges, white collar workers, blue collar workers, clergy collar wearers, neighbors, non-profit managers, small business owners, and the list goes on! AND I couldn't be more proud!!!!!!!!

When we were freshmen at Bodine High School for International Affairs, it was all new to us! The classes, the work, the heavy emphasis on international affairs and foreign language, the International Days, the Ms. Paige, Ms. Brown, Mr. Molowitz, Ms. Ton, Mr. Young, Dr. P. Karen Hill, etc. etc.

Now we are those adults, those young adults making an impact on the world and in our communities!!

We now have widespread internet (wish we had this in high school), MySp---ahem---Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, this and that kinda chat, KIDS with cell phones (I didn't get my first until I bought my own prepaid cell during spring semester freshman year in college) and so much more!

My, how the world has changed!

Sadly, we've also experienced unthinkable tragedies in our personal lives and even within our class since our days in high school! One of our very own, Ms. Nekeisha Eugene was taken from us too soon, right here in Philly.

Here's to "Bodine High with blue and white, your knowledge leads us to the light. The school makes life a learning day, with Bodine High we're on our way!" (Bodinians, did I get the alma mater right or nah? lol)

Here's to past memories, memories yet to be made, things we wish we could forget, things will never forget, people we'll never forget and here's to Nekeisha!

No Syrians? But...

It's intriguing  (sickening actually) to hear all of the arguments against Syrian refugees coming into the U.S and stronger border control especially in the Southwest, when the history of this country was rife with terrorism, imperialism, and racism at its origins.

The Kids Know...

The students know if you respect and care for them. Even the ones who technically aren't "yours".

When students I've never had say "Good Morning Mr. Flemming" as they pass me in the corridors and not just the regular or typical "Hi Mr. Flemming" with a wave, they see something in you. Not that "hi" is 'wrong'. It's just that a "Good Morning" or "Good Afternoon" speaks to you on a different level.

When a 1st grader said that to me this morning, I really did feel special. I greeted him back with a "Good Morning". He then said, "Have a good day Mr. Flemming". I REALLY felt special then.

It happens often, kindergarten through 5th grade, in the neighborhood, in the hallway, etc.

Love and care is shown more than it's said.

That Convo in Class tho!!

Monday and Tuesday we watched and analyzed Madagascar 3. No, we really did. It wasn't just movie watching. We examined the characters, the settings, and the conflicts. Today we debriefed and these kids DID THE THING!!!

We had the types of conversations that I'm used to having with my older students and with my last year's 207.

The questions and answers, the questions that other questions generated, the depth of knowledge (not that official DOK jargon, but the real kind), their understanding of "deep" stuff had me grinning from ear to ear and church shouting with excitement!!!

Yesterday I took a risk and asked a symbolism-related question and two of them NAILED IT!!!!

I love this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They won't rise to low expectations, you have to stoop pretty low for that!!

Hit Send: An "LOL" Moment

If you want a sign that this generation is Generation Tech, here's one:

I often compose emails with my students, projecting the email itself on the screen and getting their input for content. This is writing, grammar, 21st century soft skills, and whatever content area we're learning all woven into the same lesson.

There are times when I have them draft emails on a template that I xerox, which I found online.

We've emailed entomologists and authors.

Today, as we were concluding the email, I asked, "So how should be end our email?"

The kid I called on, "hit send" lol
(Not sincerely or thank you or yours truly, but "hit send")

Where science and art meet!

Some of my best ideas come spur of the moment. This following is one example.

I often think of ways to remove, not think outside of, the metaphorical "box". What can I do differently today to engage my students? How can I present the material in another interesting way? How can I make learning an EXPERIENCE today and not take them down the same rote, ritualistic, redundant road?

I had art supplies on hand for about three years that just sat there. DING! As a way to synthesize all that we learned to date in science, using these supplies, boys and girls, make an insect in 20 minutes. Oh and you have to make ONE insect, as a group! Ahhh!

Just before releasing them to work, I gave instructions and tips for working together and resolving inevitable conflicts peacefully.

Here the raw supplies each group received and small video bites from each group.

https://instagram.com/p/-cALcNy5Fz/

Some #phled polls

Check these polls I put on my TL today:
(Polling is anonymous for those concerned. I've participated in a few myself)

I'm just curious, that's all.

There are teachers out of the classroom who could do more to help the teaching teachers. #phled

— S. R. Flemming (@kellygrade6) November 24, 2015

My principal pitches in and helps when s/he sees teachers are losing preps (whatever that help looks like) #phled

— S. R. Flemming (@kellygrade6) November 24, 2015

Teachers are losing preps all over the place. #phled

— S. R. Flemming (@kellygrade6) November 24, 2015

I have at least one elected official who I can count on to get what we need in my school. #phled

— S. R. Flemming (@kellygrade6) November 24, 2015

My principal fights to get what we need in our school. #phled

— S. R. Flemming (@kellygrade6) November 24, 2015

My school has a nurse 5 days a week. #phled

— S. R. Flemming (@kellygrade6) November 24, 2015

Great(?) Expectations?

I've found that students won't....ahem...CAN'T rise to low standards. There's no reaching for low. I've also found that children respond to whatever accordingly. If they sense that you genuinely love and care for them, initially they may work and hustle so as not to disappoint you. But as time goes on and as your care for them becomes more and more evident, the wise teacher lets them know the real reason for the work and hustle!!

They also respond to disdain. If you have no great expectations for behavior, for academics, for manners, for respect, the lack thereof is what you'll get every time. In some cases, I've found this to feed some "racist on the low" type mentalities. You believe many students of color act a certain way or academically perform a certain way, therefore that's what you will always see and always expect. Shame on you! Get out of teaching, especially my kids!

Furthermore, if my children come to a building that is unsanitary (I know one)
a building that is disgusting (I know one)
a building where folks allow vomit to remain and dried up even a week later (I know one)
a building where bathrooms are deplorable, for staff and students alike (I know one)
a building where calls to have juice mopped up or blood cleaned up go unanswered (I know one)
a building where there are water fountains, but 3/4 of them don't function properly (I know one)

all of that says to a child and to the faculty, "I don't care nothing about you! Go kick rocks!"

But so long as teachers have SWBAT and IOT and have an edged in stone "Gradual Release Block", then all is well with the world. Not only that, but you'll have you-know-what to pay if you DON'T have it!! There are teachers who have been on the receiving end of distorted observations because of this (I know one).

These don't sound like great expectations to me!
My kids deserve better! I deserve better! The staff deserves better! We're not caged animals.

Those weeks!

Real teachers know, every now and then you have one of "those" weeks. And real teachers know what I mean by that without having to qualify what I mean by "those weeks".

This week was one of "those". You leave on Friday and are sleep by 4pm.  You may or may not get up by 9pm to eat, go out, watch TV, or get out of you work clothes.

On a good week, I attribute "those weeks" just to classroom aka relationship dynamics. Any relationship is tried by fire and if it's worth continuing, you fight for it! Excellent teachers do just that!

When edu-politics (incompetent admin, political mandates, stupid testing, fighting back against political idiocy, etc) whoop up on you in addition to what can be expected in the normal course of relationship dynamics, then "those weeks" become all the more cumbersome to bear!

This is what weekends are for! Let's recharge and do it all over again on Monday! Have a great one!!

Lamont Sanford

I really hate Lamont Sanford's character!
A grown man who wines and cries and treats his father like a little kid is the epitome of a wuss!!

Dummy!

I'm neither old, nor a novice!!

My mind went back to the time when I was an after school program teacher at the YMCA before the management at the West Philly branch saw something in me and promoted me to run that program along with camp and ultimately all of their youth programs.

But I started as a camp counselor and after school teacher, yes TEACHER!! I remember the way I'd come early after my college classes were done for the day, organize my classroom, prepare for the "after homework LESSON" and all! We'd have a BLAST!!

"Mr. Steve's K-1st Grade" after school class was POPPIN!!!

We learned French, we cooked, we reviewed spelling words, we got dirty, we painted, we LEARNED and had fun doing it! (Although there was that one time we were making cookies. I put them in the oven and 2 minutes later they were on fire. My class and I just eased on out of the building before the fire alarm came on. My colleagues laughed me to scorn. lol Ahhh the memories.)

I remember the fights I'd have with a colleague because, and I quote, "Mr. Steve swear he know what he's doing." (I remember laughing, not sure if it was right away or if it hit me later)

I remember being told, and I quote again, "don't disobey me!" HA! I had a few things to say about that to her face!

I'm not old, but neither am I a novice, running camps and youth programs since I was 13 years old and WANTING to do so since I was knee-high to a grasshopper! Just ask my parents!

Ahhh! Precious memories. It's years later and I'm still teaching....and fighting, and that's quite alright with me! Give me what I need and I won't have to fight! But until them, square up...

There's a 4-Letter Word...

There's a 4-letter word that can mean so much to so many at any given point in.......time!
That's it.
Time.
That's the 4-letter word.

There are adages about time. You know, like:
"There's no better time like the present."

or how about...

"Time stands still for no one."

still yet...

"Time heals all wounds." {sigh}

There are also nursery rhymes on time, or that at least allude to it. Remember this?

Vocal artists lend their voices in great harmony, singing about time.

Bible readers note that Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3 writes about time:

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant..." (the theme of time continues throughout the chapter)

My profession and vocation is engrossed in "time". Planning time, prep time, minutes for literacy blocks, (don't get me started on the latest fad - this idiotic and foolish notion of the "Gradual Release Block" which in some schools is a required block of time. )

There's even a magazine with the title and twitter

Tweets by @TIME



The French have a phrase, "Laissez les bon temps rouler" Let the good times roll!!
(And given the unfortunate events that transpired just the other day, I pray and hope les Francais pourront laisser les bon temps rouler encore)

The sharing of memories begin sometimes with, "Yooo, remember that time..."
In the sharing of those memories, depending on what it is, we sometimes wish we could go back in time to the good old days.

Speaking of going back in time...
This past summer, the man I called my Pastor for more than 28 years, Bishop Todd, passed away. This afternoon, one of the gentlemen we've called our Assistant Pastor was officially installed as our new Pastor. It was no surprise at all and quite welcomed that no one from outside of our church would assume that roll. This man, too, has watched me grow up just as Bishop Todd had. We know each other very well and have worked together in ministry for a number of years. I don't anticipate that this will change!

His official appointment does help to move the ministry, the church, the mission forward as it must.
But for me, and for many of us, time is still needed to work out in our minds, the idea of existing in a world without a man who had a great impact on all us! Bishop Todd.

We're not sitting around depressed or hanging our heads. We just miss our loved one. And we, I, need just a little more (or a lot more) time.

Ain't no party like a NONSENSE party...

...'cuz a nonsense party DON'T STOP!!!

A teacher was teaching. The kids just started part 1, the independent part, of a 3-part activity that would include collaborative and kinesthetic elements to help distinguish between to, too, and two!

Teacher was interrupted by a member of a walk-through team, in the middle of teaching.

"We came to see gradual release!"

"Do you want me to make something up on the spot?"

"You're supposed to be doing it anyway!"

"Boys and girls put everything away!"

"Huh?? Wha?? Why??"

"Boys and girls put everything away!"

Teacher morphs into his/her Circus Master role!!

30 seconds after the walk-through team left...

"Boys and girls, put that away and take out what we were working on!"

Ode to A Clean School

....

Add this to the "Nonsense" column!

At XYZ School, the principal wanted each grade teacher to submit a time for their "Gradual Release" block! So when Teacher X takes his/her kids to the bathroom during a scheduled bathroom break, Teacher Y is there on Teacher X's time. Teacher Y says, "I had to change my bathroom break because of gradual release."

You want a sign that some administrative mandates are nonsensical, there's your sign!

Angry bird? Grumpy cat? No! TICKED TEACHER!!!

Just recently the School District of Philadelphia had to borrow a few million just to make ends meet. I hear on KYW News Radio 1060 this morning, a report that more than 20 charter school applications are expected to be filed by a mid-November deadline! WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD APPLY TO OPEN UP A CHARTER NOW???????

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the mindset of this movement in Philadelphia!! WITH WHAT MONEY??????

I abhor the charter movement in this town! There is no way you can convince me, especially after this latest idiocy, that any of this is about the kids. They are a pawn and I HATE that! School choice my foot! Politics, power, money, influence, cheap educator labor, turning neighborhoods on their heads, anti-union, favors, nepotism, mine are bigger than yours, all you need is a pulse to teach, systematically dismantle (not fix) the public education system, THIS is what it's all about!!!! Not KIDS!!!!

I'm still adjusting to teaching younger students, but every time I hear of bafoonery like this, I get a renewed sense of purpose and urgency to march my 6-foot, 220 pound dark self into my classroom and create teaching and learning experiences that are out of this world!!!!! Public schools can and do work!! We're not perfect, but as a product of this system and parents who would have nothing less, public schools work!! We have to keep working at it!!!!

Beetle Break!!

EXTRA! EXTRA!!
Beetle attempts a break for it when student knocks over beetle container!

Today while transitioning from one experience to another inside of room 207, a student accidentally knocked over one of the containers with a little beetle inside. OFF to the races went little buddy beetle!

Even more interesting, was the mad dash of the class to go and rescue little buddy beetle. While a few students shrieked in fear, the vast majority assumed the savior role and ensured his safe return to the container.

If you've been keeping up with some of these blog posts, you know that during science, the teacher and students of room 207 at John B. Kelly Elementary consider themselves junior/amateur entomologists. They become the scientist of the discipline they study throughout the year.

The entomology experience has been in a word.....an experience. Videos, live bugs, dead bugs, bug hunts in the school yard garden, research reports, art, in-class impromptu calls to entomologists at Purdue University and so much more to come including video chats with entomologists, a trip to the Insectarium in Philadelphia and wherever the winds of entomology carry them!

Saleem West

Sunday evening as I was scrolling down my TL on twitter (perusing my twitter feed), I came across hashtags from former students that read #RIPLeem. As I looked at the pics they were posting, they looked like a student I had some years back. I replied to one of my former students with the question "West?", as in Saleem West??? She replied "yes".

My.
Heart.
Sank.

I saw in my mind's eye this little, light-skin kid in my sixth grade class. This very social kid in a class that was a very close-knit class. I immediately went to my box of autographs. I went through each card until I came to his card. What am I talking about, you ask? Each year, in the beginning of the year, I distribute index cards and ask my students to put the date, their printed name, and what it is they want to be when they grow up. They must also sign their name.......giving me their autographs. When they get older and famous, they will NOT deny knowing me! lol

One year it hit me that I wasn't telling them to address it to me. So, again, in my vanity, I had them address it "To Mr. Flemming." Even if they don't get famous, I encourage them to go places, do things, go to school, make something of themselves, come back and see me for their card!! See what they put when they were in sixth grade (and subsequently, 5th and 3rd and even summer school classes).

Saleem has a card. On September 8, 2010 he wrote that he wants........wanted to be a famous NBA player. That was until he was gunned down on Sunday, November 1, 2015.

I'm always sadden when I hear of the young dying early. But then it just continues.
This one hit way closer to home! A child I had in my very own class, Saleem West. 17 shots fired and the one bullet that hit him, was the one that would end his life.

To mom, Ms. West (who was also a colleague when Saleem was in my class), my thoughts and prayers are with you mom!! I'm so sorry that you had to join the club of parents and caregivers who lost their children, their sons, to gun violence!

His card now hangs on my classroom door, as a tribute to the life of my former student, as a perpetual reminder of the potential that was cut off, as a reminder that life is precious, as an encouragement to keep pushing to BE the change I want to see in the world and to push my current third graders to do the same!

{sigh}

This violence...

When will it end?? Huh?? WHEN???????? ANSWER ME THAT ONE QUESTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHEN.
WILL.
IT.
END????????????????????????????????

My heart...

We "did" science....again! #Entomology

Yesterday I blogged about our impromptu lunch and science experience. Today we had another. As a part of larger units and studies in life sciences, we explore the world of insects! We're junior entomologists and we delve into life cycles of insects, types of metamorphosis of insects and a whole lot more! We research, present findings, share insect "testimonials" (One kid, "my grandpop got bugs and 'mices' at his house!), and become the scientists we really are!

The homework that wasn't completed, had to be. One article was on infestations of the emerald ash borer. So as is our practice, we did "go over the answers", but then went to the internet and began to look up information on it. The kids know that we don't just go "anywhere", but to look carefully for some ".edu"s, ".org"s and perhaps some ".us"s.

Our search led us to Purdue University for at least a second time in as many weeks. We perused their website a bit. As we searched, a student asked if the emerald ash borer was harmful to humans. We didn't know, but we saw a phone number. Another kid, "CALL IT!!" Me, "hmmmm, good idea".

We called. I believe Megan or Diane answered. I introduced myself, my profession and my city. I asked if I could put her on speaker to answer the kids' question. She did and gave some supplemental information about the emerald ash borer. She was glad to do it and it was great!! We "did" science.

I explained to the children that they were becoming scientists indeed!! That this is what scientists do all the time and love to do!

It wasn't in my SWBAT but it was real!!

Gradual Release Block? Huh?

I need someone to help me out. Real talk. Where did the term that I heard recently come from? Where did this latest fad come from? Or is it a fad? Maybe it's just a local thing. This "Gradual Release Block", as in a math block, ELA block, etc. I REALLY need to know who took the "gradual release of responsibility" approach (which teachers have been doing and now a 'name' for it....ok, sure) and now made it a "period" or "block"???

What next? "Graphic Organizer" periods? How about "Manipulatives" blocks? 5th period maybe? Maybe 3rd period is better, just before the "Read Aloud" block begins!!

"I did science Mr. Flemming!!"

I mix some traditional teaching methods with some new teaching methods. With that, I give homework. Yes I do. And get this, I expect it to be done. Yup! Six students completed the assignments as expected. Six? Happened to be all boys. OK, pizza, wings, soda. Today. At lunch. For those who did it. I'll come for you when it comes. We enjoyed. That's the background...

What made me smile on my insides is their unscripted application of the scientific terms and processes which we've discussed and experienced in 207.

"I wonder what will happen if I mix the Pepsi and the orange," says one boy. "Ooooo! Mr. Flemming, I did science!!" This, as he showed me his Pepsi/Orange concoction.

"You made an observation. You used your senses," says another boy. "You used...{and he named the senses used..."

"Did you make a prediction ahead of time," interjects the teacher.

"Yes, I predicted....{I forget}...and it happened," says the original boy.

Unscripted. Real. And no SWBAT/IOT. No gradual release obsessions. No segmented, regimented, time constraints for a "Gradual Release Block." (Don't ask) Just learning at lunch, experientially, and unintentionally.

Take Pride in Your Work!

As a teacher, I take a great deal of pride in my work! I love teaching and I love learning! Working with with youth of all ages is what I do, from former students to current students and even kids and youth I've not had the privilege of teaching directly. I like showing them off to their parents, the community, twitter, etc! They're intelligent and possess a potential that WILL be realized!!!

I wish similar passion translated to those who maintain the cleanliness of some of our buildings! My parents raised us to do our work and with pride (and to do it right the first time). Mom always said, "haste makes waste". Meaning, we'd have to redo it if we thought rushing would get it done and correctly. Ooops! Now we really couldn't play outside because we had to mop that floor again, clean the base of that toilet again (hands and knees), get that grime out of the bathtub/shower...

Every students, parent, teacher, and guest deserves to come into clean and well maintained buildings. I understand the reasons (or excuses) for the filth are as abundant as the species of insects and creatures we see in our buildings! Some are political, some speak to the layoffs and lack of resources. I get it. But politics has nothing to do with piles of dust and trash in the hallway. Steps not swept? Trash not taken out? The same dirty spots on the floor that a mop can get up? I've gotten on hands and knees to clean my floor and am not above doing it if it means that my kids come into a clean classroom. But, someone is getting paid. Someone has been charged with the responsibility.

All have pitched in and helped out for the sake of our work space and for the kids.
But if we don't do it, it doesn't get done? Nah!

Take pride in your work!

(I know this might rub some the wrong way, but it's the truth. In the words of someone I know, build a bridge and get over it. Take pride!)

A closed mouth doesn't get fed! We must speak up!
I could talk bed bugs...but I'll chill....for now!

Reading is Social

Yesterday.
Kids reading book, magazine, article, comic, etc. of choice.
Daily pleasure reading routine.
Purposeful.
They like.
They draw or write a summary afterward.
They talk about it daily after about 20 minutes.
Routine.
Yesterday.
Teacher (me) hands out Scholastic catalogues.
Kids begin chattering.
Teacher wants to bring the class back on track.
Nope.
Sit.
Observe.
Kid chatter: books, prices, excitement, circling what they want, comparing prices, comparing desires, comparing books with movie versions.
Teacher really really wants to bring the class back.
Nope.
Sit.
Observe.
Listen.
Watch.
But they're supposed to be reading.
THEY ARE.
CALM DOWN TEACHER.
Not only reading, but discussing, comparing prices (math), reasoning (I only have $5 though).
Good stuff.
Let it happen.
You know that you give them times to move, run, dance, talk, sing, paint, draw, etc. during ELA, Math, Social Studies and Science.
You know that you're tough as nails.
This isn't a sign of weakness.
It's OK.
Reading can be social. (Book clubs, talks in barbershop about news/articles, tweeting is reading/writing and is def social).
15 minutes.
Brought them back.
Discussed what you observed.
Kids excited about getting books and reading.
Mission accomplished.
Go Flem!
Go 207!
Go 3rd grade!

NBC 10 and Homeless Youth

They're sharp!!! A Junior Entomologist scenario in 207!

After checking for bed bugs, setting up for an art project we're going to do and removing a mouse caught on a trap for a college, I got to thinking about one of "those" great teacher/student moments yesterday.

In science my kids and I really engage in an in-depth unit on entomology as a part of a larger unit on biology/life science. Yesterday's research dealt with bed bugs, which is really a disgusting life experience right now for us here....but I digress.

We visited and analyzed Perdue University's website and diagram of a bed bug's life cycle. I asked a "deep" question about the life cycle that Perdue put up and asked them to analyze it based on what we knew (so far) about complete/incomplete metamorphosis. When I tell you that a kid was SPOT ON about our questioning of what we saw before us, he was SPOT ON!!!!!!

We may not be right, but that's science. It's about questioning, researching and doing more questioning. I was so proud!!!! We call ourselves Junior Entomologists, and I think we are doing a fine job, if I do say so myself!!

Now, go data that! Go analyze that! Go aggregate that!

What Have You DONE????

So, the School District of Philadelphia, yet again, in its infinite wisdom decided in the FALL of 2015 that it would like to convert THREE of our district schools into charter schools beginning in the FALL of 2016.

What have you DONE????

I had a principal at one point who insisted that in order for a child to receive an "F", teachers were "required" (I was never really good with that word) to complete a PACKET entitled "Criteria to Give an F", to which I vehemently objected. And a packet it was. That was then.

Today, the the big talker is RTII or is it just one "I" again...or does it have a different name now?? Did we go back to CSAP? Who knows anymore?

But in the case of Huey, Cooke, and Wister, I ask the district, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE??? Did you "RTII" them? CSAP them? PTE them?

Like many principals ask of us...what interventions did you try? What have you done to assess the needs of those schools (and others)? What have you done to ensure that they had every possible resource at their disposal to make each day a success for the students in their trust and the teachers and staff who do the teaching, mentoring, and caring?

What have you done to make each building a bright, clean, safe, and welcoming one?

What have you done to boost the morale of all the teachers and staff in each building?

What supports have you given to the principals in those buildings?

Does each building have a nurse five days a week to ensure as best as possible the overall health of the student body?

Does each school have a full time counselor to minister to the emotional needs of the students and to aid in the transition to middle or high school as appropriate?

What have you done to ensure that at least the kindergarten through third grade classes didn't even have to reach the agreed upon maximum, since even that is too large considering the need?

What have you done to ensure that each school had art, music, and gym classes that made elementary students like me at Harrington, WANT to come to school knowing that many kids learn through these media?

Have you set in place truancy programs that included meetings, follow-up, support and possible referrals to social service agencies who can help alleviate the reasons for the truancy to begin with?

Perhaps you've aided principals and counselors in the establishment of conflict resolution, bully prevention, and other programs that all students could benefit from?

What have you done to make sure there were extra curricular activities like active sports, chess, drama, sign language, a second language, gardening, robotics, etc.?

What have you done to help include parents in the school culture either inside the school or outside of the school?

How have you encouraged and supported your building administrators to be more active and visible in the community? Have you provided the necessary resources for them to be able to do that?

What have you done to make sure each those schools has a teacher-librarian, one who would coordinate research projects with teachers, coordinate school-wide fun and inviting literacy initiatives, assist children and teachers in a well stocked and comfortable school library?

Wait, real talk!!
Just what HAVE you done for Cooke, Wister, and Huey?????

(Intriguing that all three sit in a general catchment area for one of Mastery's Charter schools)

#PopeInPhilly Thoughts

I love learning about other cultures. It began when I was in 5th grade (Hamilton) and had a classmate who was of Asian decent. In middle school, I was privileged to be acquainted with children from many backgrounds. My lessons in cultural competence didn't come through formal lessons, but in the friendships I formed in middle school (Masterman Middle) and in high school (Bodine High).

Ever since, I've enjoyed learning about people of other backgrounds and persuasions.

I've traveld to England and France ('97), Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, and Switzerland ('02) and Canada (I forget the year, lol, smh).

I recently renewed my Passport and have plans to travel to Jamaica next March.

The Pope is in the United States. Even though I'm not Catholic, I do not have to be in order to recognize the historical significance of his visit to the United States and in particular, my hometown of Philadelphia. I also don't have to be Catholic to sit, watch, and learn something about a religious culture different from my own.

I've been watching the coverage in the weeks leading up to this and am doing so as I type and am learning quite a bit.

Switching gears a bit...

Admittedly, I was one of the critics about how Philadelphia was preparing for this event. The attack was not intended for the Pope or on the Catholic Church, but more on the irony of this city that included long walks for the feeble, the whisking away of the homeless, and how many very small businesses (taxi drivers, vendors, small cafes) would lose out on significant weekend money to make ends meet, all in the name of the Pope who is considered the people's Pope.

The Hiatus

It's been just over a month since my lost post. I love writing and have often said on twitter than when I get frustrated, I write. And have. And do. And love it.

Just a few days after my last post on 8/21, the man who had been my Pastor for more than 28 years passed away and that knocked all of the wind out of me. He had a heart attack and there was no way you could get me to believe that he wasn't going to recover from that. People have heart attacks all the time and survive. Well, Bishop William Fleming Todd, Sr. did not survive.

I cried, a lot. My writing...wasn't on here.
Instead, I wrote for others, with others, and from a place I hadn't been in a very long time, grief. Real, genuine, authentic, and I'm going to use the term audacious, grief. My posts on other platforms were random and incoherent blather! That's why my grief was audacious, I let friends and family into a world of mine normally guarded, where words about thoughts are carefully chosen, precisely picked, and very intentional.

I've had thoughts on many topics, events, and the such, but could only manage 140 characters at a time unless I was writing about Bishop Todd....Pastor Todd, my beloved Pastor, a man I've known all my life and a man whom I will miss dearly!

I've said that going back to work will definitely be a distraction in more ways than one and the School District of Philadelphia has definitely not "disappointed" at all.

So that's been the hiatus, my longer than usual gap between ">140 Characters" posts.

First time for everything!!

So, I went on and did something for the first time!! Though not particular to bathroom mirror selfie jawns, (because it's like narcissism to the 2nd power) I actually took one! Not gonna be a regular thing at all. Felt self-conscious.

 Wassup? #Blackmaninblack

#BarbershopPhD: Don't Sleep on Barbershop [Literacy] Spaces!

#BarbershopPhD: Don't Sleep on Barbershop [Literacy] Spaces!: I poke a little fun at barbershop conspiracies, but all jokes aside, I wouldn't sleep on barbershop spaces as places that could generate...

Working with Adjudicated Youth Part 8: The Goodbye

Que the Boyz  II Men goodbye song...
"How could I say goodbye...?"

Like this,
DEUCES!!!
PEACE OUT HOMIE!!!
I'M BUSSIN' OUT THIS JOINT!!

I jest. It wasn't as simple as I thought it would be to say so long to these young guys with whom I had been working! Throughout the program, kids had come and go without warning. Some went back home while others went to more confined settings. Some came for a day, others for a week and a couple for the entire summer! So saying "peace out homies" should've just been part and parcel of the culture of the environment. But for me, it wasn't so simple.

No, I did the break down and tear up or anything like that.

I like to stay in touch, go to sports games, contribute to their causes, support presentations, talk to their parents, text parents back, and the like. Well...this was different. No parents, games, presentations, nothing. They are in a detention facility. I couldn't visit their homes, call home, meet parents/guardians or anything like that.

On the last day they were giving their counselor grief. I thought I'd attempt to bring them back to themselves by showing them the video presentation I'd been working on about my trip to Baltimore and Freddie Gray's neighborhood. I wrote something about that when discussing the type of teaching that went on. It worked to some extent. After that, we watched and analyzed "The Blind Side". Then it was time for me to go, for the last time.

I went around, shook everyone's hand, gave them my well wishes and all. But two of the kids' reactions stood out. Most just shook hands and that was that. One of them shot me a look that said, "but why you gotta go?" This was the same one who, in a previous post, told me that he liked writing and that it comes naturally to him. He was Donatello in the last paragraph of a previous post. He was one of the few who really showed interest in learning this summer.

The other reaction that stood out was from one who had given me grief every waking second of summer and who was on the short list of those who I'd call the bane of my existence but kinda grew on me! I'm sure we've all had those types. Tap dance on your nerves, but when the dancing stops, you're like, "but...huh...oh, ok." #confused As I was making my way to the door to leave, this kid made it a point to call out from another room, "Ard Mr. Flemming!!"

"but...huh...oh, ok." #confused

I stopped. Turned around. Went to where he was. Stunned.

First, this might have been the first time he said my name all summer. I was used to being called names like "ole  head". On other days I may have been "dis  n***" or someone who was "schemin", but rarely, if ever was I "Mr. Flemming."

Second, he made it a point to get my attention. He, of all people, was one I wouldn't peg for one to make it a point to say goodbye. I shook his hand and again encouraged him to do what he could to get discharged.

Making my way through the door, I looked to my left where there was a window and one of the kids pushes back the curtains and the pic below accurately captures the scene...

I looked back, held my solidarity/power/"right on" fist up and forced myself to keep walking.

Goodbye.

Shout out to the admins who....

Shout out to the admins who....

...remember what it's like to be a classroom teacher and lead with that in mind!

...were generally admired classroom teachers and didn't get into admin because they hated the classroom!

...didn't come out of the classroom after a year or two or even three...(a three year old is still a bit of a brat, just saying)

...are proponents for solid teaching and learning, not "yes men/women" for district mandates without at least questioning questionable mandates!

...know that learning will look different in each classroom and that one over another doesn't necessarily denote superior/inferior.

...make the school a welcoming place for students, teachers, staff, parents, and the community.

...are advocates for their schools and will fight to get what's needed for their schools!!

...respect the various qualities that different faculty members bring to the table.

...show appreciation to staff in a tangible way every now and then (lunch, mints, pencils, something)!

...connects with students, parents, and community members!

...breathe life into buildings and make people want to be there and not just there so they 'won't get fired'

...know that it takes a team to make that building run smoothly!

...don't undermine teachers' efforts in front of the kids (pull us aside and talk.....with representation...)

...pour into their teachers and staff, encouraging them to further their career, write, pubkish, speak, advocate, lead, learn...

...are still teachers at heart!!!!!!!!!!

...aren't miserable old buzzards!

I'm sure my colleagues around the country, state, district, and school could opine and add MANY traits of a good leader to this list. And in no way do we purport that the job of a principal or district administrator is simple. Shout out to the good administrators out there......wherever you are!!

Working with Adjudicated Youth Part 7: On 7/27/15 I wrote...

Sooooo......

After class I often took notes and journaled, if you can't already tell by all of the previous posts of my summer teaching experience as an English teacher of adjudicated youth. Ha!

Here are the exact words I typed into my phone after class on 7/27/15:

The focus of this class has changed so much. I've really had to be flexible. What I thought would be a traditional English course has turned out to be anything but. No shade and no fault, just the reality and that's OK. Teachers are special people with a special skill set to be able to adapt, adjust, and still aim to be effective and that doesn't come with 5 weeks of "intense" training. I hate TFA and I hate this country's attitude toward the profession!


Click on a post to read:
Working with Adjudicated Youth part 1

Working with Adjudicated Youth: Part 2 - Teaching

Working with Adjudicated Youth: Part 3 - What THEY said

Working with Adjudicated Youth, Part 4: My Old Student

Working with Adjudicated Youth, Part 5: The Connections

Working with Adjudicated Youth, Part 6: The Research

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Working with Adjudicated Youth Part 6: The Research

Only in the dusk of my days this past summer as an English teacher in a program for adjudicated youth did I even think to go all "Geeky" and look up any research on the effectiveness of juvenile detention-type educational programs. It hit me like a ton of bricks one night, so much so that I stopped the eye-lid closing process, pulled my Samsung tablet to me and started looking to see what was out there.

Not much came of my cursory search that night. I did come across this (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3314708/#!po=20.1613) and started reading before I ZZZZZZzzzzzed!

I also started following the twitter account below. As a newbie to teaching and working in juvenile detention facilities, albeit for a month, I wasn't aware of any of the discourses surrounding these spaces nor of any possible sound pedagogy or even hints at implications for teaching in these spaces.

Tweets by @JuvLaw1975

The Quasi-Corner Store Approach: District and Charter Schools

Growing up in Philly, corner stores are really the corner stones of neighborhoods!! So much so, that as I was looking to relocate to where I'm living now, I drove around the blocks of my new hood in my father's car looking for where the corner stores were because I was "in between cars" at the time. There were NONE to be found and I almost didn't move there because of that. With no car, a corner store was going to be important to my very existence!!!! Ok, a bit hyperbolic, but you get my drift.

Prior to moving, I was used to corner stores being everywhere and wherever I lived in Philly from childhood through adulthood. Two were sometimes on the same corner, with one around the corner, a Chinese store or two down the block, with a 7-Eleven nestled up in there (because Wawa--my fav--refuses to come to the 'hood').

My point is, corner stores were everywhere and if they played their cards right, the majority were and are successful. I go to 'hood' of my youth near 54th and Baltimore and still see some of the same corner stores my siblings and I would stop by on the way home from Harrington Elementary (although that water ice place in/around the old furniture jawn is now a Rite Aid---somebody knows what I'm talking about lol)

Charter schools in Philly seem to take what I'm calling a quasi-corner store approach. They seem to be popping up everywhere, including right across the street in some cases from district schools. "Quasi" because corner stores offer pretty much the same thing and tend to do well even if there are two on same corner. I cannot say that our charter operators are offering the same "thing" or even a better "thing".

In general, charter school operators tend not to serve as many children with special needs, as many children with behavioral difficulties, as many children with academic struggles. I don't have to quote anybody's research, I've seen it in action as a teacher in a public school. I've taught the students who were straight up put out or were "encouraged" (counseled) out. Within minutes I was able to understand why they were now in my class, and that was OK with me in the sense that I welcome a challenge. It wasn't OK with me that the charter miracle workers that so many make them out to be couldn't turn the water into wine or calm the raging sea!! (Many of my colleagues around the district can testify of these truths as well. I hear the stories all the time.)

"Quasi" because while there are those who would look at this post to bolster the whole "choice" argument (since I'm using corner stores as a metaphor), let me remind you, we are dealing with children not chips! If I don't want salt & vinegar chips, I don't pick them up. If I pick them up by accident, I put them back. Hmmmm, now where have I seen such actions before? Children are NOT commodities!

We are and have been dealing with the unfortunate and racist realities of a dreadfully underfunded school district that serves many children in this region with the highest needs. Stepping out of my public school advocacy role for just a QUICK second, even charter operators understand the impact of underfunding; irony personified. So much so, that everyone stopped fighting for a moment and came together to send a letter, petitioning Harrisburg for funds.

With each new corner store opening, that's additional money syphoned away from already underfunded schools. How and why is that fair?

Wait!! I'll ask for you, "well, how is it fair to kids and families that they get stuck in a failing school?"

1.  What exactly is a failing school?
2.  Why is defunding the school the solution to whatever problems you may see?

This post comes on the heels of my learning that the closed Leidy Elementary School on Belmont Ave, here in Philly, will reopen as Inquiry Charter School, right across the street from Discovery Charter School and around the corner from BLAKENBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, where Global Leadership Academy moved right across the street. Too much? Yupperz!!

The quasi-corner store approach!

Working with Adjudicated Youth, Part 5: The Connections

To reiterate what’s already been posted, this summer I was an English teacher for a program that served adjudicated youth. I’ve recalled the experiences in various "parts" which are available for you to read in the list of posts for August, 2015 all beginning with “Working with Adjudicated Youth…”

I believe excellent teachers are those who not only have book knowledge, but also those who are able to make and sustain, to some degree, connections with his/her students. I strive to be an excellent teacher, because each student I teach, deserves one!

This summer was no exception. Early on as I was still figuring out how this would work and testing the waters, we read a poem that my middle school kids of yester-year enjoyed. It wasn’t anything African-American related, but was on another “cool” topic, BUGS!!! The poem is titled, “Insect Logic”. We read it. Later I rapped it to their beats! We had a blast. I followed up a couple of days later by bringing in my class pets, four Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches!

Pics of our pets in my regular classroom (top) and at my home (bottom)

(((BAM))) A connection!! One kid was really looking forward to seeing them and another wished to God that I wouldn’t bring them! But all were at least curious and talking about these….roaches!

On the day I brought them in, the one kid who was looking forward to seeing them went all in! Opening the enclosure, he picked one up and handled it, observed it, and really wanted to engage in a conversation about it (them). The other hard core, macho, “thugs” cowered before the insects. They’re here for serious crimes but are squeamish around the class pets! LOL!!! I wish I could’ve take a picture of the reactions, of the hiding behind the teacher, of the “ayo dawg, put that jawn back in the jawn yo! They tryna sleep! They come out a night!” That was a good day!

UNfortunately, the kid who didn’t want to see them was due in court and was absent from class. Upon returning the next day and finding out that he missed out on the visitors, “Yoooo, I’m so *%&^ glad I wasn’t here yo!! NOW ole ‘head, can’t get me!”

I brought them back the next day.

He was there the next day.

He would have NOTHING to do with me!!!! LOL!!!!

Me, “NOW young bol, GOTCHU!!” lol

In addition to the bugs, I found that whenever they were a bit obnoxious on a particular day and I was determined to teach the few who were attentive, the discussions on Black History brought them right back in. Let me set up the scene. There may have been 9 or 10 in the class. 7 may have been in their bag that day. The 3 who wanted me to teach would be attentive and I would teach. The 7 would slowly come around to either calming down and doodling or even listening and contributing to the conversations, the writing, the film or whatever! I noticed that more than once.

It’s important to note that while the experience was new to me, I didn’t really take TOO much offense. They are in situations they probably really don’t want to be in. (The word "probably" is there for a reason.) And here comes a teacher who is insistent on teaching, in the summer, in their space, when some of them may not have sat in a classroom but a few times all year long. I get it. Which is why I had to constantly “reroute”, just like Siri. Establishing connections, and then new ones when new students came through (all. summer. long.), was the only way that I was going to be successful this past summer.

Previous Posts on Working with Adjudicated Youth (not advice, but my summer experience)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4