"MY mom said..."

"Mr. Flemming, my mom said, 'Oh Mr. Flemming teaching 3rd grade now? Wish (Bob) was still at Kelly. He'd (Bob) be in Mr. Flemming's class.'"

This was part of the conversation that I had earlier today as I ran into a couple of my former students as they referred to a conversation they had with their mother about their little brother and yours truly.

Apparently a certain one, Bob, is giving teachers at a new school a bit of a run for their money and I saw it in the 10 minutes we all stood and talked. It is very encouraging to me that upon finding out that I was a 3rd grade teacher now,  mom dukes wished that a certain one, Bob, had the opportunity to have a certain no nonsense son of a...teacher...for a teacher.

Thanks for the vote of confidence and I really do hope our paths cross again, over the very vocal objections of one, Bob.

Sincerely,
Bob's nemesis if I ever have him as a student {que the evil laugh} lol

I jest, lol, although I enjoy the challenge of working with students who may be a little more challenging than others. My saying is, "they'll be alright." I believe it and I teach and interact with them bearing in mind that end goal. Oh, they WILL be OK!!!

Lowered standards for PA Reading Specialists? I object!

So the state of Pennsylvania has lowered the standard to become a certified reading specialist. Whereas before, (up until now), one would have to enroll in a graduate level program of study and take and pass the appropriate Praxis, now all one needs to do is take the Praxis and ((((BAM))) you're not a certified Reading SPECIALIST!!!

Here are my initial comments to this notice:
Forgive any spelling/grammatical errors, I was fuming!

As a recently certified reading specialist, who went through a very rigorous program of study, with hours upon hours of reading, studying, collaborating, field work, portfolio compilation, etc., I am vehement in my objection regarding Pennsylvania's lowering of the standard to become a certified reading specialist in this state!! This move seems to coincide with the ebb and flow of organizations like Teach for America and others who believe that anyone with a pulse is good enough for the the classroom. As an English/Language Arts teacher for years prior to enrolling in a graduate program for reading education/reading specialist, I took a great deal of pride in the fact that I registered to gain even more knowledge and would learn additional skills, strategies, and best practices under the tutorship of well-versed professors and senior reading specialists. No test can replace hours of study, collaboration, reading, field-work, mentorship, and the like.

Table 3

Today we watched Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, this after having already read the book. The goal, compare and contrast the book with the film--analyzing the plot and other narrative elements. But that's not what I want to write about.

It's the eating of the meatballs that's more interesting and particularly the students who sit at table 3. So, after distributing plates, forks, cups, and bread, the kids really felt as if they were in a restaurant and said as much. But table 3, (play on words intended), took the cake.

First, I admired how they all decided to hold hands and say grace before eating. No I didn't stop them! Why?

Second, I admired how one girl, after they all were served Hawaiin Punch, led them all in a toast....with their styrofoam cups! Love it!

Then, to hear a kid say, "No, this is how you're supposed to drink it" and holds the cup with one hand and sticks pinky finger out....that all made my day!!

40 New Charter apps??? Really!!??!!

So, it's my lunch break and I happened upon my twitter account. One of the first stories I see is the fact that the School Reform Commission (SRC) will be reviewing 40 new charter school applications! Under the newly passed cigarette tax, which I was apprehensive about to begin with and even more so when provisions were added, allows this criminal act!

Philadelphia faces financial shortfalls every year! If 40 new charter schools open in Philadelphia, we have all but seen the end of true public education in Philadelphia as we know it. If the SRC rejects the applicants, the charter operators can appeal directly to the state.

#Corrupt and #Bankrupt

smh

3rd Grade Perspective on Race

During our Social Studies period, the kids and I were having a discussion on the the colonies and the founding of Jamestown. Because the history that is taught tends to be lopsided, I infused in that same conversation how the Europeans of the day treated the Native Americans and how many African men, women, and children were forced over to the colonies.

I also mentioned that those of us who are African American in the class (all), were descendants of slaves and that slaves were considered property.

Somewhere during the conversation a kid said,

"That's why we can't come to school and act up because that's just what the white people want us to do. We come here to learn."

This is from an 8 year old black boy. His opinion is real to him and necessitates a conversation and he felt comfortable enough to express that thought to his black male teacher and classmates.

What I didn't do was shoot down his opinion. At 8, he already has some thoughts about how he sees the world. I did address the fact that the racist ones probably would expect that behavior from him and that not all white people are racist.

"Are we ever going to get art?"

Yesterday during our bathroom break one of my 3rd graders, "Mr. Flemming, are we ever going to get art?"

Me, "I doubt it. That's why I try to do as much art in the classroom with you as possible."

Note: At John B. Kelly Elementary School (a real public school), we have an art teacher once a week, Tuesdays. That's up from none during some years and one day more than what many other schools currently have.

-_-

(Pssst! Pssst! Hey! Shhhh, I thought you should know that today there was a rally for more charters in Philly http://www.philly.com/philly/education/Charter-school-advocates-rally-for-expansion.html, I'm guessing now we'll go back to 0 days a week for the art teacher)

Colorado Pen Pals!!!

Another African American male 3rd grade teacher, out of Colorado, reached out to me in order to forge an old fashion 3rd grade pen pal program between our two classes. He expressed just how much he anticipated the partnership between the two classes and even between us as colleagues, both being black men in a field dominated by women first and ostensibly white.

On Friday we received our first set of handwritten letters. After a weekend and two additional days off, we finally read the letters today. Yesterday I hyped the class up and read the names of those who received letters (everyone). Yesterday, we also identified Pennsylvania on a map and traveled westward with our fingers to Colorado.

Today, we identified Pennsylvania using Google Earth and let the Earth spin as we traveled westward to Colorado! After reading the letter sent to me by their teacher, they got the opportunity to read the letters of their new friends.

"Excited" does not accurately capture the energy in the air as they read their letters and were naturally drawn to each other and to their teacher with what they learned about their pen pal and with "Mr. Flemming, how do you pronounce this (name)?"

Tonight, they, with their parents, are drafting return letters!

THIS is real writing! It serves a real purpose! Every now and then there is nothing wrong with old school methods of teaching. Since being forced to move from a classroom with 21st century teaching technology, I've been forced to go old school with the teaching of some lessons. Having pen pals took me right back to some of those other old school teaching methods and mindsets, especially in a world of texting, emailing, "DM"ing, and "messaging".

To get Biblical, Jeremiah 6:16 does say in part, "...Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein,..." For purposes of this post, I won't finish the post, but it has something to do with the recipients of such a command refusing to do so!