Working with Adjudicated Youth Part 4: My Old Student

Just in case you are just tuning in. This past summer I had the opportunity and privilege to be a summer English teacher in a program for adjudicated youth. I took lots of notes on my computer and phone as this experience was new to me. I've been writing about it and divided the posts into parts. The "parts" are not indicative of any type of sequence of events this summer, just different aspects of the experience.

You can revisit earlier posts by clicking on a part. Part 4 (below) deals with my reconnecting with a former student while working this summer.

Part 1   Part 2    Part 3

With some minor edits, including pseudonyms, here are the exact words that I wrote after I had the chance to catch up with a former student this past summer where I worked:

Just saw Jimmy Neutron here at the facility!!!! Here’s the thing, I came downstairs and heard someone dropping some knowledge on these boys. Was good stuff about what it really means to be locked up and how he didn’t want to see them there. He was speaking from experience. I listened for a few minutes as the talk was coming to a close. I look up and who is it dropping science on this young bols but JIMMY NEUTRON!!! I was sooooo proud to hear him talking like that.

We chatted and caught up!! He then proceeded to inform the kids and the adults that I was his teacher and he seemed so very proud!! I was proud to call him my student and how he had grown! He told them of the writing punishments and how he hated reading growing up and now loves it. He asked about Ms. ---, Mr. ---. He said the only two teachers he remembers were me and ----.

He told {Leonardo} to tell the others to fall back if they start disrespecting me. I hinted that he {Leonardo} was among them and he admitted to it. I can respect that. He said, “Yeah, I do be disrespecting him.” Jimmy Neutron said, “chill, he good folks, that’s my teacher from back in the day when I was a young bol.”

It was so good to catch up with him and to hear him drop science on these kids!

I gave {Donatello} a shout out to Jimmy Neutron. He seemed to like the recognition. {Donatello} then told me he likes writing. It comes natural. He was genuine and smiling as he was telling me. He was proud of the shout out that I gave him to this older former student, Jimmy Neutron. Jimmy Neutron had their respect on a level that was different from the one they gave me and it seemed to work.

How about that Philly school calendar!

If I looked at the school calendar correctly, by the time our first report card conferences come around, we will have only had TWO uninterrupted full weeks with our students. Two full weeks without holidays, half day PDs, full day PDs, this, that, and the third. It's also important to note that it's two full uninterrupted  weeks IF schools in Philly close on Monday, 9/28 which is also being thrown around because of the Papal visit. If we don't close on Monday the 28th, then it will be THREE whole uninterrupted weeks.

Now, we all know that grades aren't due at the time of report card conferences. Hmmmm....

So, let me get this straight. By the time we complete just under one half of the school year, we will not have had more than three full uninterrupted  weeks of school. Then that spring they take a ridiculous test (that I don't care about anyway, but let's say I did) that determines whether I am the one who's effective or not????

Note: These weeks didn't account for acts of God or student absenteeism which reduces it further.

Possible solutions:
(Colleagues, don't throw spit balls at me. I'd be tempted to throw them right back lol)
1. Columbus Day, why are we still off for that?

2. Papal visit on SATURDAY and SUNDAY. We're off that Friday, possibly that Monday and the SRC votes on being out that previous Thurday. For once, plan your street closures and all that jazz around the kids. Too much possible time off!!

3. Truth be told, I'd rather be with my students on those stupid PD days. It's an utter waste of time and not real PD anyway. It's more of a "this is what I want you to do, how I want you to do it, and who gives a flying fart what you think, and oh, I'll be there to observe you, especially if you push back"....session.

Working with Adjudicated Youth, Part 3: What THEY said

This past summer I had the opportunity and privilege to work with adjudicated youth.

You can read the first two parts of my little blog series Working with Adjudicated Youth. In these posts I'm not offering advice, just sharing my experience as a first time summer English teacher of adjudicated youth in a detention facility.

Part 1

Part 2

The following are some random things I either heard or were said to me directly.

They are random and I wrote them down as soon as I heard them. For some reason or another, I didn’t want to forget them.

“See, this is why I like football. You can take out all your anger!” (reaction while watching The Blind Side)

“But I am a n---“ (~Latin American young man)

“It’s almost like jail. It’s like slavery.” (reaction while watching Amistad)

“I got to read everything before I sign it.” (attendance sheet)

“I aint signing Mr. Flemming’s” “I don’t like him” (my attendance sheet)

“Can’t wait until the judge says ‘discharge’. Leaving and won’t turn back.”

“I can’t wait to show the judge.” (particular journal entry)

“I’m not colored.” (~Latin American young man)

“Mr. Flemming, can you take us outside?” (from a kid who gave me his butt to kiss all summer)

“He may seem like a nice guy, but he can get out his bag” (one counselor to another who hadn’t met me)

“Yeah, go home ole head.”

1^st day

Kid: I’m not going to be here long

Me: Good!! I wish you all the best.

Kid: Thank you sir

“Yeah, I do be disrespectin him.” (kid, somewhat contrite, referring to me to a former student who was older than the rest of them and present on this day - more on him in a future post)

“Chill, he good folks, that’s my teacher from back in the day when I was a young bol.”

(former student referring to me while imparting knowledge to the younger teens and preteens)

“I like writing. It comes natural.”

“Yoo! You got The Bully?  That’s my favorite book! Have you read {other books in the Bluford series}?”

“I like {book title—I forget} by Walter Dean Myers.”

Working with Adjudicated Youth: Part 2 - Teaching

Part 1 served more as an intro into the new teaching experience I had this summer, working in a juvenile facility with youth who allegedly committed various crimes---adjudicated youth.

You may have read in that prior post about how I quickly discovered that I would have free reign to design and teach, pretty much what I wanted. All of the lessons and the unit needed to be based on the PA Common Core (blah). I complied, submitting lesson plans weekly, a unit plan in the beginning of the summer and all of that jazz. Nothing came back disapproved, so I continued.

I titled the unit: African American Literature and History
Admittedly, I did not go in any kind of sequence or focus on a sharper theme. I tried to think of not-so-well-known-to-them facts/events/people for us to read about, discuss, etc.

Some of the topics:

• The Watts riots (article and discussion)
• Henry "Box" Brown (book and discussion)
• Peaceful v. violent protests (discussion)
• Ruby Bridges (discussion)
• businesses and their "serving" of colored people - in the basement or out back
• etc

Journal entries and discussions of quotes such as:

• "The whole world opened to me when I learned to read." ~Mary McLeod Bethune
• Why people riot (journal entry and discussion)
• Letters to the 5 year old me
• etc

Just some of the titles we read were:

• Mother to Son by Langston Hughes (I remember a GREAT discussion we had with this and how they applied it to their own lives!!! Warmed all my teacher insides! Good stuff!)
• Harlem by Langston Hughes
• The Day I Ordered a Cup of Coffee by Franklin McCain (lunch counter protests)
• etc

We also viewed and analyzed films in a way that the guys may never have analyzed or seen the films before. Films such as Amistad, Remember the Titans, The Blind Side, and The Butler. All were interested in the two football movies and contributed to the discussions. A few were interested in Amistad and The Butler. Those who were interested, did a great job of participating while the others slept.

Their summer project involved them developing questions about their top two rappers; questions about their life and questions about their music. The older ones seemed to like this better than the younger ones. I learned names I had never even heard of before. Lil Durk, PnB Rock among others.
(Listen, I'm more of a Gospel music/classical music guy. That's my flavor. But I listened, I researched. I learned. Intriguing.)

On my final day of teaching, the last day of the program, we talked about Baltimore, the death of Freddie Gray and the subsequent violence that followed. I was putting together a presentation that included pictures from the scenes as the looting and rioting occurred and on my trip down to Baltimore, this when the guys came in. I showed them my work in progress (90% complete, but complete enough, with music). This generated discussion and a continuation of our previous discussion on riots and why people do it.

So many great moments, they all cannot be captured here! They are some very intelligent boys and overall were great to work with. Many are very articulate and I had no preconceived notions otherwise. I didn't know what to expect, it was all new. (I hope you don't teach with preconceived notions about your students! I hope not!)

"Sir" "Mister" "Good morning" "Have a good afternoon". For some, this was how they spoke. For others, once they heard me use the terms, they adopted them as well.

There were some frustrating moments. Seriously. All guys. All believing they had street cred. All tough as nails. And each believing he had the biggest set. It comes with the territory and won't be the primary focus of my posts. (Although there was that one time that they saw the real Mr. Flemming, so much so it stunned one of the counselors. Two wanted to fight. Flem showed up, 6', 220lbs. Silence. Uhhh, the biggest set goes to....yup...)

lol

More to come...

Working with Adjudicated Youth part 1

This summer I had the opportunity and ultimately what I'm going to call a privilege to work with adjudicated youth, specifically "tween" and teen boys. As a summer English teacher for a School District/Department of Human Services/Non-Profit/Title 1/ / / / / / program, I was to teach English to youth roughly ages 13-17 who had been.....well.....adjudicated. Most any crime that an adult would commit, they allegedly committed.

Having discovered that there "may be some materials over there", I quickly realized that I would have free reign to design and implement my own unit/curriculum. Cool!! (Note: There were materials at the site, by the way.)

Title: African American History and Literature
This would be the focus of the teaching/learning experience this summer.

Because I found out about this teaching gig the day before I was to stand in front of students, I also realized that this would be a constant work in progress, a lot of thinking on my feet, constant---wait, how does Siri say it--"rerouting"?? Yes. A lot of that. Not a problem. I'm up to the challenge. Even if I start very traditional with worksheets, short reading passages, and discussions, all Afrocentric, this would be it for a day or so while I got a lay of the land, the conditions, the terrain and just how working in a detention-type facility works.

Uh oh!!
So, I know teaching and learning and consider myself a pretty good teacher who diligently works at being better, I was not prepared, however, for the mentality of some of the youth. Despite the fact that I've been a youth worker/teacher/mentor/program director, etc. since I was a youth, it was never in an environment like this.

I didn't even know enough to know that I wasn't aware of what of what I wasn't aware of. Ha!! Riddle me that!!

One example:
I wasn't prepared for their genuine beliefs that some of their wrongs (not crimes, but the in-class type) would somehow be my fault. Their "conversations" (more like a cuss the teacher out--literally and point accusatory fingers) revealed that they really believed their hurling various projectiles through the air (some directed at me) was really my fault when one of the counselors would call them on it. They really believed that signing aliases on official documents (which they had never done, but decided to do this on a particular day) and being called on it was really my fault.  I kid you not. Sounds ludicrous? Yes!

One session ended up being "group" (something like group therapy, rap session, talking, etc. for those unfamiliar with the term). I listened intently as they were given space to talk without fear of some punishment. What I heard, through all of the diatribes, was, "I really don't want to be here."

My 'listening tour' continued all summer and was weaved into the very fabric of the instruction. Whether they were conversing with me, each other, times when I wasn't teaching, with my partner teacher, with the counselors, at lunch, wherever, I listened. I wanted to learn as much as possible about them, their beliefs, and somehow use what I learned to better my approach as a teacher of adjudicated youth in a detention facility.

Why mention the "...of adjudicated youth in a detention facility" part? Because teaching and reaching these youth is a different experience. The overall culture, from what I gleaned as an outsider, seems to be naturally created when a group of students, most of whom allegedly/admittedly/supposedly committed serious crimes are put together in a space---that experience is different. Different from teaching and reaching youth in a typical classroom setting. More challenging? I wouldn't even draw that conclusion. Maybe I'll lay out the similarities and differences in part 2, 3, 4, or 5 (or later).

There are most posts that will follow.
Some will reflect on the positive teaching/learning experiences as we analyzed movies like The Butler, Amistad, The Blind Side, and Remember the Titans. 

Others will be things that I've heard them say or do that are really worth remembering.

One post will be dedicated to a former student (no face, no trace) of mine who surprised me and made me very proud one day!!

I took quite a bit of notes this summer. Some were my frustrations, but those won't be the focus of future posts. There were really positive experiences that came out of the negative circumstances that landed many of these young men to where we were and I hope to do well by them in writing about them. Again, no face, no trace. No names will be mentioned. I respect the privacy of these youth and their counselors.

Baltimore Weekend: Freddie Gray

Baltimore, Maryland.
April 19, 2015 - Spring

His name, Freddie Gray

Baltimore, Maryland
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
July 31st, August 1st, August 2nd
2015 - Summer

I came to Baltimore this weekend, intending to stay only one night to attend one night of a church convocation (and I did) and to visit sites significant to Black History (and I did that too) the next morning before heading back to Philly.

I ended up staying a night longer than planned in order to fulfill that second desire so as not to rush. My second stop, since the first was church, was to The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum (again). Read about that experience here.

I did intend to visit other historically significant sites, but those plans fell through.

Then, like a ton bricks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Huh? Wha?

Just read on...

You'd have to be from another galaxy if you are unaware of the events that unfolded in Baltimore this past April, the zenith of which was the arrest and death of Freddie Gray while in police custody and the violent unrest that followed.

Google it.

CVS stores and others establishments, along with police cars were on the receiving end of young Baltimorean (and undoubtedly opportunistic out-of-towners') frustrations and were ultimately looted and set ablaze.

So, after visiting The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, I set out to visit sites that have become historical sites since they have come to represent symbols of what some called the Baltimore Uprising. First up, the two CVS locations.

Interestingly enough, as I was walking around the CVS at Pennsylvania Ave and North Ave, snapping pictures, not one, not two, not three but four police cars pulled up on a car. The occupant, a black man. I snapped a pic of him getting out and video taped the rest of the encounter.

I couldn't set my camera fast enough to catch the brother incontrovertibly reaching toward the sky as he exited the car or fast enough to capture the eye contact and inaudible gratitude that his eyes made with every camera phone that was out and focused on him and the police at this exceptionally busy intersection! This, right across the street from one of the CVS stores! I don't know what he did or didn't do and I'm not at all in a position to give my opinion on that. All I now know to do is to take out my phone and start recording and getting pictures. (Oh, they let him go, by the way, after searching his car including the trunk.)

The CVS on Franklin Street, not given as much press during the unrest 

Snapped a pic from the car when I didn't know if I'd be able to park or not...just in case!

No, that's not food or anything on my mustache, it's the sun...

This was across from where I snapped the two pics just before this pic!

This post isn't dedicated to my opining over the unrest itself or the acts themselves, but simply to recall my feelings of having visited these sites, these epicenters where tensions finally boiled over.

Surreal.

'Surreal' about sums up how I felt after visiting the two CVS stores and ESPECIALLY having visited the site where the police took Freddie Gray into custody.

The spot where Eddie Gray was arrested. I confirmed that with a few brothers sitting nearby.

That visit, especially, left an indelible mark on me. A mark on my heart, on my mind, on my attitude. A mark.

As I walked through the housing development, a mark.
As I approached a group of brothers and chatted with them for a couple a minutes, a mark.
As one of the brothers pointed out one of Freddie Gray's closest friends from the cradle, a mark.
As I shook his hand and extended my condolences, a mark.
As I drove through the neighborhood, a mark.
As I made my way back up I-95.....a mark.

That mark caused me to whisper words of prayer and to ruminate on the roles that institutions like churches, schools, and community organizations can play to make changes that can breathe life and hope into our communities; institutions that can help bridge the relational disconnect between the police and the African American community at large.

A mark.

Freddie Gray mural and a snapshot of his neighborhood in my mirror

Baltimore Weekend: Blacks in Wax

This past weekend, I came to the Baltimore area for two purposes. One was to attend a church convocation and the other was to visit some sites significant to African Americans in one way or another. After plans fell through for some of the sites I wanted to see, I decided it wasn't a bad idea at all to revisit The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum.

I had been several times, the last time, (I think) back in 2009 or so with my 6th grade students.

Each time I go, it's a revival of juxtaposed emotions, anger and pride. Anger because of what our ancestors went through at the hands of racist white supremacists (Redundant? Maybe. So what.) AND at the hands of fellow blacks. Reflections of pride because of those who refused to be oppressed in their minds! (Could haul off and go off on a huge tangent there, here in 2015, but not right now). While manacles and torture may have enslaved our ancestors physically, many risked life and limb to free themselves in their mind (attitude) and some, as we all know, even freeing themselves out of their physical condition by escaping northward!

Nothing I post here can capture The National Great Blacks in Wax experience. Nevertheless, here are some pictures that, admittedly (and intentionally) don't do the museum justice. I want you to make this place one of the places you visit and soon!!

Their website - http://www.greatblacksinwax.org/

Below the deck of a slave ship 

Blacks in wax