a picture update

even with all the chaos we are still sneaking in some fun



attack of the love bugs

a close up for those of you have not experienced their glory


the best greeting on my way to work

painted new each day

goodmorning sunshine


the speedy makeover












meet Nigel and his friends




what you need to kill a cockroach
-1 fly swatter
-1 broom
-1 math book with a paper towel taped to it
-2 roommates

once we got it i didn't want to get off the math book


and this is the reason I am here

we tried to take a serious picture

but silly faces were just so much more fun

week two: ch-ch-check

I made it through week two. We had our ups and downs, but overall I feel good about it. I am realizing just how crazy this whole experience is. Each day I am learning more about this community and through that learning about myself. Yesterday was crazy, maybe because it was Friday, it was raining and they are getting a little too comfortable. I am not quite sure what the students deal was. I have never seen such disrespect. They really just have no sense of respect – I wonder how they say the things they do and not feel ashamed. A couple of sixth graders were mouthing off to me because I asked them to stop talking while the principal was making the announcements. One girl said, “I don’t give a shit” and the boy next to her said, “My mama says I can say whatever the fuck I want.” It was all I could do to stop my jaw from dropping. How can you say that to a teacher? How can you say that to anyone? It makes me so embarrassed for them.


I am so glad my students are at the age where they still have some sense of intimidation from adults. I do not want them to be afraid of me – I just want respect and for them to respect their classmates too! It kills me when I see or hear them being so mean and rude to each other. Its crazy, they know how bad it feels when someone says something mean to them, but they always snap right back. They need to learn to hold their tongues. I think I need to have a little mini lesson on the golden rule next week.


I question why these kids think they are kings and queens. Why are they so mean? What makes them calloused? And then it hit me, how naive can I be? These third graders have had so many hard and tragic experiences in their few years. A big brother died of cancer when he was 13. One wears the same clothes(that are not in uniform) everyday – they get dirtier and dirtier each day. He told me that his mom didn’t have enough money to pick him up and take him to the hotel and that is why he couldn’t get his papers signed. A cousin of one of my students fell from the roof when they were waiting to get rescued off of a roof after Katrina. She was 3 years old, she drowned in the floodwaters. A father was shot in the head and burned to death just last year. They have lost family members, they have witnessed violence, they lived through one of the most destructive natural disasters in history. How can I come in and compare my experience as a third grader with their lives? It is just not fair. I need to be understanding and loving, but I can’t make excuses for them. They need to learn that our classroom is a safe place for them. A place where respect for all is mandatory and a place to feel comfortable and express themselves in a positive way.


Then of course there is the fact that they do need to learn A LOT. I need to teach them everything to help them pass the third grade! They are so far behind and at so many different levels. One will finish the entire assignment before three others have even written their name on the paper. With only 12 students I am already struggling to make it around the room to hold them accountable for staying focused, help them each step along the way, or give them enrichment activities if necessary. I just want them to want it for themselves. They don’t know how to work hard – they are missing the dedication, I need to get them invested. I am so far from where I need to be as a teacher. This is the most difficult thing I have ever done. How do I give these children all they deserve and need.


I am so confused and upset about how behind most of them are. How is it possible to make it to the third grade without being able to read and barely write. What did their past teachers have them do? Were they just excused from doing the work because they couldn’t read the directions? What do their parents/families think?


Sometime tomorrow I am going to have to head over to Fannie C. so get some work done in my classroom. We have our open house on Monday and I really want my room to look good. I am sure the construction workers will be there to heckle me. They are always working hard to get our school completed – they are there when I get to school before seven and when I leave at 5. They like to make comments like, “What grade are you in?” or “YOU are the teacher?” They think they are so funny.

love bugs

I learned today:
I have a long way to go before I become the teacher I want to be.
Love bugs are actually real bugs who are eternally mating at this time of year.
I am afraid of loosing the people I love the most.
I love to BBQ.
Things are a lot funnier when you are overwhlemed.
"Sweet eyes" is my new favorite term of the South.

funny comment of the day

As I was walking down the hall I hear:
"She be walking like she be on the Tyra Banks Show"

it just had to be a good day...

excited

I can't write much because I should be sleeping right now.
Just wanted to say, WOW!
I am so excited to meet my kids and get a glimpse at what this
experience is really going to be like. This is it, there is no turning
back now. My classroom is decorated a bit, of course not as cool
or complete as I would like. I guess I have plenty of time to fix it
up. I have spend a lot of time on the phone to my sisters and mom
getting advice on anything and everything. I have been changing things
up right to the last minute. I also went to Maggie's cousin's mother-in-law's
(as if that is not confusing!) 3rd grade classroom over on the West Bank today.
She gave me some books, so my bookcase is no longer empty!!! I really
need to work on getting some more books for the poor kiddos!
My other TFAers who have alreadystarted teaching have been amazing
as well. Tiff and Carmen are awesome, so calming and its cool since they
had the first day/week experience so recently! Alright, off to bed....send your
prayers my way and thank you so much to all of you who are so
awesome and supportive!!!

This and That

We built a fence in our front yard. It was a lot of work, but so much fun. We got to spend some time in the sun, have some roommate bonding, use power tools, and we met a lot of our neighbors. Think our neighbors thought we were crazy, they all came out to see what these new white girls in the ‘hood’ were doing out in the 113 degree weather!






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Its crazy how our neighborhood community has built. We have met so many nice people and they all say they’ve got our backs. For all the violence I hear about it the new everyday, I feel pretty safe here. Just in the past week we have had some surprising occurrences. Two young boys came separately seeking tutoring and this other man came to ask for advice because his buddy cut himself (this cut was so sick and deep, by the way). He said he heard we were teachers and he thought we might know what to do or where he should go to get medical help. I thought to myself, why is this man who is old enough to be my father coming to me for advice. I am just a 22 year old college graduate. Suddenly it hit me…I am a college graduate and for the first time in my life that is not the norm for the people around me.

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Only in New Orleans will you go to a school district convocation where,
-there is a brass band playing
-1,000 teachers are dancing
-old, young, fat, skinny, white, and black ladies are pulling out their umbrellas to dance with and breaking it down in the aisles
-the mayor stops mid speech when a lady yells something out and says, “oh, I’m sorry baby I didn’t hear you”
-the ice breaker for your school is making up a dance to a Beyonce song and performing it as a group

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Sail away….sail away…sail away

Last Saturday afternoon was my dream summer day. Wilhelmina’s Grandpa affectionately known as Pere Pere took us out sailing on Lake Ponchartrain. It was great weather – a beautiful blue sky and bright sunshine. We had snacks, talked, napped out on the deck and went swimming in the lake. I was blown away that the water was actually warm – I have never experienced a warm lake before. I convinced Lizzy to jump in just as we got caught in some strong wind. Luckily I was holding onto a rope on the back of the boat so I just got dragged along, I did have my camera in the water with me, but I managed to keep it dry. But the thing was, Lizzy jumped in and couldn’t catch up to the boat and before we knew it she was left behind, just a dot in the massive lake. Not so good. Everything ended up fine, Pere Pere is quite the captain and brought the lady over board back on board quickly. Speaking of Pere Pere, he is such an amazing man – he makes me not get sad about getting old. He is living it up taking piano lessons, sailing, choir, among other things.












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I found out that I will be teaching 3rd grade self-contained at Fannie C. Williams Elementary School. When I got the news I suddenly felt that this was all real. I am going to be responsible for these students. It is my job to ensure that these kids make ‘significant gains’ and keep them safe. There are still so many uncertainties. Only four days until the students will pour into our school. A school that as of today, is not complete. The modular campus is being constructed just next door to the old building. It is so crazy to see the effects of Katrina still so visible in New Orleans East where I will be teaching. The school is near Lake Ponchartrain where the floodgates broke. This area got up to 20+ feet of water. Many houses, grocery stores, and businesses are still abandoned and closed. The six flags has no prospect of opening anytime soon – the sign out front still says ‘ closed for storm’ with a few letters missing. Our original school building was brand new pre-Katrina, now it just sits gutted. They say it would cost 180% more to fix it up then just demolish it and start from scratch. Our ‘trailer park’ next door doesn’t look too glamorous from the outside, but we have been told we have one of the nicest set-ups in the district. It was supposed to be a high school, so we have some extra space for the little ones. It will be nice that we will start the year with clean and brand new classrooms. No matter how frustrated I get with how poorly the Recovery School District is run I still remind myself that this is a new district in a broken school system with new leadership and quite a vision for growth. I am lucky enough to be working under a very enthusiastic, fun, young, organized and hard working principal, Mrs. Batiste. One of the greatest values that she brings is the importance of “whole child” instruction. We have art, music, PE, and library/media time allotted for out students each day. These are the things that help students love school, find what they are good at, learn about heath, get some energy out, express themselves, and hopefully gain some confidence, and work ethic.