Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Gustav
A hurricane is heading our way. We don't know exactly where it will end up, but it is very likely to head straight up the Gulf of Mexico. Yesterday and today it was in Haiti and it is heading towards the west side of Cuba currently. Some people are very worried, others not so much. I just don't know what to think or to do. Make an evacuation plan, prepare for the worst, and pray - that is all I have come up with so far. I went to Wal-Mart today and got a case of water, gatorade, and canned food. I heard school may be canceled on Friday and a mandatory evacuation could be in announced as early as tomorrow evening. It is hard to just wait, I found my mind wondering a lot while I was teaching. A few of my kids asked me about it, but I tried not to get them all worked up. I mean, no one really knows what is to come. Here is a map of the path it has drawn and what is projected. Keep NOLA in your thoughts...I am not sure if it can weather another big one.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Here we go again...
Tomorrow we kick off year two. I am so excited and blown away that this day is here already. I don't have time to say much because I still have things to do tonight. But I am feeling optimistic and ready to take on the challenge. Summer really did a lot for me. It was wonderful to see all family and friends that I was blessed to spend time with and travel all around the country. What an adventure I had. And now I am back to the grind looking forward to doing my little part in this broken city.
Peace to you.
Peace to you.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
today on the playground...
...I got on the see-saw with one of my students and got stuck up in the air.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Back by popular demand….
A little glimpse of an afternoon in Miss Sullivan’s circus:
Student one: Crafting a big sign that reads “Jay Tee is MAN” tapping it on the wall and sitting with his legs in a butterfly looking at his creation.
Student two: Balling up paper and throwing it at my feet.
Student three: Reading out loud with me every time I turn my back to him.
Student four: Listening and following along as I read.
Student five: Gazing across the room at student six, the girl he “loves”
Student six: Pulling out chunks of her weave.
Student seven: Holding his hands in front of his face and counting his fingers out loud, with no idea that anyone is looking at him like he is crazy.
Student eight: Throwing a piece of fuzz up in the air and catching it.
Student nine: Moving chair directly behind me as I write on the board so when I turn around she is less than a foot away, with her ears plugged by the way.
Student ten: Laughing in his wheelchair because the class is out of control.
Student eleven: Suspended and sitting at home because he punched someone in the face.
Student twelve: Sitting at home because her mom and mom’s boyfriend punched another one of my student’s moms in the face.
Student thirteen: Coloring me a sign that says “I love Sarah”
Student fourteen: Counting down the 14 days of school until SUMMER!
Student one: Crafting a big sign that reads “Jay Tee is MAN” tapping it on the wall and sitting with his legs in a butterfly looking at his creation.
Student two: Balling up paper and throwing it at my feet.
Student three: Reading out loud with me every time I turn my back to him.
Student four: Listening and following along as I read.
Student five: Gazing across the room at student six, the girl he “loves”
Student six: Pulling out chunks of her weave.
Student seven: Holding his hands in front of his face and counting his fingers out loud, with no idea that anyone is looking at him like he is crazy.
Student eight: Throwing a piece of fuzz up in the air and catching it.
Student nine: Moving chair directly behind me as I write on the board so when I turn around she is less than a foot away, with her ears plugged by the way.
Student ten: Laughing in his wheelchair because the class is out of control.
Student eleven: Suspended and sitting at home because he punched someone in the face.
Student twelve: Sitting at home because her mom and mom’s boyfriend punched another one of my student’s moms in the face.
Student thirteen: Coloring me a sign that says “I love Sarah”
Student fourteen: Counting down the 14 days of school until SUMMER!
Friday, May 16, 2008
From an article I read:
Who will tell the people? We are not who we think we are. We are living on borrowed time and borrowed dimes. We still have all the potential for greatness, but only if we get back to work on our country.
I don’t know if Barack Obama can lead that, but the notion that the idealism he has inspired in so many young people doesn’t matter is dead wrong. “Of course, hope alone is not enough,” says Tim Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics, “but it’s not trivial. It’s not trivial to inspire people to want to get up and do something with someone else.”
It is especially not trivial now, because millions of Americans are dying to be enlisted — enlisted to fix education, enlisted to research renewable energy, enlisted to repair our infrastructure, enlisted to help others. Look at the kids lining up to join Teach for America. They want our country to matter again. They want it to be about building wealth and dignity — big profits and big purposes. When we just do one, we are less than the sum of our parts. When we do both, said Shriver, “no one can touch us.”
I don’t know if Barack Obama can lead that, but the notion that the idealism he has inspired in so many young people doesn’t matter is dead wrong. “Of course, hope alone is not enough,” says Tim Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics, “but it’s not trivial. It’s not trivial to inspire people to want to get up and do something with someone else.”
It is especially not trivial now, because millions of Americans are dying to be enlisted — enlisted to fix education, enlisted to research renewable energy, enlisted to repair our infrastructure, enlisted to help others. Look at the kids lining up to join Teach for America. They want our country to matter again. They want it to be about building wealth and dignity — big profits and big purposes. When we just do one, we are less than the sum of our parts. When we do both, said Shriver, “no one can touch us.”
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Terrible Tuesday Strikes Back
It’s one of those days as “Terrible Tuesdays” so often seem to be. I had a bad day with my class and then everything else in life seems to be reflected in this dark shadow. Dramatic I know, but that’s just the way it is sometimes. I feel bad about my class, not teaching them enough, not being able to control them. I feel like I am not living up to TFA standards, I wonder how and if I will ever be good at this. I feel like if I leave after two years I won’t be satisfied with the job I did and feel guilty for coming in and out of this broken system so quickly as if I am giving up on it. Am I wasting my talents here? Could I be better used in a different way? This is a crazy journey and I just have to keep holding on.
We got our standardized test results back last week. I don’t have anything to compare it to, so really I don’t know what to think. I was disappointed that some of my students didn’t do better, when I know that they are smarter than they showed. But I was also happy with the scores many of my kids came out with.
And after all….It is nice to hear quality leaders complimenting TFA:
"People were saying, 'Don't expect growth the first year,' " Mr. Vallas(RSD Superintendent) said. "We saw growth the first year." Mr. Vallas attributed many of the improvements in testing to the new teachers. "The biggest contributing factor was the quality of the instructors," he said. Classes are smaller, many of the teachers are youthful imports brought in by groups like Teach for America, principals have been reshuffled or removed, school-hours remedial programs have been intensified, and after-school programs to help students increased."
ADAM NOSSITER (NY Times) Changes at New Orleans Schools Bring Gains in Test Scores
We got our standardized test results back last week. I don’t have anything to compare it to, so really I don’t know what to think. I was disappointed that some of my students didn’t do better, when I know that they are smarter than they showed. But I was also happy with the scores many of my kids came out with.
And after all….It is nice to hear quality leaders complimenting TFA:
"People were saying, 'Don't expect growth the first year,' " Mr. Vallas(RSD Superintendent) said. "We saw growth the first year." Mr. Vallas attributed many of the improvements in testing to the new teachers. "The biggest contributing factor was the quality of the instructors," he said. Classes are smaller, many of the teachers are youthful imports brought in by groups like Teach for America, principals have been reshuffled or removed, school-hours remedial programs have been intensified, and after-school programs to help students increased."
ADAM NOSSITER (NY Times) Changes at New Orleans Schools Bring Gains in Test Scores
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Para mi Madre
A mother of three adoring daughters.
Who is devoted to her family and friends.
A follower of Christ.
Who is fun and compassionate.
A lover of the outdoors, a good book, and happy hour with her girlfriends.
Who is generous and thoughtful.
A beautiful spirit that shines to those are her.
Who has made sacrifice after sacrifice for her family.
A teacher, cook, and caring friend.
Who is beautiful inside and out and works hard and is loved so very deeply.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY:)
Who is devoted to her family and friends.
A follower of Christ.
Who is fun and compassionate.
A lover of the outdoors, a good book, and happy hour with her girlfriends.
Who is generous and thoughtful.
A beautiful spirit that shines to those are her.
Who has made sacrifice after sacrifice for her family.
A teacher, cook, and caring friend.
Who is beautiful inside and out and works hard and is loved so very deeply.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
