I have this lesson that ties the classic and enduring language arts standards of mood and tone with popular music. The trick is finding two songs that are "cool" enough, similar in subject yet different in tone, and school appropriate.
In the past (and the present), I've used Sade's "Slave Song" and Public Enemy's "Prophets of Rage". This go around I also noticed that Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" would work in this group, as well. I also found Macy Gray's "Do Something" and Jurassic 5's "Contribution" as a suitable pair.
Notice anything about these artists?
Yup, all black. (Can't say African-American, 'cause Sade was born in Africa to an African father and British mother and was raised in England.) And while I do listen to some hip-hop, it is far from the entirety of my catalogue. I listen to lots of whitegirl music, especially after five years in P-town.
Maybe it's my East Coast/Drrty South roots that make these particular songs the ones I am familiar enough with to easily teach. Maybe it's just that these artists choose school-appropriate subjects. Is it the minority "phenomenon" -- that as a member of a minority, they feel more responsibility to the community to produce "meaningful" work? Is it that the whitepeeps focus on vacuous topics like "love"?
Discuss.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Current Craziness
I was sitting in our first collaboration this morning, chatting with the intern (read: poor schmuck who thought that teaching while going to school to get a credential was a good idea) who had the other exit exam prep class. We've been working together to develop this class that has little curriculum; she's been (understandably) a bit nervous about the whole thing. Well, we were scheduled to collaborate together. Yeah, were.
Turns out that our enrollment ("our" as in "school") is waaay down, and we're losing about 2.5 FTE, including all of her. She's not out of a job, but she is changing sites. Wow. Our 'hood was hit hard by foreclosures and the economy in general, so students just don't live here so much anymore.
This, of course, throws everything into a big ol' mess. Sections are closed and all those students need new schedules. So, I have a list of about 25 schedule changes on my computer system. Some students are just shifting from one class to another, but a good 15 of them are brand-spanking-new to me. I go from 30-32 in a class to 36-37. I have only 36 desks in my room. At least I have a table and a couple of chairs that can function as overflow.
Now, I have to figure out how to keep the kids who are staying on task while quickly incorporating all the newbies into the room. Ugh. It's a logistical nightmare. And, I'm picking up a student I was really, really, really glad I didn't have. Well, HellStudent is back. Joy. So add that to the nightmare of tomorrow.
On a side note. I figured out who is going to replace the poor intern as my collab partner. When I told him we were gonna be collab-buddies, he smiled, gave me a side hug, and said, "I can work with that." (Or some such thing.) Awww. Sometimes I think being (relatively) young and (relatively) cute and (relatively) nice work in my favor. --Not that there was anything creepy or icky going on, but if you can hang out with the young, cute, and friendly, that's inherently better than the old, ugly, and grumpy. Hell, you can even get rid of the young and cute -- that's just icing anyway -- because nice is always better than grumpy. (I don't have enough senority to be grumpy.)
Turns out that our enrollment ("our" as in "school") is waaay down, and we're losing about 2.5 FTE, including all of her. She's not out of a job, but she is changing sites. Wow. Our 'hood was hit hard by foreclosures and the economy in general, so students just don't live here so much anymore.
This, of course, throws everything into a big ol' mess. Sections are closed and all those students need new schedules. So, I have a list of about 25 schedule changes on my computer system. Some students are just shifting from one class to another, but a good 15 of them are brand-spanking-new to me. I go from 30-32 in a class to 36-37. I have only 36 desks in my room. At least I have a table and a couple of chairs that can function as overflow.
Now, I have to figure out how to keep the kids who are staying on task while quickly incorporating all the newbies into the room. Ugh. It's a logistical nightmare. And, I'm picking up a student I was really, really, really glad I didn't have. Well, HellStudent is back. Joy. So add that to the nightmare of tomorrow.
On a side note. I figured out who is going to replace the poor intern as my collab partner. When I told him we were gonna be collab-buddies, he smiled, gave me a side hug, and said, "I can work with that." (Or some such thing.) Awww. Sometimes I think being (relatively) young and (relatively) cute and (relatively) nice work in my favor. --Not that there was anything creepy or icky going on, but if you can hang out with the young, cute, and friendly, that's inherently better than the old, ugly, and grumpy. Hell, you can even get rid of the young and cute -- that's just icing anyway -- because nice is always better than grumpy. (I don't have enough senority to be grumpy.)
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Dear Mrs. Houghton
Dear Mrs. Houghton,
I was in the staff lounge (did you know that I now teach high school English?), thumbing through a stack of posters that someone had left lying around. I'm sure they do the same thing back at BHS: put whatever they don't want in the staff lounge because someone else is bound to want it. I'm sure in five years I'll have enough crap that I'll be doing the same thing; for now, however, I take rather than give.
So there I was, looking through the pile and not expecting to find much, when I saw THE poster. I know you remember it. It's the alphabet in butterfly wings. I instantly remembered sitting in pre-calc when your poster arrived in the mail. We were all a little whatever about it until you explained that it wasn't a poster of drawings, but photographs of actual butterfly wings. And those wings, amazingly, spelled out the letters of the alphabet.
It leaves me hopeful that some of the things I do will stay with my students, even 16 years later, even if it's nothing but a cool poster.
Sincerely,
Caroline
P.S. I also remember that the sine of 30 is 1/2.
I was in the staff lounge (did you know that I now teach high school English?), thumbing through a stack of posters that someone had left lying around. I'm sure they do the same thing back at BHS: put whatever they don't want in the staff lounge because someone else is bound to want it. I'm sure in five years I'll have enough crap that I'll be doing the same thing; for now, however, I take rather than give.
So there I was, looking through the pile and not expecting to find much, when I saw THE poster. I know you remember it. It's the alphabet in butterfly wings. I instantly remembered sitting in pre-calc when your poster arrived in the mail. We were all a little whatever about it until you explained that it wasn't a poster of drawings, but photographs of actual butterfly wings. And those wings, amazingly, spelled out the letters of the alphabet.
It leaves me hopeful that some of the things I do will stay with my students, even 16 years later, even if it's nothing but a cool poster.
Sincerely,
Caroline
P.S. I also remember that the sine of 30 is 1/2.
Friday, August 21, 2009
The World Is an Imperfect Place
I opened up my classroom door this morning, and a screw fell out. No, really. I couldn't make this up if I tried. I have no idea what part of the door it came from. The door does stay open -- without a magazine rack; I have a tie on the railing that I loop around the door handle.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
And Another Thing
One of my students from last year transferred into my class yesterday. Today was the first day she was with me. When she came in I greated her, told her that I saw her name pop up on my roster yesterday. She told me she requested my class. Don't get me wrong, she can get surly; she's a good kid, but not a total cakewalk.
Still, it was nice.
Another student asked if I remembered his cousin (of course I did). I told him that I had noticed his last name and wondered if they were related. She told him to make sure he mentioned her to me.
Again, it was nice.
Still, it was nice.
Another student asked if I remembered his cousin (of course I did). I told him that I had noticed his last name and wondered if they were related. She told him to make sure he mentioned her to me.
Again, it was nice.
Atta Boy!
On the positive side...
On Tuesday I noticed that our fly new student data system (note: that is not sarcastic or ironic, it is totally a fly system) was not printing out the first day of school for half of my classes. Call it my obsessiveness, call it my attention to detailed honed at a Pacemaker newspaper in college, call it what you will, but I realized that meant that the new system didn't think I would see half of my classes.
You see, we are on a block schedule, so on most Wednesdays, I only see half my classes. On the first day of school, though, we pretend it's a Monday and I see all of my classes. I emailed my counseling AP, but then said something to him when I saw him on campus. You know, was it going to be an attendance nightmare when the fly new student data system (we'll just call it the FNSDS from now on) wouldn't let the teachers enter data for half of the day?
I saw him again hours later in the parking lot. He was beyond grateful that I had discovered the error. It took him a bit of time on the phone with the downtown office, but it was far less time than entering 6600 (or so) attendendance notes without the fix.
The following day (yesterday), I was walking to the office on my prep and the admin team (plus maybe a district dude or two) were in the principal's office (which I walk by on the way to the office). The counseling VP saw me and waved me in. Of course, there was a moment of fear -- me? the principals' office? what??!?! But in I went, and he then introduced me as the person who single-handedly saved the school from a huge attendance nightmare. I got a couple handshakes out of the deal, too.
I ended it my usual way: "Thank you, I'll be here all week! Don't forget to tip your waiter or waitress."
On Tuesday I noticed that our fly new student data system (note: that is not sarcastic or ironic, it is totally a fly system) was not printing out the first day of school for half of my classes. Call it my obsessiveness, call it my attention to detailed honed at a Pacemaker newspaper in college, call it what you will, but I realized that meant that the new system didn't think I would see half of my classes.
You see, we are on a block schedule, so on most Wednesdays, I only see half my classes. On the first day of school, though, we pretend it's a Monday and I see all of my classes. I emailed my counseling AP, but then said something to him when I saw him on campus. You know, was it going to be an attendance nightmare when the fly new student data system (we'll just call it the FNSDS from now on) wouldn't let the teachers enter data for half of the day?
I saw him again hours later in the parking lot. He was beyond grateful that I had discovered the error. It took him a bit of time on the phone with the downtown office, but it was far less time than entering 6600 (or so) attendendance notes without the fix.
The following day (yesterday), I was walking to the office on my prep and the admin team (plus maybe a district dude or two) were in the principal's office (which I walk by on the way to the office). The counseling VP saw me and waved me in. Of course, there was a moment of fear -- me? the principals' office? what??!?! But in I went, and he then introduced me as the person who single-handedly saved the school from a huge attendance nightmare. I got a couple handshakes out of the deal, too.
I ended it my usual way: "Thank you, I'll be here all week! Don't forget to tip your waiter or waitress."
Monday, August 17, 2009
A Set Up
I have been in room assignment Hell. I know it's really not personal, but it's starting to feel personal.
I show up on Friday to pick up my key. There is no key to be found. I find the head custodian to let me in my room; he says it's not my room. After a whole bunch of back-and-forth, he decides (based on the master schedule) that it IS my room. Theoretically, they will move all of my stuff from my old room to my new room (all of which I tagged before I left from summer school). I even review with him that there's a bit of furniture, some boxes in the cabinets, and I'll need the filing cabinet since everyone else took theirs.
Of course, I can't get in on Saturday, because I don't have a key. It's still with the previous teacher.
Today, I corral the previous teacher, and he says that he does have the key: no one had time to take it back from him on Thursday when he tried to turn it in.
So I get my key (finally), around 11:30am. I stick my head in my room, and I see my bookshelf and my stool, but none of my stuff. No books, no paper, no files, no filing cabinet. Nada.
After more staff development, I get the head custodian to meet me at my old room so I can get the rest of my stuff. He shows up with the key and a dolly (as requested), and leaves me. Actually, he does stick around long enough for me to give him some brownies (which I origially baked to thank them all for moving my stuff --- WHICH THEY DIDN'T DO). I thought it might get me some help. Nope. He just left. So all the other teachers who changed classrooms got the custodial staff to move their stuff, but not me. I got to take 6 trips with the dolly between my old room and my new room.
I have nothing on the walls. I have no syllabus. I have no lesson plans. I have nothing. But I did have the chance to waste two hours moving boxes. With two guys and a Gator, it probably would have taken 30 mintues to move the boxes/furniture. I am still new enough at this whole teaching thing that I need every moment I can get. But help? That I can not get.
I did get my friend to help me move my stack of posters (which can not be loaded onto a dolly). She realized I was at my last straw when I almost started crying. I did not cry last year. I didn't cry during student teaching. But this? It has been one frustration after another and I am fed up. I do not feel welcome or valued. I feel like I'm being set up for failure, actually.
I show up on Friday to pick up my key. There is no key to be found. I find the head custodian to let me in my room; he says it's not my room. After a whole bunch of back-and-forth, he decides (based on the master schedule) that it IS my room. Theoretically, they will move all of my stuff from my old room to my new room (all of which I tagged before I left from summer school). I even review with him that there's a bit of furniture, some boxes in the cabinets, and I'll need the filing cabinet since everyone else took theirs.
Of course, I can't get in on Saturday, because I don't have a key. It's still with the previous teacher.
Today, I corral the previous teacher, and he says that he does have the key: no one had time to take it back from him on Thursday when he tried to turn it in.
So I get my key (finally), around 11:30am. I stick my head in my room, and I see my bookshelf and my stool, but none of my stuff. No books, no paper, no files, no filing cabinet. Nada.
After more staff development, I get the head custodian to meet me at my old room so I can get the rest of my stuff. He shows up with the key and a dolly (as requested), and leaves me. Actually, he does stick around long enough for me to give him some brownies (which I origially baked to thank them all for moving my stuff --- WHICH THEY DIDN'T DO). I thought it might get me some help. Nope. He just left. So all the other teachers who changed classrooms got the custodial staff to move their stuff, but not me. I got to take 6 trips with the dolly between my old room and my new room.
I have nothing on the walls. I have no syllabus. I have no lesson plans. I have nothing. But I did have the chance to waste two hours moving boxes. With two guys and a Gator, it probably would have taken 30 mintues to move the boxes/furniture. I am still new enough at this whole teaching thing that I need every moment I can get. But help? That I can not get.
I did get my friend to help me move my stack of posters (which can not be loaded onto a dolly). She realized I was at my last straw when I almost started crying. I did not cry last year. I didn't cry during student teaching. But this? It has been one frustration after another and I am fed up. I do not feel welcome or valued. I feel like I'm being set up for failure, actually.
Friday, August 14, 2009
California's Burning
When I got up yesterday morning, I noticed that there were little floaty things in the air. I wondered about the shimmering morning air, and then went about watering the yard. (The tomatoes did well, the herbs are growing, the mesclun is off the hook, the artichoke is sprouting up like a weed, but the fuschia is almost dead and there might not be much hope for the leeks.) Later, at the farmer's market, I overheard people talking about the ash fall-out from the fires.
Of course!
Earlier this summer, I had made a mental note that the area was not as fiery as it had been last year around the same time. Driving back on Wednesday, however, I noticed some telltale brown haze along the horizon. Sure enough, when I woke up this morning, my local NPR station was warning of health risks due to the high smoke count in the atmosphere from the fire in the Santa Cruz mountains. When I went outside, I could smell the smoke.
Fun, huh?
Of course!
Earlier this summer, I had made a mental note that the area was not as fiery as it had been last year around the same time. Driving back on Wednesday, however, I noticed some telltale brown haze along the horizon. Sure enough, when I woke up this morning, my local NPR station was warning of health risks due to the high smoke count in the atmosphere from the fire in the Santa Cruz mountains. When I went outside, I could smell the smoke.
Fun, huh?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
My Trip to Portland...
...According to Facebook
Caroline Blank is barrelling up I-5; it's not that she minds that you're going 75, just that you're doing it in the left lane.July 26 at 11:45am
Caroline Blank is having lunch in Weed because she can.July 26 at 1:37pm
Caroline Blank was busy feeding a cheetah. Meow.July 26 at 7:49pm
Caroline Blank can't believe she left 85 and an ocean breeze for this.July 27 at 10:04am
Caroline Blank 's first stop: haircut.July 27 at 11:16am
Caroline Blank : $200 at Nordstrom later, and I look like I've dropped 10 pounds.July 27 at 2:41pm
Caroline Blank : now, benedict and Stumptown.July 28 at 9:57am
Caroline Blank is a hophead.July 28 at 2:33pm
Caroline Blank : Dear Doug Fir, White wine in a tumbler guarantees my hand will warm up my wine, especially in this heat. Try glasses with stems.July 28 at 5:04pm
Caroline Blank loves pork belly.July 29 at 5:24pm
Caroline Blank drove 12 hours for all this shopping.July 30 at 3:47pm
Caroline Blank just won the bar-off.July 31 at 12:32am
Caroline Blank : Oh, Kettleman, I do so love you.July 31 at 9:48am
Caroline Blank loves Powells even more.July 31 at 12:16pm
Caroline Blank always forgets to take the parking sticker off her window before rolling it down.July 31 at 4:24pm
Caroline Blank is holding off on Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for just a bit longer; anticipation is key.July 31 at 7:53pm
Caroline Blank just put the sheep in the barn.July 31 at 8:45pm
Caroline Blank is concurrently in incredible pain, seriously disappointed, and fairly proud of her accomplishments.August 1 at 8:58pm
Caroline Blank is still feeling like Owie McOwerson.August 2 at 2:18pm
Caroline Blank has unravelled the mystery of the pink stains.August 3 at 11:56am
Caroline Blank is getting ready for Fabric Depot!!!August 4 at 11:17am
Caroline Blank is happy.August 4 at 10:35pm
Caroline Blank just got schooled in shuffleboard; for this she drove 12 hours.August 6 at 1:44am
Caroline Blank : 'You wanna know the thought that keeps me up in the middle of the night? When we get old, these kids are gonna be taking care of us.' 'I wouldn't count on it.'August 6 at 5:41pm
Caroline Blank hopes her quads can withstand tonight's game.August 6 at 6:52pm
Caroline Blank 's quads are decidedly not happy with her.August 6 at 11:49pm
Caroline Blank : babies are good for naps.August 7 at 9:31am
Caroline Blank stomped around good ol PSU; it's not as moving an experience as Chapel Hill.August 7 at 5:55pm
Caroline Blank is a little overwhelmed by the Fred Meyer on Hawthorne.August 8 at 1:35pm
Caroline Blank is peeling.Sun at 9:32pm
Caroline Blank enjoyed her bacon-infused vodka.Mon at 11:27am
Caroline Blank scored a maroon, 70s-era leather jacket at the Bins.Mon at 2:00pm
Caroline Blank loves her some sacsayhuaman.Mon at 4:27pm
Caroline Blank : Oh Beulahland, you are so good to me.Mon at 8:59pm
Caroline Blank had brunch with B.J.; life doesn't get much hotter.Yesterday at 12:33pm
Caroline Blank : yucca at Pambiche is so delish.Yesterday at 4:44pm
Caroline Blank : Damn you, Yoko's!Yesterday at 6:40pm
Caroline Blank : Bara came through in a pinch, but it wasn't the orgy of tuna I was expecting.Yesterday at 8:02pm
Caroline Blank wrapped up her trip with a quiet evening with Suzie; these are always among her favorite evenings.Yesterday at 10:43pm
Caroline Blank is not fond of driving in the rain; on a positive note, her car no longer desperately needs to be washed -- now it just needs to be washed.15 hours ago
Caroline Blank will eat lunch in Ashland; finally someone came to get her order.10 hours ago
Caroline Blank thinks that staying hydrated and driving long distances are two activities that should not be combined.8 hours ago
Caroline Blank is seeing stimulus dollars at work all up and down I-5; damn construction.6 hours ago
Caroline Blank : nine cd's in and I'm still not home. IPhone says approximately 2 more hours.3 hours ago
Caroline Blank is back to cooling ocean breezes and HBO.59 minutes ago
Caroline Blank is barrelling up I-5; it's not that she minds that you're going 75, just that you're doing it in the left lane.July 26 at 11:45am
Caroline Blank is having lunch in Weed because she can.July 26 at 1:37pm
Caroline Blank was busy feeding a cheetah. Meow.July 26 at 7:49pm
Caroline Blank can't believe she left 85 and an ocean breeze for this.July 27 at 10:04am
Caroline Blank 's first stop: haircut.July 27 at 11:16am
Caroline Blank : $200 at Nordstrom later, and I look like I've dropped 10 pounds.July 27 at 2:41pm
Caroline Blank : now, benedict and Stumptown.July 28 at 9:57am
Caroline Blank is a hophead.July 28 at 2:33pm
Caroline Blank : Dear Doug Fir, White wine in a tumbler guarantees my hand will warm up my wine, especially in this heat. Try glasses with stems.July 28 at 5:04pm
Caroline Blank loves pork belly.July 29 at 5:24pm
Caroline Blank drove 12 hours for all this shopping.July 30 at 3:47pm
Caroline Blank just won the bar-off.July 31 at 12:32am
Caroline Blank : Oh, Kettleman, I do so love you.July 31 at 9:48am
Caroline Blank loves Powells even more.July 31 at 12:16pm
Caroline Blank always forgets to take the parking sticker off her window before rolling it down.July 31 at 4:24pm
Caroline Blank is holding off on Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for just a bit longer; anticipation is key.July 31 at 7:53pm
Caroline Blank just put the sheep in the barn.July 31 at 8:45pm
Caroline Blank is concurrently in incredible pain, seriously disappointed, and fairly proud of her accomplishments.August 1 at 8:58pm
Caroline Blank is still feeling like Owie McOwerson.August 2 at 2:18pm
Caroline Blank has unravelled the mystery of the pink stains.August 3 at 11:56am
Caroline Blank is getting ready for Fabric Depot!!!August 4 at 11:17am
Caroline Blank is happy.August 4 at 10:35pm
Caroline Blank just got schooled in shuffleboard; for this she drove 12 hours.August 6 at 1:44am
Caroline Blank : 'You wanna know the thought that keeps me up in the middle of the night? When we get old, these kids are gonna be taking care of us.' 'I wouldn't count on it.'August 6 at 5:41pm
Caroline Blank hopes her quads can withstand tonight's game.August 6 at 6:52pm
Caroline Blank 's quads are decidedly not happy with her.August 6 at 11:49pm
Caroline Blank : babies are good for naps.August 7 at 9:31am
Caroline Blank stomped around good ol PSU; it's not as moving an experience as Chapel Hill.August 7 at 5:55pm
Caroline Blank is a little overwhelmed by the Fred Meyer on Hawthorne.August 8 at 1:35pm
Caroline Blank is peeling.Sun at 9:32pm
Caroline Blank enjoyed her bacon-infused vodka.Mon at 11:27am
Caroline Blank scored a maroon, 70s-era leather jacket at the Bins.Mon at 2:00pm
Caroline Blank loves her some sacsayhuaman.Mon at 4:27pm
Caroline Blank : Oh Beulahland, you are so good to me.Mon at 8:59pm
Caroline Blank had brunch with B.J.; life doesn't get much hotter.Yesterday at 12:33pm
Caroline Blank : yucca at Pambiche is so delish.Yesterday at 4:44pm
Caroline Blank : Damn you, Yoko's!Yesterday at 6:40pm
Caroline Blank : Bara came through in a pinch, but it wasn't the orgy of tuna I was expecting.Yesterday at 8:02pm
Caroline Blank wrapped up her trip with a quiet evening with Suzie; these are always among her favorite evenings.Yesterday at 10:43pm
Caroline Blank is not fond of driving in the rain; on a positive note, her car no longer desperately needs to be washed -- now it just needs to be washed.15 hours ago
Caroline Blank will eat lunch in Ashland; finally someone came to get her order.10 hours ago
Caroline Blank thinks that staying hydrated and driving long distances are two activities that should not be combined.8 hours ago
Caroline Blank is seeing stimulus dollars at work all up and down I-5; damn construction.6 hours ago
Caroline Blank : nine cd's in and I'm still not home. IPhone says approximately 2 more hours.3 hours ago
Caroline Blank is back to cooling ocean breezes and HBO.59 minutes ago
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