tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.comments2023-10-23T09:23:22.051-04:00Your SchoolsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger29345125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-53940457589023444012015-03-12T21:06:15.184-04:002015-03-12T21:06:15.184-04:00Your Schools,
Officially deceased. Cause of death....Your Schools,<br />Officially deceased. Cause of death. Facebook. Filtered nut cases and serious commentary alike gone forever. It was a good run when it ran…….<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-22000904204322735842015-03-09T06:39:13.447-04:002015-03-09T06:39:13.447-04:00Before leaving my comment, I want to give a brief ...Before leaving my comment, I want to give a brief background about who I am:<br /><br />- I am an AA male<br />- I am a product of the public school system<br />- I am a former CMS teacher<br />- I am the son of an immigrant and a high school dropout<br /><br />A lot of people are wondering while AA males struggle so much in CMS. This is why: school isn't engaging to them.<br /><br />AA males make up a significant percentage of the students in CMS, but less than two percent of public school teachers are AA men. Givrn the fact that a lot of AA male students come from environments lacking positive male role models, attending schools where AA male authority figures are MIA further drives home the point to them that they aren't valued in society. It's hard for a kid to visualize himself as being something positive because he doesn't have any real life examles to emulate. Therefore, your typical AA male student aspires to be a professional athlete or rapper instead because those are the only examples of AA men he get to see who are "successful" and aren't living in poverty.<br /><br />If he is lucky to have an AA male teacher or principal as some point in his life, it is usually at a time when a negative attitude toward school has already been developed, and that AA figure has to jump through a lot of hoops to get through to him. This is information I've experienced firsthand. <br /><br />I was fortunate growing up. I had three principals who were AA males. My 4th, 6th, and 7th grade math teachers were AA males; my 5th grade math teacher was an AA female, who, coincidentally, was the wife of my 7th grade math teacher. The point is, I took an early interest to a core subject because the person teaching it to me was someone I could relate to and who could relate to me, a privilege that EA students get regardless of where they go to school. As a result, I was able to excel at something that statistics said wasn't possible.<br /><br />Some may be asking, "Well, if you feel that strongly about the lack of AA male teachers, then why are you a 'former' teacher instead of a 'current' one?"<br /><br />It is because the district, again from my own firsthand experience, does little to nothing supporting brand new teachers, especially teachers who teach at Title I schools like I did. Of the three math teachers that were newly hired at my school last year, none were back for this year, me included. One was a 10-year veteran, and he left midyear to get a teaching job closer to home. He no longer saw the benefit of driving an hour each way to teach students who didn't pay attention or give effort. Another teacher was a rookie like me. He, too, left midyear for greener pastures -- albeit to another profession altogether -- because his class sizes went from 30 to 40 and was continued to be offered no support. The school was two math teachers short, but rather than hire extra math teachers, they overloaded our classes instead. So while other subjects enjoyed typical class sizes of less than 20 students, we math teachers had 30 or more per class.<br /><br />I managed to last the entire school year, but CMS decided not to renew my contract despite the fact that my students proficiency rate on the EOGs were no worse than my peer's who had over a decade more experience than me. (17 percent of my students scored proficient vs 15 percent for my colleague teaching the same grade level.)<br /><br />Considering how much more difficult the curriculum is now with Common Core, how can anyone expect students to sit through class and be engaged when the vas majority are already one to two grade levels behind?<br /><br />The current system is harmful to students in general, but it is even more harmful to AA male students.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-42110055291688971972015-03-08T11:05:30.846-04:002015-03-08T11:05:30.846-04:00Wiley Coyote's Education Blog
http://undoeduc...Wiley Coyote's Education Blog<br /><br />http://undoeducationstatusquo.blogspot.com/<br /><br />Come give it a whirl!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-15343073348499786212015-03-07T11:54:59.200-05:002015-03-07T11:54:59.200-05:00Shamash,
Heard through the grapevine you were on ...Shamash,<br /><br />Heard through the grapevine you were on Wiley's blog.<br /><br />Meet you on the other side of blogosphere.<br /><br />Alicia <br /><br />"He was a dark and stormy knight"..<br />- Snoopy Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-30651449449273890892015-03-06T08:01:54.064-05:002015-03-06T08:01:54.064-05:00Alicia,
"3:47 AM? You drivin' an early s...Alicia,<br /><br />"3:47 AM? You drivin' an early start time high school bus? "<br /><br />I'm not in Kansas anymore...<br /><br />I'm far, far away.<br /><br />Far enough away to not really care about my old "home" so much except I still have some stuff back in the Carolinas and still have to pay taxes back in the good ol' US of A.<br /><br />Darn it.<br /><br />Some day my family may return, though, so I guess it's worth keeping.<br /><br />It's been fun. But I'm having fun where I am now, too.<br /><br />But that's my real world existence.<br /><br />As for the virtual world...<br /><br />[Click on Wiley's Blogger profile and c'mon down the rabbit hole to an alternate universe (of sorts).]Shamashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886687970259841873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-17421842161342671362015-03-05T21:59:36.790-05:002015-03-05T21:59:36.790-05:00Shamash,
3:47 AM? You drivin' an early start...Shamash,<br /><br />3:47 AM? You drivin' an early start time high school bus? <br /><br />Alicia<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-74937391220317877622015-03-05T03:47:18.900-05:002015-03-05T03:47:18.900-05:00"Alicia and Shamash time to get a room!"..."Alicia and Shamash time to get a room!"<br /><br />This ain't no party, this ain't no disco,<br />This ain't no fooling around<br />No time for dancing, or lovey dovey,<br />I ain't got time for that now<br /><br /><br />Transmit the message, to the receiver,<br />Hope for an answer some day<br />I got three passports, a couple of visas,<br />You don't even know my real name<br /><br /><br />High on a hillside, the trucks are loading,<br />Everything's ready to roll<br />I sleep in the daytime, I work in the nighttime,<br />I might not ever get home<br /><br /><br />---------------<br /><br />That's all I have to say about that...Shamashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886687970259841873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-63541577180219612122015-03-04T18:37:50.760-05:002015-03-04T18:37:50.760-05:00DONT MOVE TO NC THE SCHOOL'S ARE OVERCROWDED A...DONT MOVE TO NC THE SCHOOL'S ARE OVERCROWDED AND GOOD IN SOME WAYS <br /><br /><br />WE DONT NEED ANYMORE STUDENTS<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-10232559929484539522015-03-03T23:20:30.066-05:002015-03-03T23:20:30.066-05:00Alicia, Shamash...
email me here:
axles93105@myp...Alicia, Shamash...<br /><br />email me here:<br /><br />axles93105@mypacks.netWiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-79242475957392996502015-03-03T21:17:58.452-05:002015-03-03T21:17:58.452-05:00Alicia and Shamash time to get a room!Alicia and Shamash time to get a room!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-78106118864630146212015-03-03T20:06:42.644-05:002015-03-03T20:06:42.644-05:00Wiley,
"We could have our own secret, double...Wiley,<br /><br />"We could have our own secret, double-naught education forum that people would actually read."<br /><br />H'mmm. <br /><br />That's getting fairly close to my "subversive" idea of universal anonymous news comment sites.<br /><br />It's a lot like "underground" radio was in the 1960's, man. <br /><br />With shades of the "Occupy" movement. <br /><br />We just take over former corporate blog sites as they "convert" to Facebook. <br /><br />And maybe tie them altogether with a SuperBLOG group (like a SuperPAC, so we could get anonymous donations, too).<br /><br />We could play full sides of Black Sabbath albums without commercial interruption. <br /><br />And the entire pre-Stevie Nicks Fleetwood Mac collection.<br /><br />But I'm afraid we'd be put on double secret probation.<br /><br />And we'd have to answer to the Brain Police.Shamashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886687970259841873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-54931329428363009532015-03-03T19:59:05.792-05:002015-03-03T19:59:05.792-05:00Alicia,
If you had changed your name to Alee'...Alicia,<br /><br />If you had changed your name to Alee'sha and not had a "face-to-face" interview, you might have made it to the next round.<br /><br />There's a rumor going around that white people not only can't jump, and can't dance, but also cannot teach black kids, so you probably had an uphill battle. <br /><br />Maybe you didn't look "cool" or "alternative" enough to be a proper white role model. <br /><br />Have you tried spiked purple hair and tattoos, or perhaps a sex change (or just be in the process, or just say you are, no one will REALLY check...)<br /><br />I'm certain, though, that this would in no way influence the selection process at Project LIFT since they are all about "diversity" and have an "opportunity" culture.<br /><br />For some people, that is.<br /><br />I noticed on the Project LIFT Facebook page that they are OK with an all-white staff teaching them Robotics, though, at the OLPC Robotics Camp.<br /><br />So a guest appearance might be OK.<br /><br />Maybe you could start a Robot Street Dancing Camp and get some "cred" with Project LIFT that way.<br /><br />It's either that or sneak in with free Zumba for the parents.Shamashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886687970259841873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-18995105982972643652015-03-03T15:21:11.378-05:002015-03-03T15:21:11.378-05:00By the way Andrew, my last comment wasn't dire...By the way Andrew, my last comment wasn't directed at you, but rather the lack of commenters on the new side...Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-75629337923859336192015-03-03T15:15:21.338-05:002015-03-03T15:15:21.338-05:00Do you think the Observer paid the bill on this bl...Do you think the Observer paid the bill on this blog link through March or the rest of 2015?<br /><br />We could have our own secret, double-naught education forum that people would actually read.Wiley Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16966764080565903720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-20868213782896098102015-03-03T09:21:32.680-05:002015-03-03T09:21:32.680-05:00Shamash,
For the record, I had no problem passing...Shamash,<br /><br />For the record, I had no problem passing the audition at NYU or any other college I applied to in the vicinity of NYC. <br /><br />I landed at "inferior" George Washington University as a grad student for the full tuitional scholarship plus stipend - which also required me to pass an audition, teach two college level classes and hold my own during a face-to-face interview that Project LIFT didn't find me worthy of.<br /><br />Alicia Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-17180139153638653812015-03-02T23:21:25.530-05:002015-03-02T23:21:25.530-05:00Re: Project LIFT:
If I had to wager a bet, I was ...Re: Project LIFT:<br /><br />If I had to wager a bet, I was WAY to 'Soccer Mom' looking and AARP old in the eyes of the 30-year-old who determined I wasn't worthy of a face-to-face "LIFT-WAY" interview with credentials and real-life "hood" experience that would blow theirs out of the F-ing water. Because Project LIFT is all about "diversity".<br /><br />And as irony would have it, my 5th grade 20-something-year-old cohort at my 'little" rural charter school is dating a teacher at West Charlotte High - hired directly from NY.<br /><br />Alicia <br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-69025396186825092682015-03-02T22:19:19.954-05:002015-03-02T22:19:19.954-05:00Alicia,
"which is why I still take issue wit...Alicia,<br /><br />"which is why I still take issue with Project LIFT's failure to interview me in person after a disastrous pre-recored and timed computer screen "interview" "<br /><br />Sometimes it's best when you DON'T pass the audition.<br /><br />Project LIFT is a disaster and was most likely designed to be one from the beginning.<br /><br />Even YOU could not turn it into another "Springtime For Hitler".<br /><br />Unlike in the Producers, though, Project Lift is working as designed.<br /><br />The money will be spent, careers will be built, everyone will pat themselves on the back and move on to the next gig soon enough.<br /><br />Shamashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886687970259841873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-77334517682470003792015-03-02T22:09:55.622-05:002015-03-02T22:09:55.622-05:00Alicia,
"(bare with me…)"
Not necessar...Alicia,<br /><br />"(bare with me…)"<br /><br />Not necessary. I think you already passed the audition.<br /><br />And this ain't New York City where that kind of performance would be acceptable.<br /><br />(Ha, had to needle you on that. Remember, I am not naturally a kind person...Also, "rocks for jocks" would be Geology, not Astronomy. Gawd, I just LOVE correcting teachers...)<br /><br />Glad you found TED. It has some interesting things. <br /><br />Of course, like everything, it needs to be taken critically at times.<br /><br />Well, glad to see you are finding some creativity in math, because it's definitely there. <br /><br />It can even be found in simple math as well, like the various ways to solve simple problems.<br /><br />That is a good skill to develop and encourage. Show kids that there is more than one way to solve a problem.<br /><br />It is one mistake the Asian schools sometimes make. <br /><br />There is a bit of recent controversy over that in Singapore, where kids were marked down for not giving "exact" answers in science, even though their answers were ESSENTIALLY the same or maybe even better.<br /><br />(Of course, like many op-ed's this may have been taken out of context of the purpose of the test, but still...)<br /><br />Here's the op-ed in which elementary school children tackle the scientific question:<br /><br />"WHAT is the difference between a bird and a lion? "<br /><br />And get lower marks for giving perfectly fine, but not "exact" answers, even though the "exact" answer is a bit redundant and insufficient.<br /><br />Hardly the kind of "teaching" that encourages good scientific thinking...<br /><br />http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/good-science-poor-english-20150205<br /><br />So keep those kids thinking of good alternative solutions. They do have value.<br /><br />Also, encourage some serious critical thinking.<br /><br />It's something which is talked about a lot but almost never encouraged in schools.<br /><br />A lot of teachers don't even seem to understand it at all. <br /><br />I know most didn't when I was in school, so I had to learn about it myself from the library.Shamashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886687970259841873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-22716554487835522822015-03-02T20:56:35.287-05:002015-03-02T20:56:35.287-05:00SHAMASH,
(bare with me…)
I never hated math but ...SHAMASH,<br /><br />(bare with me…)<br /><br />I never hated math but I never particularly liked it either. In college, I mostly went out of my way to avoid math by taking courses like "Rocks for Jocks" (i.e. astronomy in a massive state university lecture hall). <br /><br />People that know me look at me like I have three heads when I tell them I'm now teaching math. The TED video you suggested makes a poignant distinction between math and dance in the world of education. The thing is, I'm discovering for the FIRST time in my entire 52 year-old life how "creative' math can be. I'm I firm believer that one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it to someone else. Teaching math is all about teaching a concept that can be solved 2-5 different ways. It's mind blowing to me how some kids pick up math one way and others pick it up a different way. I'm still so new to all of this and have much to learn but I never - in my wildest dreams - thought I'd look forward to teaching this "creative" subject. <br /><br />Alicia Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-22167059937832680722015-03-02T20:34:44.456-05:002015-03-02T20:34:44.456-05:00SHAMASH,
Too excited…!
Dance is an EXTREMELY com...SHAMASH,<br /><br />Too excited…!<br /><br />Dance is an EXTREMELY competitive field and to accomplish the things I wanted to do (starting at an early age) required an extremely competitive and focused spirit. I will die on this planet doing EVERYTHING I ever wanted to accomplish in this field - everything. I danced professionally, taught at four major universities, taught every walk and age of life in public, private and non-profit sectors and was instrumental in taking an absolutely nothing "recreational" program and transforming it into a high quality, highly sought after, and financially lucrative endeavor (with a shout-out to the Harris YMCA School of Dance). <br /><br />Deciding to try something new in my late 40's (like teaching 5th grade math and social studies) felt like severing an arm and was scary as hell but was necessary for me to continue to "grow" after reaching a point of personal and career stagnation that made me depressed. <br /><br />I am not a person who can easily brush-off being rejected without the opportunity to authentically present myself. This is not to say I can't handle rejection and failure. Dance is all about never, and I mean NEVER, attaining ideal standards of perfection. Dance is about strength and beauty but it is also as much about failure and defeat. Dance is not for the meek of body, mind or spirit which is why I still take issue with Project LIFT's failure to interview me in person after a disastrous pre-recored and timed computer screen "interview" that may eventually serve as a poster child example of one of the primary reasons this $55,000,000 "business" approach to education will ultimately fail - like so many others. <br /><br />AliciaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-62790756690944075112015-03-02T20:34:31.978-05:002015-03-02T20:34:31.978-05:00SHAMASH,
Too excited…!
Dance is an EXTREMELY com...SHAMASH,<br /><br />Too excited…!<br /><br />Dance is an EXTREMELY competitive field and to accomplish the things I wanted to do (starting at an early age) required an extremely competitive and focused spirit. I will die on this planet doing EVERYTHING I ever wanted to accomplish in this field - everything. I danced professionally, taught at four major universities, taught every walk and age of life in public, private and non-profit sectors and was instrumental in taking an absolutely nothing "recreational" program and transforming it into a high quality, highly sought after, and financially lucrative endeavor (with a shout-out to the Harris YMCA School of Dance). <br /><br />Deciding to try something new in my late 40's (like teaching 5th grade math and social studies) felt like severing an arm and was scary as hell but was necessary for me to continue to "grow" after reaching a point of personal and career stagnation that made me depressed. <br /><br />I am not a person who can easily brush-off being rejected without the opportunity to authentically present myself. This is not to say I can't handle rejection and failure. Dance is all about never, and I mean NEVER, attaining ideal standards of perfection. Dance is about strength and beauty but it is also as much about failure and defeat. Dance is not for the meek of body, mind or spirit which is why I still take issue with Project LIFT's failure to interview me in person after a disastrous pre-recored and timed computer screen "interview" that may eventually serve as a poster child example of one of the primary reasons this $55,000,000 "business" approach to education will ultimately fail - like so many others. <br /><br />Alicia<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-30206478311743917372015-03-02T19:54:44.910-05:002015-03-02T19:54:44.910-05:00"But I may occasionally drop into THIS blog u..."But I may occasionally drop into THIS blog until it's shut down, heh."<br /><br />SHAMASH,<br /><br />OMG. I've been having an absolute BLAST watching some of the TED videos! I just so happened to do my major exit project for my most recent degree on the topic of "Ideas that Changed the World". I can't believe I never came across this organization. Wow. Wow and thank you! <br /><br />Do Check Out: <br /><br />Dan Pink - The Science and Economics of Motivation in the Business Workplace (NOT the education workplace but the business workplace).<br /><br />Contemplative Points:<br /><br />1. "Utopian" work environments that produce the best results based on MIT, Univ. of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon and London School of Economics research. #1 was a a MAJOR decision factor for me when choosing between a wide range of teaching offers. <br /><br />2. Dan's explanation of intrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation.<br /><br />3. Pay-for-performance incentive plans.<br /><br />4. What science knows and what business does.<br /><br />5. Recruiting "talented" people based on outdated management styles and unscientifically proven notions. <br /><br />6. Compliance and punishing "sticks" thrown at failure. (think NC school letter grades and NC school reform in general)<br /><br />And on and on…<br /><br />With gratitude,<br /><br />Alicia <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-63292624528637935232015-03-01T23:11:37.465-05:002015-03-01T23:11:37.465-05:00What the Charlotte Observer had remarkably brought...What the Charlotte Observer had remarkably brought together, the Charlotte Observer hath remarkably taken away.<br /><br />Breaking up the band is hard to do.<br /><br />Again, I'll miss being here. I know many others feel the same way too. <br /><br />AliciaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-36939069437526502762015-03-01T21:00:42.085-05:002015-03-01T21:00:42.085-05:00... in my quest to solicit support for a Dance/The...... in my quest to solicit support for a Dance/Theater Arts studio at my school next year. <br /><br />Alicia<br /><br />-------------<br /><br />Best of luck with that. <br /><br />When I saw the TED talk, it reminded me of you, so glad you liked it and may find it useful.<br /><br />We sometimes forget that we do not know the future and that no one knows what "skills" may truly be in demand or what type of cross-pollination of ideas may occur because someone knows something a little bit outside the norm.<br /><br />Believe it or not, when I was in school, almost NO ONE really knew much about computers or what they could do.<br /><br />Much less what they would eventually do.<br /><br />It was considered an odd thing to want to be involved with. <br /><br />I really couldn't tell people what I'd be doing with computers, either. I only knew that I enjoyed fooling around with them.<br /><br />And when I tried to do a "computer art" project back in the 1970's with an art student, almost NO ONE had heard of such a thing.<br /><br />So we did an independent project.<br /><br />Later, someone hunted me down because our project had been one of the earliest examples of such a thing.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I did not have the samples to submit for publication.<br /><br />Oh well...<br /><br />Infamy and misfortune eluded me once again.Shamashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886687970259841873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-55755735418554467862015-03-01T20:37:49.228-05:002015-03-01T20:37:49.228-05:00Well, my crap keeps getting deleted on the main si...Well, my crap keeps getting deleted on the main site , so I'm out of here for now.<br /><br />(Even when I try to be nice, which is a real stretch for me.)<br /><br />Those of us with aboriginal names just get no respect.<br /><br />Not worth the hassle just now with tax theft season approaching.<br /><br />Now if I can only figure out a way to legally stop paying taxes in the US, everything will be just hunky-dory.<br /><br />Meanwhile, I'll just keep trying to minimize the damage (as always).<br /><br />Zaijian, y'all. <br /><br />See you on the other side SOMEDAY.<br /><br />(But I may occasionally drop into THIS blog until it's shut down, heh.)<br /><br />I suspect there will be a technical solution to this sort of stuff someday.<br /><br />Maybe a universal "comment" site which allows uncensored comments on news and bypasses the actual "source" of the news, depriving them of "click" based income.<br /><br />(I'd gladly "crowdsource" such a subversive project, if serious.)<br /><br />Now, back to your regularly scheduled re-programming...Shamashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06886687970259841873noreply@blogger.com