Tag Archives: Yes we can

>Investing my blood, sweat, and tears in teaching

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>”I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.” — Winston Churchill

Well, Mr. Churchill – may I call you Winston? – I have all that and more to offer my students and my coworkers. I have fifteen years of experience in public schools, more in private preschools and as a substitute teacher. I have undergraduate and graduate degrees. I have knowledge gained from myriad sources: classes, training sessions, professional institutes taught by experts in their fields. I have colleagues who help me apply that knowledge in useful and practical ways.
And I have my own blood, toil, tears, and sweat.
Sweat:
Have you ever been in an classroom in a 60-year-old brick building, with no air conditioning, with only two windows that open? Add 24 sweaty bodies after recess and you’ll know sweat.
Have you ever followed a child across a playground in muggy heat, a child who knows how to keep one step ahead, a child who has emotional issues so extreme you worry about getting too close lest he run out into the street or into the nearby wooded area known to be a repository of broken bottles and sometimes syringes with needles? Even without the hot weather, it was a sweaty situation.
Tears:
Student throws tantrum, shoves staff member.
Student throws another tantrum, kicks aide.
Student gets suspended for aggressive behavior.
Student returns from suspension. Teacher monitors mood, tension, calls on all de-escalation training and years of experience to keep him calm – alone. Because no one, but no one, stops in to check on student when he returns to school after his suspensions.
Feeling totally unsupported leads to tension, high blood pressure, and yes, tears.
Toil:
This I can do. If hard work could solve the problems of all my students, life would be easy. I’m working on grant letters and looking up books to fit the needs of my hardest working, most struggling readers.
I’m also doing the research in advance on procedure for removing a dangerous student from class, even as I sincerely hope it won’t be needed. Toil, perhaps unnecessary, but still toil.
Blood:
Does swelling count? Physical pain? I’ve been teaching on an unexplained and undiagnosed swollen ankle for two weeks. My doctor must understand teachers. She didn’t recommend I take several days off to heal; she suggested I teach sitting down whenever possible. I keep teaching through the pain, not calling a substitute, because that’s what we do.
Winston, I know you made this statement in a time of a great world war. My battles are different. Instead of an enemy with bombs and troops, I fight poverty, apathy, budget cuts, and misinformation. In those battles I offer my knowledge, my experience, my continued professional connections, along with my blood, toil, tears, and sweat.

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>These boys need books. Lots of books.

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>I love teaching reading. Reading is the heart of learning. A child who can read has access to so many worlds, so much fascinating information, so many opportunities, so much fun.

Every year my students span a wide range of reading levels. This year the range is wider than ever, and there are more struggling readers than ever, too. Seven children, all boys, who read at a first grade level.
Fourth graders. Nine- and ten-year-olds who read like the little kids — when they read at all.
I can teach them, work with them every day. Sight words. Phonics. Structure. Basic punctuation and what it means. But in the meantime, they need to read on their own. And therein lies my challenge. I need to help them read, read a lot, and read often. To do that, I need to provide these boys books they can read and books they want to read. Something easy, outrageously easy, and yet something exciting and fun.
I have the structure planned: each of these kiddos will have his own box of books at all times. The box will contain books they can read, books at their level, books that they’ll read when it’s time for them to read on their own. A literacy coach once told me that after students independently read 25 books at their level, they move themselves to the next level. These boys need to read. I know, I’ve already said that. 25 books will sound impossible to them, so I won’t say it out loud. But I will provide books, and they will read, and read, and read.
The only barrier is money. Oh, yeah, money. School budgets are already pared to the bone. To buy more books, first grade reading level but high-interest enough for a fourth grader, will take money. Stimulus funds? Spent well, but spent. Title I Reading funds? Put to good use, believe me. I’ll be at a Title sponsored training tonight.
Grants? Help me out. There’s a local grant group, but they don’t buy books. Bless their heart, they think there are enough books on the shelves, and no one needs more. Shudder. Are there really people who think this way?
Now what? Readers, can you send me to a source for grant money for these kids? A source that will send the money, and soon, so I can buy books and get these guys reading now? Leave it in the comments or email me. Okaybyme at gmail dot com. Please. Let’s give these boys a future. A reading future.

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>What do you remember?

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>Short pieces, memories from September 11, 2001

Realizing that if Amigo could read the headline, it was big.
Both kids, then high school sophomore and fourth grader, ran into the house from their school buses calling out “Mom, did you hear what happened?”
My panic reaction of “fill the van with gas before prices jump!” only to find that the entire city had decided to do the same thing was a decision rapidly abandoned. I had half a tank, and in our normal driving habits, that would still last several weeks.
Teachers gathered in the lounge not to talk (we were a friendly, social group), but to watch a TV we’d dragged in. We’d been called in during our first recess of the day, informed of the district decisions on how to handle the situation. School was in code yellow: not in lock-down, but extra security added. We were not allowed to tell our elementary students until the end of the day.
Reactions varied, but life went on. Amigo and Chuck went to a Lions’ Camp weekend for families the following weekend. Chuck was worn out from a week of crazy stress working at the TV station. He needed to get away from media for a few days.
Every house in the neighborhood lit a candle on that Friday, an impromptu vigil spread by Internet communication. La Petite and a friend took their candles for a walk and saw our neighborhood cop with his bagpipes, playing Amazing Grace and pacing, marching a square around the corner.
Five years later, I suggested a journal prompt to my students about their memories of the attack. They remembered nothing. Nothing. They’d been in first grade, six and seven years old, and no one in the class had any recollection of the day the United States found out we were no longer invincible: we were vulnerable to terrorism on our own soil.
I remember the patriotism that followed and the sense of community that spread. But I also remember the knee-jerk reactions, including passing of a law misnamed the Patriot Act that only one senator actually read before voting.
I remember a huge power outage, a blackout in New York City the following summer, when New Yorkers pulled together rather than looted each other.
I remember a color coded warning system, advice to stock up on canned food, plastic, and duct tape in case of nuclear attack. Then we as a country calmed down and lived our lives again.
I remember a neighbor, a Muslim woman, mother of four boys, being harassed and feeling scared to get out of her minivan to fill it with gas. She is still my neighbor, and her boys are now grown up. She and her family are wonderful people – one of her sons knows La Petite.
I remember a vindictive and vocal minister of a very small church getting too much attention for a terrible, narrow minded act of collecting and planning to burn the Muslim holy book, the Koran.
Wait: the last one just happened. Nine years ago we reacted to a tragedy by coming together.
Readers, let’s stay together.

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>Back to School Vaccines: it’s not too early!

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>I’m getting Amigo’s paperwork ready for school in the fall. I’m dealing with my own health issues. And while medical care is all fresh in my mind, I find my mind wandering to my own students, those I will teach in the fall.

Last year the children in my class were hit hard by H1N1. During a three to four week period, I saw five to ten students out each day. Each one missed at least four days; the sickest of the group missed two full weeks of school.

Amigo is 18. La Petite is 23, a recent college graduate. In the five years between them, immunizations changed. It’s very important to keep up on the changes; teens need regular physicals, just like babies and toddlers do.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is asking bloggers to remind parents to immunize their teens and preteens. Did you know that while most infants and children get the vaccines they need, less then half of pre-teens and teens receive the vaccines specifically recommended for their age group?
There are serious diseases that kids are at increased risk for as they approach the teen years such as meningitis, whooping cough, and human papillomavirus (also known as HPV, the virus that can lead to cervical cancer in women).

Meningococcal infections are very serious and can result in long-term disability or even death.
Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is not just a childhood disease—many teens are diagnosed with it each year. Five years ago, one of my 6th grade students had it and generously shared the virus with me – in June.
Certain strains of HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, can cause cervical pre-cancer and cancer.

There are three vaccines recommended specifically for kids at ages 11 or 12 to protect them from these diseases:

Meningococcal vaccine, which protects against meningitis and its complications
Tdap vaccine, which is a booster against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis
HPV vaccine, which protects girls and women against the types of HPV that most commonly cause cervical cancer

In addition, pre-teens (and all kids 6 months and older!) should get the flu vaccine every year. Even healthy kids can get the flu and it can be serious. Just ask last year’s fourth graders!

You might be thinking, “Oh, that’s fine for people with health insurance. What about those who can’t afford vaccines?” Many of my students and their families fall into that category. Lost job or low income doesn’t have to prevent necessary health care. Look into the Vaccines For Children (VFC) program for funding sources.


I focus more and more on keeping my family healthy through holistic eating and natural methods. I will never give up their vaccines, though. Immunizations are too important to miss.

I am writing this post as part of a CDC blogger outreach program. I may receive a small thank you gift from the CDC for my participation in raising awareness about pre-teen immunizations.

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>BP or not BP: Accountability, not apologies.

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>Republican Congressman Joe Barton personally apologized to BP in a congressional hearing this week.

Apologized. Told the huge international company, the one responsible for eleven deaths and an unprecedented environmental disaster, that he was sorry. He called the $20 billion victims’ relief fund a “shakedown.”

What the #%$%!^&*#!?!?

President Obama and many members of Congress are working hard to ensure that BP provides relief to the victims in the Gulf region — and that the oil giant is held accountable for the damage it’s done. This is not a shakedown. This is accountability. This is responsibility. This is Taking care of the world in which they do business.

On that note, here’s my apology.

Dear Representative Barton and colleagues:

I’m sorry that you’ve been misled by your Grand Old Party. Successful business is good, and oil is important. But the cost in human lives, animal lives, and massive environmental damage, is not something to be taken lightly.

I’m sorry you think it’s wrong to expect accountability. Paying for damages is not a shakedown; it’s restitution. Putting up an escrow account for the future to rebuild and restore the beaches and marshes and fragile ecosystems; that’s not a shakedown, either. It’s called responsibility. Average citizens, the “small people” so condescendingly mentioned by BP executives, call it insurance. We pay premiums in case of disasters that we hope will never happen.

Most of all, Representative Barton and associates, I’m sorry that you have the power to make policy and write laws. If taking responsibility for our world, accepting accountability for mistakes that cost lives, and planning for the future are alien concepts, I don’t want you in office. You certainly don’t represent me.

Sincerely,

Daisy

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>Oil, oil, everywhere – how to help?!?

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>Some people use skills and knowledge to clean oil-slicked birds.
Some set up barriers and hope they’ll hold.
Some apply their knowledge toward capping the devastating leak.

Some raise the money to help pay for the frighteningly extensive clean-up and restoration efforts.

The Nature Conservancy contacted me and asked if I would use my blog to help spread the word about CNN’s Larry King Live telethon Monday night at 8pm ET. The 2 Hour Gulf Coast Relief Telethon will help The Nature Conservancy raise funds to help restore the Gulf Coast.

The Nature Conservancy has launched the Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration to expand our work in the long term recovery of the Gulf of Mexico and key surrounding states. Money raised from this fund will help scientists and staff devote their energies and expertise to aiding in the recovery of critical ecosystems – the future of oyster beds, marshlands and estuaries is now at stake. Celebrities lending their support to the telethon include Sting, Philippe Cousteau, Kathy Griffin, Ted Danson, Robert Redford, Harry Connick Jr., Aaron Neville, Anderson Cooper, Edward James Olmos and more. For more information about how The Nature Conservancy plans to help the Gulf coast, its wildlife and the people that depend on it please visit http://nature.org/restore.

Do you feel powerless to help with this huge disaster? The Nature Conservancy suggests these five methods to help raise money for the Gulf restoration fund.

1. RSVP to the related Facebook event.
2. Stay informed; follow Nature Conservancy bloggers as they report directly from the Gulf.
3. Post updates to Facebook & Twitter. Use the hash tag #CNN#HelpGulf.
4. Watch the CNN Telethon.
5. Make a donation to help restoration efforts in the Gulf.

Please tune in Monday night on CNN. The telethon airs at 8 PM Eastern Time and lasts two hours.

The Nature Conservancy is a trustworthy nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting nature and preserving the diversity of life on Earth. They did not compensate me for my post. Nor should they. Blogger friends; please help spread the word. Others, please use your networks, live or online, to inform others of this opportunity to make a difference.

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The State of the Union in my State of Mind

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“Freedom is a notion sweeping the nation, freedom is a state – – of mind.” — song lyric
“Yes, I’m wise, but it’s wisdom born of pain.” –another song lyric

It was a tough first year for President Obama, one I might call baptism by fire. He inherited a nation in turmoil, an economic collapse, a massive deficit and national debt, and a hurting minority party that wanted nothing less than to see him fail.

President Obama articulately expressed these challenges Wednesday night. He addressed the need for jobs, for employment for all. He talked about health care, despite the controversy attached to the pending bills. He discussed Afghanistan and Iraq and more.

You can read the entire speech here. I don’t need to repeat it verbatim. It was long, but listening to an articulate and personable president made the length more than bearable – it kept my attention. I missed my local OFA State of the Union party in favor of a live chat with the Momocrats as the speech was on.

I found that the Barack Obama we elected, the feisty, energetic, hopeful president, came through best at the end.

“if the Republican leadership is going to insist that 60 votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in this town — a supermajority — then the responsibility to govern is now yours as well. Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership. We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. So let’s show the American people that we can do it together.”

Together. He put the challenge straight to the opposite side of the Congressional aisle. He challenged his naysayers not to beat him, but to join him. By stating clearly that real progress must be bipartisan, President Obama made his agenda clear: No more finger-pointing! Cooperate, cooperate, cooperate.
In parent-teacher talk, it might be “We both want the same thing; we want your child to be successful. Let’s work together.”

And together, we don’t quit. We won’t quit. If the leader of the free world can work with his opposition, the rest of us can learn to work together, too.

Now where did I stash the emails of my senators and congressional rep? Here goes the letter-writing campaign!

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>Doing more with less and teaching, too

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>Teacher, after staff meeting to discuss budget cuts: “I just take what they give me and supplement it with my own money.”

Student’s Mom at Open House: “Don’t you get an aide when the class gets this big?”
Teachers: “No.”

We know; there’s less money available. We know; benefits are getting more and more expensive. We also know; public perception is often inaccurate.

Right now our local taxpayers are calling for teachers to make contract concessions. Concessions? We make concessions each and every day. Every time I use my own paperbackswap credits to get books for my classroom, it’s a personal concession. Every time I print papers at home using my own paper and ink, it’s a concession. Every time I go in to work at my desk on a weekend, it’s a concession. We pay for our own continuing education, including required credits to renew our licenses and program credits toward advanced degrees. We consider this a fact of life, but in truth, it’s a concession, too.

Those are concessions that affect students indirectly by affecting teachers. Let’s look at concessions that directly hit the students.

Students have to provide their own tissues; schools no longer buy them. I buy my own box so the parents of my students don’t have to provide for me. Administration recommended we get hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes for the classrooms to help prevent H1N1, but no money was provided. This comes out of our own pockets or out of parent donations. If no one donates, then what?

Specialty programs such as reading teachers and teachers for the gifted and talented do not get substitutes. The students do not get services when their teachers are ill.

Repair and replacement projects get put off for years because they don’t fit in the budget. The windows in my classroom, for example, are 60-some years old. The room is drafty and cold in the winter. In fall and spring, it’s too hot. Out of five windows that still have screens, only three open and only two can easily close.

As new research clarifies effective teaching methodology, students need materials. Books. Dry-erase boards and markers. SmartBoards. Math manipulatives. Maps. Computers with up-to-date software and access. Budgets, however, shrink rather than grow.

We look for donors. Grants, foundations, businesses, parents, fundraisers, any sources possible.

Most of all, we look for a better funding formula in our state and federal budgets: a funding formula that recognizes that educating our public, young and old, is not optional. It’s essential.

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>More than voting; staying active

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>I was disappointed; I’d offered to take other teachers to a political event, but none were willing. I’ve gone to this meet-up with legislators several times. It’s easy, painless, absolutely non-intimidating. The answers kept coming back No, no, no, no, no.
Deep sigh. Believe it or not, teaching is highly dependent on political decisions. Decision made in Madison affect our curriculum; decisions made in Washington, D.C. affect our assessments. That’s only the beginning.
But no one would go.

Soon after this non-event, a former colleague called to invite me to a meeting of Organizing for America, I thought it over and said, “Count me in.” Not just because of my disappointment in my professional colleagues, not just because the meeting was taking place at a local coffeehouse, but because it felt right.

The evening’s discussions were basic, describing the group’s purpose and structure and opportunities. We adjourned before my parking meter ran out, so the trip only cost me a few quarters and the price of a white chocolate raspberry mocha.

My future with this group? Unknown at this time. Phoning isn’t my strength. Instead, I predict I’ll be a letter writer, pamphlet creator, and (perhaps) blogger.

If I can’t recruit teaching colleagues to meet with legislators, I can work with other volunteers to inspire voters. Yes, I can.

You can, too. Establish an account on Organizing for America’s website and look for events in your area. You can do as little or as much as you wish. Each and every action, large or small, will make a difference to keep our country on track for the kind of change in which we still believe.

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>A Day On, a Day to Dream

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>If you know the name Julia Ward Howe, you probably know her as the writer of the lyrics to the Civil War Hymn “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Ms. Howe’s poetic voice also suggested Mother’s Day, long before it became a holiday, as a day to celebrate celebrate peace.

Martin Luther King Jr., believed in peaceful confrontation and nonviolent civil disobedience. I think he and Ms. Howe would have gotten along fine, had they lived in the same century. In recognition of Dr. King’s Dream, below is a re-post from Mothers’ Day 2008.

I dream that differences will be valued, not disdained.
Eye color, hair color, body shapes, and skin shades will be appreciated for their beauty and variety.
Cultural traditions will not disappear, but will thrive and grow together into a rich and fascinating sharing of knowledge and beliefs.
I dream that blindness will be merely a different way of seeing, and deafness impair only the quantity, not the quality of the language ‘heard’.
Children will matter because they own the future. Their education, academic and social, will become and remain of utmost importance.
The mediators and the peacemakers will be recognized as the strongest leaders.
Questions will come from curiosity, not ignorance, and the answers will breed respect.
Knowing each other, knowing ourselves, will lead to knowing that fights and conflicts, wars of all kinds, will cease to be of value.

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