Monday, I posted about a few of the challenges of my work. (See "Never Dull," Feb. 23).
I see progress on all fronts but one. And I am happy to report some big successes:
1. Still pouting, but for shorter times, and less overt crying.
2. Child number 2 has successfully had THREE half-hour lessons with me without a single snide remark.
5. Found new mentor for one, reading buddy for another, special job as setup assistant for yet another. Baby steps, but adolescence is superhard when it's fresh. And the toughest case - managed to catch him smiling and working at the same time. He had remembered how to find the least common multiple of 2 numbers, without any prompting or reminders, and he was SO proud.
Unfortunately, no. 6 remains a heartbreaker. But I did my best with this colleague today.
Friday, February 27, 2009
"Did I Do My Best Today?"
Just got back from the annual Blue and Gold Banquet. For those unfamiliar with the term, this is the awards ceremony for Cub Scouts.
Frequent readers will (hopefully) remember that I talked about how diverse my school's neighborhood is, both economically and ethnically. Scouting, on the other hand, is often seen as a bastion of the white middle class. Indeed, our local pack was started a few years ago by a group of professional families of Caucasian descent. In many areas it has remained so.
But in this instance, Cub Scouts is a VERY good thing.
Tonight I witnessed 5 second-year Webelos scouts (fifth graders) receive their Arrow of Light award and graduate to Boy Scouts. This group included: 1 African-American, 2 Hispanics, 1 White American, and 1 German/Middle Easterner. There were 2 Catholics, an Evangelical, a Baptist, and a Muslim. They speak 2 languages and came from 4 different countries. They include 2 ESOL students and 3 with IEPs.
This group of 5 (and the roughly 35 younger boys behind them) came together for two reasons. First, the founders of the pack did not keep it as their own bastion of privilege - they openly sought out their childrens' classmates (not just their friends) and consciously invited the whole school community to participate. Second, the invitees, mostly immigrants and often seen as outsiders by society at large, accepted the invitation. It's almost like human alchemy: from several distinct elements, a new thing of great value is being born.
These five young men (they were called that officially tonight, probably for the first time) have taken what should prove to be a significant step: they have united as a community, set goals for themselves and their group, and accomplished those goals. They have learned from the example of last year's crop, and set a continuing example for the group to follow.
During the ceremony, we were all reminded of a motto of scouting. "When you go to bed each night, ask yourself: Did I do my best today? How can I do better tomorrow?" I can safely say, they have all learned to ask and answer these questions. I can remember a time when they didn't - I've known 4 of the 5 since kindergarten. I am astounded at what this new community has done to improve their lives.
Frequent readers will (hopefully) remember that I talked about how diverse my school's neighborhood is, both economically and ethnically. Scouting, on the other hand, is often seen as a bastion of the white middle class. Indeed, our local pack was started a few years ago by a group of professional families of Caucasian descent. In many areas it has remained so.
But in this instance, Cub Scouts is a VERY good thing.
Tonight I witnessed 5 second-year Webelos scouts (fifth graders) receive their Arrow of Light award and graduate to Boy Scouts. This group included: 1 African-American, 2 Hispanics, 1 White American, and 1 German/Middle Easterner. There were 2 Catholics, an Evangelical, a Baptist, and a Muslim. They speak 2 languages and came from 4 different countries. They include 2 ESOL students and 3 with IEPs.
This group of 5 (and the roughly 35 younger boys behind them) came together for two reasons. First, the founders of the pack did not keep it as their own bastion of privilege - they openly sought out their childrens' classmates (not just their friends) and consciously invited the whole school community to participate. Second, the invitees, mostly immigrants and often seen as outsiders by society at large, accepted the invitation. It's almost like human alchemy: from several distinct elements, a new thing of great value is being born.
These five young men (they were called that officially tonight, probably for the first time) have taken what should prove to be a significant step: they have united as a community, set goals for themselves and their group, and accomplished those goals. They have learned from the example of last year's crop, and set a continuing example for the group to follow.
During the ceremony, we were all reminded of a motto of scouting. "When you go to bed each night, ask yourself: Did I do my best today? How can I do better tomorrow?" I can safely say, they have all learned to ask and answer these questions. I can remember a time when they didn't - I've known 4 of the 5 since kindergarten. I am astounded at what this new community has done to improve their lives.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Memo to the GOP
THE MARKET IS NOT GOD.
Enough theo-capitalism already.
There are situations in which the market is a perfectly acceptable way of solving things. I do not want to see it abolished from our lives.
But it's time to acknowledge the market's chief limit: it is motivated solely by profit. The market is not motivated by morals or ethics. Certainly there are individual capitalists with a greater cause. But the market itself is driven by the love of money.
So there are some things the market just can't solve. Like health care: As we were reminded tonight, Teddy Roosevelt called for reform nearly a hundred years ago. We have spent the greater part of a century waiting for the invisible hand of the market to produce morally acceptable results. But that is not the purpose of markets! The market did exactly what it is meant to do: it maximized money. It cannot be trusted to do anything else. Our century of reliance on free-market principles has produced double-digit profit margins, multiple layers of corporate overhead and bureaucracy, and a system where every decision is made based on the ability of someone to profit from different courses of action. Given the purpose of markets, we should not be surprised.
But we should be outraged. This is NOT how we are called to care for the sick. History has proven that the market can't, and private philanthropy won't, do what is necessary to solve the moral and ethical issues is this area.
But rather than address the problem, the GOP blindly insists on worshiping the free market. They still think that if we "give the problem to the market," it will get solved. We're supposed to be giving our problems to God.
How God calls us to solve this problem together is a subject for another post. But it's clear to me that simply trusting the market - giving in to our love of money - is definitely NOT the answer.
Enough theo-capitalism already.
There are situations in which the market is a perfectly acceptable way of solving things. I do not want to see it abolished from our lives.
But it's time to acknowledge the market's chief limit: it is motivated solely by profit. The market is not motivated by morals or ethics. Certainly there are individual capitalists with a greater cause. But the market itself is driven by the love of money.
So there are some things the market just can't solve. Like health care: As we were reminded tonight, Teddy Roosevelt called for reform nearly a hundred years ago. We have spent the greater part of a century waiting for the invisible hand of the market to produce morally acceptable results. But that is not the purpose of markets! The market did exactly what it is meant to do: it maximized money. It cannot be trusted to do anything else. Our century of reliance on free-market principles has produced double-digit profit margins, multiple layers of corporate overhead and bureaucracy, and a system where every decision is made based on the ability of someone to profit from different courses of action. Given the purpose of markets, we should not be surprised.
But we should be outraged. This is NOT how we are called to care for the sick. History has proven that the market can't, and private philanthropy won't, do what is necessary to solve the moral and ethical issues is this area.
But rather than address the problem, the GOP blindly insists on worshiping the free market. They still think that if we "give the problem to the market," it will get solved. We're supposed to be giving our problems to God.
How God calls us to solve this problem together is a subject for another post. But it's clear to me that simply trusting the market - giving in to our love of money - is definitely NOT the answer.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Never Dull
So, I'm a music teacher, right?
Yes, but I'm also a consulting teacher on classroom management / social skills / community building. Confidentiality and professionalism prevent me from divulging many details, but here are some things I've been chewing on over the past week:
1. The second-grader who cries/pouts when he can't sit with the teacher.
2. The second-grader who just can't seem to let one go without comment.
3. Do we call CPS on _____? (A tougher call than you might think.)
4. The fifth-grade girl making a "bad people" book and writing in it things that aren't necessarily the whole truth.
5. The sixth-grade boy embarrassed at his deficits and struggling to see his strengths. (Actually, several of these.)
6. The colleague struggling to see good in a child I personally adore.
7. Boy-girl issues with 12-year-olds (I always seem to be the default relationship counselor.)
a. Should I ask __ out? (answer always: what do your parents think?)
b. I'm going out with __. What should I get her? (answer always: a teddy bear)
c. Should I maybe get her earrings instead? (answer: NNNNNNNOOOOOOOO)
d. I like ____ but she's going out with ___. (answer always: It's not your time. Let it go.)
8. A colleague who asks for suggestions, but I experience tells me they won't be tried.
9. Better ways to acknowledge students' social success without feeling like we're buying them off. Right now, we don't buy children off - with candy, Mt. Dew, etc. - and that's a good thing. But our recognitions seem a little lacking somehow.
10. What to do with boogers (always a kindergarten issue this time of year).
11. A class that is ostracizing a newcomer who seems perfectly happy being ostracized, and overtly plans how to keep it that way. Deep down she wants to belong (we all do,) but she has a veneer of alabaster.
February is a long, long month. But I know that discussing these issues now will help us have a bountiful spring.
Yes, but I'm also a consulting teacher on classroom management / social skills / community building. Confidentiality and professionalism prevent me from divulging many details, but here are some things I've been chewing on over the past week:
1. The second-grader who cries/pouts when he can't sit with the teacher.
2. The second-grader who just can't seem to let one go without comment.
3. Do we call CPS on _____? (A tougher call than you might think.)
4. The fifth-grade girl making a "bad people" book and writing in it things that aren't necessarily the whole truth.
5. The sixth-grade boy embarrassed at his deficits and struggling to see his strengths. (Actually, several of these.)
6. The colleague struggling to see good in a child I personally adore.
7. Boy-girl issues with 12-year-olds (I always seem to be the default relationship counselor.)
a. Should I ask __ out? (answer always: what do your parents think?)
b. I'm going out with __. What should I get her? (answer always: a teddy bear)
c. Should I maybe get her earrings instead? (answer: NNNNNNNOOOOOOOO)
d. I like ____ but she's going out with ___. (answer always: It's not your time. Let it go.)
8. A colleague who asks for suggestions, but I experience tells me they won't be tried.
9. Better ways to acknowledge students' social success without feeling like we're buying them off. Right now, we don't buy children off - with candy, Mt. Dew, etc. - and that's a good thing. But our recognitions seem a little lacking somehow.
10. What to do with boogers (always a kindergarten issue this time of year).
11. A class that is ostracizing a newcomer who seems perfectly happy being ostracized, and overtly plans how to keep it that way. Deep down she wants to belong (we all do,) but she has a veneer of alabaster.
February is a long, long month. But I know that discussing these issues now will help us have a bountiful spring.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A Question for Roland
I don't write as often as I'd like because it's hard to form coherent thoughts sometimes. But this one was too easy.
Roland Burriss,
My question for you is NOT "how dumb do you think we are?" You said today that you don't want us to rush to judgment. You want us to wait and get the facts.
You have now had five (count'em, five!) opportunities to tell the truth. Three of these came under oath. You have given five different responses on these five occasions.
So, my question for you is, "How dumb do you want all of us to think you are?" Stop digging yourself deeper. Stop talking. I don't see how anyone can actually believe any of your answers at this point, knowing that tomorrow we'll just get a different one.
Roland Burriss,
My question for you is NOT "how dumb do you think we are?" You said today that you don't want us to rush to judgment. You want us to wait and get the facts.
You have now had five (count'em, five!) opportunities to tell the truth. Three of these came under oath. You have given five different responses on these five occasions.
So, my question for you is, "How dumb do you want all of us to think you are?" Stop digging yourself deeper. Stop talking. I don't see how anyone can actually believe any of your answers at this point, knowing that tomorrow we'll just get a different one.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Wow! It's been longer than I thought.
We DID get a snow day that Wednesday (see below) but no luck with the blogging.
Things like a Tuesday (yes, Tuesday) wedding - held on the date for zodiacal reasons - and the minutiae of life keep interfering.
But I've come to recognize the spiritual discipline of blogging, if only because it gives me something to focus on when I'm talking to myself.
I hereby resolve: at least twice a week.
We DID get a snow day that Wednesday (see below) but no luck with the blogging.
Things like a Tuesday (yes, Tuesday) wedding - held on the date for zodiacal reasons - and the minutiae of life keep interfering.
But I've come to recognize the spiritual discipline of blogging, if only because it gives me something to focus on when I'm talking to myself.
I hereby resolve: at least twice a week.
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