Life in NYC/ Southern Withdrawals

I am indeed enjoying my time exploring urban education. However, without reservation, I miss North Carolina. I enjoy the reality that I can do something anytime I want .... I can wake up at 3 am and go find something to eat .... the city indeed never sleeps .......... but I miss SWEET TEA, DRIVING, MY FRIENDS, and store personnel who get in trouble for not being cordial (It kills me when they don't say have a nice day :))

Happy NEW YEAR!!!!

I'll be back in 2009!

My Updated View on Education

When I initially went into the classroom, I understood the importance of looking at students holistically to understand them. With this understanding, my educational philosophy could be summarized as all children can learn when given the proper educational supports. Furthermore, this philosophy extended to infer that with these educational supports properly implemented the drop-out rate would decrease and the educational achievement gap would begin to close.

Based on my experiences in the classroom, I believe that leaders around the world must realize that the pressure has indeed increased upon most teachers to deliver competitive services to students. However, leaders must recognize that in order to achieve far-reaching results, pressure must be applied proportionately to all parties who have bearing on the success of our children, i.e. principals, assistant principals, counselors, social workers, teachers, assistant teachers, parents, foster parents, etc. We must change the context in which we view education, if we hold out hope that the achievement gap will ever close.

In short, my view on education has become that all children can learn and excel when provided the appropriate supports in all settings by adults who are held accountable. I will end this post by stating that my experiences in the classroom begs an in dept critical investigation into the foster care system to see how they can best supports wards of the state and others they have contact with both during and after their secondary educations.

Stay Tuned ..................

Graduate School MS.Ed

One of the requirements of the New York City Teaching Fellows, NYCTF, is that you complete your Master's degree at a school of their choosing. I am working on my MS.Ed, Concentration: students with disabilities, at City College of the City University of New York. The degree is 31 hours, and is projected to take two years. However, I intend to finish it in 1.5.

It is strenuous to teach a full day and then rush to classes. However, it has not proven too much. In fact, it has simply allowed me to truly realize how much I enjoy being a student.

This semester, I will conduct the literature review and design my thesis... and as I work -- I will be sure to keep you guys posted .... those who know me already know I will struggle picking one simple topic --- but the experience is sure to be grand for us all!

Stay Tuned .....

The Teachers/Administration

I have made many observations in regards to my administrators and the overall teaching faculty. I believe that most people on both sides are working hard to serve our children. However, I feel that some lack the cultural sensitivity required to work with students from desperate backgrounds. With that said, I have had a blasts getting to know my colleagues over the course of the semester -- we do perform like no other school in NYC.

I have met a few colleagues that will become life-long friends ... for sure ... They challenge me when I need to be challenged (professionally and personally) and support me when I need to be supported .......... However, work would not be work if you did not have that pocket of folks that you have no idea why they do what they do :) :)

Stay Tuned ... I'm cranking the post out quickly ... hopefully without too many errors!

The Students

My students are truly amazing. I am truly privileged to have the pleasure to instruct them. They range in classification from learning disabled to health impaired. However, they give me a reason to come back everyday. And I'm delighted to know that many have expressed to me that I give them courage to return each day.

And this gives me great joy -- knowing both sides of the coin. Knowing that education is the key to success; but also knowing the abysmal situations that my students face on a daily basis both within the school (gangs, peer pressure, labels, etc.) and within their non-academic lives.

I would say the part that provokes the most pain is knowing that many students have given up on life and that any potential intervention is met with resistance. And -- in many cases, I ask who can blame the child for their outlook considering the circumstances. In fact, one of my students -- who I no longer have -- told me in one of our real conversations that he would be graduating from the streets and not the classroom.Yet, I hold out hope that some of those students who are on the brink of giving up will see me as an example to keep preserving. For example, one of my students after receiving a 100% on a test thanked me and let me know how he was grateful he hung in there and did not give up.


Some funny incidents that I remember (I'm getting old -- so bare with me)

• The heat came on for the first time -- and I had never heard the kickback sound -- and jumped like hell and they all fell out laughing
• One of my para's wanted to play a game before we left for break-- if you know my school, you know which para -- she asked for a volunteer, got one then proceeded to tell them they must be blindfolded -- she then told them to "take off something you don't go to bed with" -- then the removal begin -- so the person and I started to get nervous and I stopped the game -- but the para ended by saying the only thing that should have been removed was the blindfold (You had to be there -- I died laughing)
• During the first week of school ... a kid threw a piece of paper ... missed the trash can ... and I reacted without processing saying "if you are going to throw shit in my room -- at least make it" -- I thought I would be fired.
  
• I will try to type them as they happen from now own so I don't forget
  

High Expectations

I truly believe that teachers MUST raise their expectations if they intend to prepare students to compete in a 21st century world. To this same end, I believe that standards must increase everywhere, not just in the general education setting.

Thus, I instruct my special education students at a high level with maximum educational supports. However, the hidden curriculum behind every lesson that I deliver boils down to creating a love for learning and preparing scholars to think critically and ask questions.

Nevertheless, what I'm finding as I instruct my students is that while higher expectations are preached by everyone few believe that our children can actually succeed. For example, I recently assigned four page papers to all my classes, allowing 4 weeks for completion. Despite the fact that most of my students completed the papers, consultants rebuked the assignment as too rigorous for special education students. (I don't care, as I will continue to have high expectations -- but my concern is that policy makers and consultants must look at all children with the same compassion and optimism that they look at their own children with each night)

In sum, while having high expectations is sometimes met with resistance, high expectations are the only way that we will ever close the achievement gap that exists within this country.

The Individualized Education Plan (I.E.P.)

As many of you know, I teach students with disabilities, or special education, at the Bronx High School for Law and Community Service. At BHLCS, I also serve in the capacity of special education coordinator which requires me to oversee the IEP process.

It is important to note that the rights of students with disabilities are protected under federal legislation, known as IDEA, which was reauthorized in 2004. These rights are important because these students were once treated like every other minority group (asian, black, hispanic, etc.) with regard to education. They were rejected and written off as unfit to mingle with the general population -- and even denied the right to attend school in some cases.

Moreover, when I arrived at BHLCS, the school was out of compliance with the state because IEP's were not up-to-par according to the New York State Board of Education. However, as we go into the new year, thanks to the dynamic IEP team, BHLCS is in compliance -- and working towards becoming the model for the New York City Public Schools.

Our next task is to ensure that every teachers are using the IEP to drive the instruction of students who have been identified as having disabilities. (Most of our students are classified as learning disabled) Also, it should be noted that our school believes that students should truly be in the LRE (least restrictive environment), and we fight to have students in as many general education settings as possible.

Stay Tuned .............

Updates Forthcoming

I hope everyone is enjoying this intense period, as 2008 comes to a rapid close.

I will be taking time to update my blog over the next few days to provide you with a picture of how 2008 ended up for me as I begin tackling the problem of educational inequality head-on.

I will be addressing the following topics:

• The Individualized Education Plan (I.E.P.)
• High Expectations
  
• The Students
• The Teachers/Administration
• Graduate School (MS.Ed)
• My Updated View on Education
• Life in the City
• Southern Withdrawals
  

Teacher Workdays

The hard days have begun! I finally got my teaching schedule on Friday ... I will be teaching Global History 3, US History 1, and 2 Government sections ... this means I must write three completely different lesson plans for each day. I will also be acting as the IEP Coordinator for the special education department.

I just finished an all-nigher, I guess they're not history as I originally thought, writing my parent letter and syllabi for my classes. Today, I must head to Brooklyn to pick up some items in the teacher store ... and work to write lesson plans for the week.

Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to meeting my kids on Tuesday! :)

Crunch Time

The school year is about to begin .... and I have so many things to do .... and the funny part is I don't know what classes I will be teaching .... I will keep you all updated as I'm updated :)

PD Day 2

Professional Development today was so funny. Some of the new teachers don't appear to have attended public schools. One question that raised was what to do if your student is having a bad day? Several of my colleagues responded you should let the kid put their head down or chill. (I just shook my head) If you do this the kids will certainly love you and do NO work! I'm like you should definitely empathize with your students, but sympathy is simply ridiculous if you expect students to rise from their current conditions.

NYC NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION DAY ONE

Yesterday, NYC New Teacher Orientation commenced at LaGuardia High School. It started with a “video welcome” from Chancellor Joel Klein followed by a brief panel of teachers entering their second year. The remainder of the day was devoted to a workshop entitled: Conscious Classroom Management: Bringing out the Best in Students and Teachers … the workshop was led by Rick Smith, author of bestselling Conscious Classroom Management. (supposedly they are distributing this guys book ... free ... I can only hope)

He presented a lot of good material …. I will give an abbreviated summary here …. Email me for the slides… note the sides are marked with Cooper Notes

1) The 2 x 10 Strategy

Pick out the kid that drives you crazy … and for 10 straight days have a 2 minute conversation with him/her …. Researcher Raymond Wloodkowski pivots this leads to 85% improvement in pupil behavior

2) Three Rules that you must enforce

Raising Hand when you expect it

No arguing with the ref (i.e. Teacher) [result should be an additional consequence]

The “Popcorn Effect” – have students working before devoting individual attention to a single student

3) Develop Non-Verbal Procedures and Save Your VOICE (a lot of this is Pavlovian)

Rubrics

Visuals

Sound Signals

Music for Transitions

Hand Signals

Well that is it in a nutshell. I will keep you updated on the rest of the week.

BTW: I report to school next Wednesday … and students come the following Tuesday

Slang Term List from 180

Ok …... I told many of you about the list of slang terms that the students at MS180 gave me earlier this summer…. Here is the list …. As you can see, they assumed that I had absolutely no prior knowledge.

WAS Poppin = what’s up or what’s good
Son = friend, brother
Guap = money
S.M.D = suck my dxxk
S.M.H = so much head
S.M.K = swallow my kids
G.M.C = Google my cock
Glocksucker
Drug yo Shit = punch yo shit
Catch a Jux = Jumping people up
Pop
Fly = fresh
Breeze
Beast
O.D. = a lot
Wildin
Spazzin
Whip
Blunt = a pouch of weed
Crib = home
Spiff = a type of weed
Ratchet

Talk to you soon,

New Job (X439 Here I Come)

Good Morning Everyone:

So for a variety of reasons, I have decided to switch schools. Instead of teaching at Bronx Aerospace High School, I will be teaching English and History at the Bronx High School for Law and Community Service (X439). The school is located directly across the street from Fordham University. While the school is currently close to the bottom of the barrel, the school leadership has a plan to launch it to the top of the charts. The principal told me she is building a dream team -- which I feel must be the goal of any principal in the inner city who wants RESULTS.

Side Bar: Last night was so fun. My frat brother, Ferguson, is in town --- and we went to a baller jazz bar -- I tried a new beverage (Brooklyn Lager)

Calendar (Many Days Off)

2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR

8-28-2008
(I report to work yayaya!)
8-29-2008
Chancellor’s Conference Day for staff development (regular work day for School Secretaries, psychologists, and Social Workers). Students will not be in attendance.
9-01-2008
Labor Day
9-02-2008
SCHOOL SESSIONS BEGIN FOR ALL STUDENTS.* EARLY DISMISSAL FOR NON-DISTRICT 75 KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ONLY.
9-03-2008
Early Dismissal for non-District 75 Kindergarten Students Only
9-30-2008 to 10-1-2008
Rosh Hashanah
10-9-2008 to 10-13-2008
Yom Kippur
Columbus Day Observed
11-4-2008
Election Day
Chancellor’s Conference Day for staff development related to the Regents High Learning Standards and Assessments. Students will not be in attendance.
11-11-2008
Veterans Day
11-27-2008 to 11-28-2008
Thanksgiving Recess
12-24-2008 to 01-02-2009
Winter Recess (including Christmas and New Year's Day), students return 1-5-2009
01-19-2009
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
02-02-2009
Fall Term ends for HIGH school students. NO HIGH school students will be in attendance. Chancellor’s Conference Day related to the Regents High Learning Standards and Assessments in ALL HIGH Schools. All other students will be in attendance. (See section 7 below for details on high school student attendance on February 2.)
02-03-2009
Spring Term begins for HIGH school students.
02-16-2009 to 02-20-2009; 04-09-2009, 04-17-2009
Midwinter Recess (including Washington's Birthday)
Spring Recess (including Good Friday, Easter and Passover); students 04-20-09
05-25-2009
Memorial Day Observed
06-04-2009
Chancellor’s Conference Day for staff development related to the Regents High Learning Standards and Assessments IN ALL FIVE BOROUGHS. School staff report to work if required by their collective bargaining agreement. Students IN ALL FIVE BOROUGHS will NOT be in attendance.
06-25-2009 to 06-26-2009
In non-District 75 high schools having to administer Regents Exams from June 16 through June 24, students will not be in attendance on Regents Rating Day
06-25-2009
LAST DAY FOR ALL STUDENTS

Update 7/27

Good Afternoon Everyone:

I am sorry I have not written in a while. However, I have found teaching to be extremely demanding. Last Thursday, I said goodbye to my beloved students at MS 181 to begin my tenure at Bronx Aerospace Academy.

Thursday, I had the opportunity to sit in on two hiring demo lessons. One was amazing, while the other was horrible. In fact, the horrible guy asked if he should come back and the honest kids quickly told him NO.

I left at approximately 12:00 to make it to City College for my last day of summer school course work. It is hard to believe I already have 6 credits towards my Master of Science in Education.

This week I will be teaching 9-3pm at Bronx Aerospace, followed by my last week of SAF Sessions at City College in the late afternoons. Summer school ends August 14^th at Aerospace, and I may or may not be paid for the two weeks in August depending on if the school can get my per session approved.

Nevertheless, I got to get back to relaxing on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. I will write soon!

X180

So last week was amazing. To sum it up my kids gave me a nickname Cash Coop. Since I was being observed I asked them to attach Mr. --- :) Also, they drew it in graffiti-like characters for me during their down time ..... you may think I'm having to much fun ... but my teaching style is give me results ... we have fun ...

The Classroom is Fun .... Kids are AMAZING!

I love the classroom. I began at MS 181 yesterday, and I have already had valuable experiences that will follow me for the rest of my life. I will share a few that stand out here.

First, during the social studies lesson studies were supposed to be reading a passage followed by review questions. One student was sleeping so I calmly went over and told him he could not sleep in class. I walked away, he went back to sleep. Next, I went over and made him read the passage to me, followed by him giving a brief synopsis in his words. I found the kid was extremely bright. The teachers during the year simply did not know how to refocus him when he misbehaved.

Second, I found out that one of my students is one of ten siblings and is in foster-care. She expressed how she felt destined for failure. Of course, we had a long talk and many will follow.

Third, the students wanted to know my age, and I responded 25.

Fourth, in attempting to set me up with their other favorite teacher 2 students wanted to know whether I was a virgin. My response … “we will not talk about that” …. They replied .. “Mr. Cooper is mad cool”

Fifth, my AP (assistant principal) told me to stop wearing ties … “get down with them … let them know you their brother” – lol J I don’t know about the brother part … but I will convert to polos.

In conclusion, sorry I didn’t share much about teaching but my overall goal is to create a love for learning. However, though we are having fun in the classroom – I also know the students are learning stuff they had not before – and probably would not if I did not allow some time for fun during instruction.

Student Teaching

Originally, I was to do my student teaching at Bronx Aerospace. Today my ST placement was changed to M.S. 181 Pablo Casals School. check out http://www.insideschools.org/fs/school_profile.php?id=337

Education Documentaries

Post Education Documentaries/Movies You Have Seen Here:

Hard Times/Douglas High School

June 20, 2008

June 20, 2008

Today I interviewed at Bronx Aerospace Academy. The interview went extremely well, and I was offered a teaching position on the spot. The best question I was asked = what will you do when the first kid says [Fuc* you]?

Moreover, I took the position, and will be working there in the fall. You can find out more about the school by clicking the link below.

http://www.bronxaerospace.org/

Also, here are a few demographics on the neighborhood surrounding the school.

• 30.1% White, 36.9% Black, 5.4% Asian, and 42.1% Hispanic of any race
• Population 25 years and over
• 67.1% High School Graduate or Higher compared to 80.4% US
• 15.9% Bachelor’s or Higher compared to 24.4 US
• 30.0% (age 5+) are disabled
• 51.6% Speak language other than English at home
• Median Household income 29,044 compared to 41,994 US

Talk to you guys soon!

June 19, 2008 -- What Makes a Good Teacher?

June 19, 2008

What makes a good Teacher?

I will start the list …..

• Patience
• Dedication
• Structure
• Resourcefulness
• Flexibility
• Knowledgeable
• Enthusiasm

June 12, 2008 Observations at Harry S. Truman High

June 12, 2008

Today, I observed two teachers at Harry S. Truman High School in the Bronx. HSTHS is one of the few regular high schools left in the Bronx, as most schools have been converted to smaller learning academies. Thus, it is commonplace to see 4-5 schools within one building. As school is preparing to close, during my visitation students were preparing to take the NY State Educational Standards Examinations, Regents, next week. In first two classes, I simply watched an amazing teacher read a final examination aloud to his students. I spent the remainder of the day with a history teacher, where we played a jeopardy review game. In fact, for the final game I got to be on one student’s team. – The student’s thought this was unfair after they found out I had seen all the questions. Yet, the game was over and we had been declared the winning team. In conclusion, my observations today were indeed intriguing and I was able to forge relationships with two teachers that will definitely help to get me through my first year.

Student Quotation of the Day:
“Snitches get stitches” – This is the Inner City Guys

P.S. I turned my other notes into my professor … but if she gives them back I will update this posting.

Stay Tuned … I’m inputting my handwritten notes as soon as possible :)

Stress

Thursday, June 12, 2008 I will make my first journey into a Bronx classroom to make observations.

Friday, June 13, 2008 I will teach my first 40 minute class ... followed by an intense job interview

Let me go prepare .... the craziness is just getting started!

P.S. Race is truly a social construct! I went to the barbershop today ... the first one I fell upon where the barbers appeared black. I sat for a while, then realized the barbers were Hispanic -- so I got the opportunity to practice Spanish and give my barber his first black haircut. (As we got into the haircut and he begin to present options -- I just prayed and said one or two :))

Update

So much has happened since I last wrote. The most important things that have happened are: I have graduated from WFU and I have moved to New York.

I have begin the process of searching for which school faculty I will join for the upcoming school year. However, I have not had any interviews to date.

I begin training with my fellowship next Monday. The training commences with a induction ceremony at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan. The following day I report to my assigned university (City College University New York), where the author of Life Along the Color Line is president, to begin studying how to be a teacher. Soon after, I have been giving I brief crash course on being a teacher I will move into my role as an educational practitioner by teaching summer school at a random site.

As I end this brief update, I want to encourage everyone reading to ask me any questions.

Welcome

I would like to welcome everyone to accompany me on my journey through the inner city schools of NYC. I look forward to updating this blog regularly and responding to comments that you post.