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