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.