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