This year has been full of such rich memories- some good, some bad, all learning experiences. I am leaving the University of Pennsylvania as a better person, a better teacher, and a better scholar. The road to get to this point has not been easy. There have been some days when I just felt tired or overwhelmed with all of the work that I had to complete for this program. Those moments are very real- but they remain as real as the positive learnings that I am taking with me or the insurmountable friendships that were formed. From my experience as a student teacher to my experiences as a member of the Penn GSE classroom, growth has been cultivated within me and members of my cohort.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Farewell!!!
Tomorrow, I am graduating and it feels surreal. I can not get over the fact that I am actually about to leave the University of Pennsylvania and enter the real-adult world. Apart of me is very happy and excited to explore this next phase in life. Another part of me is ridiculously nervous about leaving Penn and having to go into the next phase of life. I do not know how to feel right now. Honestly, I have been looking forward to this moment for sometime, but right now I am not so sure if I am ready.
This year has been full of such rich memories- some good, some bad, all learning experiences. I am leaving the University of Pennsylvania as a better person, a better teacher, and a better scholar. The road to get to this point has not been easy. There have been some days when I just felt tired or overwhelmed with all of the work that I had to complete for this program. Those moments are very real- but they remain as real as the positive learnings that I am taking with me or the insurmountable friendships that were formed. From my experience as a student teacher to my experiences as a member of the Penn GSE classroom, growth has been cultivated within me and members of my cohort.
It has been a great pleasure to have been apart of Penn GSE classroom and professional groups. I look forward to future interactions and engagements with these people that I now consider to be apart of my family.
This year has been full of such rich memories- some good, some bad, all learning experiences. I am leaving the University of Pennsylvania as a better person, a better teacher, and a better scholar. The road to get to this point has not been easy. There have been some days when I just felt tired or overwhelmed with all of the work that I had to complete for this program. Those moments are very real- but they remain as real as the positive learnings that I am taking with me or the insurmountable friendships that were formed. From my experience as a student teacher to my experiences as a member of the Penn GSE classroom, growth has been cultivated within me and members of my cohort.
Inquiry Question: Overview and Inspiration
As I mentioned in earlier posts, each student in the Teacher Education Program pursued a research question that could help advance his or her practice as a teacher. I thought long and hard about my inquiry question and often changed my questions, but I finally decided upon the follow question for my research and it was as followed: How can I, as a controversial teacher, foster a classroom of respect and care. It was, without a doubt, an incredibly valuable experience and I want to share what motivated me and (to the extent to which I can), my findings.
Like many people who enter the field of education, I have always envisioned myself as the “transformative,” dynamic teacher who does more than regurgitate information from a textbook to students. Before even stepping into the classroom or familiarizing myself with education theory, I felt that there was something exclusive and fundamentally discriminatory within most mainstream classrooms and I wanted to change that. My own personal experiences of exclusion in the classroom made me feel this way. Without having the language to discuss this feeling or even knowing how to address it, I simply knew that it would take something- or someone- bold and radical enough to make sure that other students do not feel this way.
I consider my own educational experiences as a child to have been tainted by biased textbooks and Eurocentric modes of thought. The history books and curriculums of my memory told me that people who looked like me did not contribute to any historical happenings. Despite attending a predominantly Latino and Black high school of 3500 students, I only had one teacher of color for all four years of high school and I was usually one of two Black students enrolled in honors or AP classes. Because of aforementioned details and my strongly substantiated belief that all of my classes promoted white middle class norms , I wanted to run every time I stepped foot inside a history class. While I enjoyed reading historical novels and visits to museums, I felt excluded, unwanted, and unappreciated in most of my high school history classes.
Despite harboring very negative feelings about history and social studies as a high school student, I loved launching historical inquiry on things that connected me to my community. When I took African American history classes as a sophomore and junior in high school, I realized that history had many functions that extended far beyond my honors world history textbook which my then-teacher used to tell me that Africa was of little significance. When I became a student at Yale University, I finally realized how diverse historical exploration could be. As a freshman, I was introduced to inquiry driven instruction and learning. In my African American Studies and Comparative Politics courses, for example, I was able to build upon my own understandings of the world, demonstrate my intellectual prowess, and perhaps most importantly, feel a sense of belonging.
In order to honor the inquiry question at hand, I relied primarily on differentiation with regards to content and instruction. Differentiation allows for controversial and innovative teaching; through varied techniques and instruction, students have the ability to establish their individual identity and role in the classroom. Using a variety of differentiated methods, I have employed strategies such as the following:
• Socratic classroom discussions
• Co-planning and coteaching with students
• Large classroom debates
• Small group discussions
• Stimulations
• Social Media
• Technology (Youtube, Video Clips, Outside Blogs, TedX Talks)
• Art: Music, Hip Hop, Spoken Word, Student Performances, s
At the “conclusion” of this project, I realize that I have more questions than answers and I suppose that this is a desired outcome. Because my inquiry question is quite situational and dependent upon my students and their backgrounds, I will never had a set outcome to look forward to, even if I replicated the same instructional methods or classroom management strategies a billion times! In fact, as I pursued and concluded this research, I continued to think about the following questions:
As I continue to teach, I anticipate exploring these questions (and the question that I initially set out to explore ) with intention.
Like many people who enter the field of education, I have always envisioned myself as the “transformative,” dynamic teacher who does more than regurgitate information from a textbook to students. Before even stepping into the classroom or familiarizing myself with education theory, I felt that there was something exclusive and fundamentally discriminatory within most mainstream classrooms and I wanted to change that. My own personal experiences of exclusion in the classroom made me feel this way. Without having the language to discuss this feeling or even knowing how to address it, I simply knew that it would take something- or someone- bold and radical enough to make sure that other students do not feel this way.
I consider my own educational experiences as a child to have been tainted by biased textbooks and Eurocentric modes of thought. The history books and curriculums of my memory told me that people who looked like me did not contribute to any historical happenings. Despite attending a predominantly Latino and Black high school of 3500 students, I only had one teacher of color for all four years of high school and I was usually one of two Black students enrolled in honors or AP classes. Because of aforementioned details and my strongly substantiated belief that all of my classes promoted white middle class norms , I wanted to run every time I stepped foot inside a history class. While I enjoyed reading historical novels and visits to museums, I felt excluded, unwanted, and unappreciated in most of my high school history classes.
Despite harboring very negative feelings about history and social studies as a high school student, I loved launching historical inquiry on things that connected me to my community. When I took African American history classes as a sophomore and junior in high school, I realized that history had many functions that extended far beyond my honors world history textbook which my then-teacher used to tell me that Africa was of little significance. When I became a student at Yale University, I finally realized how diverse historical exploration could be. As a freshman, I was introduced to inquiry driven instruction and learning. In my African American Studies and Comparative Politics courses, for example, I was able to build upon my own understandings of the world, demonstrate my intellectual prowess, and perhaps most importantly, feel a sense of belonging.
In order to honor the inquiry question at hand, I relied primarily on differentiation with regards to content and instruction. Differentiation allows for controversial and innovative teaching; through varied techniques and instruction, students have the ability to establish their individual identity and role in the classroom. Using a variety of differentiated methods, I have employed strategies such as the following:
• Socratic classroom discussions
• Co-planning and coteaching with students
• Large classroom debates
• Small group discussions
• Stimulations
• Social Media
• Technology (Youtube, Video Clips, Outside Blogs, TedX Talks)
• Art: Music, Hip Hop, Spoken Word, Student Performances, s
At the “conclusion” of this project, I realize that I have more questions than answers and I suppose that this is a desired outcome. Because my inquiry question is quite situational and dependent upon my students and their backgrounds, I will never had a set outcome to look forward to, even if I replicated the same instructional methods or classroom management strategies a billion times! In fact, as I pursued and concluded this research, I continued to think about the following questions:
As I continue to teach, I anticipate exploring these questions (and the question that I initially set out to explore ) with intention.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Fasting for Clarity
Normally, one should not brag or promote the idea of fasting. Fasting- the practice of abstaining from an action or actions for a set period of time- is something special for the individual that chooses to do it. However, I am fresh out of topics to blog about and since I am doing one right now, I just wanted to share with you my experience with fasting.
Every year, I go on something that resembles a Daniel's Fast (Daniel Chapters 1-3; 10 from the Bible gives context). By no means am I pastor, but I'll try to give a brief synopsis: In Chapter 1, Daniel rejected the diet of the Babylonians because it conflicted with his own. He maintained that he would continue the diet that he knew from his past and promised that it would enable him to do the work commanded of Nebuchadnezer). When I was a child, I really enjoyed the story of Daniel and it's always meant something to me. The fact that he was able to attain clarity, peace, and strength by living a less decorated life, is inspiring. In my adult years, I made the decision to take one month of the year to emulate, to an extent, Daniel's example.
And so, I take on a very strict, clean lifestyle for one month. I try to modify this fast by giving up everything that I over indulge in- so basically, I give up on a lot of stuff. From tv to certain music to Facebook, I retire all of the things that bring me pleasure in hopes of attaining focus. By getting rid of things which could be distractions in my life, I try to just work on me- become a better person. What am I like without Facebook? What can I do with my time instead of tweeting about Scandal or yelling at D'Antoni's weak use of the Lakers during a game? These are questions that a fast, prayerfully, can answer,
The first week was met with bleh results. This was due in part to the fact that I kept telling myself that I had a lot of work to do and I had to give in against my will. A little devil in my head kept saying things like, "eat that WaWa breakfast sandwich" or "play that song a couple of times" because you're in the final stretch of work. There isn't anything wrong with the aforementioned things, let me be clear about that. However, as I enter a stage in life where I have to make a ton of decisions (and complete a lot of work), clarity, structure, and productivity are great things to have.
I've been much better this second week with following through with fasting and its been such a blessing. I've gained some of the clarity and focus that I've been longing for. I am just about finished my analytic essay for the master's program. I have completed a lot of the grading and small end projects for my classroom. I've accomplished so much this week and navigated through a couple of challenges quite well.
This final week will be full of very big decisions and submissions. I really do believe that this fast might do a lot for me... I'll keep you posted. :)
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Lupe's Strange Fruition and Teaching
Strange Fruition has to be one of the most thoughtful songs that I've heard in a while. Food and Liquor II came out quite some time ago, true, but this has been the song that has really motivated me to write a lot of my lesson plans. I think the song, in many ways, reflects what has motivated me to be a teacher and what I think about each time I sit down to plan a unit. It's not so much that I fully cosign with the lyrical content entirely, but the song reflects the reality that a lot of experiences in this country have been suppressed and understated in our consciousness Recognizing the sentiment of the song (for those who do not know, the song questions the paradoxical nature of the American dream and contrary American realities) and the traditional pro-American, exceptionalist narrative, I think that the classroom can be a means of finding reconciliation between the two. What does it mean to be an American and question the intentions of our nation's government and people? What does it mean to be a nationalist, despite more gloomy socioeconomic realities? These are only a sample of the questions that the history classroom, as a space, can interrogate.
Now I can't pledge allegiance to your flag
Cause I can't find no reconciliation with your past
When there was nothing equal for my people in your math
You forced us in the ghetto and then you took our dads
The belly of the beast, these streets are demons' abs
I'm telling you that setup in them sit-ups is so sad
The system is a slab
(Lupe Fiasco, Strange Fruition)
Now I can't pledge allegiance to your flag
Cause I can't find no reconciliation with your past
When there was nothing equal for my people in your math
You forced us in the ghetto and then you took our dads
The belly of the beast, these streets are demons' abs
I'm telling you that setup in them sit-ups is so sad
The system is a slab
(Lupe Fiasco, Strange Fruition)
Monday, April 1, 2013
Spring Break/ Semester- A Big Fail? Hmmm....
My last post was a rant about how fake of a break my program's "spring break" actually was.
Well, it turned out that spring break would really be a break for me. Midway through the week, I caught a fever, fell pretty ill, and forced to the confines of my bedroom in Jersey. So yeah, I got the break that I asked for, lol.
I ended up going to Atlanta earlier in the week to visit my girlfriend. After a fantastic trip, I landed back North with an incredibly weary feeling. Despite the plush 50ish weather we were having up here, I felt like I was constantly being hit by the Artic cold. Knowing this feeling quite well, I drank a ton of tea and bundled up to avoid getting sick, but by Thursday night,it was a wrap. I spent Friday and Saturday sleeping in my room and trying to avoid a hospital visit, which ended up happening. On the bright side, I'm feeling a lot better and I got the sleep that I had been hoping to get! :/
Unfortunately, I did not get nearly as much work done as I would have liked. There were a ton of obligations that I had over break- meetings, work for my job, etc- that I could not fulfill. I didn't get nearly as much essay writing or grading done as I would have liked to. However, I am not stressed. I'm not going to let the "situation" get the best of me. There are so many things I wanted to do this year, that did not seem to get done. Two failed attempts to compete in a bodybuilding competition. Not surpassing work deadlines to have extended periods of personal time. Quality social time with friends and colleagues never really happening. Yeah, so much has not come into fruition.
As crazy as this might sound, I wouldn't trade any of it. I'm learning a lot about balance, goal setting, human limitation, and centering. In some of the failures I've experienced, there has been a lot of learning.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
First Day of "Spring Break" (Emphasis on the " ")
"Spring Break"is finally here. It's quite ironic that in my last post that I reveled in excitement about the thought of an actual break, when in reality, this is probably the cruelest thing any program could ever do to a student. ;(
Our program is designed so that while you are (supposed to be) working on your master's portfolio for the entire year, a large chunk of time is to be dedicated to working on your master's portfolio. I have no qualms about working on my master's portfolio- in fact, I have been pursuing my topic fairly intensely for the entire year. What annoys me is that inevitably, one's entire break will be consumed by this project- if one wants to do well (or not loose sleep in the weeks to come).
It's sad because I have spent this past year orienting lessons, journal reflections, and inquiry questions of practice to this overarching question about the intersection of controversial and innovative teaching with safe and respectful communities. Having years of research experience, I anticipated my research to evolve and occasionally, take a life on its own especially since there is so much that happens in a classroom from day-to-day. Because of this, I have to challenge the expectation that one could finish this portfolio (beyond adequacy) without sacrificing sleep, time, and sanity- I think I am at that point where all of the latter are beyond sight.
I probably could relax this break... but in return, I sacrifice producing a high-quality product that makes the mark and actually could be of use for future practice. As I type this "on my break from typing my dissertation essay," I'm counting down the days to be down with "spring break."
Our program is designed so that while you are (supposed to be) working on your master's portfolio for the entire year, a large chunk of time is to be dedicated to working on your master's portfolio. I have no qualms about working on my master's portfolio- in fact, I have been pursuing my topic fairly intensely for the entire year. What annoys me is that inevitably, one's entire break will be consumed by this project- if one wants to do well (or not loose sleep in the weeks to come).
It's sad because I have spent this past year orienting lessons, journal reflections, and inquiry questions of practice to this overarching question about the intersection of controversial and innovative teaching with safe and respectful communities. Having years of research experience, I anticipated my research to evolve and occasionally, take a life on its own especially since there is so much that happens in a classroom from day-to-day. Because of this, I have to challenge the expectation that one could finish this portfolio (beyond adequacy) without sacrificing sleep, time, and sanity- I think I am at that point where all of the latter are beyond sight.
I probably could relax this break... but in return, I sacrifice producing a high-quality product that makes the mark and actually could be of use for future practice. As I type this "on my break from typing my dissertation essay," I'm counting down the days to be down with "spring break."
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Finally!
This is the FINALLY week.
In so many ways.
1. Finally Scandal
Scandal is BACK!!!!!! Jesus, Lord my God, thank you for bringing this show back into my life. I am mad excited to see what unfolds. At 9:30, I will definitely be sitting on my couch in with popcorn and Pinot Grigio, browsing through the web and reading commentary about the cast. I will be live tweeting and providing commentary with some of the best shade-throwers in the world. Can't wait. THEN at 9:55 pm, I will pray for brother Huck because Lord knows he needs it.
http://eventot.com/intercessory-prayer-for-brother-huck-scandal/1315459
2. Finally Sleep
I finally get to sleep! I have slept a whopping 8 hours over the past few days. As soon as I leave school I am going home and knocking out in my bed (I am currently typing this blog post on my lunchbreak).
3. Finally SPRING BREAK
Spring Break is here! Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord! - and while its technically not a break because the whole week is supposed to be dedicated to working on the master's portfolio, it'll be nice to wake up at 9 am as opposed to 6:30 am this week.
In so many ways.
1. Finally Scandal
Scandal is BACK!!!!!! Jesus, Lord my God, thank you for bringing this show back into my life. I am mad excited to see what unfolds. At 9:30, I will definitely be sitting on my couch in with popcorn and Pinot Grigio, browsing through the web and reading commentary about the cast. I will be live tweeting and providing commentary with some of the best shade-throwers in the world. Can't wait. THEN at 9:55 pm, I will pray for brother Huck because Lord knows he needs it.
http://eventot.com/intercessory-prayer-for-brother-huck-scandal/1315459
2. Finally Sleep
I finally get to sleep! I have slept a whopping 8 hours over the past few days. As soon as I leave school I am going home and knocking out in my bed (I am currently typing this blog post on my lunchbreak).
3. Finally SPRING BREAK
Spring Break is here! Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord! - and while its technically not a break because the whole week is supposed to be dedicated to working on the master's portfolio, it'll be nice to wake up at 9 am as opposed to 6:30 am this week.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Music to Keep Going: Playlist
Music is procrastination's mistress, but motivation's lifelong partner.
Just sharing some tunes that I have been sapping up as I embrace some of the more stressful moments of graduate school.
Just sharing some tunes that I have been sapping up as I embrace some of the more stressful moments of graduate school.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Lesson Plans: Harlem Renaissance Source Analysis and Gallery Walk
I just realized that I've never shared my lesson plans. These lessons are apart of a week long unit that I am doing on the Harlem Renaissance. This unit is a sub-unit of a larger unit titled Art, Power, and Jim Crow. Thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated. These are my lesson plans in their raw form and execution. Perhaps I will post a follow up post to discuss how they went. Anyway, enjoy!
Rationale for Unit: In this Unit, we will explore the relationship between art and identity. Examining depictions of African American identity in the past and in the present, we will consider the multidemensionality of art in terms of its purpose, mediums, and interpretations. By using the Jim Crow Era as a reference point, we will look at the ways in which artistic expression is use to both oppress and uplift. In this unit, students will be encouraged to draw parallels between past events, current events, and anticipated trends. This unit will entail a mix of abstract and practical thought and approach. Students will be encouraged to examine the role of art in their own lives and in the lives of others; students will also be pushed to establish connections between structures/institutions and art. This unit will include a group-based critical, empathetic analysis of contemporary mediums of Black artistic expression.
Kevin Beckford African American History 1 hour 5 min
Science Leadership Academy
Harlem Renaissance
Source Analysis Lesson
Student Understandings:
Students will understand that…
- Art entails many mediums, interpretations, and purposes.
- Art has historically been a means of oppression, reflection, and uplift.
Students will know
- Art is a vehicle for expression as well as a vehicle for change.
- Art and interpretations of it are not static; our approach and understandings of art are very much influenced by our own individual and collective experiences.
Students will be able to…
Students will be able to independently utilize academic databases and online primary source databases.
Students will be able to analyze primary sources.
Students will be able to utilize technology in their examination, research and critique of art.
Enduring Questions
- Does the media create or reflect images of Black Americans?
- What type of artistic mediums were reflected in the Harlem Renaissance?
- How do I, as an individual, understand art?
Sources:
For classwork assignment: Document Analysis Worksheets
Materials
Laptops, Paper, Pen/Pencil, Headphones, Flash Drive, Moodle (online database), Speakers, Projector, DVDs, converted video clips, Document Analysis Sheet, Comprehensive Document of Images, Art, and Photographs
STANDARDS
U.S. HISTORY 8.3.U.A.
Compare the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of the U.S.
8.3.U.C.
Evaluate how continuity and change have impacted the United States.
- Belief systems and religions
- Commerce and industry
- Technology
- Politics and government
- Physical and human geography
- Social organizations
Humanities Arts 9.4.8. D
Describe to what purpose philosophical ideas generated by artists can be conveyed through works in the arts and humanities.
Science Leadership Academy
9th Grade African American History Standards
Sources: Student can analyze a variety of source documents including visual representations of information.
Research: Student is making progress in producing independent research-based projects
Perspective: Student seeks to understand and fairly present the ideas of others, even when they disagree with the point(s) being made.
STUDENT SKILLS AND DEVELOPMENT
Students will be able to independently utilize academic databases, online primary source databases
Students will be able to analyze primary sources.
Students will be able to connect historical events to the contemporary.
Students will be able to critically analyze examples of artistic expression.
PROCEDURES
Hook- I will begin class by showing clips from Live at the Apollo. We will watch a clip of Lauryn Hill getting boo'd, a clip of "And I Am Telling You," and a clip that features the 'Sandman." We will then have a short discussion about the Sandman and minstrelsy? (Some guiding questions: Is the Sandman an example of minstrelsy? Is the Sandman reflective of a 'reverse' cultural appropriation? What are your thoughts about the Sandman)- 10-15 minutes total
I will introduce the Benchmark Assignment: go through each of the options and solicit necessary feedback/ answer questions (10-15 minutes)
Remaining 40 Minutes
At the start of class, the room will be organized in its normal set up.
I will then sign on to Moodle and show students the comprehensive document; I will take the students through the Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes document.
I normally allow students to listen to music/ video or audio files of the document with their headphones.
Students will spend the class period working on completing one source analysis sheet. They will pick one form of artistic expression from the document and analyze it (40 Minutes).
Day 2
Resisting Jim Crow through Art, Music, and Intellectual Creativity
Living in the Harlem Renaissance
Kevin Beckford African American History 1 hour 5 min
Enduring Understandings
The Harlem Renaissance (as a time period noted by Historians) was a time of relatively great progress; racial, heteronormative, and gender norms were muddled and questioned during this time.
Enduring Questions
What is the relationship between artistic expression and institutional racism?
How can art explain societal ailments?
How can art rectify societal ailments?
GOALS/OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to analyze primary sources.
Students will be able to critically analyze examples of artistic expression through dialogue and writing.
Standards
Subject Area: Historical Analysis and Skill Development
8.1.9.B.
Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships
9.4.8. D
Describe to what purpose philosophical ideas generated by artists can be conveyed through works in the arts and humanities.
Science Leadership Academy
9th Grade African American History Standards
Sources: Student can analyze a variety of source documents including visual representations of information.
Perspective: Student seeks to understand and fairly present the ideas of others, even when they disagree with the point(s) being made.
Discussion: Student consistently presents his/her own idea(s) in a constructive and useful manner.
MATERIALS
Laptops, Paper, Pen/Pencil, Headphones, Flash Drive, Moodle (online database), Speakers, Projector, DVDs, converted video clips; Twitter
PROCEDURES
As students enter the classroom, I will play John Coltraine’s “Naima.” (Engagement) I will also bring in food for the class to enjoy. I would really like to set the mood in this class; I will play around with the environment by moving the desks in quads at the sides of the rooms. I will also dim the lights (have one of the lights in the room turned on).
BODY OF THE LESSON/ PROJECT
Part I (30 Minutes total)- Part 1 (Gallery Walk)
The class will convene in the center of the room. Music clips, art clips, film clips will be portrayed on the screen. Students will be asked to watch the material and also, discuss their source analysis sheets with each other. Students will be able to move around the classroom, talk to each other, eat food.
Harlem Renaissance (Video Biography of the Harlem Renaissance)
Duke Ellington
“Black Beauty”
“I’m Just Wild About Harry” from the play Shuffle Along
Broadway and the Cotton Scene (feat. Paul Robeson)
Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.”. - 1939/ not quite during the Harlem Renaissance, but relevant.
Mahalia Jackson “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho”
Paul Robeson “Ol’ Man River”
National Negro Anthem (Howard University Gospel Choir); Use the song to give context about John Weldon Johnson.
While the video material plays, students will walk around the room and read/analyze the following poems/ writings:
Langston Hughes, “I Too, Am America” (Poem)
Claude McKay’s “If We Must Die.” (Poem)
(While watching the clips, students will be able to use their Twitter accounts to give a live update about their thoughts on the clips. I will go back and assess the tweets after the class; the SAT will monitor Twitter updates as this discussion occurs. This will give students, who do not normally participate vocally, the opportunity to participate and engage with their peers).
Discussion (Possible questions: what is the message in the piece? Why might it have been employed during the time in which it was created What is the legacy of each piece? Are these pieces relevant today?) Extension
Part 2- Journal Entry (10 Minutes)
Which art piece do you like the most and why?
CLOSURE
I will play four minutes of a video from Being and Becoming: Black Womanhood in the 21st Century. Kelly Simone, daughter of Nina Simone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W5FaKdE4Ow
ACCOMMODATIONS
I will post links to the videos on Moodle just in case students are absent.
I will post the article to Moodle for additional review.
Supplemental Reading (will already be posted on Moodle, but will be referred to during this class):
Toward an Aesthetic of Black Musical Expression Author(s): Jane Duran and Earl Stewart. Journal of Aesthetic Education, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Spring, 1997), pp. 73-85 http://www.jstor.org/stable/3333473 .
Synopsis of Shuffle Along: http://www.nypl.org/blog/2012/02/10/musical-month-shuffle-along
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
Journal entries will be assessed (students will be told that journals are due for the next class)
Discussion will be accessed
TABA charts will be checked by the SAT
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Thoughts on Employment, Career Fair, and Charter Schools
The University of Pennsylvania's Career Services office hosted an education and social services career fair this past Wednesday. I found the event to be informative. I also found the event to be psychologically confusing and unnerving. With 2-3 exceptions, all of the school representatives that attended hailed from charter schools. And while I made my rounds and asked questions/ pitched my credentials, I struggled with just being there because the event was an indicative of the state of public schools in Philly. It's all about charter schools these days and to be frank, I did not sign up for this.
I decided to pursue a career in education because I think that it is a critical means to fight against modern day oppressions and bring about advancement for many communities. My desire to teach is not so much to instruct and assess via skills tests (although, I do love curriculum development and implementation a lot). I want to teach because I had some inspiring PUBLIC SCHOOL teachers who provided me mentorship, support, and encouragement when very few outside of my family, did. My hope in becoming a public school teacher of the humanities/social studies is to do what other teachers did for me. I want to encourage students to think outside of the box and to do something with content. My hope in being a social studies teacher was to bring cool material and questions to the classroom and let the students apply learning in a meaningful, relevant way. 1. I'm not sure I could do that in a charter school. 2. Even if I could be the educator that I want to be in a charter school setting, I'm not even sure that I want to join a (what I think is a flawed) operation.
The thought of working for a charter school elicits the most vile, visceral response within my spirit. Joining the enemy- working within the flawed system- seems counterproductive and antithetical to everything that I believe. When I visited all of the charter school representatives at the Career Fair and signed my name on their email/contact list, it felt like a piece of me had sold out to enemy. While it was interesting to listen to some of the really cool things that some of the schools were doing with regards to inquiry-driven learning or social justice, I couldn't absorb all of the great things that the representatives were saying because I am well aware that charter schools are not producing better results that public schools. The job fair was cool because I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of people and recognize that there some great teachers in charter schools that are doing dynamic things. With that said, they faced a ton of challenges or were blessed to secure jobs at very very unique schools. Additionally, one representative told me that s/he struggled with the decision to join the school that s/he is currently attached to and still has a political beef with what s/he is currently working.
Philadelphia schools are all transforming into charter schools, so I know that in order to ensure some type of job security in the city of Philadelphia, I'll have to 'turn to the bad side.' Knowing this is forcing me to make some careful considerations and ask some critical questions. As someone who has familial responsibilities, financial responsibilities, and a personal commitment to stay in this immediate area for at least the next 4-5 years, I'm thinking that I might have to sacrifice my convictions if 440 (the Phil. public school district) isn't hiring. At the same time, I'm also thinking whether or not I should pursue another (but associated) route in regards to career, even if it is just in the short term. I can't help but reflect on the time when I applied for consulting gigs; if I was going to compromise my convictions, I might as well did so and got paid well to do it. I wish there was someway where I could remain committed to my beliefs and get a check. All of this just to serve my community as an educator... it's such a shame, especially when so many other career opportunities are accessible.
Not losing hope, BUT raising a critical side eye at prospective employment,
Kevin
I decided to pursue a career in education because I think that it is a critical means to fight against modern day oppressions and bring about advancement for many communities. My desire to teach is not so much to instruct and assess via skills tests (although, I do love curriculum development and implementation a lot). I want to teach because I had some inspiring PUBLIC SCHOOL teachers who provided me mentorship, support, and encouragement when very few outside of my family, did. My hope in becoming a public school teacher of the humanities/social studies is to do what other teachers did for me. I want to encourage students to think outside of the box and to do something with content. My hope in being a social studies teacher was to bring cool material and questions to the classroom and let the students apply learning in a meaningful, relevant way. 1. I'm not sure I could do that in a charter school. 2. Even if I could be the educator that I want to be in a charter school setting, I'm not even sure that I want to join a (what I think is a flawed) operation.
The thought of working for a charter school elicits the most vile, visceral response within my spirit. Joining the enemy- working within the flawed system- seems counterproductive and antithetical to everything that I believe. When I visited all of the charter school representatives at the Career Fair and signed my name on their email/contact list, it felt like a piece of me had sold out to enemy. While it was interesting to listen to some of the really cool things that some of the schools were doing with regards to inquiry-driven learning or social justice, I couldn't absorb all of the great things that the representatives were saying because I am well aware that charter schools are not producing better results that public schools. The job fair was cool because I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of people and recognize that there some great teachers in charter schools that are doing dynamic things. With that said, they faced a ton of challenges or were blessed to secure jobs at very very unique schools. Additionally, one representative told me that s/he struggled with the decision to join the school that s/he is currently attached to and still has a political beef with what s/he is currently working.
Philadelphia schools are all transforming into charter schools, so I know that in order to ensure some type of job security in the city of Philadelphia, I'll have to 'turn to the bad side.' Knowing this is forcing me to make some careful considerations and ask some critical questions. As someone who has familial responsibilities, financial responsibilities, and a personal commitment to stay in this immediate area for at least the next 4-5 years, I'm thinking that I might have to sacrifice my convictions if 440 (the Phil. public school district) isn't hiring. At the same time, I'm also thinking whether or not I should pursue another (but associated) route in regards to career, even if it is just in the short term. I can't help but reflect on the time when I applied for consulting gigs; if I was going to compromise my convictions, I might as well did so and got paid well to do it. I wish there was someway where I could remain committed to my beliefs and get a check. All of this just to serve my community as an educator... it's such a shame, especially when so many other career opportunities are accessible.
Not losing hope, BUT raising a critical side eye at prospective employment,
Kevin
Monday, February 25, 2013
February has been the Month of Conferences
The past couple of weekends have entailed participating in conferences. Two weekends ago, I went to New Haven to attend the Black Solidarity Conference. Taking place over the span of three days, the Black Solidarity Conference provides undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to fellowship and discuss important issues within the Black community. The theme of this year's BSC was "From the Pulpits to the Polls: Ushering in a New Era of Activism." As you can infer, the focus for the conference this year was education and religion as mechanisms to bring about advancement for African Americans. The event was incredibly positive and I learned a lot. The first event that I attended was a panel on education. The panel session featured educators that represented different elements of educators. I thought the panelists themselves had very thoughtful things to say on their own, but I was particularly struck by their responses to the very thoughtful, but challenging questions, launched at them by some students. One student asked the TFA panelist about his experience as a person of color, working within the overwhelmingly white context of TFA that reflects a particular brand of college grad (for those of you who may not know, TFA employs many ivy-league/ liberal arts graduates). I felt like his response to the question reflected a necessary nuance; he was honest yet appropriately political.
I also attended some sessions at the Ethnography Forum hosted by the University of Pennsylvania. I thought that the sessions were fairly delightful. I'll share some of my notes to give you a flavor of what the panel discussions and workshops featured. Check out the notes from an inquiry session that I attended.
-Structure is key to collabortive work
- It is imperative that teachers examine their own baises about students. Teachers must evaluate themselves- see what they do and do not like about students (more importantly why). Teachers must learn to like all students.
-Teachers must find community- join forces with likeminded practitioners.
- Descriptive reviews of students can be monumental to teacher research- students can help teachers see the bigger picture.
-You can not take the behavior of a student for face value. Sometimes there is a story behind their actions. Some students are not the same in every class. Descriptive reviews and continual observation help teachers better understand their students.
-- You have to discover what matters to the student and why
- Be conscious of differentiated expectations that we (teachers) develop for students. Sometimes we expect more from students
- A panalist told a really great story about working for 440. He was sent to work on a project with the Philadelphia Writing Project. The findings of this project showed a correlation between teacher satisfaction and student performance. He showed his findings to 440. They were like, eh, we don't care- we need hard data about students (not teachers). He pushed for his research and within the confines of the Philadelphia school district, he was able to affect some change in favor of Philly teachers.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
School Closings- School Openings- School Closings
The state of public schools in Philly is in limbo. When I heard that so many schools were closing in Philly, I felt like public schools were being done a disservice. While there are serious issues plaguing our schools, I do not think giving up on them is the way to go. Some of the arguments in favor of closing schools (i.e. many of these schools are underpopulated and underperforming) seem quite valid. Considering that the consequence of closing public schools is opening charter schools, one is inclined to raise an eyebrow.
I recall all of the anger and disgust held by many teachers and members of the community when school closings were announced about a month ago. Being that this is my first time formally living in Philadelphia, it was interesting to see (and feel) the emotions that I had read about in The Notebook or that I saw in protests on new programs. I found myself in solidarity with the students and teachers who challenged the decision to close schools. I also found myself upset with the mergers. I just thought it was interesting which closed schools and open schools are going to be merged... I will leave it at that.
The recent decision to keep some schools open made me slightly happy, but when I didn't see University City High School on the list, I still held mixed feelings. To an extent, my attachment with Philadelphia Schools (outside of SLA) is UC High School. I know that a lot of UC students are upset with the recent announcement because their school is not on the list. I really feel for these students, many of whom are losing the community that they had grew to love over the years.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Promoting Writing in a Social Studies Class
I am wondering how I, as a social studies teacher, can promote writing in a way that is both technically sound and clear in expressing content. One thing that I do (an idea I “stole” from my classroom mentor) is to use journals as the “hook.” For many classes, students will spend 10-15 minutes journaling in a free-write manner. They are then expected to go home and expound upon their entry based on the lesson that followed the journal entry. The question students address is often either a contemporary question, a point that is very theoretical and requires no background content knowledge, or something that the student brought up. There is a standard rubric which has presentation(i.e. writing skills) as one of the five categories, but it also includes process, application, knowledge, and design (expression of thought) (the standard rubric, which depending on the unit/lesson, has different categorical assessments. I think
I think that journals are a great way to get students to write, but I'm wondering if I can and should be doing more. I've included writing elements for every project. I'm also trying to make myself assessable to students to review writing assignments. These things are a start; I am wondering how I can continue to push writing among my students. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Monday, February 4, 2013
It's that time again- Bodybuilding Competition
I'm going to give it yet another try. Hopefully things will work out this time.
I am planning to compete in a bodybuilding competition in May. Things did not work out so well last time, where I simply did not see results/ cheated when I went to Hotlanta in November. Hopefully I can keep it together for the next three months and get some solid results.
I am taking this pretty seriously, believe it or not. I am working out with a trainer, I have a solid diet plan worked out, and I am making a serious effort to train 5-6 days a week. Its really hard to make it out to the gym given the lack of time I have outside of teaching and classes. I am confident that with the right mindset and perseverance, that I can do this.
The dieting thing is going to be rough. As someone who loves to eat in times of business and stress, am going to have toe execute serious will power. I think that this competition and the training process is going to be a great way to test myself and to really claim victory over a challenge.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Finally Found a Church!
After months of searching for a church home, I have finally found one and I am very happy about it. For the past 2 months, I have been attending Greater Exodus Baptist Church in North Philadelphia. I found out about the church because of one of the comments to my previous post about looking for a church. The church is absolutely fitting for me. First and foremost, it feels like a place that is sincerely dedicated to the mission of Christ. The spirit-led church is dedicated to worship and spreading the message of Love to others through service, programming, and ministry. It is absolutely incredible to be apart of such a place. In addition, they host multiple services on different days of the week, which works nicely with my schedule. Also, the church has members of all ages. Oh, and its a Black chu'ch so people aint afraid to stand up, clap a little, do a little two-step in the pew... but also, church doesn't last for 3 days. #Amen
Monday, January 28, 2013
Educon! Disneyland for Educators
Pardon me for always comparing things to Disneyland. I didn't really have that type of childhood and that's all I know in terms of something that is really awesome, so I am going to use Disneyland. Yes, Educon is Disneyland.
Every year, Science Leadership Academy hosts a conference that attracts folk from across the country and furthermore, world. Educators and administrators alike visit SLA classes, attend conference sessions, sit on panels, and engage in meaningful convo about progressive, student-centered education. From technology to social justice, an array of topics are explored.
It was a relief to enter one of the Educon sessions after the abysmal time I had taking that awfully bias Praxis test (aside: 130 questions to test my knowledge of history and 2 questions on African GEOGRAPHY and not one question about the Black experience. Thanks for telling me that I have no history, Praxis exam. Much love -_-). Anyways... after taking that dreadful Praxis test, it was nice to attend amazing workshops. I attended one workshop about using digital text. The presenter did a great job explaining how digital texts (i.e. video, film, youtube) can be used in the classroom. Also, the people in attendance also did a phenomenal job sharing ideas and engaging in discussion. I also attended a session about teaching empathy in the 21st century- in this session, we discussed the ways in which students can use local and global issues to simultaneously build socioemotional skills and an awareness of the world in which they live in. Also, I was on a panel! Being the new-guy here, I sort of felt like Michelle from Destiny's Child (what business did I have serving on a panel, like I knew something about something lol) , but I had a ton of fun!
Please believe if I am in Philly next year, I will definitely be in attendance at next year's conference. I would encourage everyone to check it out.
Every year, Science Leadership Academy hosts a conference that attracts folk from across the country and furthermore, world. Educators and administrators alike visit SLA classes, attend conference sessions, sit on panels, and engage in meaningful convo about progressive, student-centered education. From technology to social justice, an array of topics are explored.
It was a relief to enter one of the Educon sessions after the abysmal time I had taking that awfully bias Praxis test (aside: 130 questions to test my knowledge of history and 2 questions on African GEOGRAPHY and not one question about the Black experience. Thanks for telling me that I have no history, Praxis exam. Much love -_-). Anyways... after taking that dreadful Praxis test, it was nice to attend amazing workshops. I attended one workshop about using digital text. The presenter did a great job explaining how digital texts (i.e. video, film, youtube) can be used in the classroom. Also, the people in attendance also did a phenomenal job sharing ideas and engaging in discussion. I also attended a session about teaching empathy in the 21st century- in this session, we discussed the ways in which students can use local and global issues to simultaneously build socioemotional skills and an awareness of the world in which they live in. Also, I was on a panel! Being the new-guy here, I sort of felt like Michelle from Destiny's Child (what business did I have serving on a panel, like I knew something about something lol) , but I had a ton of fun!
Please believe if I am in Philly next year, I will definitely be in attendance at next year's conference. I would encourage everyone to check it out.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Update for the Week
This week has been incredibly hectic, I do not even know where to begin. I haven't had much time to really reflect on anything but classroom instruction, so let me use this forum to vent. This might be a therapeutic post.
This week has been one of those weeks. For one, I wish I could be home (in Jersey) and taking care of some things that need attending to. Its always unfortunate to recieve news through the phone and not in person. It feels even worse to get news about something you should be involved with, but can't. I think that is the one thing I am really sort of resenting about this program, in some way. One of the reasons why I came to Penn was to be able to tend to the real-life responsibilities that I have, but due to the design of my program, I am not able to go home. I'm feeling some type of way about this.
Aside from that, I'm super blessed to have finished everything that I need to finish. I didn't write this in any of my past posts, but I was REALLY sick for a good month and a half. the words of my grandmother rang through my head during this time and reall got me through. She always says, "I don't have the luxury of being sick. I have things to do." Yup, that's basically what happened in my life and as bad as this might sound, I'm happy I pushed through. I was able to finish all of my coursework, do some really cool lesson planning, and not be bogged down by the challenges of life.
Anyway, back to my weekly update. So aside from resenting my inability to visit the fam, I grinded on my Penn reading and essays. I did a ton of grading and I am FINISHED! YAY! I've been training with a trainer at the gym- homie is bigger than me, which is exactly what I need to get big. Working out and prayer have both been nice escapes this week.
There were three things that made the horridness of Monday- Friday, liveable.
1. There was one highlight of my week and that was the carrying out of debates in my African American History class. These students were AMAZINGLY IMPRESSIVE. They showed out and showed off. From the bills/resolutions they wrote, to the passionate, fiery debate that they promoted, these students did the dang thing and it made me so proud.
2. I saw my roommate. We're basically the best of friends, for those who don't know, yet we never see each other. Beeing that we're both in the struggle, we both would work in the (warzone that is the) living room til 2/3 am everyday. Fun times!
3. Educon! OMG, fo'real'dough- best thing in life. I am going to have to devote a full blog post to Educon.
Upcoming posts: I found (been found) a church! I beat walking pneumonia! Educon! Amazing Coworkers! Sleep! Weight training. Job searching. Social Life (or lack thereof), Independent Study
This week has been one of those weeks. For one, I wish I could be home (in Jersey) and taking care of some things that need attending to. Its always unfortunate to recieve news through the phone and not in person. It feels even worse to get news about something you should be involved with, but can't. I think that is the one thing I am really sort of resenting about this program, in some way. One of the reasons why I came to Penn was to be able to tend to the real-life responsibilities that I have, but due to the design of my program, I am not able to go home. I'm feeling some type of way about this.
Aside from that, I'm super blessed to have finished everything that I need to finish. I didn't write this in any of my past posts, but I was REALLY sick for a good month and a half. the words of my grandmother rang through my head during this time and reall got me through. She always says, "I don't have the luxury of being sick. I have things to do." Yup, that's basically what happened in my life and as bad as this might sound, I'm happy I pushed through. I was able to finish all of my coursework, do some really cool lesson planning, and not be bogged down by the challenges of life.
Anyway, back to my weekly update. So aside from resenting my inability to visit the fam, I grinded on my Penn reading and essays. I did a ton of grading and I am FINISHED! YAY! I've been training with a trainer at the gym- homie is bigger than me, which is exactly what I need to get big. Working out and prayer have both been nice escapes this week.
There were three things that made the horridness of Monday- Friday, liveable.
1. There was one highlight of my week and that was the carrying out of debates in my African American History class. These students were AMAZINGLY IMPRESSIVE. They showed out and showed off. From the bills/resolutions they wrote, to the passionate, fiery debate that they promoted, these students did the dang thing and it made me so proud.
2. I saw my roommate. We're basically the best of friends, for those who don't know, yet we never see each other. Beeing that we're both in the struggle, we both would work in the (warzone that is the) living room til 2/3 am everyday. Fun times!
3. Educon! OMG, fo'real'dough- best thing in life. I am going to have to devote a full blog post to Educon.
Upcoming posts: I found (been found) a church! I beat walking pneumonia! Educon! Amazing Coworkers! Sleep! Weight training. Job searching. Social Life (or lack thereof), Independent Study
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
I am officially crazy. Officially.
I'm such a nerd. Basically I sacrificed my sanity for academics. Lawd please be with me.
I am actually very excited about the potential loss of sanity. I signed up to do an independent study with Professor Erick Grimes who taught the course Psychoeducational Interactions with Black Males ,which I took last term. There was so much powerful material and thought that resulted from that course and I felt compelled to continuing working with him and some of the members of my class. I am very excited about the opportunity, as there are quite a few important projects and material that will be explored over the next couple of months. In the same vein, I am also nervous. Classes have barely began to distribute assignments and I am already overwhelmed. I know that this term is going to be incredibly rewarding individually and professionally as a result of this course, but man I am going to be working my butt off.
I will post updates about my experiences in this independent study particularly, because I know it is going to be an amazing experience. With that said, please keep me in prayer. PLEASE.
I am actually very excited about the potential loss of sanity. I signed up to do an independent study with Professor Erick Grimes who taught the course Psychoeducational Interactions with Black Males ,which I took last term. There was so much powerful material and thought that resulted from that course and I felt compelled to continuing working with him and some of the members of my class. I am very excited about the opportunity, as there are quite a few important projects and material that will be explored over the next couple of months. In the same vein, I am also nervous. Classes have barely began to distribute assignments and I am already overwhelmed. I know that this term is going to be incredibly rewarding individually and professionally as a result of this course, but man I am going to be working my butt off.
I will post updates about my experiences in this independent study particularly, because I know it is going to be an amazing experience. With that said, please keep me in prayer. PLEASE.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Finally Back
It has been a good minute since I last posted. I pray that all of you reading out there had restful and enjoyable holidays and that the new year is starting off right.
Its good to be back in Philadelphia for spring term. I spent a good amount of the holiday break in New Jersey, which was awesome. I cooked a lot and spent time with family. I also spent a good amount of time resting and trying to recover from illness. Feeling better from rest and family time, I am ready to take on 2013.
This should be quite a busy time for me. I am now student-teaching for full days and I am also completing courses (including an independent study, which I will blog about separately). I am still working as a graduate assistant and am involved in a few city initiatives. As exciting as all of this is, its slightly terrifying- I pray God gives me the strength to complete everything that I need to do this term.
Its good to be back in Philadelphia for spring term. I spent a good amount of the holiday break in New Jersey, which was awesome. I cooked a lot and spent time with family. I also spent a good amount of time resting and trying to recover from illness. Feeling better from rest and family time, I am ready to take on 2013.
This should be quite a busy time for me. I am now student-teaching for full days and I am also completing courses (including an independent study, which I will blog about separately). I am still working as a graduate assistant and am involved in a few city initiatives. As exciting as all of this is, its slightly terrifying- I pray God gives me the strength to complete everything that I need to do this term.
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