EDGE Competition

Originally uploaded by dkzody

Starting with this assortment of odds and ends, my four marketing seniors developed and built a product for a target market in 30 minutes which they then presented in the form of an infomercial to a panel of judges at the local college.

They were among 11 teams, all the others made up of college students. Pretty daunting for my inner city high schoolers, but they held their own and took third place. I was very proud of them. Just going out to the college and competing took lots of guts. I told them, “you never win anything if you don’t take the risk.”

My students made a comfort carrier with all sorts of goodies to carry on a plane and use in the hotel room. The infomercial they created was very clever and I think that is what won the prize for them.

Caroline’s wedding at Two Sister’s

Originally uploaded by dkzody

Yesterday was the wedding of a former student. Caroline was not only my student a few years ago, but this summer she was our housesitter while we were gone for three weeks. She married a nice young man and I wish them decades of happiness.

This morning, at church, another couple, married at this time of year, celebrated 65 years of wedded bliss. Pretty amazing.

As for those getting married now, I wish they would have indoor weddings. We have been to so many outdoor weddings, in so many venues–beaches, golf courses, rivers, camps, lakes, parks, and yesterday, a farm house, only it was outside the farmhouse and very chilly. Someone needs to tell these young people that there is this most wonderful invention–indoor heating and cooling. Sure would make these weddings more comfortable. Oh, and maybe I wouldn’t have to travel so far, either.

I wrote these words two years ago; I could have written them today:

Teachers get blamed for everything. If students don’t do well in school, it’s because the teacher isn’t interesting or caring or well prepared. The teacher didn’t try hard enough, didn’t call home enough, didn’t encourage enough. The lesson should be jazzed up, made better, worked more diligently.

Because I teach in an inner city school with all the inherent problems, I see so many students who come to school totally unprepared for and uninterested in school. Asking them to sit still, be quiet, work all period, organize their work, turn in their work, is daunting, but I do it everyday. The teacher is too demanding. The teacher doesn’t understand the situation from which the student comes. It’s ok if the student misses class to take care of smaller siblings, a sick parent, or to work a job to help with the bills. No one says no to a parent who wants to pull their child out of school for a week or a month to return to Mexico for a family visit. This is all part of the culture. Teachers need to be more compassionate.

Then the tests are given and the students are not prepared because they haven’t been in class. The scores are low, and again the teacher is blamed. If you had tried harder, worked harder, cared more, the students of color would have done better. The achievement gap would be diminishing.

I have worked harder, cared more, done more, and it’s not enough to please everyone. After 18 years in the inner city school, working with kids from severe poverty, I am discouraged and feel beaten down. When will it get better? I truly believe that we should be producing a better student, but it is not happening for every kid. Too many are being separated by the achievement gap. Poverty is only part of the equation; culture is also an issue. Someone needs to speak against parents taking their kids out of school for a myriad of familial reasons.

I only wish that in two years this would have turned around.

Around my neighborhood

Originally uploaded by dkzody

This is the view when I step into my front yard and look north. The trees have grown so tall over the years, and the colors are wonderful at this time of the year.

The house next door has a giant Chinese pistache tree in the front courtyard. A young family with two small children live there and will probably be around for a few more years.

Two doors down, where the old VW van sits, there are ginko trees that turn lovely shades of yellow around now. Makes me think of butter when I see all the yellow leaves on the ground. The couple who lives there are original owners, over 35 years in the same house. They are getting close to retirement age and are talking of leaving. We are both cat fanciers and share the same cat sitter. I will miss them if they move before us.

We have been in this neighborhood for 29 years. It was pretty bare and new when we moved in. In the meantime, while kids grew up and moved on, families came and went, we stayed. I am amazed when I stop and think about all the changes, especially when I look at how big the trees have grown. I will miss this neighborhood when we move.

I took 3 hours away from school on Tuesday because I just needed to get away.  With short notice, and only a half day job, I had to take “potluck” for a sub.  The guy I got was one I nor the office knew.  It was a bit of a disaster.

My afternoon classes do take some effort as these are not my Academy students; they have not had lots of training so they require due diligence.  I don’t think this guy was quite up to that.  Students did not turn back the handouts in word processing (I always make sure and yell at them to drop the handouts off as they exit the backdoor.)  Some of the students didn’t even know about the assignment.  My 6th period multimedia class goofed all the whole period and accomplished nothing.  One student told me he slept!  Most of them took zeros today when I did a project check.

And then the sub didn’t take roll and he lost the room key.  He told the front office one of my students stole it.  Yeah, right.  I leave my keys lying around all over the room and no one takes them.  My students know I don’t have anything of value and don’t even know why anything is even locked up.

This morning another student found the room key lying on a book by the rolling cart I use as a base for the classroom.  That’s right, a student turned the key in.  This after the school had pinned all the doors that the key opens, just knowing that dastardly students were waiting to break in and steal everything in sight.

Yes, my blogoversary came and went yesterday. It has been two years and just over 400 posts. About 100 of you come by here and I appreciate your kind words when you stop long enough to write.

When I set up this blog, I had no idea of what I was doing or getting myself into. I had been told I should do this, and knowing I would be leaving teaching in a couple of years, I wanted to venture out beyond my four classroom walls. It has been a great experiment and now is a part of my life. I have made many new friends and learned a lot.  And, I have fun doing it.

My writing is my voice.  If you know me, then you would say you hear me when I write.  If we’ve never met in person, trust me, I sound just like this when I talk.  As I am transparent here on this page, I am in my 3D life also.  I am often loud and passionate about my subject.

Thank you, dear Reader, for stopping by, for sticking with me.  I appreciate all of you.  You have made this successful for me, and I hope you are informed, entertained, and that you leave feeling like you’ve spent time with a friend.  I know that is how I feel after reading many of your blogs.

Just waiting to eat

Originally uploaded by dkzody

After all the hard work the marketing class has done this semester, we decided to celebrate. However, it was hard to find the time to do this as we are busy with our next project. On Friday we made time.

The kids all brought something yummy with a brunch theme (I made biscuits and gravy) and we invited a few guests. Although our Junior Achievement partners had other meetings, others accepted, came, ate, and enjoyed a good time.

We had two previous students who came. One now works for the California State Department and had a furlough Friday (3 Fridays a month, the state government shuts down). The other is the school’s activity director and she had to stop in to ask a question of one of my students and stayed for food and fellowship.

Dr. Godfrey, who took the kids’ videos to Norway, came by before heading off to Fresno State to teach her Friday class. Pamela Howell of the AfterSchool Foundation who worked so hard with us on the chalk art competition also joined us. It had been her idea to do this celebration. And a good one it was.

I’ve learned that there are some people I cannot invite to anything. They always have something else to do. Hey, I can take a hint. Those who come always have a good time and it helps my students practice their social graces. I was very proud of how well they did on Friday.

And so, I continue to write.

We all have them, any of us in education.  Our school has an assortment of conferences, all the way from the very short chat at grade distribution to the more lengthy 504 marathon.  There can be anything in between too and such was the case yesterday.  I met with a parent and student in the counselor’s office to discuss the student’s grades, attendance, and attitude.  I don’t think we got very far.

The student is extremely angry about something but would not tell us.  The mother made excuses and apologized instead of standing up to the student, creating consequences, and following through.  Those last three are the biggest problems I see with parent/child relationships.  The student runs the household, does what they want, goes where they want, and never has any consequences except for the parent yelling at them.  Usually, the student just yells back, again with no consequences.  Then they come into my classroom and want to act the same way.

I believe in parent conferences, but over the past 20 years I have seen only a handful have any effect.  I put lots of effort into these meetings and just wish all of the participants would do likewise.  Parenting, teaching, learning…it’s all messy with lots of hard work to be done by all parties.

Public art on the mall

Originally uploaded by dkzody

Isn’t this a great face? It is one of two women in a large art piece on our local mall. It is called “The Visit” and it was made in the late 60s.

I had forgotten all of the great pieces of art that we have on the mall. This is probably my favorite, closely followed by “The Washer Woman.” It was so much fun to go downtown and wander around the mall, taking photos of all sorts of things on Saturday, and especially photos of the great pieces of public art.

The Fulton Mall has fallen on very bad times as far as retail establishments go. But the landscaping, the fountains, and the artwork are all there to enjoy. It is clean and safe and just so much fun.