On Friday we went to the Black Rep in Providence for a production of “The Bluest Eye,” a theatrical adaptation of Toni Morrison’s highly acclaimed novel. The play was well written and the acting was superb, this combined with the intimate space and emotional content of the play to create a very moving learning experience.
Here are some reflections from the students:
“My initial reaction to the play was that it was well acted out and addressed an essential social issue.”
“‘The Bluest Eye’ takes place in the forties, where there were a lot of racial disparities in America. Feeling black and ugly, Pecola was trapped in a world where having blonde hair and blue eyes were the only way to be normal... I was astounded by each scene... Overall, the play made me look at myself and think about the times where I’ve been mistreated, called a mean name, or jealous of another person. I can relate to Pecola because there have been times where I have felt insecure.”
The play relates to “‘The Souls of Black Girls.’ In the movie black girls talked about their selves, how they feel about the way they look. In the play Picola was obsessed with the way she looked. I think all around the world girls are very concerned with the way they look and most of them want to change a flaw about them.”
“Once I read this book that was about a Jewish girl and she and her mom had to run away because the Nazis were after them and the girl wished she was not Jewish but I guess she could not change that... This happens in the world because people see other people that are popular and they want to be like them but sometimes it is something they can not change about themselves like their eye color or the color of their skin.”
The play connects to the real world because “most of the topics from the play are some problems that people do go through, like being made fun of , or hated, or raped and pregnant at a young age.”
“The play was very relatable and interesting. I learned things about myself from watching the play. I can relate to every character and understand their behavior. It made me think about my life in a different way. Everyone wants to be accepted for who they are. I am fortunate for my life and the people who love me.”
“I think the message may have been... be who you are, be happy with the way you look, and don’t get caught up with your looks.”
“I think that the message is to be yourself and love yourself just the way you are.”
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Week of March 3rd
Friday is a staff development day, therefore there will be no school for students on March 7th. The rest of the week, though abbreviated, will be jam packed.
On Monday all 9th grade students will be participating in an all day election activity. We will start the day with some background on the two democratic candidates as well as some insight into the role Rhode Island might play in the Democratic nomination, despite being the smallest state in the union. Then the students will design a survey to get a pulse on where voters stand. As a group they will need to create quality questions and an easy to use survey that will get the information they want without offending or turning off their potential respondents. We will also try to collect some demographic information so that when the data is compiled we will be able to look for voting trends based on age, race, gender, etc. Next the students will briefly role play how they plan to approach people in public. After that we’ll break into small groups and hit the streets to go survey the public and collect data. Following lunch we will compile the data, graph it, analyze our results, and present our findings to the other groups. On Wednesday we will follow up on this activity by comparing our survey results to the actual results from the primary.
In addition to wrapping up the election activity on Wednesday, we will also be finishing our unit on Black History Month by completing an art project with Andrea Good. Andrea is our artist in residence, she is currently working with students to create a sustainable creative arts program for the kids. You can check out some of her professional work at her website:
http://agooddesign.com
On Tuesday I will be traveling with Steve and a small group of students to the Basketball Hall of Fame. I am an avid basketball fan and I have been playing organized basketball since 8th grade but I have never been to this landmark in Springfield. It should be a very exciting trip.
Thursday will be a normal internship day. Also, congratulations to Seana, she started her internship last week at the Sports Information Office at Salve Regina University. Check out the blog from Saturday, March 1st to read more about some student internships.
Have a great week!
On Monday all 9th grade students will be participating in an all day election activity. We will start the day with some background on the two democratic candidates as well as some insight into the role Rhode Island might play in the Democratic nomination, despite being the smallest state in the union. Then the students will design a survey to get a pulse on where voters stand. As a group they will need to create quality questions and an easy to use survey that will get the information they want without offending or turning off their potential respondents. We will also try to collect some demographic information so that when the data is compiled we will be able to look for voting trends based on age, race, gender, etc. Next the students will briefly role play how they plan to approach people in public. After that we’ll break into small groups and hit the streets to go survey the public and collect data. Following lunch we will compile the data, graph it, analyze our results, and present our findings to the other groups. On Wednesday we will follow up on this activity by comparing our survey results to the actual results from the primary.
In addition to wrapping up the election activity on Wednesday, we will also be finishing our unit on Black History Month by completing an art project with Andrea Good. Andrea is our artist in residence, she is currently working with students to create a sustainable creative arts program for the kids. You can check out some of her professional work at her website:
http://agooddesign.com
On Tuesday I will be traveling with Steve and a small group of students to the Basketball Hall of Fame. I am an avid basketball fan and I have been playing organized basketball since 8th grade but I have never been to this landmark in Springfield. It should be a very exciting trip.
Thursday will be a normal internship day. Also, congratulations to Seana, she started her internship last week at the Sports Information Office at Salve Regina University. Check out the blog from Saturday, March 1st to read more about some student internships.
Have a great week!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Internships
The picture above is of Slater who is interning at Small Business Computers in Newport. He is holding the computer that he is building for his internship project, it will eventually be sold by his mentor. In addition to building the computer Slater will be comparing the cost of buying a computer versus building one. He will also be researching the history of computers, learning about the different parts of the computer and their functions, and developing an understanding of binary code.
Below are some excerpts from student internship journals.
From Laura at the RI Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA):
“At my LTI today I went with Laurelin to Mary E. Fogarty School in Providence to go to each 1st grade classroom and give a lesson on pet care. We brought the shelter's education dog, Lana, who belongs to the SPCA's veterinarian. Lana used to be a shelter dog because her family couldn’t afford to pay for a vet visit when Lana broke her leg. Because Lana's leg wasn’t treated correctly, it had to be amputated. Laurelin likes to bring Lana for education because of her background story, and because Lana is like... the best dog ever. She's part Pameranian and part poodle, so she's small. She's a very sweet dog and is great with kids, including the ones that like to get up in her face. While we were at the school, the lesson basically included Laurelin drawing a cat on a white board, and having the class pick a name for the cat. 3/4 of the time, the cat's name was Fluffy. The other 1/4 of the time, it was Meow Meow. After Laurelin drew a cat and it was named, I would hold up pictures and the class would have to guess why the picture related to owning a cat. The pictures were of food, water, toys, cages, a clock, a vet, a dog on a walk, money, and a heart. Most of them were easy to get; animals needed food and water to live, exercise and playing took time, every animal needs a good home and health care, it cost money to own an animal, and you have to love your animal. When the kids got the picture right, Laurelin would draw it on the board around the cat. In the end, the cat would be surrounded by a bunch of things that make a pet happy, and the cat would end up with a big smile on its face. After the cat drawing, we practiced dog bite safety. The kids would be 'boring trees' and 'boring rocks' to show that a dog isn’t interested in those things, and would rather chase loud and scary kids. Lana would walk around the room as the kids were 'trees and rocks' and would just sniff them and walk away. We also taught them how to ask to pet someone else’s animal. The two important questions to ask are; "Is you dog friendly?" and then, "May I pet your dog?". After they got the 'okay' on both those questions, they had to let the dog sniff them and then they were aloud to pet it. They practices the exercise with Lana, who was more then happy to get 45 different kids giving her attention. After we came back from the school, there were 5 two week old kittens waiting to be taken into the SPCA. I was aloud to do the in-take paperwork for them, and the adopted paperwork for the two rabbits that were adopted today. Earlier today when Laurelin and I were heading to the school, I thought that maybe I'd like to work with animals when I got older instead of being a band manager. Music is something that I will always love, but I love helping animals and working with them too. There are so many fields to work in if I work in animals as well. Education, fostering, kennel work, law enforcement, veterinary, and so many more. It's probably something that I'll look into for my future.”
From Ruth at Citadel Broadcasting:
“My day began at 10:00am, when I arrived at my internship. Once I arrived, Deb and I hit the road for an 11:00 appointment at "Day One." "Day One" is a resource center for sexual assault victims. They have a program called "Your Voice Your View,” which is where high school students from Rhode Island write and produce a commercial about sexual assault. Then "Day One" chooses the top three commercials that they like the most. The commercials will be aired on Hot 106 and 92 ProFm.
When we arrived, we met with Sandy, who is one of the decision makers in "Your Voice Your View.” In her office, we talked about the different students who participated in the program. She then played for us the top two commercials that were chosen. Sandy then asked us for our opinion on the commercials. I thought that it was neat how the students were creative with their commercials.
Once our meeting was over, Deb and I said goodbye to Sandy, and were on our way back to the office. At 12:25, Deb and I ate lunch. We had a spinach and Parmesan cheese pizza and chicken soup. The food was very delicious. Once I finished eating, I worked on my project. First I looked over my timeline to see if there was any additional work I forgot to do. So far, I am on task with everything for my project. I just need to finish my campaign report and get ready for the showcase exhibition on March 13th.... In total, I have fifteen weeks to complete my project. Today, I am on week 6... I looked over the demographics of every radio station. I changed my mind about the radio stations I want the commercial to be aired on. Instead of "Lite Rock 105" and "Hot 106," I want the commercial to be aired on 92 Pro FM. I wrote more information about why I think 92 Pro FM is the best radio station for the commercial.
Next, I wrote a phone script. I need to call the co-director of the school, so I wrote down what I should say. At 2:35, I called Nancy Diaz, who is the co-director of The Met, and left a message. I tried to sound as professional as I could. Deb said that I sounded really good. At 3:30, Deb dropped me off at the bus stop. I said goodbye and walked out of the car...
My day was great today. I am doing so well with my project. Deb has been a huge help for me. I thank God for giving me the best internship ever. I am very grateful that I have the chance to watch Deb work. The Met has given me the opportunity to explore my interests and without the school, I would never be able to do what I love.”
Below are some excerpts from student internship journals.
From Laura at the RI Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA):
“At my LTI today I went with Laurelin to Mary E. Fogarty School in Providence to go to each 1st grade classroom and give a lesson on pet care. We brought the shelter's education dog, Lana, who belongs to the SPCA's veterinarian. Lana used to be a shelter dog because her family couldn’t afford to pay for a vet visit when Lana broke her leg. Because Lana's leg wasn’t treated correctly, it had to be amputated. Laurelin likes to bring Lana for education because of her background story, and because Lana is like... the best dog ever. She's part Pameranian and part poodle, so she's small. She's a very sweet dog and is great with kids, including the ones that like to get up in her face. While we were at the school, the lesson basically included Laurelin drawing a cat on a white board, and having the class pick a name for the cat. 3/4 of the time, the cat's name was Fluffy. The other 1/4 of the time, it was Meow Meow. After Laurelin drew a cat and it was named, I would hold up pictures and the class would have to guess why the picture related to owning a cat. The pictures were of food, water, toys, cages, a clock, a vet, a dog on a walk, money, and a heart. Most of them were easy to get; animals needed food and water to live, exercise and playing took time, every animal needs a good home and health care, it cost money to own an animal, and you have to love your animal. When the kids got the picture right, Laurelin would draw it on the board around the cat. In the end, the cat would be surrounded by a bunch of things that make a pet happy, and the cat would end up with a big smile on its face. After the cat drawing, we practiced dog bite safety. The kids would be 'boring trees' and 'boring rocks' to show that a dog isn’t interested in those things, and would rather chase loud and scary kids. Lana would walk around the room as the kids were 'trees and rocks' and would just sniff them and walk away. We also taught them how to ask to pet someone else’s animal. The two important questions to ask are; "Is you dog friendly?" and then, "May I pet your dog?". After they got the 'okay' on both those questions, they had to let the dog sniff them and then they were aloud to pet it. They practices the exercise with Lana, who was more then happy to get 45 different kids giving her attention. After we came back from the school, there were 5 two week old kittens waiting to be taken into the SPCA. I was aloud to do the in-take paperwork for them, and the adopted paperwork for the two rabbits that were adopted today. Earlier today when Laurelin and I were heading to the school, I thought that maybe I'd like to work with animals when I got older instead of being a band manager. Music is something that I will always love, but I love helping animals and working with them too. There are so many fields to work in if I work in animals as well. Education, fostering, kennel work, law enforcement, veterinary, and so many more. It's probably something that I'll look into for my future.”
From Ruth at Citadel Broadcasting:
“My day began at 10:00am, when I arrived at my internship. Once I arrived, Deb and I hit the road for an 11:00 appointment at "Day One." "Day One" is a resource center for sexual assault victims. They have a program called "Your Voice Your View,” which is where high school students from Rhode Island write and produce a commercial about sexual assault. Then "Day One" chooses the top three commercials that they like the most. The commercials will be aired on Hot 106 and 92 ProFm.
When we arrived, we met with Sandy, who is one of the decision makers in "Your Voice Your View.” In her office, we talked about the different students who participated in the program. She then played for us the top two commercials that were chosen. Sandy then asked us for our opinion on the commercials. I thought that it was neat how the students were creative with their commercials.
Once our meeting was over, Deb and I said goodbye to Sandy, and were on our way back to the office. At 12:25, Deb and I ate lunch. We had a spinach and Parmesan cheese pizza and chicken soup. The food was very delicious. Once I finished eating, I worked on my project. First I looked over my timeline to see if there was any additional work I forgot to do. So far, I am on task with everything for my project. I just need to finish my campaign report and get ready for the showcase exhibition on March 13th.... In total, I have fifteen weeks to complete my project. Today, I am on week 6... I looked over the demographics of every radio station. I changed my mind about the radio stations I want the commercial to be aired on. Instead of "Lite Rock 105" and "Hot 106," I want the commercial to be aired on 92 Pro FM. I wrote more information about why I think 92 Pro FM is the best radio station for the commercial.
Next, I wrote a phone script. I need to call the co-director of the school, so I wrote down what I should say. At 2:35, I called Nancy Diaz, who is the co-director of The Met, and left a message. I tried to sound as professional as I could. Deb said that I sounded really good. At 3:30, Deb dropped me off at the bus stop. I said goodbye and walked out of the car...
My day was great today. I am doing so well with my project. Deb has been a huge help for me. I thank God for giving me the best internship ever. I am very grateful that I have the chance to watch Deb work. The Met has given me the opportunity to explore my interests and without the school, I would never be able to do what I love.”
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Week of February 25th
It’s a winter wonderland outside. I did a lot of plowing and shoveling yesterday, but also was able to have some fun, sledding and building a snowman with Moziah.
This upcoming week we will be following up on our investigation of racial disparities in America. It was very interesting to see how relevant and timely this topic is locally, nationally, and globally. Students talked about disparities they have seen in their own communities, we examined data regarding disparities in RI and the US, and we heard about disparities that exist in other parts of the world. For example, we connected our discussion to the current situation in Australia where the prime minister formally apologized to Aboriginal people for the country’s 70 year policy of forcibly removing Aboriginal children from their families so that they could be assimilated into the white culture. Another great connection came on Friday, when Clarice Odhiambo came and spoke to our students. Clarice is the founder and CEO of Africa Center Engineering Social Solutions, she is from Kenya and has been there over the past few months, so she has seen first hand the disputed election and resulting violence. Clarice was able to explain to us how much of the tension and violence in Kenya now has less to do with the election and more to do with the ethnic disparities that have existed there for the past 45 years.
This week we will look more closely at responses to racial disparities in America, including cultural responses through music and art, urban uprisings, political protest, organized activism, Affirmative Action, and the call for reparations. On Friday we will be going to the Black Rep in Providence for a showing of “The Bluest Eye,” a play adapted from the novel by Toni Morrison.
Throughout the week students should be focusing on project work as we gear up for the Student Showcase on Thursday, March 13th from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.
You may have noticed the new heading on this blog, “The Dream Team,” this is our advisory’s name. Finally! The new moniker was inspired during our latest visit to the YMCA when Seana was singing one of the songs on the radio and managed to incorporate everyones name into the song. The artist who sings the song calls himself The Dream and our advisory is a team, hence the name “The Dream Team.” I think this new title is truly appropriate as we definitely have an amazing group.
This upcoming week we will be following up on our investigation of racial disparities in America. It was very interesting to see how relevant and timely this topic is locally, nationally, and globally. Students talked about disparities they have seen in their own communities, we examined data regarding disparities in RI and the US, and we heard about disparities that exist in other parts of the world. For example, we connected our discussion to the current situation in Australia where the prime minister formally apologized to Aboriginal people for the country’s 70 year policy of forcibly removing Aboriginal children from their families so that they could be assimilated into the white culture. Another great connection came on Friday, when Clarice Odhiambo came and spoke to our students. Clarice is the founder and CEO of Africa Center Engineering Social Solutions, she is from Kenya and has been there over the past few months, so she has seen first hand the disputed election and resulting violence. Clarice was able to explain to us how much of the tension and violence in Kenya now has less to do with the election and more to do with the ethnic disparities that have existed there for the past 45 years.
This week we will look more closely at responses to racial disparities in America, including cultural responses through music and art, urban uprisings, political protest, organized activism, Affirmative Action, and the call for reparations. On Friday we will be going to the Black Rep in Providence for a showing of “The Bluest Eye,” a play adapted from the novel by Toni Morrison.
Throughout the week students should be focusing on project work as we gear up for the Student Showcase on Thursday, March 13th from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.
You may have noticed the new heading on this blog, “The Dream Team,” this is our advisory’s name. Finally! The new moniker was inspired during our latest visit to the YMCA when Seana was singing one of the songs on the radio and managed to incorporate everyones name into the song. The artist who sings the song calls himself The Dream and our advisory is a team, hence the name “The Dream Team.” I think this new title is truly appropriate as we definitely have an amazing group.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Week of February 11th
Some important information that parents should know about:
It is SALT survey time again. Students and staff have finished the survey and surveys have been sent home with students for parents to complete as well. It can be a bit time consuming but the information is really important to the work that we do so we appreciate your cooperation in getting the surveys filled out and returned in a timely fashion.
The next exhibition of student work will be the Student Showcase, a science fair style evening, on Thursday, March 13th from 6:00 - 8:00. Each student will have a booth/table where they exhibit their portfolio and highlight a project that they have completed. Students will be expected to explain how their work was rigorous, what relationships were involved in the project, why it is relevant for them and the world, and how they reflected on the learning experience. The students will not give a formal presentation, rather the evening will consist of many informal conversations around their work and learning. Last year the Student Showcase was a tremendous success in part because it gave parents an opportunity to see project work from all the freshmen. I am very much looking forward to this years Showcase, it should be an exciting evening.
In advisory we have been continuing with the Black History Month theme. This past week we read a portion of a speech by Frederick Douglass titled, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” It is arguably one of the best orations in our countries history and provides a scathing criticism of the United States. We also read a selection from the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in which he discusses how he learned that his path to freedom was education.
We debated the merits of celebrating the Fourth of July since in 1776 many Americans did not enjoy independence, freedom, and equality. Additionally, we read an article about Juneteenth which is now a recognized holiday in 24 states. Juneteenth refers to the week in June of 1865 when the last slaves in Galveston, Texas learned that Abraham Lincoln had freed them through the Emancipation Proclamation. We also argued the merits of celebrating Juneteenth given the complexity of the Emancipation Proclamation and all that has taken place in our history following the Civil War, including, segregation, lynching, disenfranchisement, etc.
This upcoming week we will take a look the issue of equality and freedom in America through the lens of Quantitative Reasoning (QR). We will be investigating some of the racial disparities that exist in our country in terms of income, education, health care, incarceration, homeownership, etc. This topic should be very interesting to interrogate as it provides great opportunities for discussion and debate.
It is SALT survey time again. Students and staff have finished the survey and surveys have been sent home with students for parents to complete as well. It can be a bit time consuming but the information is really important to the work that we do so we appreciate your cooperation in getting the surveys filled out and returned in a timely fashion.
The next exhibition of student work will be the Student Showcase, a science fair style evening, on Thursday, March 13th from 6:00 - 8:00. Each student will have a booth/table where they exhibit their portfolio and highlight a project that they have completed. Students will be expected to explain how their work was rigorous, what relationships were involved in the project, why it is relevant for them and the world, and how they reflected on the learning experience. The students will not give a formal presentation, rather the evening will consist of many informal conversations around their work and learning. Last year the Student Showcase was a tremendous success in part because it gave parents an opportunity to see project work from all the freshmen. I am very much looking forward to this years Showcase, it should be an exciting evening.
In advisory we have been continuing with the Black History Month theme. This past week we read a portion of a speech by Frederick Douglass titled, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” It is arguably one of the best orations in our countries history and provides a scathing criticism of the United States. We also read a selection from the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in which he discusses how he learned that his path to freedom was education.
We debated the merits of celebrating the Fourth of July since in 1776 many Americans did not enjoy independence, freedom, and equality. Additionally, we read an article about Juneteenth which is now a recognized holiday in 24 states. Juneteenth refers to the week in June of 1865 when the last slaves in Galveston, Texas learned that Abraham Lincoln had freed them through the Emancipation Proclamation. We also argued the merits of celebrating Juneteenth given the complexity of the Emancipation Proclamation and all that has taken place in our history following the Civil War, including, segregation, lynching, disenfranchisement, etc.
This upcoming week we will take a look the issue of equality and freedom in America through the lens of Quantitative Reasoning (QR). We will be investigating some of the racial disparities that exist in our country in terms of income, education, health care, incarceration, homeownership, etc. This topic should be very interesting to interrogate as it provides great opportunities for discussion and debate.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Shout Outs - 2/8
Ruth - Radio star! It was amazing to hear you on the radio last Thursday, you did a great job with the commercial and even though you didn’t shout me out, I’m giving you a shout out for the wonderful work you’ve been doing at your LTI.
Seana - For attending the Rally for the Homeless at the State House. I think you’ll see that the rally is very closely connected with the awesome project that you are doing on homeless children and youth. I’m confident that when you are done this will be one of the strongest 9th grade projects I’ve seen!
Lazandra - The first week at your LTI and you’ve already written three press releases, all of which were very good. Now you just have to learn how to cook African food so you won’t have to eat mine.
Jeramie - You asked some great questions in your interview/planning session with the architect. Your enthusiasm around this project is contagious, I want to design and build my dream home, keep it up!
To all PARENTS who completed and returned their SALT surveys, THANK YOU!
Seana - For attending the Rally for the Homeless at the State House. I think you’ll see that the rally is very closely connected with the awesome project that you are doing on homeless children and youth. I’m confident that when you are done this will be one of the strongest 9th grade projects I’ve seen!
Lazandra - The first week at your LTI and you’ve already written three press releases, all of which were very good. Now you just have to learn how to cook African food so you won’t have to eat mine.
Jeramie - You asked some great questions in your interview/planning session with the architect. Your enthusiasm around this project is contagious, I want to design and build my dream home, keep it up!
To all PARENTS who completed and returned their SALT surveys, THANK YOU!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Black History Month
This past week we took some time to debate the merits of Black History month. As I played devil’s advocate the discussion became quite intense and the students developed some excellent reasons around why Black History month is important. Following our conversation, we read a piece about Carter G. Woodson, the “Father of Black History.” Although Woodson is not a household name, he has an extremely important place in history. In the early twentieth century public knowledge of Black history did not extend beyond the idea that Black people were enslaved. Woodson was confident that people would respect Black people and treat them equally if they only knew about Black history and all of the accomplishments and contributions of Black people. Thus, in 1926 Woodson started Negro History week, which 50 years later was expanded to Black History month.
On Wednesday we followed up on our discussion from the beginning of the week. Students read two articles about the pros and cons of Black History month and then each student wrote a five-paragraph persuasive essay on why we should or should not set aside this month to recognize and honor the achievements and leadership of African-Americans.
Throughout February we will be looking at themes related to Black history. The students will be forced to think critically and form opinions on controversial issues that have a historical context with present implications, such as, Juneteenth, racial disparities, and affirmative action, to name a few. It should be a great opportunity to engage in sophisticated dialogue on a variety of issues from a diversity of perspectives.
A quick reminder, there will be no school on Friday, February 8th as it is a Met staff development day.
Also, the Bridge to Success program resumed this week, if you have any questions about the schedule for February please let me know.
On Wednesday we followed up on our discussion from the beginning of the week. Students read two articles about the pros and cons of Black History month and then each student wrote a five-paragraph persuasive essay on why we should or should not set aside this month to recognize and honor the achievements and leadership of African-Americans.
Throughout February we will be looking at themes related to Black history. The students will be forced to think critically and form opinions on controversial issues that have a historical context with present implications, such as, Juneteenth, racial disparities, and affirmative action, to name a few. It should be a great opportunity to engage in sophisticated dialogue on a variety of issues from a diversity of perspectives.
A quick reminder, there will be no school on Friday, February 8th as it is a Met staff development day.
Also, the Bridge to Success program resumed this week, if you have any questions about the schedule for February please let me know.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Shout Outs - 2/1
Lazandra - Great job at your interview on Monday, ou dressed and presented yourself professionally and you were prepared with your writing sample. I think you’ll have an amazing experience at your internship with the Women’s Resource Center. It took a while but I think this LTI will be a great fit for you so it was worth the wait, I hope you are as excited as I am.
Donovan - Our newest Met student, welcome! Your first week and you’ve already had an interview and you have two great project ideas. Let’s make it happen!
Seana - Sorry I couldn’t be at your interview but I heard you did really well. Have fun at your shadow day on Saturday. Also, nice job on your project proposal and persuasive essay!
Will - From everything I’ve heard the “Crank That” competition was a resounding success. A good time was had by all and many of the attendees were not from the Met, so you were able to engage students from other schools which was really the point. Nice work all around, you should be very proud of what you accomplished!
Ky - Really nice job with your persuasive essay, from what you wrote it seems like you are really passionate about some world issues, how can we get you engaged around those topics that interest you in a way that utilizes your creative and artistic talent?
Jeramie - Glad your interview went well on Tuesday. Your diligence and attention to detail with your house project make you a model for other students. Keep up the great work!
Josh - Your work ethic and effort with writing assignments has been terrific lately. Good job on the persuasive essay and I am looking forward to reading the story that you are working on.
David - I heard the meeting went really well on Tuesday. You’re doing some great work at your internship and it sounds like you have a really cool and important project that you will be working on, I can’t wait to read the project proposal. Also, though the students did not show up I appreciate your willingness to take your time to teach others about robotics programming.
Laura and Ruth - You both have made the most of your experience here at the Met. You each take advantage of every opportunity given to you and you consistently produce high quality work. You both will do some amazing work over your high school years and I am excited to be a part of it, keep up the great work!
Donovan - Our newest Met student, welcome! Your first week and you’ve already had an interview and you have two great project ideas. Let’s make it happen!
Seana - Sorry I couldn’t be at your interview but I heard you did really well. Have fun at your shadow day on Saturday. Also, nice job on your project proposal and persuasive essay!
Will - From everything I’ve heard the “Crank That” competition was a resounding success. A good time was had by all and many of the attendees were not from the Met, so you were able to engage students from other schools which was really the point. Nice work all around, you should be very proud of what you accomplished!
Ky - Really nice job with your persuasive essay, from what you wrote it seems like you are really passionate about some world issues, how can we get you engaged around those topics that interest you in a way that utilizes your creative and artistic talent?
Jeramie - Glad your interview went well on Tuesday. Your diligence and attention to detail with your house project make you a model for other students. Keep up the great work!
Josh - Your work ethic and effort with writing assignments has been terrific lately. Good job on the persuasive essay and I am looking forward to reading the story that you are working on.
David - I heard the meeting went really well on Tuesday. You’re doing some great work at your internship and it sounds like you have a really cool and important project that you will be working on, I can’t wait to read the project proposal. Also, though the students did not show up I appreciate your willingness to take your time to teach others about robotics programming.
Laura and Ruth - You both have made the most of your experience here at the Met. You each take advantage of every opportunity given to you and you consistently produce high quality work. You both will do some amazing work over your high school years and I am excited to be a part of it, keep up the great work!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Internship Site Visits
This week I had the opportunity to visit four internship sites, which is undoubtedly one of the best parts of the job. It is always a joy to see students thoroughly engaged, doing something they love, working closely with a caring, nurturing adult, producing high quality work not motivated by a grade but motivated by interest and passion.
The following is a very brief synopsis of my site visits, I hope that students will submit some work for me to post that will better describe their internships and LTI projects.
On Tuesday I visited Ruth at her internship at Citadel Broadcasting, which broadcasts stations 92 Pro FM, Lite Rock 105, and Hot 106, among others. Her mentor, Deb Ruggiero, is the Director of Community Development and the host of her own radio show titled, “Amazing Women.” Ruth is just beginning a very cool project where she will be creating a 60 second radio spot for the East Bay Met. Among other things Ruth will be learning about demographics, how to identify and target a specific market, how to develop a media plan, and how to put together a budget.
On Thursday I met with Laura (pictured above) and her mentor, Laurelin Sitterly, who is the Director of Humane Education at RISPCA (the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Currently, Laura is working on an amazing project, designing a humane education program which she will help to promote, recruit for, and facilitate. Additionally, Laura will be writing a grant to pay for her mentor, another RISPCA employee, and herself to attend an educational conference in Florida in the Spring.
I also visited Slater’s internship at Small Business Computers in Newport. The owner and his wife, Ned and Linda, are thrilled to have Slater interning there, where he is learning about computer troubleshooting, maintenance, and repair, as well as customer service and how to operate a business. Presently, Slater is building, from the ground up, a very cool looking clear-case computer, which the shop will eventually sell.
Additionally, I met with Gwen’s mentors from Head Start, who were all very pleased with her work at the Joel Peckham school. From the comments of her mentors, it is apparent that Gwen has made a big impact on the kids in her classroom, as they all look forward to her presence on LTI days. In the next week or two Gwen will be creating an LTI project.
The following is a very brief synopsis of my site visits, I hope that students will submit some work for me to post that will better describe their internships and LTI projects.
On Tuesday I visited Ruth at her internship at Citadel Broadcasting, which broadcasts stations 92 Pro FM, Lite Rock 105, and Hot 106, among others. Her mentor, Deb Ruggiero, is the Director of Community Development and the host of her own radio show titled, “Amazing Women.” Ruth is just beginning a very cool project where she will be creating a 60 second radio spot for the East Bay Met. Among other things Ruth will be learning about demographics, how to identify and target a specific market, how to develop a media plan, and how to put together a budget.
On Thursday I met with Laura (pictured above) and her mentor, Laurelin Sitterly, who is the Director of Humane Education at RISPCA (the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Currently, Laura is working on an amazing project, designing a humane education program which she will help to promote, recruit for, and facilitate. Additionally, Laura will be writing a grant to pay for her mentor, another RISPCA employee, and herself to attend an educational conference in Florida in the Spring.
I also visited Slater’s internship at Small Business Computers in Newport. The owner and his wife, Ned and Linda, are thrilled to have Slater interning there, where he is learning about computer troubleshooting, maintenance, and repair, as well as customer service and how to operate a business. Presently, Slater is building, from the ground up, a very cool looking clear-case computer, which the shop will eventually sell.
Additionally, I met with Gwen’s mentors from Head Start, who were all very pleased with her work at the Joel Peckham school. From the comments of her mentors, it is apparent that Gwen has made a big impact on the kids in her classroom, as they all look forward to her presence on LTI days. In the next week or two Gwen will be creating an LTI project.
Shout Outs - 1/26
To all students for their engagement and participation in Wednesday’s Social Reasoning workshop and debate.
Seana - Two LTI interviews next Tuesday, wow! One at a theater company and the other at the sports office at Salve, hopefully one of these will lead to an internship for you.
Lazandra - The interview you have next week with the Development Department at the Women’s Resource Center could open the door for some great opportunities. Congratulations!
To all the students whose LTI sites I visited this week, keep up the great work!
Seana - Two LTI interviews next Tuesday, wow! One at a theater company and the other at the sports office at Salve, hopefully one of these will lead to an internship for you.
Lazandra - The interview you have next week with the Development Department at the Women’s Resource Center could open the door for some great opportunities. Congratulations!
To all the students whose LTI sites I visited this week, keep up the great work!
Deconstructing the "N" Word
“Do I have to go to this workshop? I don’t use the ‘N’ word”
This is what one of my students asked me Wednesday morning when they realized that the workshop would last from 9:30 to 12:00. Of course, my answer was simply, “Yes.”
While the workshop was long it was certainly not a monologue but rather a guided conversation that included the entire school. The facilitator, Marco, was engaging and charismatic and his style of presentation created a very comfortable environment to discuss a very uncomfortable topic. The workshop was less about the “N” word and much more about the history of the word and its negative connotations that stem from America’s deep rooted racism. Marco talked about everything from the slave trade to the Black Power movement to the present, including slavery, segregation, lynching, and civil rights. He discussed culture. He discussed the power of words and language. He discussed anthropology. Needless to say it was a very informative presentation and though we only began to scratch the surface it was done so in a thought provoking way that helped foster dialogue throughout the day, which hopefully will continue.
On Wednesday afternoon we broke into small groups and debriefed the morning’s workshop. Each group was then assigned a position regarding the use of the “N” word, whether it should be used, by whom, and in what context. Each group read some articles related to the topic and tried to glean evidence that supported their assigned position. The school then reconvened in the Commons where students were asked to defend their position in a structured debate. After each student defended their position, many very passionately, a jury of students handed down the verdict: the “N” word should not be used by anyone, at any time, in any context.
It was an informative, interesting, and insightful day. The wonderful behavior and participation of all students made for an amazing learning experience.
This is what one of my students asked me Wednesday morning when they realized that the workshop would last from 9:30 to 12:00. Of course, my answer was simply, “Yes.”
While the workshop was long it was certainly not a monologue but rather a guided conversation that included the entire school. The facilitator, Marco, was engaging and charismatic and his style of presentation created a very comfortable environment to discuss a very uncomfortable topic. The workshop was less about the “N” word and much more about the history of the word and its negative connotations that stem from America’s deep rooted racism. Marco talked about everything from the slave trade to the Black Power movement to the present, including slavery, segregation, lynching, and civil rights. He discussed culture. He discussed the power of words and language. He discussed anthropology. Needless to say it was a very informative presentation and though we only began to scratch the surface it was done so in a thought provoking way that helped foster dialogue throughout the day, which hopefully will continue.
On Wednesday afternoon we broke into small groups and debriefed the morning’s workshop. Each group was then assigned a position regarding the use of the “N” word, whether it should be used, by whom, and in what context. Each group read some articles related to the topic and tried to glean evidence that supported their assigned position. The school then reconvened in the Commons where students were asked to defend their position in a structured debate. After each student defended their position, many very passionately, a jury of students handed down the verdict: the “N” word should not be used by anyone, at any time, in any context.
It was an informative, interesting, and insightful day. The wonderful behavior and participation of all students made for an amazing learning experience.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Week of January 21st
Our upcoming week will be very short.
No school on Monday as we observe Martin Luther King day. Also, Friday is a staff development day so there will be no school for students.
Tuesday and Thursday will be normal internship days.
On Wednesday the whole school will participate in an all school SR (Social Reasoning) activity. In the morning students will be engaged in a well-received workshop on the use of the “N-word.” As most of us know this word has a long history in our country, it signifies racism and hate, though more recently has been adopted by some communities as a term of affection. The word’s controversial prevalence in hip-hop culture and its recent media coverage (due in large part to a tirade by Michael Richards aka Kramer) make the debate around the use of the word both timely and relevant. In the afternoon students will participate in staff led workshops around the Civil Rights Movement and the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It should be a very insightful day.
No school on Monday as we observe Martin Luther King day. Also, Friday is a staff development day so there will be no school for students.
Tuesday and Thursday will be normal internship days.
On Wednesday the whole school will participate in an all school SR (Social Reasoning) activity. In the morning students will be engaged in a well-received workshop on the use of the “N-word.” As most of us know this word has a long history in our country, it signifies racism and hate, though more recently has been adopted by some communities as a term of affection. The word’s controversial prevalence in hip-hop culture and its recent media coverage (due in large part to a tirade by Michael Richards aka Kramer) make the debate around the use of the word both timely and relevant. In the afternoon students will participate in staff led workshops around the Civil Rights Movement and the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It should be a very insightful day.
Shout Outs - 1/19
Ruth - Tremendous job documenting and reflecting upon your LTI experience. Reading your journal entries, I almost feel as though I have been shadowing you at your internship. Your work ethic and enthusiasm are refreshing, keep it up.
Josh - Congratulations on landing an internship at Newport Daily News! I’m very excited for you. Though you may not be able to tell through my writing, I’m giddy right now.
Slater - The LTI journal and NYC reflection that you submitted for your digital portfolio were excellent artifacts for the reflective writing standard. Your effort in both pieces shows great progress, nice work!
Steve and Marie Heilborn - Thanks so much for your assistance with our petition regarding funding and the state budget. Your efforts are sincerely appreciated!
Josh - Congratulations on landing an internship at Newport Daily News! I’m very excited for you. Though you may not be able to tell through my writing, I’m giddy right now.
Slater - The LTI journal and NYC reflection that you submitted for your digital portfolio were excellent artifacts for the reflective writing standard. Your effort in both pieces shows great progress, nice work!
Steve and Marie Heilborn - Thanks so much for your assistance with our petition regarding funding and the state budget. Your efforts are sincerely appreciated!
Digital Portfolios
As students went through the process of choosing work to submit, uploading it to richerpicture, identifying the standards the work met, and creating a tour of their best work, I became somewhat disenchanted and frustrated with the amount of time and effort that was being dedicated to the digital portfolio. However, after participating in a week-long assessment of these portfolios I feel invigorated. Although there are flaws in the system, I feel that digital portfolio assessment week presented an amazing opportunity for us to talk about the quality of student work, with colleagues and students, in a very structured, comfortable format with tangible standards from where to initiate our constructive criticism and positive comments. This forum forced staff and students into a candid conversation about what constitutes proficiency, what is quality, and what the student needs to do to improve their work in the future. I strongly believe that the time dedicated to digital portfolios was well spent as students now have more clarity around our academic expectations.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Week of January 14th
This week every student from the East Bay Met will have their digital portfolio assessed. The digital portfolio is a state requirement which allows students to upload and archive their best work to a web based portfolio hosted by www.richerpicture.com. The websites interface allows students to digitally archive their best work and for each piece of work that the students upload they can identify whether or not it meets the proficiency standards for the New Diploma requirements. Students’ work will also be assessed by two advisors from the school to see if in fact the student has demonstrated that they are proficient in the skills that they identify. The digital portfolio should become a useful tool for students to organize work and for our school community to develop some consensus around what is high quality, proficient work.
During the week students will be participating in six workshops. They will also have independent work time (iwt) for journaling, catching up on work, writing project proposals, and literacy. Every student in my advisory will be going to the YMCA in the afternoon on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Additionally every student that has an internship will be expected to be at their LTI on Tuesday and Thursday.
Also, on Friday students were given a packet of information to bring home regarding the budget for next year. The packet includes a cover letter, a letter to Gov. Carcieri, a petition form, and a list of e-mail addresses for RI elected officials. Please read the information and help us keep our funding so that the school can continue to grow over the next two years. Thanks!
During the week students will be participating in six workshops. They will also have independent work time (iwt) for journaling, catching up on work, writing project proposals, and literacy. Every student in my advisory will be going to the YMCA in the afternoon on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Additionally every student that has an internship will be expected to be at their LTI on Tuesday and Thursday.
Also, on Friday students were given a packet of information to bring home regarding the budget for next year. The packet includes a cover letter, a letter to Gov. Carcieri, a petition form, and a list of e-mail addresses for RI elected officials. Please read the information and help us keep our funding so that the school can continue to grow over the next two years. Thanks!
Shout Outs 1-11
Shout outs for the week:
Seana - great job putting together the pick me up for Friday. It’s too bad that you didn’t have time for the other activity but maybe you can do it the next time that our advisory is scheduled to do PMU.
Josh - good meeting with Manny, hopefully this will work out as an LTI site for you.
Ruth - congratulations on your first two days at the radio station, I’m glad you’re enjoying it and I’m sure it won’t be too long before we hear your voice on the airwaves.
Jeramie - Happy 16th birthday!!! Keep up the great work on your house design, maybe you should include a guest house for when Darthula and I come to visit.
Cat - Awesome job at your LTI, I can tell that your mentors and the kids love you. It is easy to see that you are already making a significant contribution there and it is apparent that you really are enjoying what you do.
Will - Keep up the good work planning your “Crank Dat” event. Your hard work will pay off. I’m looking forward to a very successful, “poppin’” event, rep East Bay well son.
Laura, David, and Ruth - Thanks for helping your classmates get their digital portfolios prepared for assessment week, nice teamwork!
Bill Harnett - Thanks for your generous donation to the Kenya project, your support is greatly appreciated.
Seana - great job putting together the pick me up for Friday. It’s too bad that you didn’t have time for the other activity but maybe you can do it the next time that our advisory is scheduled to do PMU.
Josh - good meeting with Manny, hopefully this will work out as an LTI site for you.
Ruth - congratulations on your first two days at the radio station, I’m glad you’re enjoying it and I’m sure it won’t be too long before we hear your voice on the airwaves.
Jeramie - Happy 16th birthday!!! Keep up the great work on your house design, maybe you should include a guest house for when Darthula and I come to visit.
Cat - Awesome job at your LTI, I can tell that your mentors and the kids love you. It is easy to see that you are already making a significant contribution there and it is apparent that you really are enjoying what you do.
Will - Keep up the good work planning your “Crank Dat” event. Your hard work will pay off. I’m looking forward to a very successful, “poppin’” event, rep East Bay well son.
Laura, David, and Ruth - Thanks for helping your classmates get their digital portfolios prepared for assessment week, nice teamwork!
Bill Harnett - Thanks for your generous donation to the Kenya project, your support is greatly appreciated.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Paternity Leave
Greetings,
The past few months have been extremely eventful, the highlight of course being the birth of my daughter, Adequoyah Kamali Josephine Mathews. I have always considered being a father to be my most important, rewarding, and satisfying role in life, so to welcome another child into this world has been a blessing and a joy. It was wonderful to have six weeks to be at home with Darthula and the baby during these first moments of life and I can’t begin to express the magnitude of my appreciation to Charlie, the East Bay Met, and the students and their families for their flexibility, support, and generosity. The time I had with my family was precious and necessary and had I missed out on it would have been irretrievable. I especially want to thank Denise for taking the reins in my absence, her relationships with the students and her presence in the school are magnificent. We are all extremely lucky that she will continue to have a significant role at the school for the duration of the year.
I am looking forward to the year to come, 2008 promises to be exciting!
Best,
Justin
The past few months have been extremely eventful, the highlight of course being the birth of my daughter, Adequoyah Kamali Josephine Mathews. I have always considered being a father to be my most important, rewarding, and satisfying role in life, so to welcome another child into this world has been a blessing and a joy. It was wonderful to have six weeks to be at home with Darthula and the baby during these first moments of life and I can’t begin to express the magnitude of my appreciation to Charlie, the East Bay Met, and the students and their families for their flexibility, support, and generosity. The time I had with my family was precious and necessary and had I missed out on it would have been irretrievable. I especially want to thank Denise for taking the reins in my absence, her relationships with the students and her presence in the school are magnificent. We are all extremely lucky that she will continue to have a significant role at the school for the duration of the year.
I am looking forward to the year to come, 2008 promises to be exciting!
Best,
Justin
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