Can't sleep

I've got the laptop positioned on my chest so I can try to see the letters I type. It's not fun when you can't find your glasses and it's too late to put the contacts back in. I'll just pour my heart out I suppose.

The security guard at my school I speak with regularly has had two dozen low paying jobs around the county. He claims to be averaging an hour of sleep a night and the dark circles make me think he's telling the truth. What can I learn from him? He's got a tough job and it takes three menial jobs just to make it in today.

I heard about some of his previous jobs and I thought he could write an expose of some his exploits. "Nah, too boring."

I suppose that's subjective. Oh well.

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One of my students was selected for a great honor and will be going to DC to receive the award. I hope I challenged her a tiny bit this year.

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I got another email excuse from the same predictable student.


At least they care enough to write an email sometimes. It's the ones who dont care at all that depress you.

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The heliocopter has been circling a few miles south all night. Students come from there. Then they go home there.

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I had a student suck a lollypop and look at me and play around nearly all period. I suppose the work isn't very challenging but I've got kids in that period struggling with GERMANY WAS A DEMOCRACY. RUSSIA WAS COMMUNIST. LIFE IN THE 1920s WAS HARD.

Time to Review:

What was Germany? ________

"This is too hard!"

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I had a student come back from the alternative ed school (for bad kids), He said it's full of gangs and the teachers don't do anything. Pure baby-sitting. Pathetic.

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We discussed T. Schiavo. A moving testamonial to a lost loved-one was given yesterday. I won't soon forget it. Dont forget how hard this is on the parents.

good bye

I said good bye to two students today. Both black from the same class. One quiet and one extra loud. I wish them the best of luck.

Before L left she joked that M was sleeping because "He was mad he got a girl pregnant."

I joked, "Well I guess you'll be getting married soon M."

L started laughing, "Not in our culture!!"

Pretty funny L. I'll miss your attitude. I remember the time you slapped a guy for saying the Virgin Mary wasn't a virgin. I hope you change your attitude in your new school.

I had a full day. Teaching, learning, doing. Watching "The Shield."

Research Project! I need your help!

Animal Project Ideas:


First Idea:
Observing How Pigeons respond to feeding (dominance)

Second Idea:
Go to zoo tomorrow and watch chimps (dominance/homosexuality)

Third Idea:
Mow lawn in Kendall count the number of birds that come to eat the worms after the grass is cut. Then try and "trick" the birds by driving around with the lawnmower's blade up! Do the birds come because of the sound or the smell of the cut grass? Repeat 10 times and charge the neighbors each time (30 dollars). Make 300 dollars and be happY!

Fourth Idea:
Ask a wise old owl how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop.

Fifth Idea:
Observe coots in Florida Bay off Flamingo.

Sixth Idea:
Count the number of alligators along Shark Valley at three different times of day. See how the alligators respond to people on the trail.

Seventh Idea:
Go to Seaquarium and talk to wrestler/trainer from bus. Ask the wrestler/trainer for any ideas for a project!

Idea number Eight:
Find out why tigers and vicious animals hate black folks.

Ninth Idea:
Different bird sounds at different times of day. Have a symbol for each bird sound. Use a recorder to record the sound and then count the number of audible calls. Call an ornithologist to determine which birds make which sound. Have a chart.

Tenth Idea:
Count the number of fish which eat the bread thrown in the canal. Note the quantity of the fish surfacing.

Eleventh Idea:
Survey the number of manatees on the Miami River.

Twelvth Idea:
Release wild pirannas into canal system. Watch the funniness.

Thirteenth Idea:
Variation on number 1- Tempt pigeons/seagulls (pajaro chusmos) with food. Play Jason Mraz for an hour- see how many pajaros like it. Play heavy metal - see how pajaros respond.

Fourteenth Idea:
Go out on the bay around dusk. Throw lots of blood into the water and count the number of sharks you see!

Fifteenth Idea:


YOU TELL ME!! I am doing a very important research project and I need YOUR input. Please leave me comments or vote for your project.

shooting up the school

I've heard students say they are going to shoot up the school- yet they didn't. I know students who listen to Marilyn Manson and wear all black but don't kill anyone. All the experts on TV are wasting their breath.

Get the guns out of the hands of young people.

information overload

Searching through all these blogs online makes me realize: we are drowning in information! So what else can I do but add to the flood?

I'm trying out 'blogrolling.com' Let's see how it works.

Sparta or Athens?

Sparta or Athens?

Which would you pick?

My classroom is definitely Athens. Oh well, things turned out okay for Socrates didn't they?

Oh wait a minute.

links to class discussion.

We used the computers in the library to prognisticate student achievement by their previous performances on the FCAT (Florida's test for basick literacy). Scatter plots, bar graphs, individual analysis- I spent a good hour taking it all in.

The test seems to correlate nicely with student performance. I believe I could've guessed their scores but there were a few surprises. That doesn't, however, mean I agree with the ideology behind the test.

I don't want to make the test the reason for us to go to school.

I can't make this blog a radical dissection of our country's political future. I can't write about deconstructionist analysis or pontificate about the proper level of debt our nation should carry. To be honest, most bloggers haven't the slightest clue.

I'll write about the people I teach and the people I teach with. I'll discuss how the world influences my students and how my students influence the world. I'll link articles we read in class: 3 billion dollar hotel.

"But, why do all these countries with all this oil end up with so many poor people?"

Thomas Friedman would be proud of that sort of line of questioning.

We also read Terry Schiavo.

"But why do religious people claim to allow her to live out her life when she is kept alive by machines?"

The irony isn't lost on them.

Ah, sixth period you keep me teaching. Let's see you measure inquisitiveness with the FCAT. Oh, you can? Oh. Nevermind. Maybe bloggers from Florida should have their FCAT score plainly visible to ensure readers know what they are getting into.

Maybe the FCAT test is just an IQ test in disguise.

Maybe the fact that the links I put up here will expire makes me sad. Maybe I don't want to always focus on the ephemeral.

But what really lasts?

Look what made the news earlier on CNN.COM!

think you have control?

Just when everything seemed fine, after I gave them a "prison discussion" and they quietly took a quiz, it went wrong. They were taking student newspapers as they handed in their quizzes and I was giving make up work to a student who had been in outdoor suspension.

As I was telling him what assignment to do someone shut the lights off. This is a lecture hall without even a hint of light. Without emergency lights it was like being locked in a crypt. But how they howled! They were so loud you couldn't even imagine it!

An anonymous prankster got his wish because I got mad. They will NOT be standing up near the door anymore. I'll give them the "prison talk" every day of the year for all period if need be.

Why underachieve?

Read this.

Read this article. It's sad and it happens in England just as in America. I see it with my own eyes in a suburban school with motivated teachers and air conditioning.

inappropriate raiment?

"And, in conclusion, he wears shoes that don't match the belt and they are scuffed up!"

Thus concluded an email about the way I dress. You see, the fact that I don't wear expensive clothes is causing an uproar in my first period. I find it funny but also obnoxious.

We read "A Modest Proposal" today. Most kids looked horrified (a few rationalized it) tell me what you think. At least we all learned a new word today. Guess which?

My right ear is on strike. I haven't given it enough benefits and there have been a few q-tip incidents but all I hear is buzzing. It's really uncomfortable but what can I do? Medicine hasn't worked, nor has ignoring it.

Some days I hate this stupid job. Maybe "A Modest Proposal" WAS too dificult for them. I just hate that attitude. I can only hope I opened a few eyes today.

technology for all? for what purpose?

I am part of an honest-to-goodness focus group for technology at the high school where I teach. I asked a number of questions: Will the technology reach all of the students? Will the technology be relevant? How many students use computers at home?

It's enjoyable to get some input. I almost like feeling like I could influence the direction of things.

I sometimes wonder what anyone knows about education. Just take the trouble makers out of the equation and lock them up with some good books. Sound good? Use the technology to provide the food and water for their journey.

Taking money for the candy from babies

I am so tired of this "candy sale". I am tired of selling CANDY to TEENAGERS! This is not how I envisioned my life. The other club sponsor insisted I do this.

But now the end is near. I am paying for the deadbeats. They can pay me if they want.

I'm tired of being a bill collector. One girl has a mother in the hospital. Another father or boyfriend immediately hung up when I started speaking. Another had to leave her house. I'm dealing with children with problems. It's my issue now and I'm going to end it tomorrow. They can pay me when they can.

But I'll be creative before the next fund-raiser.

We read "White Man's Burden" by Kipling in World History. I enjoyed the discussion greatly. Fourth is still taking advantage of me. I'm tired of them. Took a quiz about the 1920s in American.

My "burden" as a white man collecting candy money is now over. And it's only costing me money. Maybe I learned a lesson in this somewhere?

kicked out of school; slapped silly

A student was kicked out of school for making fun of the administration in a PowerPoint presentation. I saw the presentation and it was offensive. Did the punishment fit the crime? Something for me to ponder.

The ROTC people "hit" the students. It really disgusts me. It's more of a distracting slap on the wrist for girls and a punch to the chest for guys. For the life of me I can't understand how they get away with it except maybe that no one important knows about it. Most likely they get away with it because it's the poorer students who end up in ROTC. Maybe education is going back to the good old days. When were they?

Of course everyone would deny that poorer students are more likely to be in regular classes and ROTC. No one studies such things and certainly no one discusses them! Equality is the rhetoric; inequality is the practice.

But look at me, I'm taking my regular class to a performance by the Air Force drill team. Personally I'm curious to see it myself. I'll give them a little message beforehand about propaganda and such. We'll see how it goes.

Another day in the history books. But no one reads books anymore so it's of no consequence.

Standardized Testing

When your duties are to count standardized tests and keep kids from talking, you aren't going to get any respect as a professional. That's on the one hand.

On the other hand, I get to read books.

So standardized testing is good for me and bad for them. Especially when they are norming a test and the kids know this. When they know it doesn't count they don't even try! At least they are keeping the tree population down.

Assignment 8: Managing a Local Area Network

Or a classroom. Same difference. Except for more collisions.

So what next? I started the day with a note and I ended it with a note.

The first was from a well-mannered young woman informing me her father had passed away. She'd need some assignments in a few days.

The last was from a girl who sincerely wants a second chance. "I wanted to ask for forgiveness. I'm truely sorry for the way I acted this year." That touched me a bit. There is a conscience somewhere down there.

Her attitude can only go up. She used to bring a fucking pillow to school. We always have hope.

In night-school news I tried to get them excited about blogs but the idea of giving out their email address seemed to produce apoplexy. They must be real important. I don't know. Another idea shot down. But you sometimes reel 'em in and sometimes they get away.

Black People Don't Read?

In my third period a black girl from Brooklyn said that black people don't read. Quite a bit of the class laughed, except her.

It is a serious problem. I'm glad she's being honest.

I made the stupidest mistake ever! She told the story about a tsunami victim who had a giant wave wash over him. I'm thinking, "Oh cool, what a great strategy. The wave will wash over and he will harmlessly drift out to sea."

Shows how stupid I can be! The whole class was laughing when they realized from my questions that I thought the man lived. She said, incredulous I could believe such a stupid thing, "No! He died in the water! The wave was too powerful!"

I had seen the video of the tsunami. I knew how powerful it was but I wasn't thinking.

Back to teaching at night...

Blood - real and fake

In the ER today my girlfriend saw a student from the high school where I teach. She was about to draw blood when the boy's father said, "You can't find the vein now. But you wave a hamburger in front of that vein and it'll come out."

Oh man. When your father is ragging on you it's gonna be a rough day. He wasn't my student though- she asked.

Anyone see the 60 Minutes report on Grand Theft Auto? I never got into the game much but I'm going to make it a point of discussion tomorrow. Of course the majority of kids will find the idea of suing a video game company ridiculous. But can a video game like that make kids more aggressive? If simulations had no value, would pilots really spend their time using them? But just aquiring the skills to "shoot" someone, doesn't mean you are going to actually use them, right?

I played Street Fighter II for a whole summer and I've never shot a fireball from my mouth or sent electricity from my skin into my opponents (or students). But Grand Theft Auto is more realistic...does that make the game makers any more culpable?
This will be the journal topic in class tomorrow. I will post a few results tomorrow.

This is too fun!

This blogging tool is so fun! A lot better than my other one...Hello makes it easy to publish pictures (like this one from my summer in Salamanca).

Well here's one more picture of all the states I've visited.



create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.


I learn so much from the Internet. Makes me wonder if it will render me obsolete (as a teacher). But there are some who don't like to use the Internet for anything more than pornography and gossip. Oh well. Who's to say that's not how they should spend every second of the day?

In my opinin though school is there to teach basic skills and social responsibilities to those who otherwise wouldn't.

Beautiful ladies from Spain. Cordoba, Spain.  

Mentally Alive

Nearly four years ago I started blogging with the hope that I could better understand the forces which control our lives. I'd write about politics and society. I've still got that blog but I want a new start. Perhaps a new perspective and new readers will stimulate me for the better.

I have been a teacher for the past two years. I started for a corporate test prep center, teaching the ACT, SAT, and GMAT. That wasn't too lucrative or rewarding but the thrill of standing in front of a room of students led to Miami Dade Public Schools. I've forced myself to wake up disgustingly early and find my way to the high school from which I graduated. Here I'll explore the racial, pedagogical, and managerial issues I've faced and continued to face.

In order to keep my master's degree in Decision and Information Science (it's like MIS) somewhat relevant I've been teaching at a local private college. That's been another eye-opening experience. My students have been prison guards, substitute teachers, deputies, and nursing aides.

Teaching has become my life. I use technology to help us learn as we look back. I try to give my students a shot at something better. We learn about history or computers but at the heart of it all is the ability to think/write (the two are interrelated in my opinion). Malcolm X summed it up for me, "I knew right there in prison that reading had changed forever the course of my life. As I see it today, the ability to read awoke inside me some long dormant craving to be mentally alive."

I've been taking graduate courses at a local public research university (FIU) and trying to spend my free time learning history as best as possible. But I don't want to overwhelm my students with massive amounts of facts or impress them with my ability to recall facts. But they are respected to do one thing: think about our history.

We confront bias constantly. We spend class periods debating whether anything at all can be learned from the study of history. We deviate from lesson plans. Sometimes they deviate too far and need to be reigned in. I won't take yelling or pushing. I don't have all the answers but I won't let the disinterested punks ruin the intellectual experience for the rest of them. At least I won't willingly let them do it.

Here's my introduction to blogspot. Other careers offer more money, respect, and longer lunches. But for now I'm terribly bitten by the teaching change. Of course it is the weekend and I had no screaming teenagers yelling outside my door. Through the successes and failures, these are my experiences trying to bring their minds to life. Any parallels to prison are purely incidental.

Of course learning takes place every second of every day but school is a good place to learn how to socialize without resorting to violence. It's my goal to create an atmosphere conducive to the free exchange of ideas. I'd rather have an interested class learning from each other than a file of 300 completed worksheets. Most learning of that sort is simply forgotten in a few hours, if not minutes. Getting the kids passionate about the subject has led to slapping (religion can do that to people) and chaos. But the second year has been more managed chaos than the first.

I've made mistakes and been told I'm lousy. Perhaps I would be better pursuing some doctorate study and finding a quiet place to read all day. Perhaps these kids need a drill instructor. Perhaps I have the wrong approach? Once again, here I'll confront such questions.

But I'm open to advice from fellow teachers and I know I've reached some of those kids. When I think about it, my job during the day is to teach about genocide and imperialism. History isn't a march of progress. But there are flashes of brilliance and inevitably they'll make me laugh.

Teachers need to be perpetual optimists, something I've never been labeled. But this is my journey.

Smoking kills. I ain't lion.