things dat r gay stuff etc.

did u no dat gramer is not taut anymore? english teechrs cant teech it, leaving it 2 us social studies teechrs. not cuz dey dont want 2, cuz admin wont let it happen. we h8 it.

In terms of student caused annoyance, grammar is definitely high on the list. The causes of poor grammar are hotly debated, if supported at all. As a Social Studies teacher, very often my subject matter becomes applied English. I assign a lot of writing, and continuously am awed by what the students turn in. Text language often substitutes for real words. There is no organization, no thesis or topic sentences. Surprisingly, many students can engage in proper verbal communication, but are unable to put the same down on paper.

Students also tend to have trouble support positions with evidence and fact. The ability to very quickly check Wikipedia at any time allows students instant knowledge without any critical thought. I continuously battle with students over their grades.

"Why did I get a C?"
"Because it's not enough to say the Maya were destroyed by drought. How do you know that"
"I dunno, I read it on this website"
"Where is the evidence?"
Student points at screen.
"There is no evidence there, that is a secondary source"
"Mister, that's gay. This is hard"
"There is nothing homosexual about that website"
"Sorry mister."

Of course, if blogs existing decades ago I'm sure teachers would be saying the same thing. My issue is that our educational culture is not improving. There are now so many outside stimuli facilitating learned helplessness. At least now facebook has a spell check option, although my students don't use it. What we must do is change our curriculum to meet the challenges created by technology, and use that same technology to facilitate improved cultural and academic literacy.

For example, using facebook for learning. I had the students debate the necessity of dropping he atomic bombs on Japan. The two examples should contrast, showcasing my arguments above. One is the product of my teaching, and although slightly scatter brained, shows high levels of critical thinking. The other suffers from learned helplessness.

I believe that bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a tactic to scare the Russians from entering the war between Japan and the US and it was unnecessary. I recall from reading the recent article by Zinn A People's war?, that we (the United States) saw the Soviet Union as a threat. One, because even after the destruction, their military and economy was regaining strength at an exponential rate. Another reason is because they were a communistic nation, which opposed our capitalistic beliefs and our imperialism to create a global economy that is dependent on the US. Also background knowledge from the reading, post-war, we were in a competition with the Soviet Union for world power. As this website states http://www.ncesa.org/html/hiroshima2.html "The United States government knew 3 things the Japanese government did not...One which was that the Russians were coming into the war". I think the US was paranoid if the Russians did enter the war and seize Japan, they could have control over the Pacific with our military bases and Southeast's Asia's natural resources. Although Hiroshima contained 2nd Army Headquaters that control the military of southern Japan, the US only CONSIDERED it a military necessity. While on the other hand, Nagasaki was a huge seaport in Southern Japan that supplied ships, military equipment and other military supplies through out Japan. In addition, Nagasaki's buildings were constructed of paper and other materials that caught fire quickly. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/mp06.asp But, in my opinion, the cities that were bombed didn't prove to be a huge military necessity; which supports the reason why it was unjust. which also means that the bombings were war crimes.

And #2.

I think that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki wasnt nessessary to end the war. yes japanese bombers did kill some of our civilians during the attack of Pearl Harbor, so the US eventually decided to do the same to at least avenge some o...f those civilians that weren't supposed to die but as well as our soldiers as well. Even though the people and the soldiers were like yea atomic bomb on your ass. Even so the bomb that hit first was necessary because of the many american citizens that were held captives and were tortured to death, but on the other hand i don't think that the second bomb wasn't necessary to end the war. I also think that with out the bomb, but if we just still bombed Nagasaki maybe they japanese would've surrendered much easier instead of us just giving them their just desserts with the atomic bomb.

As clear as day. The first comment is researched, reasoned, and organized. The second is from the hip. Unfortunately, all to often I receive #2. However, using facebook has helped many of the students understand reasoned debate, using facts, not impressions. Using tools to facilitate learning instead of allowing those tools to destroy it must be a continued focus of schools. If that happens, teachers will get fewer politicians like Scott Walker thinking "yea atomic bomb on your ass."

My working conditions are your kid's learning conditions

Somebody has decided to make a new video that is in the know to my current situation. Turns out everybody is getting harassed right now. Administration has become Stalinesque in their paranoia and perception of unprofessionalism.

Our Friday after school teacher drinking session was the biggest its been in months.

Wisconsin as a watershed moment

My friends have been in Madison, WI because they are standing up for what they believe in. There is much debate going on in the media about what that exactly is. There seems to be two minds opposing the teachers and public employees. One is of the belief that the pain and belt tightening must be shared. The other believes that unions are illegitimate and should have no rights.

The former is illogical for a couple of reasons. Why do we give tax cuts to the rich, and demand working families and children tighten the belt? For many of the fiscal conservatives, the double talk hypocrisy has reached contemptible heights. As a society we must have priorities.

The latter is the age old argument by Republicans who wish for business model management to be imposed on public schools. Unions do not hire or fire employees. Unions do not defend bad teachers. Unions give people due process rights, as given by contracts with schools. A teacher is a slightly different kind of employee. Teachers are highly skilled and specially trained. Due process rights are there to provide security for a teacher to experiment, tinker, fail and succeed, and innovate without threat of unemployment. If the teacher is unable to perform up to expectations, administrators have full power to remove that person.

The issue there comes down to how much the administrator is willing to do. Very often the answer is very little, or the administrator is climbing the ladder, and will be gone in a year or two.

Five years ago I started my teaching career in a small unionized GM city in Wisconsin. I have a real soft spot for Wisconsin and it has been incredible to see the solidarity and positivity the public employees are demonstrating there. Today, I'm a member of the union, and a building representative. Every day, I see the necessity of the union.

This year administration has begun harassment of teachers, and turned the climate toxic. Our building had a climate survey, polling the opinions of the teachers. Over 70% of teachers reported feeling unappreciated, that administration has no concept of the difficulty of their job, don't feel supported, don't feel they have a voice in the direction of the school and district, and would leave if given the chance. Teachers are being pulled into the principal's office for minor 'offenses' such as sending out an email with an inspirational video.

Right now, our school is an anomaly in the district for our increasing test scores. The reason is because of the incredible staff I work with. We are professionals. The survey shows that one of three positive responses was that teachers work cooperatively and respect each other.

If administration had the ability, most of the veteran teachers responsible for our student's growth would be fired for minor silly 'offenses'. I recently caught the administration's ire for some supposed unprofessionalism at professional development. I left PD on ELA strategies to get my ELA class started on a lesson. I learned strategies that I used and got commendations for by all administrators. One person decided they didn't like my leaving. I got written up and put on a growth plan. My status for next year is now uncertain. Even though my teaching has always been praised, been given awards for having the highest scores, shared my curriculum with staff, and been recognized as a department and school leader, I might be fired. When I told my colleagues that story they all had the same reaction. They laughed, then realized I was serious.

This is why we need unions. Administrators come and go. Some like you, some don't. What remains are skilled specialized teachers, who sacrifice so much for their students. If the priorities of our country are tax cuts for those making half a million dollars, poverty for teachers, and crumbling schools, fine. Just say what your true intention is, then we can begin to have a conversation "without the base alloy of hypocrisy."

I wanted to add a video that gave me goosebumps. Under Gov. Walkers plan, firefighters would be exempt from the changes. In a show of solidarity, they marched in to support the public employees in full dress uniform, bagpipes blaring. I think the general public needs to channel this energy, and support the schools and teachers, instead of attacking them.

Facts are funny things

The anti-teacher and anti-public school witch hunt these days is becoming more and more bellicose. Waiting for Superman by Davis Guggenheim just got the Oscar snub, and was rejected by Roger Ebert. One article that fought the propaganda in the film and pushed back was by Diane Ravitch in the New York Times movie reviews. Diane Ravitch was a supporter of No Child Left Behind, charter schools, and teacher "accountability." She has since come out against all of them, and become on the of the great defenders of the teaching profession.

In the review, Ravitch points out how Guggenheim, Rhee, Gates, and Obama currently point to certain examples of charter school or foreign success to justify their attacks on public education. For example, Finland is pointed to as an example the US should emulate. Unfortunately for the 'reformers', Finland has a 5% poverty rate and the teachers are 100% unionized. Charter schools fail twice as often as they surpass their public school equivalents. People say there are too many bad teachers. Most of those "bad teachers" are part of the 50% of people who leave teaching within the first five years. Those are just a few of the inconvenient facts that get in the way of those arguing for privatization of the education system.

As shown in the PISA reports that I wrote about in an early blog, it is not our teachers or schools that are necessarily the problem, it is poverty. If we continue to ignore the fact that poverty affects education, we will never improve education. Once we begin to tackle poverty, then the focus can shift to what schools can do differently.

As many have famously said, most recently the great Stephen Colbert; everybody is entitled to their own opinion, not their own facts.

Inspiration

Every time I get despondent about my effectiveness, I watch this video. The Man Who Planted Trees is perhaps the greatest explanation of what teachers in urban schools do.

Soul crushing

I am a firm believer that what I do is a necessary public service, to be filled by those most capable, and to be supported by society as a civic duty. The tone of government and media lately has been anything but. We had our Superintendent visit us at school and told us we should feel lucky, having summers off, vacation, and good benefits. In addition, we were lazy for not taking on the extra illegal responsibilities he was proposing. Those were expected ramblings out of the mouth of an inexperienced mental midget. He makes over half a million dollars a year, and has the gall to stand in front of public servants and tell them not to complain, and that we don't care about the students. Last year the man tried to teach a class, but was chased off by the students. Like every amateur educational 'reformer' the man was all talk, and no credentials.

On top of that, a 51 year old teacher in my department announced he was leaving. He worked in schools for years, and left his high paying law career to teach at our school. His reasons for leaving were simple, "I have never been treated this poorly in my life. People ask 'how do you deal with the kids' and I say, 'it's not the kids, it's the other adults.'"

Those are attacks we are used to. As a teacher you must have thick skin from students, parents, and administration otherwise you will not survive. Yesterday I had two experiences that made me realize how thin my skin still is.

I had run out of lunch foods, and decided to walk up the street to buy a sandwich. On my way up the street I came across a father, pregnant mother, and child in a stroller. As I neared, I noticed the father was smoking, and passed it off to the pregnant mother. As she smoked I realized it wasn't a cigarette but a joint. That kind of recklessness and ignorance left me dumbstruck. I could not believe the brazen disregard for life and cavalier attitude to engage in such acts so openly. I couldn't help but think that in 15 years I would be held accountable for that kid's standardized test scores. Strange how my mind immediately thought of that.

The second, and more disturbing story happened after school with a group of teachers. Every Friday a bunch of us go out for some much needed libatious revelry. As we were sitting at a table a high school aged kid walked up and said to Mary "Excuse me Miss, but I just wanted to say that you're a giant bitch in the hallways." He walked back to a table to join his mother, who laughed, pointed, and jeered at us. What a remarkable specimen.

Unlike private schools, public schools must take everyone. What kind of culture supports the mocking and marginalization of teachers? What kind of example are those parents setting for their children? I knew these things happen, but for them to happen so flagrantly in the open I think is what may have shocked me the most. I feel like I ride a bipolar roller coaster, days of tremendous success, and days that crush the soul. Sometimes you really have do dig down deep to find those reasons that keep you going.

The interwebs are a series of tubes.

It never ceases to amaze me the number of assumptions students have about you, just because you are a teacher. Whether you are 23 or 65, you're still old Ted Stevens, and just don't get 'it'. Students may adore your class, but view you as an anachronistic no-life dork.

This week I decided to approach school work from a whole new perspective. I decided to create a classroom facebook profile, and use it for homework and research for the students. The results blew me away.

My whole idea was to use the page to post assignments to the class group, attach additional sources and links, and encourage the students to discuss and debate among themselves. Debating and defending a position requires much more intelligence then simply coming to a conclusion on paper. In addition, I thought it would be more fun and interactive for the students. In the future, I hope to use the site for students to find primary and secondary sources, and assemble a whole class bibliography for a research project.

My first assignment was a two part.

1. In your opinion, what do you think were the main causes of the Great Depression. It could be one, or many. DEFEND your position with evidence from the text. Cite new evidence.

2. Using the links provided before, to what extent do you think our current recession is similar. Cite specific evidence (preferably new evidence somebody hasn't cited yet) to prove your point.

The grading rubric was set up to encourage discussion and thought.

U: Your post is unoriginal, and is a restatement of already stated ideas and opinions. Evidence is unclear.

PP: Your post shows original thought. Your answers are backed up with evidence from provided websites and text

P: Your post shows original thought. Your answers are backed up with evidence from provided websites and text. In addition, you responded to another student's post and posed a question to that individual, different idea, or responded to a challenge of your own post.

A: Your post shows original thought. Your answers are backed up with evidence from provided websites and text. In addition, you responded to another students post and posed a question to that individual, different idea, or responded to a challenge of your own post. Your post also incorporated outside ideas, sources, or experiences. (cite outside resources so you get credit)

By the end of the three days that the assignment was up, out of two sections with 55 students belonging to the group, I had 795 posts. I could not have asked for a better response. Students debated, challenged, cited, and researched. All of the students said they learned more through debating on facebook, than if they would have simply done the assignment on paper. I thought it was especially powerful that the students could immediately research for counter points. The students were so enthusiastic, they came into class Friday beaming, so proud of themselves. Here is a sample of their discussion:

I agree with the farming statements mentioned above. I think it would be important to know how much of an impact farming had on the depression so I researched and found approximate numbers. According to agclassroom.org total farm population... was 31,614,269 making up 27% of the labor force in the United States, proving to be almost a third and according to stocks-simplified.com, 750,000 farmers declared bankruptcy. A contribution to the failing farms was the rapid 40% decline in crops after WWI (as Pedro mentioned). It forced the farmers to foreclose the extra land they had expanded during war and these foreclosures were of huge loss to the banks. Not only was it the foreclosures but the mechanization that was replacing farming methods. The mechanization impacted farmers but also increased production while wages stood motionless causing that existing gap between the rich and poor to widen even more. As wages stood still, prices were on a rise causing people to put limitations to the purchasing of goods and services.

I do believe that the Great Depression was triggered by more than one reason. The credit contribution was huge as it made it easy for the people to have access to credit (as Jesus further explained). Consumers saw this as an opportunity so many began to “borrow” money in which they realized would be a good idea to use on developing stocks without even considering the risks just hoping to strike profit. Of course this soon came to be proved wrong, no one became filthy rich instead they ended up having to owe large amounts of debt and some even losing all life savings; depression strikes. According to stocks-simplified.com, by the end of the depression the stock market had fallen 89%. Overall, main causes as the end of the chapter mentioned was huge debt, farming plight, unbalanced income and the Hawley-Smoot Act which was a contribution to the decline in the foreign market. In addition to you Pedro, I found out that President Coolidge had vetoed it saying that that money was to be used on more useful things and according to boerner.net his quotes of opinion were: “Farmers never have made much money. I do not believe we can do much about it” and “Agriculture must stand on an independent business basis”. What a blockhead.

Our current recession is very similar; today we continue to depend on credit. Our inflation is also a contributor, because today’s income/price ration is worse than in 20’s. Chances are that like then, we have a false prosperity that Americans continue to put too much faith in and spend more than they have, shown by the evidence that our debt and GDP value has surpassed an acceptable, safe level. 40% of Americans continue to use an average of 4 credit cards to spend more than they have. And only about 29% do not hold credit cards at all, according to Hoffman Brinker credit card debt statistics. Evidence also shows that there is still a huge belief that we are financially stable and more equal, when in reality income balance is very unequal. Average people get sucked into debt through the belief they can escape it via an education made impossible to afford for those who are not in the wealthiest class themselves. When a graph comparing the income balance of the depression, compression and current recession, the recession and depression are nearly identical, meanwhile the compression is a steady low. Our system still depends on consumer purchasing as well, and seeing as conditions and the many similar systems are still in place from the depression, I believe the recession is very similar.

I'm psyched. I cannot wait to see what else the students can do.