Things You Only Hear During Black History Month

This might be one of those conversations where you had to be there, but here it goes:

Me: "What was George Washington Carver's claim to fame, class?"
Ernest: "He invented peanuts!"
Me:"Um, not quite, but you're on the right track."
Ernest: "Oooooh. Right. *GOD* invented peanuts. George Washington Carver invented *peanut butter.*"

Cold, cold world

No heat today.

It's 22 degrees outside.

This is the second day this year this has happened. Last time, at 10:30--after the children had been shivering in their coats for two and a half hours, and there was no word from the principal as to when we could expect the heat to return--I made the executive decision to call my children's parents and inform them that there was no heat in the building. Almost every parent came immediately to retrieve their child.

For this, my principal literally cussed me out. "You made me look like a damn fool! I can't deal with this. I'm through with you." And she stormed out.

So this time, I was a little more circumspect, communicating to the children that I wouldn't call their parents, but I had contracted a rare, and temporary, disease that made cell phones invisible to me. By ten am, I was down to two students.

We did eventually end up closing the building this time, but only because the principal was out sick and in her absence most of the teachers were ready to stage a mutiny.

I again would like to point out the SHEER ABSURDITY of anyone saying that money doesn't make a difference in education. In this case, the lack of funds for building maintenance and upkeep had the following direct effects on the learning of my students:

*Eight hours of planned instructional time were lost.
*One of those hours *would* have been a special guest teacher,an expert in African history, who had prepared a wonderful lesson on the leader of hte Black Consciousness movement, Steven Biko. Yesterday was the only time that teacher was available. Because of the heat, my kids will miss out entirely on that learning experience.
*Children were understandably upset that the heat was out, and verbalized a lot of resentment toward the school, the principal, and society in general.
*The teaching staff is demoralized, angry, and resentful that we are asked to work in such conditions. This, obviously, is not conducive to the inspired teaching that our students need and deserve.

Overall, this is the 4th day of teaching that has been wasted due to lack of basic amenities (either water or heat).

My question is this: Are they going to schedule the standardized test one week later?

I know, I know

I haven't been blogging. I've been having trouble with my internet connection at home, and I'm too scared (and too busy) to write at school. I do, however, have some posts all ready to go as soon as I am online again properly. Please keep checking!

Never enough

Ms. T, the parent who complained that her daughter was reading too much, paid me another visit. "Taylor's bored," she said, quite bitchily. "I just don't think you're challenging her."

"That's upsetting for me to hear," I replied diplomatically, "since I've been modifying Taylor's assignments quite a bit. Did she tell you she's writing a play?"

"Yes, she showed us. But what about Social STudies homework?"

"It's on a historical topic. I had her research Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and slavery to find facts to make her play more historially accurate."

"Well, yes, she showed us that." Totally unimpressed.

For those of you who might be impressed, here is Taylor's play. It's a work in progress but under my tutelage it has grown from a few lines in her journal into what you see below. Enjoy!

**************************************
Once Upon
by Taylor T

Characters:

SAMANTHA is a 12 year old growing up to be a girly young lady.
ALEXUS a 12 year old and loves to be on the scene and is an inspiring director.
TAYLOR is a 12 year old and is a social butterfly that likes everyone and everything.
BRANDAN is a 12 year old and is a sports jock that can’t wait until practice.
MELINA is a loving 13 year old who loves all animals and all people and is a very quiet person.
LEAH is a 12 year old who loves to read and loves listening to stories and wants to become a writer one day.
GRANDMA is an elderly woman about 69, and loves to tell her grandchildren about the past.
HARRIET is a tough slave woman our major character.
MESSENGER is a person who helps Harriet gather up slaves to take away from slavery.
OTHERS are people who are slaves wanting to be free.
HELPER is a person that helps the slaves by hiding them in their house for the Under Ground Railroad.

{The children and Grandma sit down and listen carefully to what she has to say.}


SAMANTHA :What was it like in slavery, Grandma, and tell us stuff we don’t know.
MELINA :We already know that slavery was down south, and that the northern states had a bad fight with southern states called the Civil War.
GRANDMA : Well, I’m not going to tell you any of that {quietly say now}well it was harsh, hard, and everyone was pickin’ cotton every single day.

{Slaves sing Swing Low while picking the cotton.}
GRANDMA: And a messenger whispers in the dark.
Messenger :{whispering }Harriet Tubman is escapin’ and I’m goin’ wit’ her, if ya’ll want to come, and meet us at the courtyard.
OTHERS : {scared/ worried}Are, are we goin’ to get caught?
MESSENGER : {confident}No, not wit Harriet.
TAYLOR: {Anxious} Did they get caught Grandma?
ALEXUS: Did they use the Underground Railroad?
GRANDMA: {Surprised} Yes and this is how the railroad worked.
HARRIET: {serious} Ok, we goin bust out of here.
MESSENGER :Who’s wit hur.
OTHERS :Yeah!
HARREIT : So, we goin’ straight forward.
MESSENGER : { whisper}Hush, somebody’s callin’ my name.
{ Run aways sing Hush, Actors on the side call out names in a small voice}
LEAH :People helped them right ?
GRANDMA:Oh, yes and most of those people were white.
SAMANTHA: {Surprised} Really Grandma I thought that only blacks helped blacks.
GRANDMA :That’s how it usually was but there were some people that were against slavery and they wanted to help in any way possible.
TAYLOR:And how,
BRANDAN: {impatient} can we please go on with the rest of the story because I have to go to basketball practice in a little and I really want to here the rest of the story.
GRANDMA : OK, Brandon we’ll hurry, and the person usually helping will put them in a hiding place.
HELPER :Hide in the barn, I have a hidden floor patch under some of my hay.
OTHERS : we really appreciate this.
HELPER :No time I can already hear the horses outside.
MELINA: Did the owners find them?
GRANDMA : No, because they were so well hidden.
BRANDON : Grandma can you give us some examples of where they will hide?
GRANDMA: Well, they will usually hide them in barns, cabinets under hay, and even in trick doors.
MELINDA: Will the world ever go back to being like that?
GRANDMA: no, because of the Civil War.
BRANDON : where was Harriet Tubman a slave?
GRANDMA : She was a slave in Maryland.
SAMANTHA : really?
GRANDMA : Yes, she was.
ALEXUS: Where did they go after the Under Ground Railroad?
GRANDMA: They went to the north,
ALL: Why?
{ Actors hold hands and say free at last 3 xs}
GRANDMA : Cause that’s where they were free!!!!!!!!!
Brandan it’s about time for your practice, now come on!
SAMANTHA: Thanks for the great story Grandma.
GRANDMA: You are quite welcome, Ok, everyone coats on!
{Pretend as if by the car}
LEAH: Grandma, one day can you take us to a museum about black history?
GRANDMA: I’ll take you as soon as possible.
ALL: Yeah!
TAYLOR: All aboard the Under Ground Express!!
{All laugh}
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