ten seconds before sunrise and i'm already at the library

two videos.

1: tiesto
"ten seconds before sunrise"

2: vlog for Tuesday! check them both out!

Hey everyone!

Check out a video recap about my day! I co-taught today and it was amazing! Go teachers!!!!!

Mighty Casey has struck out!

Watch.

check out my first video!

Housekeeping

Hey everyone,

I'm just taking the day to do some blog inventory. Check back soon!

Wednesday is Wednesday

Long story short, Wednesday is a long day.

Wake up at 6am; eat some breakfast; head out to West by 7:15; start school at 8am; observe/teach until 11:30am; take the bus home and eat something by 1pm; if i can, i'll take a nap until 1:40; head on to Penn class at 2pm; get out at 4pm and use the 30 minute break to get a second dose of coffee; get to my methods course at 4:20pm and stay until 7pm; go home and take off my shoes by 7:20; eat dinner while watching tv; start my homework.

It's tiring just reading that.

I could use a nap right now. My eyes are heavy and I know I should avoid napping as much as possible. I have a lot of work that needs to get done and I know if I don't get it done it never will get my full attention.

This Wednesday is different. Tonight at 7pm there will be a lecture by Adam Nagourney, a New York Times writer and 2002 Correspondent of the Year. Nagourney will be speaking about the current state of the presidential election and will open up questions to the audience. I'm really interested to see what he thinks about the historic role of the VP and how it conforms or goes against the historic model.

When I came to Penn, I told myself that I would try my best to take advantage of the various speaking engagments around campus. Since politics is something that interests me, I made sure I was realsed from methods on time to attend. I think it's pretty interesting to see an acutal journalist in person talking about his or her own work. Does it make the listener want to believe him or her more? If we continue to read the author's work, would we believe him more (since we have actually put a face to a name) ?

Regardless, I hope it turns out to be a good conversation.

theory into practice.

What exactly is theory into practice? What does it look like? How will it make me a better teacher? (or help me control my kids!)

These are some of the questions I'm grappling with as Penn student and student teacher.

As a Penn student, I'm learning all kinds of things: observing, critical note taking, classroom design theory, all kinds of stuff.

As a student teacher. I'm learning, relearning, and questioning everything! Why does this student respond this way to this type of instruction and not the other? Does the desk arrangement really help the students out with reading out loud activities? Why do they act this way in class and another way in another class?

Where's the connection between theory and practice? Time: present and future reflections on your educational practice. We wonder, "why is that teacher so good at what he or she does?" If it were possible I would love to see my classroom mentor start out as a student teacher and see her evolution as a learner and a practitioner. I think you have to be constantly thinking about what worked and what didn't work in your class. You have to talk with teachers and figure out (theorize) the classroom/institutional dynamics that are both present and hidden.

I've spoke the world about my CM and I'm glad that I'm paired up with her. She knows the class, her practice, and where she wants the class to go overall.

In just about a month, I'll be the teacher. I'll be Mr. Lopez. I'll be the guy students go to with problems, excuses, homework, gossip, and everything else under the sun. It's going to be weird to wake up in the morning and be like "well, I'm the teacher! I'm going to be looked at by 25 kids today. All eyes on me!" It's scary. Anyone who tell you that the first teaching day isn't scary is lying to you. It is. Once you are used to the students and the role of being a teacher (construct the image as you please) then I think (and hope) the tension starts to break.

Sick

Blah.

You know it. The "I'm getting a cold" season is open for business and it looks like I am the first customer.

To be completely honest, I've been feeling bad since Saturday morning. It started off with a small scratch in the back of my throat. The feeling exposed itself to me once I woke up. It was worse than my alarm clock and I knew it would be staying for the weekend.

But that's what I get for keeping the air conditioner at a constant low temperature. What can I say, I love using all my blankets! Any who, I still made the choice to go out on Saturday night with some friends. I didn't start taking any medication until Sunday afternoon. Dumb, I know, but I had a lot of work to catch up on.

I spent all of Sunday at the Fisher Fine Art's Library and I was just blown away by the cold symptoms and by the amazing architecture the building offered. If you are around the Philadelphia area I would suggest you visit this fine piece of work.

Armed with a runny nose, my books, and some tissue, I battled through the running nose and caugh fits. I will say though, it is very quite in the main lobby. Very quite. I was able to spend most of the day there because I called in sick. Everyone was very supportive of my decision to stay home and rest up.

I can't stress enough how the support at Penn and at my school has helped me along my journey as a student teacher. I'm glad to see that the program views me as an individual and can put a face to my name.

Through this illness, I learned that teachers are human and can get sick! What was running through my mind, however, was the fact that I would not see my students today. It scared me a bit because I've been building up a lot of positive relationships with them and then to not show up today would get them asking questions. I didn't want them to think that I was disrespecting them.

So, I took the first half of the day and just tried to get better. The other half of the day was a little better. I gave my first tour and I think it went well! I admit, I was nervous. I love Penn and the TEP Secondary program and I didn't want to start off my tour on a bad note due to my ailment. But stuffy nose aside, everything went well. He asked me questions, I answered them, he seemed happy, I was digging the entire tour from the first second, I think everything went well.

The rest of the day was planned for classes and studying. I have one elective this term and today I'm scheduled to lead section. I'm a little nervous because the text was pretty difficult and it's my first graduate level seminar section. I've been working with the professor throughout the week to develop discussion questions and we came up with a good list!

Oh, Cowboys won!

Cowboys vs Packers

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!

Today, America's team will dig their cleats into the historic terra firma at Lambeau Field. We battle the Packers at home and hopefully will come out with a win. Yes, I said hopefully because we don't have a winning record at Lambeau. I think if we lose the game today, we would be 0-6.

I think Tony Romo can pull it off against Aaron Rodgers. Both QB's are realitvely knew to the game and this afternoon's match is forecasted not to let anyone down. Expect the Dallas defense to show up and hold the Packers to critical nail biting third downs. Expect Green Bay to respond with breath taking passes. What can I say about Felix Jones that hasn't already been said? What an amazing RB! The toxic combination of Marion Barber and Felix Jones creates unlimited offensive possibilities. Watch out for this guy, he is hitting hard, taking names, and earning every dollar!

Dallas is going to take home the win. As for Rodgers, Farve is a phone call away.

Check both teams out:

Dallas

Packers

Dos

Dos

The monstrous guitar riff was the prerequisite for the evening. Arman found himself seeking the same rush from the previous outing only this time it had to be harder and faster. It was a desire the riff only temporarily satisfied. The tempo moved him out of his seat and be began to air strum his heavy guitar over and over while at the same time closing his eyes to get a sense of what a real rock star felt. He would be at peace if he could jump into their lifestyle of whatever I want when I want. But he was stuck on the technology of "repeat" and "rock play list one" and quickly realized that his life of speed was over and waiting to be replayed. He gave himself one better.

It was going out time. This once a month spectacle brought out the best in him as he disciplined himself for this one day. In the past, it was any and whatever day he pleased. Tuesday, Friday, Sunday, it didn't matter. As long as Arman found himself in a situation he only day dreamed about then it was up to par for the daily expectation he set for himself.

So it was settled. He gathered his thoughts and organized the various events the night had in store. Because tonight was different, he knew he had to make everything count. Every "hello" and "goodbye" and wandering glance over the beautiful blond had to mean something.

One thing changed over the course of Arman's life: he wasn't running solo anymore. Tonight he had some friends flanking his sides, but they might as well have been strangers. Other than the basic "what's up" and "I can't wait for tonight," the three individuals acted and reacted on their own terms. The trio found themselves walking and waiting for any type of transportation to get to the spot. After a few episodes of frustrations attacks and small curse words released under his breath, Arman and his friends were finally participants at party number one.

Laughs, music, chips, company, a knife and a bag of ice later, Arman knew it was time to move on. Like any other night Arman was good at recruiting the good vibes that he at times could only day dream about. This time however, the smiles and pats on the back were real. The hugs he gave were emotional and Arman wished he could just keep this moment alive till the next gathering.

And he tried. At party dos, what was presented to Arman was everything he could ask for. This was at close to Studio 54 as he would get. New faces, new names, new fake smiles, new dates, new emotions.

It was once hard, but now so easy for Arman to just sit in the background and be the center of attention. But he knew he couldn't stay longer. He knew he couldn't sit on the couch and continue his conversation about whatever it was he found himself talking about. He knew he had to go whatever place he would call home and hopefully relive this day in his dreams. He was glad that the powers at hand created that little space in time. Maybe the people wern't real that night. Maybe they were there just for that one event and for Arman to see that this could happen every night if he wanted it to.

Although temporary, it was enough.

Operation Dinner Out

I started to get into various routines as a grad student. Monday through Wednesday is Penn coursework along with the usual Monday through Friday school observation.

It gets a little boring sometimes but I think the key to making it through the week is adding little fun routines along the way. For example, on Friday's I have dinner with a friend at the White Dog Cafe.

It's a great little place and I thoroughly enjoy her company. My dinner buddy works in a completely different business and I've grown to appreciate just listening to non-educational discussions. For instance, she works in the creative art business (friend, if you are reading this forgive me for just placing you solely in the "creative art business" but for the sake of finding a label for your industry this will have to do) and just hearing what she does is amazing and a relief.

My Friday routine is a way to keep my balance as an individual who currently lives in three worlds. The first and foremost is my membership in the student world. I am a PennGSE student above any other commitment. I'm fine with this role and appreciate the limits and freedoms of the program. I'm a also a card member of the West Philadelphia faculty. This world is a little different because I'm both an observer and an active member of creating a classroom culture. There are some days where I hang back and just watch the life of the class grow and there are other days where I jump right into the action and help streamline the process of my students' education. The final feather in my hat finds a place in the realm of a PennGSE Graduate Assistant; simplly put, I'm a working man and I try my best to work hard for the money.

This week looks like a busy one. Monday through Friday claims time at West Philly. Monday through Wednesday shares West Philly with Penn coursework. Thursday has the planning and reading time. Friday evenings are mostly mine, but shared with a good friend.

It's imporant to have "me time" in this program. You quickly find out that without those sacred hours of catching up on a nap or tv program you could find not liking yourself. Take it from me, spend time on your students, your courses, your job, and especially yourself.

I look forward to my Friday's not because it's the end of the work week or because I'm tired of my kids, but because I get to spend some "me time" with a friend and share my experiences, both good and bad, to a good listener.

Made it.

That's right, I made it out of the academic forest and, hey, I'm still alive!

These past few days have been rough. I got all my coursework done and sent off my discussion questions to my professor.

At school, everything went alright. I was able to help out a student today with her college paper. She is an amazing writer and just hit the mark with her beautiful imagery and underlying dramatic tension. I was glad that she was able to trust me and ask for some help.

I'm noticing a change in the way my students are responding to my presence in the classroom. They are calling me "Mr. Lopez" much more and I like it. It's not a power trip. I'm not hungry for attention. It's a state of awareness that now exists in my classroom. The kids are starting to ask me for help and they are beginning to recognize me in the hallway.

It's a little scary though. In about a month and change I'll be the official teacher of record for my first period class. I started to realize my behavior around my students. My goal for this month is to build trust and learn as much as I can about my students' interests. I want them to be on my side when the time comes when Mr. Lopez is going to be the classroom decision maker. That being said, I have to understand the line of being a friendly presence versus being a friend. Like I said, it's a little nerve wrecking to think that you will be a vessel of knowledge that the students will depend upon.

I do think I am achieving the goals I have set out for myself. The students shake my hand and respond to me when I have to "get on their case" a bit. I don't have their trust yet, in fact I'm far from it, but each day that I am there and try my best, I think they notice my efforts.


After school, my cohort planned a trip to Center City to participate in the city wide event dubbed "restaurant week." The deal is pretty simple: participating restaurants create a fixed menu and sell it at a fixed price. Around ten of us gathered at Brasserie Perrier located at 16th and Walnut. One word: AMAZING. The food/atmosphere was a perfect near ending to a long and brutal week. Since the price was fixed, and since we agreed to share some appetizers, I ordered something I have never had before: escargot. Again, AMAZING! I wish I could eat that everyday! Ok, maybe not everyday, but hot damn it was good eating. For my entree, I had a medium cooked rib eye steak accompanied with mashed potatoes and assparagus. Suculent to the last bite. For dessert, a fried waffle topped with caramel ice cream.

Best meal ever.

OMG

Yep, it's official, i'm tired.

I haven't stopped reading since I was released from class. I have to lead section for my Monday's class and I basically have to read about 150 pages in two days. Doesn't seem like much, do 75 pages a day, but it is. Take those 75 pages and add another 100 from other classes, fatigue from a half day school internship and three hour class instruction and then you'll understand what I mean.

So, I'm tired, but I can't do anything about it. I have to get the work done. I can't let my section down. Don't get my wrong, things will get better but I know I'll have more of these crunch periods as project deadlines approach and my teaching responsibilities increase.

The classes are great. I love the readings and I think when this program is over, I'm going to re-read a lot of the material again. I think we have all been through this: we read something and either keep it stored or forget it completely. Well, I don't want to forget everything I read and I think this leads to an interesting thought about the profession of education.

I was thinking a lot about the "practice" of teaching. Just like doctors and lawyers have to keep themselves updated with the latest medical breakthroughs and court decisions, teachers have to keep on reading and re-reading educational theory (among other publications) to keep the professional edge.

A lot of people, even teachers, forget about viewing the teaching profession as a "practice." Professionals are human; we are going to succeed and fail, but we have to remember that teaching is not a "by the book" (at least not all the time) job.

Anyway...lots of work. Lots of thoughts.

They notice everything....

Today I worked with my students on their required senior writing project.

My classroom mentor (CM) is great. Like I said in a previous post, she always makes sure that I am on the same page with her and asks for my opinion when making pedagogical decisions.

Today was no different.

CM: Eddie, what do you think about the class structure today?
Me: What do you mean? For the brainstorming?
CM: Yeah, do you think we should start out with a class chart or should they just do their own chart?
Me: Humm...well, I think we should do it as a group because it might break the "thinking ice" for other students.
CM: Yeah, ok I like that. I'll have them start off as a class then I will have them pick three issues and ask them to brainstorm some possible solutions.

I feel really comfortable in my first period class. I have great kids and the opportunities for teaching and learning are abundant. My only obstacle at this point is time. I'm under so much pressure with my coursework and I'm constantly thinking about making this term the best possible year for my students. It's a lot of work from each angle of my professional and academic life.

What the Penn program does well is supporting you every step of the way. I can't count how many support outlets I have at my reach.

Any who, we gathered our class together and started our project. It kicked off in full gear. Everyone started to offer suggestions regarding national and local problems. It was interesting to see that my students suggested that tardiness and electronics were dominant "school problems." I couldn't agree more. Every other period that I observe, I see students pull out any and every electronic devise under the sun. It's a problem and it needs to be stopped. I mean, why doesn't the school just ban electronics all together? Cell phones, fine. I can understand that students have emergencies and sometimes can't be reached by the front office, but anything music related....AHHH GET IT OUT!

OK, going back to my lesson. So, we take suggestions and call on students. Naturally, there are some students who get called on more than others. These students are great because they'll always have something to contribute. It gets tricky because you can't always call on them. Today was a case in point when we called on and took suggestions from a certain student on more than one occasion. "Hey, you called on her already." And it was true. Lesson learned.

For better or for worse, the students are always watching.

Cowboys vs Eagles

Quoting AP sports writer Jaime Aron, "Mix in the backdrop of a rivalry and division supremacy, a few injuries, some questionable officiating calls, several big milestones and the historic nugget of this being the final Monday night game at Texas Stadium, and it’s no wonder the Cowboys were ratings gold yet again—a whopping 12.95 million homes and 18.6 million viewers, the largest audience ever for a program on cable television. It’s the second time in three years Dallas has set that mark."

If you didn't catch the Monday Night Football game you missed one hell of a game. You couldn't ask for anything more from these two divisional juggernauts. The stage was set in Texas Stadium for an offensive onslaught between American's QB Tony Romo and fresh off the injured list Donovan McNabb.

Two hours of long bombs, victory dances, turn overs, and career gaffes ran through the picture box and into the memories of football fans across the nation.

With a closing score of 41-37, to simply describe this event as a "nail biter" would be an understatement. I honestly think I had a stress attack when Romo caused end zone turnover which ultimately ended up in an Eagle's touchdown.

In the end, the silver and blue pulled out a win.

How bout' them Cowboys!

Top 40. Yeah, ok, but stop playing songs from the mid 80's!

A few things.

I think I am going to keep my blog schedule in the following manner: M-F academic posts, Sat. creative non-fiction posts, and Sun. random "dailies" (free for all section)

Sunday is all about routines. I wake up around 8am, collect my laundry and begin my day by washing my clothing. The process is quick and painless, but as I begin the elevation back to my room, I ponder just going right back to bed. I mean during the week I wake up at 6am to get the day going. Trust me, waking up at 8am is a blessing!

After I fight off the urge to plunge right back into bed, I get my grocery list and head to the Fresh Grocer. This is the most relaxing part of my day. I'm in my own little world discovering new products and making the case to myself that I need each and every one of them. The music is playing, the air conditioning is in full mode, and the only pressing decision I have to make is if I want turkey or bologna.

Just a random side note, don't you think bologna is funny looking word? I mean, everyone pronounces it bo-lone-knee (ha, even funnier!) but the spelling makes me what to pronounce it "ba-log-na."

Any who, I pay for the items and make the trek back home. After unpacking my delicious food items, I transfer the wash to the dryer and head back to my room. I quickly update my planner and pack up for my little Sunday get a way to the bookstore. It's vibrant. It's organized. It's corporate. It's Penn.

I make my way to my usual table, claim my territory, and head over for my morning Americano. At this point, everything is just background noise. I'm deep into my educational readings and the slight buzz of the store is just enough to keep me awake and chugging through the literary requirements. Everything is business as usual until I hear a special voice over the bookstore radio.

Let's play a game. Think of a famous radio DJ during your childhood. This DJ brought you all the latest tunes that you and your friends talked about all week until the next set of "cool songs" was declared. That's right, Casey Kasem's American Top 40. As I sipped my drink, Casey (Like I know the guy right?) announced his first song: Steve Miller, Abracadabra.

Yeah, my cookie was officially crumbled on the 2nd floor of the Penn Bookstore. No, I didn't hear the latest T.I. or Natasha Bedingfield song. Oh no, I heard the 1982 "classic." My reading officially took a quick pause so that I could make sense of the musical decade fallout. Ok to be honest, I had to leave the bookstore. I couldn't take any more "Eye of the Tiger" or "When Doves Cry" throw backs.

I went home and wikipedia'd if Casey Kasem was still alive; he is. Apparently, he is no longer updating his American Top 40 shows.

Thanks Penn bookstore for getting my hopes up and Casey, replace the eight track tape collection with Cd's (I won't crumble your cookie yet about mp3's).

Sueños

Let's try something new.

A recount of Friday, September 12, 2008

True Story.

Fictional characters, places, and a little this and that.

Sueños.

For a Friday night, I only had two choices that would dictate my evening: sit and do nothing or go out and do something. I thought about my options for a minute and finally came to the conclusion that after spending the afternoon with a man of lesser fortune than my own, I figured what the hell, I might as well see how the rest of the night would treat me.
Wait, let me back up a bit. Earlier in the day I needed to run an errand around 55th street and as my luck would have it, my sense of direction failed me again. I found myself lost somewhere on 60th street and the corner of "where the hell am I?" After walking around a bit I noticed a haggard looking fellow sitting on a create box filling out the Metro crossword puzzle. I stood a few feet in front of him and politely interrupted his leisure time. "Excuse me, sir," I asked. "That's your first mistake son, don't call me sir," the gentleman replied back without even visually acknowledging my presence. "I'm sorry," I quickly shot back. "I'm just looking for an appliance store around this part of town. It's called 'Professional Quick Fix.' Might be on 57th I think." I stood in place for what seemed a minute, but in reality it was only a few seconds. The calm man looked over his puzzle and during his leisure time glanced at me. "No, Quick Fix is on 52nd," he said.
Now I felt dumb being five to seven streets off. I was about to say thank you and be on my way when the man asked what it was I was looking for. "A refrigerator...something small for my little apartment," I said with the intention to make that statement my last one with this man. "I'll tell you what," he responded, "If you help me out, I'll help you out." We worked out our arrangement and for the rest of the afternoon, I had a personal guide willing to take me to every "scratch and dent" shop in West Philadelphia.
So, my evening plans were settled; I'm going out. I figured I deserved a night of letting lose. I had a great day at work; I felt positive about the weekend; I earned it whatever tonight threw at me. After installing my new fridge, I called up my new friend Andria, whom I met a few nights back, and asked about her plans. "Sueños," she said, "I'll be at Sueños tonight for the block party...you should come." And I did.
I had been to the Sueños before, but never on a night like this. Imagine walking down a busy street. Everyone is shoulder to shoulder. There eyes never wander past the other person's neck line. Everyone had somewhere to go. As I walked shoulder to shoulder with the masses, I was able to reach into my pocket and call Andria. "Sorry, I got caught up around the corner. Did you see the tent?" I lied and told her that I did. I didn't want to chit-chat all that much because I was on the verge of starvation. I had been walking all day scouting the city for my second-hand appliance and the last thing I wanted was to be standing up recapping the day. Why kill the dinner conversation outside?
Sueños was an establised, hipped-out venue on the lower end of West Philadelphia. It was tucked away from the mainstream culture and thrived on a "heard about it" reputation. We took a seat next to the window and just looked at each other with a sigh of relief. We made it; We're in. The blue, pre-dusk light cracking through the window, which contrasted with the dim illumination provided by the bar, aided my investigation of the wine menu. As we read through the selction, our waiter struggled with the updated beer assortments. It didn't matter. We both were having the Edna Valley Red. We toased. We laughed. We drank our wine and spoke about the future.
I made a choice to go out this past Friday night and it paid off. Ironically, if that's the correct literary term, the whole day felt like a dream. Everything was perfect. In fact, it was too perfect to believe. In dreams when things get too comfortable you don't want to wake up from the moment because you know once you do everything fades until the next time you are able to sleep. Today was real and I didn't want to sleep. I didn't want to let go.

Welcome to the Jungle...

And now I have had the joy of meeting my eleventh graders.

Today went well; it wasn't great, but I made it through the day with very little "wear and tear." First period went again a solid period. We added a new student who apparently has a school reputation for being a "badass." The student seemed nice and shook my hand when I offered the salutation.

I had my Penn Mentor (PM) drop by today and she had the opportunity to sit in on my first period class. I got some amazing feedback from her and she said that I was in "great hands" with my classroom mentor (CM). I agree. My CM is amazing. She is helpful, wise, patient, and on task. I'm learning a lot from my CM and I have noticed that she is very willing to hear what I have to say about what I see in the class. She doesn't take the stand of being "supreme teacher know it all." She is human and has great days and not so great days. She is always honest with me and lets me know that she is always thinking about the forward progression of her teaching philosophy.

My classroom bulletin board is coming along fine. I printed some materials at the GSE and spiced up the black and white font with some magic markers. I now have a "higher ed" and "SAT information" section on my board. I hope my kids take the time to look over the information. I try to make sure that the students leave with some better understanding of the college application process.

Today I had the opportunity to enter in another classroom. On Tuesday's and Thursday's, I have the chance to observe a non-English level classroom. Today was my first introduction to the eleventh grade. I'll admit, it was a tough crowd. I hit the ground running in that class and jumped into the assignment they were supposed to be doing. When things got a little out of hand, I took a step back and just observed what was going on in the classroom. I think the biggest issue I noticed was the language students used and the use of non-approved electronics. But, I have to keep in mind that today was my first introduction in this grade level.

In the afternoon I went back to my CM and observed her 5th and 6th period classes. Things for the most part went quite well. Although the kids did get out of hand at times, they were fine compared to other classes they had earlier on in the day. It was an English 3 level so I had to quickly reintroduce myself to the content that they were learning. I jumped on board and offered my help during their "do now."

I think my 5th and 6th period classes like me. I try to bring a smiling face into each of my classes and I think my students are starting to notice it. They smile back. They shake my hand. They call me Mr. Lopez. I think they started to get used to me!

Front and Center

One of the coolest things that I get 100% control over is my class bulletin board. It's fairly large and since I have a lot of space to work with, I decided to use this section to post some student work and to showcase the "student of the month." Lately, the board has been a little plain. I spoke with one of my first period students and I told him that there would be a "higher ed." section. He asked if I could put some information on Shippensburg University on the board. I told him that by tomorrow I would have something up on the wall indicating where to look for college information. I spent some time cutting out letters and using various markers to add a decorative flare; nothing worked. My "higher ed" sign looked tacky and just didn't work well with the red backdrop. I told myself I should have know better about clashing the reds together, but my resources were limited and I just needed something up on the board. The next day, I went back to the GSE and printed out some standard prints that would replace my impromptu design. A little baby blue outline on solid black letters with a white backdrop would look fine on my solid red board. It's simple, but most imporantly, a work in progress.

I love my classroom bulletin board!


Apparently on Wednesday, the JROTC students can opt out of their normal West uniform and wear their Class A dress wear. When I noticed this I went over to one of my students and asked, "how does the Class A feel?" She had a look of surprise that I knew the term "Class A." (Class A uniform is the official uniform worn by JROTC students. Class B is a modified class A and is used during specific weather conditions) I told her that I used to go to a high school that had a JROTC program and also I also told her that I used to be a former Eagle Scout. I was glad I could build on some social capital with my students. I shared some stories of the hot Texas heat which made wearing the Class A Boy Scout Uniform the most unbearable garment in 103 degree weather. I could tell that my student knew what I was talking about because she immediately responded with a comment about the humidity in Philadelphia. I was glad that we were able to connect with that shared experience.
Over the course of the week, each grade level has been attending a "start of the school meeting" with the various administrators. It's a simple meeting just to check in and to offer some practical advice on the upcoming school year. Today it was the juniors. Since I will be teaching juniors in the Spring, I attended the meeting. Various officials made their speeches and then all of a sudden, one of the assistant principals made his way over to my seat and asked me to join him in front of the entire eleventh grade class. So many thoughts ran through my head: the most dominant was wondering if he was going to ask me to say a few words of encouragement. Luckily, all I had to do was stand and be recognized as a student-teacher who cares about his job and his students. I was glad to see how the administration had my back and used me as a postive example!

Double dose of English 4

Things were business as usual for my first period class. It's interesting how the class as a whole begins to develop certain rituals that everyone falls into. It's made me think a lot about the "ritual of school" in general. Think about it for your self; you arrive at 8am (hopefully), walk over to your first period class, and start the day. As I have been going to West day in and out, my body and mind have just gotten accustomed to some of the daily practices the students themselves go through.
Overall, things are going well for my first period class. I think I have started to gain some respect from my kids. Let me paint you a quick picture of the first 5-7 minutes of my first period class.

I greet my students as they walk in the door. I make sure to smile and offer to shake their hand. I say "good morning" to each of them and in return I also get a handshake and a smile. When there is not a steady flow of students coming into my door, I hang make some small talk with one of my students. As others enter the classroom, I finish my conversation with my student and greet the next one.

By just talking with my kids, I feel that I am trying to build as much "social capital" as possible. I try and get to know the life of "so and so" outside the class. I have learned that one of my students has a cousin who is a professional football player. Another student is participating in concurrent enrollment program. All these little bits of information make it easy to connect with the kids.

Today, however, was a little rough. We had a "new student" join our class, but in reality he wasn't new at all. We found out that the student was enrolled in our class but decided to skip out the first couple of day. When the clock stuck 8am, we had around eight missing (late) students. Our opening activity went very well and the kids looked like they were on task.
When the class was just about over and the kids were busy doing their work, my classroom mentor came over and gave me some really encouraging and positive advice. She told me that when I start to take over the class, I really should encourage my kids to try something new in their academics. When they, your students, see that you want them to do well, they in turn will try their best on upcoming work.

My classroom mentor rocks!

So, today I had a double dose of English 4 today because I had the opportunity to observe another English 4 class. I think this observing another class is going to be really helpful as I see what works and what doesn't work. I know I have to keep in mind that I'm observing a new set of kids and a new teacher and that classroom practices shouldn't be written off as "successes" and "failures." I think what I should look out for when I see a certain teaching method being played out in two different classroom are the warning signs that the praxis is going in the wrong direction.
I've been thinking about making my classroom as much as a training ground for higher education (community, technical, traditional) as possible. I noticed that my teacher handed out a class syllabus describing the goals and expectations for the class. I think this is an interesting approach to at least get the students visually aware of the higher ed. procedure.
Some other things that I noticed in my classroom were how the students were arranged. The seats are arranged in a "U" shape formation with a small cluster of students in the center of the "U." This is different from my first period class - they are clustered together in groups of four. I think that this set up, the U format, has some interesting affordances and constraints. For one, an affordance, the majority of the kids in the U shape formation can see each other. Eye contact can be made to other students and the teacher can also easily scan the room. Some constraints include the following: group work would be hard to manage because groups are mostly limited to two members. I feel that I am being really supported in my classrooms. Both teachers have given me the opportunity to "jump in" and walk around the class seeing if anyone needs help or to just get some "one to one" with the students.

West is best!

In the beginning...

Mr. Who? For the 2008-2009 year, I will have two identities: Mr. Lopez and Eddie. It's weird because both aliases share the same body, but yet seem quite disconnected when comparing personalities and daily attire. I'm Mr. Lopez to no more than 100 people, but Eddie to hundreds. Mr. Lopez started his first day of school at West Philadelphia High School (West) on Thursday (9/4/08) and Eddie started his course work at Penn at the beginning of July. Mr. Lopez is a stranger to hundreds and Eddie is a friend to many. Eddie is 22 and 9 months old, but on some days, Mr. Lopez looks 24.
I've been a student/co-teacher for three official days at West and already I'm grappling with identity issues. It's nothing to be worried about. In fact, I'm relieved I'm actually thinking about my duel role as a professional-in-training and as a graduate student. To my students, I'm Mr. Lopez, and I'm happy with that title.

9-4-08 I started co-teaching at West on the 4th of September. Like any first day of school, I was nervous to see who would be in my class, but this time, my anxiety originated from the lens of a teacher/faculty member. I asked myself, "Would I be able to pick out the trouble makers?" Would I posses the so called "all powerful gift" of immediately connecting with my students? Forget the identity crises! My concern now was to battle the various pieces of advice about being "Mr. Tough Guy" or "Mr. Shake Hands at the Door"...guy.
For the most part, my first day went well. My mentor teacher made sure that I understood where she was coming from, in terms of teaching and learning, and made sure that she was on the same page with me when and if I wanted to try something out in the classroom. Like any first day, students ran a little late to class and also running through their bodies were summer stories waiting to be told and re-told over the course of the day in class and out. On September 4th there were a lot of uncertainties: final class size, official bell schedule for the week, and course materials. One thing was for certain though: Mr. Lopez was born (hold the laughter!).

9-5-08 The second day at West was better. Mr. Lopez was in full force with an introductory speech ready to be orated to my first period English class. After going over the classroom policies, the show was mine. Ever been on a roller coaster? OK, so the line leading towards the ride and awkward moments as the park attendant buckles you in was the feeling I felt as I was sharing my personal introduction with the class. When I finished speaking, I couldn't tell if I had gone or needed to start. My classroom teacher and I started off the school year by identifying personal goals for the school year. I admit, I was blown away by the goals my students had for themselves. Towards the end of the first period, I felt that I actually had a purpose in that classroom. My goal for the school year was to learn as much as I could about teaching and learning as possible and to try my very best in helping my students achieve their goals.

9-8-08 (Barack Obama vs. God: Who is the better hero?)
What is a hero and how would you describe him or her? Today, my first period class discussed the quality of a hero. Things went great today. The students were happy and showed a lot of enthusiasm in their group discussion. As an observer, I learned a lot about "students cutting up in class" when dealing with an student-engaging topic. Lets face it, everyone knows at least one characteristic about a hero and would jump at the opportunity to express it (especially if it is going to be written on the chalkboard!). So, of course, we had some students engage in some "side talk." Albeit, they were mainly discussing the topic at hand, they were somewhat disruptive towards other students. Today I learned that you don't have to scream at your students to get them to stay on task. Walk around, call the talkative student out and ask them to share with the class more of their ideas about what constitutes a hero.
In one of my first period groups, the task was to pick a hero as a small group and discuss the rationale for the choice. One group choose Barack Obama and God but couldn't decide on what "hero" to represent the group. In the end, my section chose Obama because, and I think this was an interesting point, you couldn't know for sure what obsticles God had to overcome to be "God," nor did the group know the actuall characteristics that would make God a hero. Today was an interesting day. Kids seemed motivated and interested in their work and I felt a very satisfied Mr. Lopez.