Monthly Archives: September 2010

My mother passed away in early June.  There are days when I still find myself weak.  But I gather strength from the lessons she taught me.  Our home in Anacostia (they call it the poor part of town) shimmered with … Continue reading →

Friday afternoon finds my last class of the day, English III, restless again.  The new seating arrangement has helped, but there is a football game tonight against a beatable rival, and the young men have a nervous energy.  Generally, I … Continue reading →

Today, after school, a senior I have not seen in a while comes to visit.  I am in the midst of rearranging my room.  I have this one English III class at the end of my B days with 15 … Continue reading →

It took a while to post this week.  On Wednesday and Thursday, I sang “Make that change” to all who would listen.  I was pleased with the election results, but not with the analysis that followed.  To hear others spin … Continue reading →

She wrote about it last year, in 10th grade.  I have her again this year, in AP English, and every time she enters our room, I recall her piece.  The assignment was simple.  “Write about a moment that changed your … Continue reading →

I passed a team of preschoolers on my way home yesterday.  Three adults, all dressed in matching orange tee shirts, guided the tiny group as they moved towards a nearby park.  The students were all dressed in yellow tee shirts.  … Continue reading →

The week ends on a high note.  We have our Convocation ceremony, something started last year.  My school is only six years old, and traditions are new to us.  I have been here since the beginning, when we only had … Continue reading →

Classes this week have been good.  AP English Language students deliver well-constructed arguments for or against Cosby’s assertions about the black lower class.  Some feel Cosby is correct; poor people bring misfortune on themselves through reckless behavior.  Others argue Cosby’s … Continue reading →