Privilege Meme

I found this meme on Miss A's blog. I would say that my childhood was primarily working class with middle class aspirations. I bounced around quite a bit between my mother, my father, my grandmother, and a family friend's homes so I've experienced everything middle class and below--from the stigma of a parent receiving welfare to living in a suburban neighborhood.~Laniza

From What Privileges Do You Have?, based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright. To participate, bold the items that apply to you.

1. Father went to college (community college)

2. Father finished college

3. Mother went to college (my mother had a full basketball scholarship but did not finish because she was pregnant with me)

4. Mother finished college

5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor

6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.

7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.

8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.

9. Were read children’s books by a parent.

10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18 (violin lessons in 5^th grade-I wished that I kept up with it!)

11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18

12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively.

13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.

14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.

15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs

16. Went to a private high school

17. Went to summer camp (local Boys & Girls' club)

18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18

19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels

20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18

21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them

22. There was original art in your house when you were a child

23. You and your family lived in a single-family house

24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home

25. You had your own room as a child

26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18

27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course

28. Had your own TV in your room in high school (Granted, it was black & white! Ha!)

29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college

30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16

31. Went on a cruise with your family

32. Went on more than one cruise with your family

33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up.

34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.

Well, 2008 is turning out to be a great year thus far! While I'm still on the fence about remaining in the teaching profession, I feel a lot more secure in my abilities than last year. I am so grateful for the following at my new school:

--supportive administration
--having an inclusion teacher in 2 out of 3 classes
--small(er) class sizes (average is 15)
--increased salary
--more professional opportunities
--being a positive role model to students (one student in particular told me that I was his 1st black teacher. This is significant because the school district has over 70% students of color. Where have all the teachers of color gone?)
--receiving help and pats on the back when needed
--having a structured curriculum (oh man, was this a nightmare for me last year!!)

Now all I have to do is carry this positivity to the end of the year :)!

Hello?! Is this thing on? lol!

I'm still teaching :). My last period group has pulled a 'switcheroo' on me and become my favorite group of students seemingly overnight. They are so... goofy, just like their English teacher :). My focus has shifted slightly as there's been a lot of tragedies in my family within the last few months (my paternal grandmother died in June, my paternal cousin died in October, my maternal cousin suffered 3rd degree burns on her face and back in late October). I still feel like I'm keeping my head barely above water some days... however, I'm gonna give this my best try. Only 7 months 'til June :).

>>>

I've been fighting a cold on and off since last week. I took yesterday off because I sounded like Barry White's female cousin, and today, while teaching my first period class, I lost my voice! Needless to say, the 7th grade VP insisted that I go home. My husband is heavily leaning toward me taking tomorrow off too. But, goodness, 2 1/2 days of sick time and it isn't even the middle of October yet? Oh well, I have to be able to speak in order to teach! Off to make another cup of lemon zinger tea.

Sick but No Sick Time

Ugh! Going into my 3rd week and I've been really questioning why I'm being called to teach right now. There's obviously some message that God is trying to get me to understand... is it humility? Compassion? Competence? Self-Worth? Sacrifice?

In the past five years, I've gone from full time college student, to part-time bank teller, to full-time customer service rep, to charter school teacher, to public school teacher and I'm still not satisfied. I feeling like teaching ain't my passion, and it's getting harder to get up and go to school everyday.

What I'd like to do (which is what I was *thisclose* to getting this past summer) is advise students of color about the college admissions process or collect oral histories of African American elders for a museum or college/university. In the meantime, I suppose that this year will be my chance to stack money and set goals for an escape date sooner than later.

Fellow teachers, any advice that you have about 2nd year burnout, charter vs. public schools, quarter year crisis, etc. will be greatly appreciated.

Week #1

Well, I made it through the entire week without crying. And then... the tears came late Sunday evening. The differences between this school and my old school are profound!

Old School:

• small, 'close-knit' environment (children often in the same classes together year after year)
• some parents/teachers have too close of a relationship w/ administration, resulting in many unprofessional situations
  
• no school-wide curriculum
• limited resources for special education/talented and gifted children
• long hours, low pay
• reasonable teaching load (1 class each--ELA & S.S., Sustained Silent Reading)
• remained in the same room for 2 out of 3 classes/ my own filing cabinet & storage space
  

New School:

• larger, more impersonal environment (children coming from a wide variety of schools/educational levels)
• administration has a backbone (my assistant principal is the bomb and will suspend a child in a heartbeat)!
• pacing guide, scripted lesson plans for the 1st three weeks
• somewhat adequate resources for special education/talented and gifted children (although not enough paraprofessionals and aides to go around)
• shorter hours, better pay
• reasonable teaching load (3 classes of ELA + duty 2-3 times a week)
• floating for all three classes, no filing cabinet or storage space beyond what the regular teacher gives

So, while I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to continue to teach, I've got to find my niche so that I'm not stressed out on Sunday evenings. Mainly, I need to find a way to balance the paperwork, get the discipline issues in order, and prepare as much as possible for the next day before I leave the school building.

Day 1

Well ya'll, I made it! Day 1 down, 179 left! Overall, it was a good day. I started off strong by reviewing my classroom expectations and procedures with the kids. I'm a floater this year and I have 3 preps so it's going to take some time to smooth out my schedule. Right off the bat, I can tell that my 1st period and last period groups have been in 'sub mode' aka I'm still gonna try to get over on this teacher even though I clearly acknowledged her request, so I've got to get them back into shape quickly. Thankfully, there's a school wide discipline policy so that should alleviate some of the chronic line-steppers. Speaking of that, teachers, how do you handle students who constantly test the rules? I have about 3-4 students in each of my classes that I'm going to have to keep a tight leash on, at least for the first couple of months.