Show Them The World!

by Yolonda D. Coleman (c) 2008

"When you have hope, you have determination. You have something that pushes you," Tanya Walters said in an Oprah Winfrey special.

Ms. Walters started Godparents Youth Organization (G.Y.O.) in California as a single mother and school bus driver in Los Angeles, California (www.godparentsclub.org). G.Y.O. affords students an opportunity to see the country outside of the classroom. Walters, along with other bus drivers in her district, help drive student achievement simply by exposing them to a world beyond their neighborhood.

To that end, if a simple act of kindness can turn into a community organization that helps our students achieve, why shouldn't your daily interaction with our children matter?

There comes a time when we must educate our children beyond the pages. With so many intelligence levels, let them hear, taste, smell, touch, and see your lessons. Yes, there are administrative duties to complete, curriculum mapping that has to be done, grades that need to be entered, attendance books that need updating, phone calls that need to be made, and professional development meetings to attend, but it only takes a few moments to change a life. Baby steps turn into giant leaps. Build a moment in your lesson planning schedule to open the doors of the world to your students.

REFLECTION TOPICS:

1. What seeds have I planted to help a student grow outside their neighborhood?
2. Explain how your life outside the classroom can inspire a student to explore the wonders of education.
3. Where do I want to take my students to help them apply what I've taught in class? Who do I need to assist me to make this happen? What resources do I need to make the field trip a reality? What is my target date? Budget?

FOR FRIENDSHIP M.O.N.A.R.C.H. Teachers Only:

N.T.A. Session 5
S.E. Academy
615 Milwaukee Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 562-1986
Facilitator: Bianca Mitchell and Zola Donovan
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2008

N.T.A. Session 6
Collegiate Academy
4095 Minnesota Avenue, N.E.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 396-5500
Facilitator: Yolonda D. Coleman
THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2008

Even a Fire Needs a Starter.

by Yolonda D. Coleman (c) 2008

NOTE: YOU WILL NEED A PIECE OF PAPER AND WRITING UTENSIL FOR THIS READING.

Blue chairs stood tall on three work stations. The classroom was quiet but soon filled with children anxious to start their day. One by one, the chairs met the floor with the help of tiny hands. There was some chatting among the children who entered classroom 101, but they were inaudible beyond 6 inch voices.

"The children know there should only be three people in the closet at one time," Beverly Epps said watching her students get prepared to sit at their workstations.

"Children, how many people should be in the closet at one time?" she asked.

"Three!" Evan replied. "There are three already in there," Evan continued as he took off his jacket.

The students were routinely engaged in their morning responsibility of taking off their coats, waiting for space to be available in the closet, and taking down their chairs. There was no correction and no opposition from the students. The only responsibility Mrs. Epps had for the first ten minutes of class was to smile and greet the children with a hearty, "Good morning!"

Does this sound like a dream? Does this only happen in a classroom where the teacher rules with an iron fist and speaks with fury? If you answered yes to both, you missed the mark by 100%. This is the reality at Turner Elementary School in S.E. Washington, D.C. It can be your reality as well.

Established and practiced policies and procedures are essential to having a well managed classroom. In order for learning to take place, in an elementary class or even a collegiate classroom, students must fully understand the expectations you have for them and their responsibilities as a student.

Over the next few weeks, you will hear several stories about Mrs. Epps' class that will help you with effective teacher language, modeling appropriate behavior, and differentiating instruction. There are several teaching methods that are timeless regardless of the grade level. In speaking with Mrs. Epps, there are some strategies she continues to use since the beginning of her teaching career some 37 years ago. You will also learn how to train your students to be responsible for a classroom that is both yours and theirs for the time they occupy it.

Mrs. Epps has a proven track record of not only educating her students, but also providing them with leadership roles which builds their confidence.

Let's reflect on the following (get your paper and pen out):

1. How do students enter your classroom?
2. How do you expect your students to walk into your classroom?
3. How do you and your students greet each other at the start of class?
4. What system is in place for homework collection?
5. What is the responsibility of the student once they are seated for the first 10 minutes of class? Is your warm up prepared on the board or chart paper.

If any of your responses point back to the drawing board, I remind you a piece of advice I received from my grandpa: When you point the finger at someone, there are three pointing back at you. Let's work on what's in our control and come up with some solutions.

Let's work it out. Post your specific anonymous concerns or needs by clicking COMMENTS on http://www.unlocktalent.blogspot.com/. Suggestions will be offered in the same manner for the general public.

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FRIENDSHIP COLLEGIATE ACADEMY TEACHERS:

NTA SESSION 6
Thursday, January 24, 2008
4:30pm - 6:30pm
Room B242 Ms. Higgins' classroom.

FCA EXAM SCHEDULE AND TIPS

EXAM SCHEDULE:

Monday, January 14, 2008 and Tuesday, January 15, 2008
FULL DAY OF CLASSES. Use this time to review.
Ms. Coleman is out of the building on Tuesday.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
EXAMS and EARLY RELEASE FOR STUDENTS
Paper Grading Assistance by Ms. Coleman on a first come first serve basis. Please send your time request via email ycoleman@friendshipschools.org for multiple choice grading.

Thursday, Janaury 17, 2008
EXAMS and EARLY RELEASE FOR STUDENTS
Paper Grading Assistance by Ms. Coleman on a first come first serve basis. Please send your time request via email ycoleman@friendshipschools.org for multiple choice grading up from 9am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm.

Friday, January 18, 2008
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE EXAMS!
MAKE-UP DAY FOR STUDENTS WHO MISSED THEIR EXAMS.
Ms. Coleman will not be in the building.

Please leave comments and tips by clicking "COMMENTS!"

TIPS

1. For students who finish early, modify the semester survey I sent to your Friendship account and have them complete it. Mr. Horowitz came up with this contingency plan. Thanks, Mr. Horowitz, for sharing.

2. For those of you who are administering a test with a lunch in between the time, select a portion of your test to be taken before lunch. The other portion can be given after they return. This is a great way to get them to come back on time. Let them know that once they finish and turn in the first portion, they will not have a chance to get it back after lunch.

3. Please set policies in place for testing. Deny restroom passes unless it is an extreme emergency. Have students to check in their cell phoanes with you at the start of class. With technology, it's nothing for them to text and take pictures of exams. Yeah, I know. I'm being extra, but trust goes out the window this time of year. Bags and notebooks should be in one location. They should only take to their seats those items they need to take the test.

4. Since we spoke about parental/caretaker involvement in our session tonight, call a few parents to help you administer/proctor the exam. This should help you cut down on the Chatty Cathy epidemic. Another adult figure in the room can only help your cause.

Check out www.unlocktalent.blogspot.com for the schedule and my available days to help you grade papers (first come first serve).
I hope this helps.

New Year...New EAR!

Aliyah sat and ate her Saturday breakfast as syrup ran down her face. Sticky fingers were created from her waffle and bacon meal as she smiled after each swallow.

"MMM. This is good, Cousin Alonda," she said calling my name as she heard it pronounced from her perspective.

The five year-old girl continued to dig in and I asked if she wanted the same meal the next day. She emphatically responded, "Yes! I want waffles and bacon."

After a long night of playing Wii and watching the "Chronicles of Narnia," "Evan Almighty," and "Ice Age," Aliyah slept long and worked up an appetite. When the morning creeped into the afternoon, Aliyah tip-toed to the kitchen in her toddler socks into the kitchen. I was cooking sausage and pancakes. She frowned at me pouring batter into a pan. I was being judge by a little girl with rollers and a twisted head scarf.

"I thought you said we would have waffles and bacon today," she asked with hand on her hip and eyes looking up at me.

"You don't want pancakes? I already made the batter."

"You said, waffles and bacon."

Without haste, I had to respond to a commitment I made just 24 hours prior and realized in a simple moment to just feed my family, I failed. I failed because I did not listen to the desire of the one I was servicing and made an executive order because the pancakes would be indeed much quicker, less messy, and less challenging to make for my house guests of four. What did I do, poured the pancake batter down the drain and cracked the eggs, opened the vanilla, measured the milk, and whipped the Bisquick to make waffles while the bacon was frying on the George Foreman.

Students, no matter the age, are no different from Aliyah. They will hold us to the committment to teach them, show them, and follow through on the things we say we'll do. Listen to what students want from educators is really as easy as stopping the noise around us, putting aside what we think might be best and hang on to the words they say and those that are never spoken.

We are in the business of serving the student population knowledge. How they receive it depends on the need of that student. Serving Aliyah the requested Waffles and bacon was quality assurance for me, as a cook. She enjoyed the meal. This is not to say she would not have enjoyed the pancakes and sausage, but I did not present the new meal (material) to her without bringing closure to the existing meal (lesson).

Try something new as you transition from last year to the new year and one semester into the next. Ask your students what they expect from you. Make a check list of those items and meet as many of those desires as possible before the school year ends. Chances are, if they see you meeting their needs, you'll notice that you can reach them more and get them to meet the expectations you have of them.

Happy New EAR!

Yolonda D. Coleman
Mentor Teacher and Author
For Additional Information on Project "Unlock Talent To Build Dreams,"
send an email to coffeedreamz38@aol.com.

FOR COLLEGIATE STAFF:

CONGRATULATIONS REBECKAH BRAY: Ms. Bray applied for a grant through http://www.donorschoose.org/ to fund her "Library for the Curious in French" initiative and will be award the resources she need. She requested $351 and granted $351.

NTA Session IV
Thursday, January 10, 2008
4:30pm - 6:30pm

ROOM A303 (Ms. Monfre's Room)

PLEASE CLICK COMMENTS IF YOU'RE WILLING TO HOST US! THANKS.