I have been rather opposed to the use of the word "females" to describe women for some time now. It just sounds disrespectful in a way. Humans are animals, sure... but we are more than animals as well. I am a woman, that human over there with a penis is a man, and that's that.
This idea that it is disrespectful was further reinforced by a student of mine last week.
I suppose I was being rather disrespectful as well.
Me: "I'm observing a lot of students talking, calling out, being mean to each other. What I'm inferring is that a lot of you are annoying."
Student: "Y'all are acting like a bunch of females."
I literally didn't even know what to say.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Updates from the Front
As if I was in a war or something.
Right... I understand that I'm not in a real war, and my life is not at stake here. I understand that no one will invade my country if I stand down from my post. I totally get that the "front lines" of this battle involve no more physical risk than that of dehydration and sunburn, and that the physical violence is limited to some risk of being trampled.
I have no idea what it is like to be a soldier, and I never will. But goodness, it feels like a war... so let's talk about what is at stake.
At stake is the entire concept of public education. At stake is the notion that teachers should be respected professionals. At stake is the idea that black and brown students don't matter. At stake is the thought that corporate power can dominate public interest. At stake... is the future for my students.
It's a big deal.
Right... I understand that I'm not in a real war, and my life is not at stake here. I understand that no one will invade my country if I stand down from my post. I totally get that the "front lines" of this battle involve no more physical risk than that of dehydration and sunburn, and that the physical violence is limited to some risk of being trampled.
I have no idea what it is like to be a soldier, and I never will. But goodness, it feels like a war... so let's talk about what is at stake.
At stake is the entire concept of public education. At stake is the notion that teachers should be respected professionals. At stake is the idea that black and brown students don't matter. At stake is the thought that corporate power can dominate public interest. At stake... is the future for my students.
It's a big deal.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Pictures- Day Two
I began the morning at 6:30 again, this time outside of South Shore International College Prep Academy, on 75th Street and Jeffery. After four hours I went home to get mentally ready for the rally outside of CPS headquarters this afternoon. We cheered and chanted and ended up marching to Buckingham Fountain. Here are some pictures from the day.
At the height of our morning, with teachers from many different schools.
The beginning of the rally downtown.
President of the AFT!
Karen Lewis, CTU Union Leader
You probably can't see what this says, but something along the lines of "If I'm graded on test performance, will I be fired if my student gets shot on the way to the test?" Violence here is a HUGE issue that affects everyone.
On the way to Buckingham Fountain- this is the tail end of the group on Michigan Ave.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Pictures- Day One
Ready to go at 6:30 this morning!
SSFAA and Fermi pickets on Stony Island together!
On the party bus that picked us up to bring us downtown for the rally!
A very small piece of the picture... something like 20,000 people at the rally.
Why I'm On The Line
"Go back to work, bitch!"***
Not the most encouraging thing to hear as I'm wearing a sign around my neck at 6:45 in the morning, jumping up and down in the median of Stony Island. The man brings up a good point though. Why don't I go back to work?
Firstly, I should say that there weren't any students... so I literally couldn't go to work. Secondly, I absolutely believe in everything that we are striking for. I believe in capping class sizes. I believe in treating teachers like professionals and negotiating a fair contract in good faith. I believe in making the school day BETTER, not just longer. I believe in hiring more social service support personnel at a time when violence in Chicago is skyrocketing. I believe in supporting the equity of the school environments, in standing up and saying that it isn't fair to rate teachers on an equal system and with test scores when their educational environments are vastly different. I believe in having air conditioning and school supplies and curriculum in EVERY school in the year 2012. I believe that you shouldn't get the shaft when it comes to a school because you were born in the wrong neighborhood or skin color or ethnicity. I believe in standing up and saying that this system is broken, and I believe in standing up and saying that it is NOT my fault.
Teachers say this all the time, and it is true. Regardless of how much we get paid, how many prep hours we get, how great our health benefits are... we work for it. Don't tell me to go back to work when I spent a combined 14 hours of my weekend planning learning activities for your kids. Don't tell me to go back to work when I spent my own money to make sure the classroom was ready for your kids. Don't tell me to go back to work when I am going to get graded on your child's test scores, regardless of the home environment they are living in, or the educational background they are dumped in my lap with. Don't tell me to go back to work when I am working without a contract. Don't tell me to go back to work when the board is telling me that I should be able to teach my subjects to mastery, to ALL of the students that they feel like cramming into my classroom. Don't tell me to go back to work when it is over 90 degrees in there on some days, and if I worked at a different school it would be a comfortable 73. Don't tell me to go back to work when I don't have curriculum for your kids, and they are the ones who get an overworked and stressed out teacher every day. Don't tell me to go back to work when I haven't slept a night in the last 5 weeks without dreaming about my classroom or your student. Don't tell me to go back to work when I live, breath, AM a teacher... 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I AM WORKING.
That's why I'm on the line. I'm on the line because I care about your kids. I'm on the line because I believe in equitable education. I'm on the line because being a part of something big is important. I'm on the line because we NEED people on that line.
Pictures to come!
***For every negative comment or signal we got this morning, there were about a hundred honks and thumbs-up and raised fists. This city is behind us, and that feels GOOOOOOD.
Not the most encouraging thing to hear as I'm wearing a sign around my neck at 6:45 in the morning, jumping up and down in the median of Stony Island. The man brings up a good point though. Why don't I go back to work?
Firstly, I should say that there weren't any students... so I literally couldn't go to work. Secondly, I absolutely believe in everything that we are striking for. I believe in capping class sizes. I believe in treating teachers like professionals and negotiating a fair contract in good faith. I believe in making the school day BETTER, not just longer. I believe in hiring more social service support personnel at a time when violence in Chicago is skyrocketing. I believe in supporting the equity of the school environments, in standing up and saying that it isn't fair to rate teachers on an equal system and with test scores when their educational environments are vastly different. I believe in having air conditioning and school supplies and curriculum in EVERY school in the year 2012. I believe that you shouldn't get the shaft when it comes to a school because you were born in the wrong neighborhood or skin color or ethnicity. I believe in standing up and saying that this system is broken, and I believe in standing up and saying that it is NOT my fault.
Teachers say this all the time, and it is true. Regardless of how much we get paid, how many prep hours we get, how great our health benefits are... we work for it. Don't tell me to go back to work when I spent a combined 14 hours of my weekend planning learning activities for your kids. Don't tell me to go back to work when I spent my own money to make sure the classroom was ready for your kids. Don't tell me to go back to work when I am going to get graded on your child's test scores, regardless of the home environment they are living in, or the educational background they are dumped in my lap with. Don't tell me to go back to work when I am working without a contract. Don't tell me to go back to work when the board is telling me that I should be able to teach my subjects to mastery, to ALL of the students that they feel like cramming into my classroom. Don't tell me to go back to work when it is over 90 degrees in there on some days, and if I worked at a different school it would be a comfortable 73. Don't tell me to go back to work when I don't have curriculum for your kids, and they are the ones who get an overworked and stressed out teacher every day. Don't tell me to go back to work when I haven't slept a night in the last 5 weeks without dreaming about my classroom or your student. Don't tell me to go back to work when I live, breath, AM a teacher... 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I AM WORKING.
That's why I'm on the line. I'm on the line because I care about your kids. I'm on the line because I believe in equitable education. I'm on the line because being a part of something big is important. I'm on the line because we NEED people on that line.
Pictures to come!
***For every negative comment or signal we got this morning, there were about a hundred honks and thumbs-up and raised fists. This city is behind us, and that feels GOOOOOOD.
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