The blog is back! However, this may be temporary. Hopefully, my new website domain will gets its problems ironed out soon and get up and running (www.radicalbronxteaching.com).
Until then, welcome to the new style.
Bronx, New York. Dispatch #1 from the 2012-2013 school year.
Just came from class 10D. Tenth graders. It seems like most of them got the message today. A few students interrupted a student's share last Friday and my mini-lesson emphasized this early on in class. Of course, I sometimes misinterpret how many students understand what I'm saying in class.
80% of our students are ELL's. English Language Learners. Unlike my last two schools in the Bronx, there is a diversity of languages represented here.
One story from our first two days of school:
In the last few minutes of a sixty minute class I realized a freshman girl in a hijab (head covering) had no idea what we'd been discussing for the period. I immediately felt bad. A boy near her had not understood either, but I discovered that sooner and had a female student, also in a hijab, next to him help translate things into Bengali. I asked this translator if she could translate for the other girl.
"Mister, she doesn't speak my language."
"What language does she speak?" I asked.
"Arabic."
I then asked another girl wearing a hijab, sitting on other side of the room, if she could help translate into Arabic.
"I speak Urdu," she replied.
I then asked the girl next to her what language she speaks; perhaps she could assist.
"I speak French," she responded.
Meanwhile, a small group of Spanish-only speakers sat up front. Several do not yet speak English. Most have lived in the United States for only a couple of months, or less.
This is my new school!
Students are fully immersed in both the English language, reading aloud, and sharing in front of the class.
Students take leadership roles from day one.
Students are responsible for being promotive of others at all times.
Students must conference with teachers one-on-one.
School structure is uniform across classes.
Hallway discipline is maintained and enforced.
"Promotive Richard" is my new name for you. "My man." [a comment I just heard Mr. S. make to a student in hallway]
There will be a lot innovative ideas shared in this blog. This information will be revolutionary in many ways for public schools. Perhaps even more so for public schools in New York City, as they are filled with many students who come in reading and writing below grade level--sometimes dramatically so.
Please subscribe and stay tuned for the new style of this new school year!
No comments:
Post a Comment