Chronically Curious (The Independent Educator): October 2014

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Principals who remember ths little touches know how to motivate this teacher

Look at the star I received from my principal.

She also underlined the importance of asking a student, "How can I help?"

She sent us an article that emphasized that our job as teacher is not "what can I teach today."... it's "How can I help you today?" A child who is hungry doesn't need a bold new worksheet.

The article also emphasized global skills.

So it might mean more opportunities to talk to students about how they can use Skype in their homes to practice being BIB Penpals.

Students can go on www.BIBPenpals.com and learn how to become conversation assistants over Skype for Jair da Silva Filho, a teacher in Brazil. Here's a sample video.

My current focus is on Nathan McCall, an author of an autobiography that is difficult to read: Makes Me Wanna Holler. It is worth the effort

EBONY Article

If you don't have time to read his book, at least look at the Ebony article (written 20 years after his autobiography was published in 1994).

If you have an opportunity to meet Mr. McCall, what questions would you ask him?

What does he see as the way ahead for young black men?

I read some of the reviews of Mr. McCall's book on Amazon.

Here is one review that hit me in the solar plexus:

As hideous as some parts of this book, I still gave this book to my nieces, daughters and other young Black impressionable females who seem to mindlessly believe anything a Black man tells them. Some months after my adolescent niece read McCall's works, she confessed that she completely broke ties with a young man she had been dating because he showed a lot of Mc Call's tendencies. Some years later, this same young man has impregnated several different women, 3 of which gave birth to his children in the same week (while he was unemployed). Today, he is doing a life sentence in prison for violent crimes.
As disturbing as Mc Call's work is, I have used it for good. Every mother should know where her son is at night. Also, blaming white people for your problems is no reason for McCall commiting the same sins (color casting, rape and robbery).
Finally, if Mc Call committed all the crimes he claims, he should now publish a NEW novel covering his efforts at some form of victim restitution to the individuals, businesses and others he has violated in his past. Well, how about it, Mr McCall?

I read much of McCall's autobiography. Some parts were difficult to read, particularly his struggles with his mind while he was in prison and how he escaped from reality with drug trips. Some of his tales could be told by some young males who live in my county, who have spent time in jail or who have roughed up people, treated women like furniture or worse.

His new novel

His lack of skill as an entrepreneur reminded me of my lack of initiative and follow-through.

I saw his description of shifting form nonfiction to fiction and learning along the way. I would like him to be a mentor to my students. Even his video is a way to show students how a man presents himself.

I hope my students will take time to look at this video and to hear his voice ... and perhaps take time to read his third chapter where he writes about what his experience was like in Key West watching TV.