Long time no see...
I know, I feared too that my blogging went the way of the dodo or the legendary bafoonbaha, but here I m again. This semester has been more than hectic. I got my first class full of students. I'm supposed to be "student teaching" a class in the 9th grade in Manhattan - but the truth is, I've become much more of an actual teacher than I thought I would. My kids are amazing and dynamic and....sonsofbitches. They are both stubborn and delightful. With little practice in previous grades for reading and writing techniques, we are very busy. But their work is making tremendous strides. Most NYC public schools have abolished tracking systems to make way for the much more liberal "inclusion" effort. Some students in my class has a fourth grade reading level and some have a 12th grade reading level. You can imagine the challenges and the exciting surprises that also occur. Some students who have tested poorly in the past, seem to really be working up to a challenge (which means Ms. McD is working after school a good deal, too.) Some of my more-skilled students are staying after school too for extra-credit and more challenging activities. It's almost impossible to create a class (especially with little experience, like me) that satisfies everyone's needs. So? A lot, a lot, a lot of extra work, all around.
Some students just outright refuse to do work. "Fuck this, I ain't doin' it." - How do you respond to that???
They had their talent show on Friday of last week. Did you know that sexy walking is a talent. Yes, you too can sexy walk. Play "I'M BRINGING SEXY BACK.." As loud as possible. Put on your favorite outfit. Begin. Some of the choreographed dances made me cover my eyes -but they were all fantastic. My favorite thing that happened is when two white boys got up with their electric guitars to play and sing a john Mayer song. The audience of mostly African-American and Dominican parents didn't quite know what to do with this music, but out of appreciation and pride everyone began a soul clap - bringing all the cultures together in the auditorium. The boys with the eyeliner and nailpolish on stage almost couldn't contain themselves as they felt their own success vibrate through the walls. Which brings me to my next point...
New York is amazing. Baltimore felt so much more like it was either black or white than this place. The students at my school are primarily Latino/a and African American with a spattering of white and Asian students too. There is tons of interracial dating and when there are fights, they rarely, rarely ever even mention race. The students are more likely to rag on you for your knock off ipod than for the color of your skin. Which, in it's own way is very special.
Last semester I felt like I was drowning here. I didn't know enough people and I wasn't sure I was making the right decision. I'd given up so much in order to do this thing that I suddenly was scared was a wrong decision all together. I missed Baltimore. I missed certain someones and was afraid that new York would never feel like home. I got lost almost every day and felt like I'd never been in the same spot twice. This semester, however, something has slowly changed. Maybe it's spring coming, but I like it here so much more than I used to.
Yesterday I was walking home to the train from my friend Matt and Ivy's house where we ordered Thai food and watched the Mets game. On the way home I was the only person on the street, which makes me nervous. I saw a guy with a mustache walking on the other side of the street....It was Jeff! (www.jeffpdoes.com) Is New York itty bitty after all?
Last week I was standing infront of a bar fishing for my ID to go in, near NYU and Austin from the Gooch walked by and came in to have a drink with me and Naomi, one of my friends from grad school. In a city this big, how does this even happen?
It seems like now that we aren't all running from where we have to be back to our warm apartments, covered from head to toe in scarves, we can finally all find each other in this sea of people. I run into my students from time to time all over the city. We tease each other as we pass, giving warm smiles all the time.
If I didn't move to New York, I never would have gotten to know my roommate as well as I have. Which is awesome. He's really become one of my best friends. Nic is an amazing guy, who sees things fairly and wears sweaters and polo shirts like they are his uniform. He laughs at all my jokes - which is charitable.
I'll be turning 26 in just a couple of months and I'm happy for it. I guess I'm a little lonely in the romantic sense. I've done some dating here, but nothing seems promising. But, in the end, it's probably all of the best. Between class planning, grad classes, and teaching. I'm not a very fun person during the week. It makes me wish I could just find someone and fast-forward into this boring old relationship. But lets take one thing at a time, okay?
SHhh. Don't tell anyone, yet, but Mike and Jaime are pregnant. That means all three of my brothers will have babies by October of this year. What? It's like we are on completely different trajectories. I'm happy with mine for now. But what? Remember when the four of us used to play together, thinking that everything we built, like the igloo, the makeshift bridge across the creek, the zipline, the treefort, the "swimming pool" -everything we made we'd all make together. And now, we are all doing our very own thing. Our own igloo and log raft with t-shirt sail.
I'll make a list here of things that excite me at work:
1. Learning to 'chicken noodle soup" and "one two step" and "walk it out"
2. Quiet "Kayla" opening up to me.
3. When "TT" got arrested for fighting, and as she was taken away in handcuffs, I over heard her tell the principal that she didn't want to get kicked out of school because she didn't want to miss Ms. mcd's class.
4. Bringing sexy back
5. "Tiara" - For her extra work to pass, hugs and the ridiculous things she shouts out in class.
6. "Emily" - The good girl gone bad, gone good. Or on her way....
7. "Cooper" the MC with the speech problem who I coached last week and saw him gain so much confidence.
8. "Antonio" the boy who hates me and is a constant challenge
9. "Jack" white boy with eyeliner who questions all authority....just like he ought to be doing. He told Mr.. A that I'm his favorite teacher ever (I have my suspicions that it's only because I know who JTHM is.)
10. The etc.
I can't wait to sit next to you with a beer and tell you all about them.
Oh, also, I think I got offered a job at this school. Which would be so awesome. I love it there. Our principal is an out gay man who rides his bike to school and still teaches a class because he loves it.
and I love you.
I've missed you.
P.S. thanks Sarah for sending me cookies from Montana.
Some students just outright refuse to do work. "Fuck this, I ain't doin' it." - How do you respond to that???
They had their talent show on Friday of last week. Did you know that sexy walking is a talent. Yes, you too can sexy walk. Play "I'M BRINGING SEXY BACK.." As loud as possible. Put on your favorite outfit. Begin. Some of the choreographed dances made me cover my eyes -but they were all fantastic. My favorite thing that happened is when two white boys got up with their electric guitars to play and sing a john Mayer song. The audience of mostly African-American and Dominican parents didn't quite know what to do with this music, but out of appreciation and pride everyone began a soul clap - bringing all the cultures together in the auditorium. The boys with the eyeliner and nailpolish on stage almost couldn't contain themselves as they felt their own success vibrate through the walls. Which brings me to my next point...
New York is amazing. Baltimore felt so much more like it was either black or white than this place. The students at my school are primarily Latino/a and African American with a spattering of white and Asian students too. There is tons of interracial dating and when there are fights, they rarely, rarely ever even mention race. The students are more likely to rag on you for your knock off ipod than for the color of your skin. Which, in it's own way is very special.
Last semester I felt like I was drowning here. I didn't know enough people and I wasn't sure I was making the right decision. I'd given up so much in order to do this thing that I suddenly was scared was a wrong decision all together. I missed Baltimore. I missed certain someones and was afraid that new York would never feel like home. I got lost almost every day and felt like I'd never been in the same spot twice. This semester, however, something has slowly changed. Maybe it's spring coming, but I like it here so much more than I used to.
Yesterday I was walking home to the train from my friend Matt and Ivy's house where we ordered Thai food and watched the Mets game. On the way home I was the only person on the street, which makes me nervous. I saw a guy with a mustache walking on the other side of the street....It was Jeff! (www.jeffpdoes.com) Is New York itty bitty after all?
Last week I was standing infront of a bar fishing for my ID to go in, near NYU and Austin from the Gooch walked by and came in to have a drink with me and Naomi, one of my friends from grad school. In a city this big, how does this even happen?
It seems like now that we aren't all running from where we have to be back to our warm apartments, covered from head to toe in scarves, we can finally all find each other in this sea of people. I run into my students from time to time all over the city. We tease each other as we pass, giving warm smiles all the time.
If I didn't move to New York, I never would have gotten to know my roommate as well as I have. Which is awesome. He's really become one of my best friends. Nic is an amazing guy, who sees things fairly and wears sweaters and polo shirts like they are his uniform. He laughs at all my jokes - which is charitable.
I'll be turning 26 in just a couple of months and I'm happy for it. I guess I'm a little lonely in the romantic sense. I've done some dating here, but nothing seems promising. But, in the end, it's probably all of the best. Between class planning, grad classes, and teaching. I'm not a very fun person during the week. It makes me wish I could just find someone and fast-forward into this boring old relationship. But lets take one thing at a time, okay?
SHhh. Don't tell anyone, yet, but Mike and Jaime are pregnant. That means all three of my brothers will have babies by October of this year. What? It's like we are on completely different trajectories. I'm happy with mine for now. But what? Remember when the four of us used to play together, thinking that everything we built, like the igloo, the makeshift bridge across the creek, the zipline, the treefort, the "swimming pool" -everything we made we'd all make together. And now, we are all doing our very own thing. Our own igloo and log raft with t-shirt sail.
I'll make a list here of things that excite me at work:
1. Learning to 'chicken noodle soup" and "one two step" and "walk it out"
2. Quiet "Kayla" opening up to me.
3. When "TT" got arrested for fighting, and as she was taken away in handcuffs, I over heard her tell the principal that she didn't want to get kicked out of school because she didn't want to miss Ms. mcd's class.
4. Bringing sexy back
5. "Tiara" - For her extra work to pass, hugs and the ridiculous things she shouts out in class.
6. "Emily" - The good girl gone bad, gone good. Or on her way....
7. "Cooper" the MC with the speech problem who I coached last week and saw him gain so much confidence.
8. "Antonio" the boy who hates me and is a constant challenge
9. "Jack" white boy with eyeliner who questions all authority....just like he ought to be doing. He told Mr.. A that I'm his favorite teacher ever (I have my suspicions that it's only because I know who JTHM is.)
10. The etc.
I can't wait to sit next to you with a beer and tell you all about them.
Oh, also, I think I got offered a job at this school. Which would be so awesome. I love it there. Our principal is an out gay man who rides his bike to school and still teaches a class because he loves it.
and I love you.
I've missed you.
P.S. thanks Sarah for sending me cookies from Montana.
posted by j-e-s-s-i-c-a at 3:02 PM
2 Comments:
I'm glad you're still posting! Yay!
Yay you're back! I like hearing about Goucher people in New York and thier comparative Baltimore/nyc experiences. We're about to be joined by one more: Anne Bardaglio just got into a writing program in Columbia.
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