Yesterday was report card pick-up.  I got a chance to meet quite a few parents.  Some of the parents that I would have like to have seen didn't show up (typical).  After speaking to a few parents, I now understood why/how their child is the way that they are.  The parents… Read full post »

Yesterday my cooperating teaching (when I student taught) buried her mother.  As long as I've known this lady her mom was in a nursing home and had gotten worse over the years.  Ms. Brown took care of her mom and made sure she maintained a certain quality of life while she was… Read full post »

Have you ever had something to happen and you wonder if God was testing your faith?  Once a month I meet with 3 of my students after school for 30 minutes.  They didn't do well in my class and I want to help them succeed.  (I invited 12, but only 3 showed… Read full post »

Yesterday, I watch a girl I grew up with bury her 14 year-old son.  I never thought I would live to see the day where someone I know would have to bury their child.  While we were at the burial, I told one of my friends that no where in the mother's… Read full post »

I felt compelled to write about this after reading a post by Amy Fuji.  Friday night in Chicago on the far South Side, another innocent Chicago Public School student was killed as a result of what is believed to be a gang shooting.  A freshman student was coming home with cousins… Read full post »

I never thought this day would come.  I never thought it would come to this.  I don't know when it all began.  I am trying to figure it out but for the life of me I can't figure it out. 

As of today, I am a member of a number… Read full post »

Yesterday, I went out with two co-workers and we were discussion how many of our students lack what we would consider to be fundamental values.  As we were talking, one of them said a lot of her students don't realize that vaious situations require them to behave in a different manner and… Read full post »

Ladt Thursday, I gave 12 students a note to meet with me and type up a plan as to how they are going to be successful in my class.  For those of you who missed it, go back to my previous posts regarding D-Day.  Anyway, short of the long is teachers… Read full post »

Yesterday a fellow educator and friend called me and left me a message regarding the policy on plagairism.  We both work in the same school district, but she teaches at the elementary level and I teach high school.  Her daughter attends a college prepatory high school (where all the classes… Read full post »

Damali Ayo sent out this challenge and I decided to accept.  I am going to tell ten (10) Black History Firsts and Facts.  Listen and learn.

1.  1869-Howard University becomes the first Black Law School.

2. Madame CJ Walker-The first Black (woman) millionaire.  She also create… Read full post »

Today is my parents wedding anniversary.  My sisters and I decided that we would order some flowers for them.  It was either that alphabet flower company or that dotcom company.  Well, I chose the latter because I couldn't get the flowers of my choice(when I needed them) from the… Read full post »

It's snowing. 

I don't want to go to work tomorrow, but I didn't clean off my desk.

I am going to live my life like it's golden.

Most of my clothes are earth tones or black.

I love wearing stillettos.

In my secret life I'd probably be...

I am tired… Read full post »

Just when I thought I was getting it together (I still am) I hit a brick wall.  I saw my ex today (he came to see my daughter play basketball).  I must admit that he was looking pretty good.  I knew I was probably going to see him today because he… Read full post »

This weekend I celebrated S.A.D. (Single Awareness Day) and I can honestly say I had an okay time.  I took my daughter to her activities and came home an made chocolate cupcakes and decorated them so nicely.  I dropped my daughter off at a friends house and came home and watched… Read full post »

It's been approximately 5 months since my ex-boyfriend dumped me.  He said it was too much pressure.  I am not really sure what that meant, but that's what he said.  Since then, I haven't really done much but try to pick myself up from the heartbreak.  It wasn't supposed to be… Read full post »

Ok, I'm lost.  Who is Karen and how did I miss her and all of her wonderful posts?  Someone please enlighten me on this mystery.  Thanks.

 BTW: Happy Birthday Karen. Read full post »

I don't like to beat a dead horse, but in order for this country to have any kind of sustainability, we must put education at the top of our list.  Education is the foundation for life and without it, we will be lost and continue to lag behind other countries.

I… Read full post »

The other day, I received a memo in my mailbox stating that I am to meet with the administration with a remediation plan because of the failures in my class.  (Everyone who had failures got this memo.)  The majority of my failures are due to attendance issues.  I am not sure… Read full post »

The past few posts I wrote were about my job.  Well, this one will be no different.  CPS is full of mandates.  I think I've mentioned before that there needs to be a mandater (if that's such a word) of the mandates.  I try to teach English but because of the… Read full post »

For those of you who don't already know it, the former Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO was selected by President Obama to be his Education Secretary.  Well, let me give you a little background information on CPS.  There are over 600 schools in the system with over 400,000 students. &n… Read full post »

Today is finally here!  It is the day I have to verify my grades to make sure they are correct.  Let me back up and explain a little bit.  Our school system is using an online program for grades and attendance.  It is my understanding that the administration can view the… Read full post »

Education in America has never been a priority.  Many years ago, it was illegal to educate Blacks.  Sometimes when I look around my classroom and keep getting directives about 'mandates' that have to be given, I often think to myself, am I truly wasting my time.

Many of the public schools… Read full post »

Right before the holiday, I gave my students the task of writing a letter to President-Elect Obama.  They were supposed to tell him what they liked and disliked about their experience.  (I know it's on my lists of posts, I forgot to get the link info.)  Many of them did not… Read full post »

For those of you who don't know already, I am single.  I have dated a few guys but many of these situations never really amounted to anything.  I decided to chronicle some of the foolishness that these jokers I've dated or gone out with have done.  This is  just for kicks. … Read full post »

About 8:23 p (CST) my friend sent me a text message wondering where I was because a detective friend of hers got a call over the radio while they were on the phone about a shooting at the school where I work.  I know there was a basketball game and apparently… Read full post »