Robbie’s Neighborhood

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With shirt on me backwards and
rub-on’s deactivated, greasy fingers on
music machine and searching for signal
annoyinwere thunderclouds. Just slapping

dumpster puddles nearby, someone
washing God’s giant erasers on the
stoops outside. The just barely
aware sprawled across woody hilltops

Where we still expect questions flying fast
& where We were wrong is an acceptable form
of address. What part of England are you from?
and Did you ever have sex while smiling?

I was groomed for this. I am a goat,
the boy hugging knees. If you want
to be an overachiever, beware the pigs,
because sweet man flesh is consistency
between everything. Jick.

once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

[ASSIGNED: FIRST DAYS OF SECOND YEAR]

Henry V

Here I am again. Standing in front of a roomful of strangers.

I'm in a new school where I once again have to find where things are, who knows what, who does what, and what matters.

My schedule is a 4x4 block this year so I see every student every day in the course of teaching three 98-minute blocks. That's a long time, but I think I'm going to like it. Especially for English, which is really like teaching three classes in one (reading, writing, grammar), it seems a natural fit to structure each block as three mini-classes.

Something I learned the hard way last year that I've fully embraced this year is that it benefits both the students and me to have as much structure and routine as possible. Within that basic structural framework I can vary the specific activities, but we still move from the Do Now review, to the short grammar lesson, to the main lesson that will involve both reading and writing. Monday and Tuesday are new vocab words. I understand, and have internalized, the concept of having the students do most of the work. As much as I fought against having them sit silently working on independent practice activities, I realized that this is pretty much what kids everywhere expect to be doing in school. It's reassuring to them and easy on me. It leaves me with the energy I need to do the group, visual, and kinesthetic work.

My long class blocks have also slowed down my pace. When students finish their independent practice, instead of just handing it in they spend time sharing their answers, developing speaking and presentation skills I wasn't able to take time with last year. I'm far less likely to try to overlap transitions or have students multitask. Each procedure is given its own time, and we move at a calmer pace. Again: payoff.

The biggest payoff of being a second-year, though, comes in my confidence to be able to get to group work, games, and having students do the teaching right from the start. I had them in pairs the first day (completing and then presenting at the board Venn diagrams describing themselves) and have done group work nearly every day since. Having the time to establish the procedure of moving and replacing desks has been a great boon. Yesterday I did the spontaneous turnover of my teaching duties to a student, with my juniors and it was a huge success. Would I have tried this on the fifth day of school last year? Ha.

So I'm hopeful this year will be smoother for me. Yes, the administration and faculty are far more organized and professional. Yes, I have books (even had them before the start of school) and lots of support materials from this century. My room is falling apart a little less. The students on the whole are worlds apart from those at SD -- both in their general comportment and academically. I've actually been shocked a few times at the creativity and coherence of writing samples I've seen. English 2 is well into their first informative essay, and English 3 is finishing up an explication of a Eudora Welty short story.

But the real difference is in my classroom, and in me.

I stand, like a greyhound in the slips ... the game's afoot.

Wedding Bells on Vox! (Plus, a few new themes.)

Team Vox
Aug 11, 2008
10 comments

CONGRATULATIONS PAPI CHULO & SECRET AGENT SCOTCH!

The Happy Couple

11 comments

"When was the last time you were at a wedding that had a death defying hike, rogue waves, a luau, ultimate fighting, a presidential candidate and a budding bromance?" asks Papi Chulo. For most of us, the answer is never, but luckily, Papi Chulo and Secret Agent Scotch took the time to Vox all the amazing moments during their unforgettable Hawaiian wedding on 08.08.08 so we could all take part in the festivities.

The story began last February, when Papi Chulo popped the question and Secret Agent Scotch said yes! Since then, they've kept us in the loop about all the details, from the bride's veil to the wedding song to the final To-Do List. And throughout it all, they inspired us with their love for each other. (I'm pretty sure it doesn't get any better than knowing your future husband thinks you are The Perfect Girl.)

It's an amazing love story and we are thrilled they shared it with us. Watch the video of the ceremony and please join us in wishing Papi Chulo and Secret Agent Scotch the fairytale ending they deserve.

And What's a Team Vox Post without New Themes?

Spice up your Vox blog with one of our latest themes (found in the design area under "New") or any of our hundreds of themes. From shopping to sushi, comics to cycling, there's something for everyone.

Vox Themes August 08

Left to Right: "Starlight," by Jamison Wieser; "Civic," by Lilia Ahner; "Lone Tree," by Jamison Wieser; "Rainbow Day," by Susan Smuk Jorgensen.

Can't get enough of the wedding? A few lucky Voxers - Krissy, djchall, and Beau Smith - made the trip to Hawaii to take part in the celebration. Check out their Vox blogs for more pictures and stories.

Congratulations again to Secret Agent Scotch and Papi Chulo! Enjoy the Honeymoon!

~daisy

it's not all bad, you know

sabatier
Aug 10, 2008
5 comments

[REQUIRED: FIRST-MONTH ADVICE TO FIRST YEARS]

smile

I'm sitting here recording and filing the student information sheets and rules/procedures contracts my students completed on the first day of school.

The student info sheet includes questions about things other teachers have done to help/hinder learning, and a "what else should I know about you" option, along with parent contact info, and assorted stuff. The contract is a one-page list of my three rules, and explanations of the basic procedures. Students initial each section as we review them in class, and then sign at the bottom that they understand and agree to abide; subject to change; etc. Then they write a paragraph on the back about any one of the procedures so I also have a mini writing sample from them. I keep them in their student files as a part of the arsenal of documentation when a parent conference pops up.

At this point, though, I can't really put a face to each of these as I'm filing them. They're charming, but of little real use in the swirl of these early days. If you have something along these lines from your students, take the time over your long Labor Day weekend (it's not Oxford!) to read through them again. Believe it or not, you'll know your students by then, or at least be able to picture the person you're reading about. And that's when the information they reveal between the lines will stick a bit better in your mind as you create a fuller picture of each student.

But wait, there's more.

Go to athletic events as soon as possible. Last year, I waited until my school's team was playing an away football game in the town where I live because I was teaching 45 miles away. I really wished I'd started sooner. It immediately changed my relationship with my students. And not just the athletes. Their friends, families, and parents will see you there. (I remember being worried if they'd see me in the stands. Uh ... yeah, no problem.)

While I'm not a dictator, I do keep a business-like tone in the classroom for the first months. I use Mr. and Miss to address students. I did it originally as a way to deal with the difficult first names and to more quickly work with files, but found that it had a secondary benefit. When I run into students outside of the classroom -- at a game, restaurant, store, or even in the hallway -- calling them by their first names establishes a boundary that keeps the classroom as a special place where there are different expectations than in the rest of the world. And when I do call a student by first name in a private conference it signals the nature of the conversation, and makes it instantly more personal.

And that's where the smiles can start.

Follow Your Themes

Team Vox
Jul 28, 2008
11 comments

At Vox, we believe that change is a good thing. After all, you wouldn't wear the same t-shirt day in and day out, so why should your blog have to suffer the same fate? Give your blog a new look with one of our latest themes (found under "New"), or pick from any of our hundreds of themes designed with your passions and personality in mind.

Vox Themes July 08

6 comments

L to R: Anchored, by Wolfsavard; Feel the Sun, by gollykim; Dare to Inspire, by Teresa Jones; Magic Night, by valuexofxpain; Like a Loving Fish, by lilfairy; Neue Hass, by Jesse Gardner.

And, on the off chance, you do wear the same t-shirt day after day after day? Well... That's another post for another day.

Until then... Enjoy!

-daisy

Become a Vox Fan on Facebook

Team Vox
Jul 22, 2008
21 comments

Facebook

9 comments

Gimme a V! Gimme an O! Gimme an X! What's that spell? VOX!

What better way to tell the world how much you love Vox than to announce it on Facebook? That's right: Vox now has an official Facebook page! Become a fan of Vox.com on Facebook and let your friends know what you really care about: staying connected with friends and family through blog posts, photos, videos and comments.

Once you're a fan, you can also add photos and videos to the page, write on the wall, and connect with other Voxers in ways you may not have previously. Plus, it's a great opportunity to let people know about your Vox blog, or start discussion topics. To become a fan, just visit the official Vox.com Facebook page and click the "Become a Fan" button in the upper right hand corner.

Once you've joined, why not post a response to the current discussion topic? Just post a link (and a brief description, if you'd like) to what you consider one of your all-time best Vox posts.

What are you waiting for? Become a Vox.com fan on Facebook today!

Pardon the Ineffible

Virginia Beach, June 2008

i.

every poem is a game of letters, this
the blank wooden square that fits
between impossibles, a sentiment
without value, but ultimately flexible.

we who speak the language
are squirrels, all swiftness and
silence, heads up and ready to leap
from hammock to fencepost and

beyond, beyond symbols
or sound, the putting together
of lips and pulling them apart.
an ambulance approaches, lights

flashing. man gets out and waves it
back into my ally. but at night,
if you walk alone, you will see.
in the sand, this is what most surfaces

look like, under a microscope:
random and infinitely bumpy, their
peaks and depressions bent into
shapes without meaning. some

time later, the paramedics return
with ice cream cones in hand.

ii.

this afternoon, two motorcycles
block the sidewalk with handlebars
built like breaking bones. a mechanic
rumbles the throttle, listening

with his expert ear while the UPS
man stands at the door, waiting. woman
steps off foot bridge and smiles
for no reason. in the murky water

below, empty beer cans and burger wraps
wait for eternity. homeless man huddles
in the public library. field hockey players,
Olympic hopefuls. pretty girl in the

crowd, just one of many. pick me!
pick me for your stupid unicycle
tricks, your prototypical families
and unlikely couples trying to find

pizza while everything closes
or walking at the water’s edge.

iii.

a famous physicist says probably
there is no such thing as time,
but just like Aristotle, he cannot
prove the Earth is round. turn

the page, and there is no free will.
past midnight, boy hauls empty
wheelchair up stairs. horse shits
on sidewalk, cop on top, as if

everything we ever did, just
happened. like the time
you sat across from me,
and i could only draw blanks.

x, y, and me

sabatier
Jul 20, 2008
Post a comment

the who - my generation

Apparently, I'm making trendy personal and professional choices.

New York Times: Geezers Doing Good

I'm amazed, however, at the vitriol expressed in some of the comments on this Op-Ed piece. Saddened, too, at the prejudice shown by those whom I assume are largely Gen-Xers or thereabouts who hold such monolithic opinions of their Baby Boom elders.

I was born smack in the mathematical middle of the Baby Boom, a span of roughly 18 years. The stereotypes drawn by the comments on this piece couldn't be farther from describing me or most of the people I know in my age range. Apparently, these readers (as might be stereotypically characterized of their generation) sucked up a shallow media-produced portrait of some 78 million individuals. They've watched DVDs of a couple of movies from the 1980s (you know, the years when their parents were working to support them) and bought it hook, line, and sinker. (See important disclaimer at the end of this post.)

Yeah, you're the first generation EVAR to say "I won't become my parents." Guess what.

The other day a friend in his early 20s expressed admiration for his parents for having made the decision to spend years in the suburbs, enduring commutes and all that comes with that, in order to give their children excellent educations in comfortable housing. And then he gracefully granted their deserved happiness at beginning a new empty-nest life in a thriving urban center surrounded by culture and all its benefits. His parents are the same age I am, and made many of the same choices. We've diverged on how we're navigating our 50s, but the idea is the same. My generation responsibly raised children, for the most part, and are now making choices that would not have been appropriate during child-rearing years. Dare I say we sacrificed? And now we want to do something else.

Who are any of them to question our motives?

I gave up long ago defending my life choices to those 30-somethings who choose to deride the upbringing (and its incumbent funding) that gave them their superior educations at well-heeled graduate schools. But now it seems they should at least grant those in my generation the benefit of the doubt when it comes to how we choose to spend the little viable time we have left after ensuring they are educated and independent enough to look down on us.

I'm hoping that AGW's attitude is an example of the rule, rather than the exception, among my new colleagues. From what I've seen at MTC that's likely the case. Maybe it's true that social as well as genetic traits seem to skip a generation (or in this case a half-gen) and that these Echo Boomers will be less dismissive.

The generational rant aside, I do agree with a few of the comments that Kristof could have, as comment 45 says, produced "more light -- and less heat," by making the main focus of the piece about what real people can do in this regard. I know, you have to put a big name in the lede or no one will read it. But we are all tired of hearing about the likes of Bill Gates and all that he does with his billions. Grab our attention and then really rope folks in by telling stories they can see themselves as the stars of. (I had my 15 minutes of fame on this front a few years ago. I'm not asking for more.) That might prompt more people to actually do something instead of using the excuse that only the Gateses of the world can "afford" to make a difference. (My own comment, by the way, is at number 44.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

OK. NOW THE DISCLAIMER: You know, most of you reading this, that my friends and lovers skew very heavily in the Gen-X years. And I couldn't be happier about that. You give me faith in the future. Thanks for being who you are.

Mommy Bloggers Hit the Road

Team Vox
Jul 15, 2008
10 comments

Summer Road Trip '08

2 comments

Although we typically post on Team Vox to let you know about things that are going on with Vox (to, uh, state the obvious), once in a while, we like to let you know about other cool things that are happening around the blogosphere. And we think the idea of four hilarious mommy bloggers traveling across the U.S. on their way to the BlogHer '08 conference - all the while blogging and video blogging the journey - is one trip you will not want to miss.

Four adventurous bloggers from the Silicon Valley Moms Group were selected to participate in the Summer Road Trip '08 and blog about their travels, hotel stays, media appearances, time away from their families, and life on the road. Six Apart helped them partner up with General Motors, who provided the blogging mommies with a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV to help make their journey comfy, safe, and a little more green.

In case you're not familiar with them, SV Moms is a group of over 200 bloggers who showcase the ups, downs, outrages, struggles, victories, and everyday humor of motherhood. There are currently nine regional and demographically tailored sites that give mothers from D.C., New Jersey, the Deep South, Rocky Mountains, L.A., and Silicon Valley a powerful voice and sense of camaraderie across the country. Whether you're a mother, a child, or just a person who enjoys a good blog, you'll really love reading the words of these amazing women.

Packed and Ready!

4 comments

The moms buckled into their Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV on July 11th and even got an encouraging message from Katie Couric to kick things off! They are currently somewhere in the middle of America making their way to San Francisco where they'll attend an SV Moms Group Party, as well as BlogHer '08.

You do not want to miss these entertaining and irreverent bloggers -- or their spontaneous contest giveaways! -- as they blog from the road. Experience the journey at MomRoadTrip.com.

And let us know about your summer road trip - or plane/boat/bus trip - in the comments! (I like to live vicariously.)

~daisy

chaos theory of teaching

sabatier
Jul 9, 2008
1 comment

[ASSIGNED: SUCCESS STORY]

Butterfly effect in the Lorenz Attractor

Why is it so much harder for me to write the success story blog than the failure story?

I can think of small and large things I was successful with in my first year teaching: I can teach the hell out of vocabulary in a way that makes it constructive; and I can break down an essay so that almost anyone can write one that will pass the state test. I am supremely organized. (To look at my home, you wouldn't think so, but my classroom and its documentation are impeccable.) I can write really good chapter study guides for novels and the quizzes that go with them are the perfect mix of comprehension and critical thinking. I did well with group work, and with letting my students teach. I can make grammar make sense.

But can I point to one student and say, "I made a difference in his/her life," and really mean it? "Make a difference." What does that mean anyway? How do we measure that? I didn't send a kid to Phillips Exeter. But did the letter I wrote for KJ get her into that Tougaloo program? Will that change her? Did the gift certificate I gave RW to make up for the day he missed the class reward hot wings party allow him to feel like I cared? Will he remember it? Who knows what each butterfly's wings will do?

Here's what I remember: The day I returned to the school to resign and tell my students personally I would not be back (I'd been out for 6 weeks on medical leave and would not finish the school year there.) I found RK and pulled him out of his Biology class because he'd skipped second period when I usually saw him. He was terrified, of course, thinking he was in trouble again. He and I had gotten off to a rocky start. He was resistant to the work I assigned and challenged my motives. But by [what would become] the end of the year he would knit his brow and listen to my lessons, and pour himself into the worksheets I gave. If he wasn't finished when they were being collected he'd protest that he didn't want to turn it in until he'd gotten it. He wanted to understand. And the look on his face when he did was pure joy.

In early October I was told my job was to get enough documentation to get him into alternative school. In January I had an incident in the class that resulted in five students being suspended. He was sitting in the group and got lumped in with the crowd. I could see he was hurt and felt betrayed. Did I sleep that night?

The next morning I spoke with the assistant principal, who managed discipline referrals. I appealed for RK, explained that he had been the victim of a "sweep" and that I wanted him back in my class. He never thanked me, but that's when things changed.

So when we were standing face to face outside his Biology class in May, I told him he was one of the reasons my decision to leave had been so difficult. I asked him to remember how good it felt to succeed, and to try to keep doing that. I told him I appreciated how hard he worked in my class, and that I knew he was doing it for me as well as for himself. He kicked his foot and looked down.

He was crying