My Monday 5

Happy Sunday everyone. I am playing catch up with a 10 month, and a small business, so please excuse my lateness with Friday 5...hence Sunday 6.

Here are 5 things that have been buzzing in my ear,

1. So I read this opinion piece the other day in response to a major last minute decision being made by the SRC. I've been following whats going on with the schools for a while and am completely disgusted at the abandonment of our students. Something that gives me hope and I think is awesome is the students who are fighting for themselves. I checked out the philadelphia student union and was amazed by all of the work these young people are doing. I would encourage you to check them out and support!

2.Ron Clarke academy...

I saw this video clip of the Ron Clark Academy. This is a private middle school in Atlanta, Georgia. I watched this video and walked away with mixed emotions.

On the one hand, I think this is totally awesome. The school is painted like a castle, technology and random slides are integrated into the building. Teachers are smiling and the kids are engaged. Who wouldn't want their child in a school where learning literally is fun?

On the other hand I am getting this Michelle Phiffer, Dangerous Minds vibe. I often wonder what makes Mr. Clark different from the thousands of educators of color who are creating the same environments who go ignored. Just my randoms thoughts....

3. So the The Birth of a Nation was released at Sundance this year! As a teacher of African-American History i think this is important for a variety of reasons. Much of the history of blacks in america centers around slavery, and the story of blacks fighting for themselves has never been told. It is also important that this movie is coming out as this country begins to take a hard look at its racial history with African- Americans...

4. I joined twitter for the first time for this class! Don't laugh at me me, but i feel so overwhelmed :) It is taking me a while to figure out how to work some things, but i am already learning so much that i would not have know already. Some for the good, like Kayne West I can never erase from memory...

5. I read Daryl's i didnt realize that I was as connected as I was. I stay at home with my infant daughter, so  i often feel isolated from the world. However I am connected through facebook to friends, and to support through mom groups. Im also connected through Etsy to local groups of handmakers who share similar interest, and then there is pinterest...

So although I am slow to the party, i think i am starting to get the hang of it!