Efflorescent Memoirs

Here's what happened when I facilitated a discussion about the abuse of police power with a group of 8th graders in Harlem, New York on the same day the video of Terrance Crutcher's death was released.

1. First we watched the video. Depending on the grade level, this video and any other videos of someone being executed should not be shown to students without parent permission. Honestly, I don't even know if showing it to 8th graders is the most appropriate move but the video I chose was less about the shooting and more about the commentary.  Click the photo to see the video we watched. 


2. I set a serious tone when students moved to the meeting area, where the video was shown. Told students what we were about to watch was not to be taken lightly. They may not talk, write, or leave the classroom during the video. 

3. After the video was shown, students returned to their seats to write their reactions. I used page "Am I Wrong for My Feelings" from Soundless Cries Don&#…

September 17th  Sleepy Hollow, NY Community Arts Day
11AM-6PM
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September 21st  Harlem, NY Manhattan Brew & Vine
6PM
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October 8th The Bronx Public Library Indie Author Day
2-5PM
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October 10th Baltimore, MD Maryland Institute College of Arts
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September 14, 2016 10:32 PM
Queen, if I could write you a letter I would only have 2 words for you: keep working.
I wanted to write an essay about you yesterday but I'm not inspired by how the shape of your body has gone viral... Viral?!! Why are more people interested in your attire than in the dismally low reading levels of our children?! I was perturbed by the fact that people would ridicule someone who adds to the 16% of Black women in education, instead of encouraging you. Did anyone send you a gift card to get new clothes? Oh. 
KEEP WORKING! 
Don't change. 

*** ThinkProgress interviewed me after this post... Here's more of what I have to say about being a black woman in education:
https://thinkprogress.org/a-black-female-teacher-on-dress-gate-teaching-about-freddie-gray-and-being-a-token-52050ee8ce6b#.kr4svlg3h

Creating anchor charts with my students proves to be more effective in driving instruction and allowing them to retain and recall information. This week, I spent time setting up for the school year. As teachers, no matter the subject, we must be intentional about what we hang. Everything should promote active learning. Here are some PDFs of my posters, pictures of my boards, and examples of how students will use them. Going forward,  I will try to post the anchor charts my students and I develop each week (or biweekly).
The Use of Compelling Quotes Below are a few of the quotes I hung on my closet doors. I have 10 closet doors with about 24 quotes.   I used the WordSwag app to generate my quotes. I used thumb tacks instead of staples so that students can take them down and bring them to their desk. They are also lamented, incase students want to mark them up and annotate them when reflecting on the words.

These quotes can be used as a daily warm up. Teachers who hang quotes can choose on…

9:10 PM

I read too much. I read so much that I can't write anymore, even though I am writing now. It's not the kind of writing I want to do. I want to illustrate stories to make people cry and essays that drive people mad. I miss painting pictures with the hues of my words. But I read too much. And I've got more reading to do. 
Laying on the end of my twin bed. Everything is white and filled with quills. Tranquil. Cherishing my peace as if it's all I have. Funny how I went from a twin to a queen and now back to a twin. It's cool, until ... Well, I don't write about beds, and me, and things like that. I'm a teacher. 
Anyways. I dare not say I have writer's block. I'm just jaded. Every subject is already being talked about. Black people this, education reform that, feminism this.... I just want to say something else but it hasn't come to me yet. 
And it has nothing to do with me publishing a book ... But maybe it does. Soundless Cries is doing re…