Love is our resistance...

                           Let's spread some love on 10.2.10.

                               It's time to Rock and Roll!!!

And here's to bring us the Resistance...MUSE!!!

Are you part of One Nation?

Hey colleagues,

I just joined One Nation. Have you heard about it?

It is a coalition of organizations uniting to pull America back together and put America back to work. And you can find out how to be a part of it all by clicking the link below:

http://action.onenationworkingtogether.org/join-us

We must reorder our nation's priorities to invest in our most valuable resource: our people. It is time we work together again to ensure that every one has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream -- a secure job, a safe home, and a quality education.

But we can't do it without you. There are many ways to get involved including a rally in Washington, D.C. on October 2, 2010. Get involved now:

http://action.onenationworkingtogether.org/join-us

Thank you!

VIDEO: Muse play UPRISING from their new album 'The Resistance' on Later Live with Jools Holland...

Waiting for...

One Nation March - Get On the Bus

SPED Collaborative Weblog

For the first time in many years our special needs students at JMS reached "Safe Harbor" in the most recent DC CAS (State Assessments). Data shows that our students reach their maximum potential if we all implement best practices, and if we give the schools the needed time, tools and training. Last year we had smaller class sizes and more intervention specialists to support our teachers and special needs students in resource and general ed classes, and of course, we all worked hard together in our school to move everyone up. We made progress last year...


I am hoping that this year we will continue to collaborate to meet our common goal: helping our students succeed.


I have extended what used to be my class portal to our now JMS SPED portal in the spirit of collaboration. To innovatively address the issues that we are having (yes, we listen and we do something hoping to resolve everyone's concerns in our SPED Department in my school) regarding differentiating instruction, modifying classwork, and availability of SPED instructional resources to help ALL our struggling kids (not just students with IEP), we have made these accessible to you 24/7 even after school hours:

- letters to parents and students

- SPED syllabus

- class rules and expectations

- lesson presentations

- lesson plans and HW

- SPED course materials

- project rubrics
- helpful tips

How else can we do this? Any ideas? Email me: solangala@yahoo.com.

Honoring our great teachers...

Congratulations to all our great DCPS Highly Effective educators who were honored last night during a reception at the Union Station. As part of the new performance pay system negotiated with the Washington Teachers Union (WTU), they will be qualified to receive bonuses for their superior performance.

"The great teacher makes the poor student good and the good student superior. When our students fail we, as teachers, have failed." - Marva Collins

 
Great to see my good friends there too!!!

Attention: All DCPS Special Education Teachers, Service Providers and General Education Teachers

Dear colleagues, please read this important announcement which was also emailed to all our WTU members:

Next week the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) will engage in a Summit with leaders from DC Public Schools Department of Special Education. The purpose of this Summit is to improve the delivery of Special Education services to our children. We are seeking your input for this important agenda and would like to hear your concerns and viable solutions as they relate to Special Education. In addition, if you know of any contract violations as they pertain to Special Education, please contact your WTU Field Representative immediately at (202) 293-8600.

We are also requesting your input on all of the Professional Development resources that you feel will assist you in offering the best Special Education services possible to our students. As teachers, it is important that we are knowledgeable and confident in our delivery of these specialized services.
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We are asking that you submit all of your concerns, questions and input, along with any additional documentation, by the close of business on Friday, September 10, 2010. Please send this information by e-mail or by fax only and be sure to include your name and contact number on all submissions.
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You can e-mail or fax this information to:

 

Attention: Anita Corley

WTU Field Representative

Email: acorley@wtulocal6.org
Fax #: (202) 293-8633

 

Every valid request will be presented to the DCPS leadership and detailed outcomes will be posted on our website, as well as , shared via email with our membership.

Thank you.

Monique LeNoir
Director of Communications
The Washington Teachers' Union

Happy labor day weekend!!!

Looking forward to our family cookout with friends this weekend!! It's a holiday on Monday, it's Labor Day. We should remember that...

There is no progress without struggle! Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate  agitation are men who want crops  without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its waters. The struggle may be a moral one or a physical one, but it must be a struggle. Men may not get all they pay for in this world, but they certainly pay for all that they get. We must do this by labor, by suffering, by sacrifice, and, if needed be, by our lives.

- Frederick Douglas -

Ready? One...two...

I was on my way out my school building after work when my co-teacher called "Maria! You're on the DCPS website!!" I replied, "yea, that was last summer about our new DCPS-WTU teachers' contract". She said "No, you are with another student, about another thing"...great thing about great teachers!

I barely remember when this photo op was. I recall sometime before the end of last school year when a gentleman from the central office made an unannounced visit to my classroom, introduced himself to me and to my students, and let us know he was going to take pictures. With no hesitation, we unanimously told him that it was perfectly okay, then we went on with a lesson on measures of central tendency as written in the agenda. My kiddos actively participated as usual, photo op was a great experience for my students!!!

I'm sure the two boys will be thrilled to see themselves on the school district's website. I'm glad I taught them to always be themselves, and to always be ready and prepared for anything. You never know when you will be given a chance to demonstrate what you got...

July 2010

September 2010

On the Principal's Job

After getting reconnected with my relatives and friends since I started Facebook last January, I found my first cousin (Kuya Lito) on FB last night, my oldest cousin on my father's side, who said that the last time he saw me was when I was a freshman in highschool, LOL. During our childhood, my cousins and I used to frequent our private beach resort back home (Sera Sol, Philippines), building sand castles, swimming, exploring the coral reefs during low tide and resting under the coconut trees on a hammock. Unfortunately, we went our separate ways and lost communication with each other after we graduated from HS, college is indeed life changing. Now after having found each other on FB we are planning on a grand reunion soon, yay!!! I guess it's true what they say, home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to. This one photo our beach resort that I tagged my brothers, sisters and paternal cousins triggered a never ending thread of comments, we so missed each other. Kuya Lito is now a school principal, and I will have my share of stories too as a school administrator (that was before I left home) when we see each other. I know that a principal who serves as an instructional leader is of immense value to any school.

I have been here in DC Public Schools, in the same school, for six years now and have had five principals. The turn over of administrators is just unbelievable!! If it is best for students and teachers, I cannot say that, we need stability. Over the years I have seen that the role of the principal and the nature of school leadership are being redefined as increasing numbers of schools turn to total quality schools, teaming, restructuring, peer coaching, and other paradigm shifts. But I believe that a non-threatening, high achieving school climate is key to a successful school. While some principals are more talented leaders than others, the quality of the teacher-principal relationship greatly influences the overall school climate, which in turn affects the students' success in the classroom.

We have just started the advent of school year, and yet anyone can sense that there is something different in my school...and it's good. I have seen that the less friction and stress between the principal and teachers, the more enjoyable we all find our jobs. We need each other to succeed, and when the principal and teachers can work in harmony students are ultimately the winners. No one gains and ultimately students lose when a poisonous, adversarial relationship exists between principal and teachers.

In my school things are looking good, we are looking forward to a great school year as we welcome our enthusiastic Instructional Coach, Ms. Alethea Felton (she has more positive energy than I do!) and a wonderful Instructional Leader who will help us bring back the pride at Jefferson, Principal Patricia Pride...could her name be a sign that she is the one who is going to give us what this school needs?.

I am a very hopeful person and I am keeping the faith.