You Help me Believe

15 yr. old Lasha Williams (left)
Ms. Synthia Green – (right)
2009 New Teacher of the Year

Ms. Synthia Green teaches English to seventh graders at East High School. Her commitment to providing a quality education to all of her students resulted in the nomination and achievement of the 2009 Rochester City School District “New Teacher of the Year Award”.
Ms. Green challenged her seventh graders to plan, create and develop poems about President Barack Obama and education. She encouraged her students to strive and produce their best and Ms. Green entered the finished works in a contest.
Lasha Williams struggled with her task but she worked very closely with Ms. Green and Lasha persevered. Ms. Green received notification from Harvard Education Publishing Group that Lasha’s poem was selected for publication in the Harvard Educational Review. Ms. Green was ecstatic to inform Lasha about her victory! Ms. Green reminded Lasha that hard work often nets success. Great teamwork, Ms. Green and Lasha Williams!

Standardized Tests

A Book I'd Love to Teach

I loved the book.



It was a very personal experience for me in that I was able to relate to every single character and layer of the story. Beneatha reminds me of myself and Walter would be a direct copy of my brothers combined into one single body. Mama is much like many mothers I know, mine included. I loved the concepts. I- disagreed with the concept of the family not wanting to "fight any causes". I also didn't like the fact that they used pride to not accept the money offer for not moving into a neighborhood where they were not wanted. I feel like the wise decision would be to take the money- and achieve the American Dream- somewhere else- perhaps in another community. Sure racism may exist there also but, AT LEAST they wouldn't have to struggle as much as they have been from the begin-to end of the story. Their poverty doesn't end with the ending of the story.... That's what sticks with me. On one hand I have this very premature need for a happy ending. On the other hand, I worry about whether or not they will be able to survive in this new household. Taking the money would not have made them morally wrong. It would have been them accessing a resource.... I appreciate that the book doesn't rush to solve all the problems in the end. Such an attempt might have lead to a false sense of unwelcomed, critically inaccurate closure. On a less serious note, characterizations of George was much like men I've dated and Asagai is like one I'm trying to meet. Powerful Realistic Authentic African American Experience Moving...

I'd incorporate some speeches by Malcolm X. I think it's important that the family stresses that they aren't fighting "no causes".

In other news:
Graduate School has been not what I expected at all. There is always more to do and never enough time to get it done. Perhaps the experience is to demonstrate that this is what teaching will be like. I'm back to my to do list daily activities.
I quit my job working for Today's Students Tomorrow's Teachers at Monroe BOCES 1 in Penfield. I found that though I informed everyone in my return to the position this fall that I would be very busy with school- expectations like you WOULDN'T believe were still demanded.

I intend to substitute teach a couple of days out of the week once my course loads become lighter (if ever).

Advice for Master's Programs:
Some I got but didn't listen to- others I came up with...

1. Don't take more than 2-3 courses.
2. Make sure you are taking the appropriate courses.
3. This is not undergrad, You know nothing.
4. Pretend you know something.
5. Read every second you have of time.

Hey guys!

Just to give you an update on what I'm doing...

Somehow I received the UTL scholarship at Fisher. I am eternally grateful to Synthia for recommending it to me! I'm a week away from finishing my first session of summer classes. Second session starts next week..woo hoo!

Also...you should all know that I just started a new part time job as a professional strawberry picker! That is...until cherry season starts! It's a fun job, and I do it with my sister, so as long as I am able to keep gas in the car, I'm happy!

I'd love to hear how you guys are doing. I heard from Caitlin this mourning and know she has a ton to tell us about Houston!

Welcome to our blog

So long St. John Fisher College!

Since we are all heading on our seperate ways I thought it might be best to create a personalized blog that can help us keep in touch outside the world of Facebook and Myspace! Let's consider this a grown-up extension of "A Group Dedicated to Disgruntled English Education Majors." Feel free to post about your life, both personal and professional. Since we are all going to be teachers (one day - when we grow up) this will be a great opportunity to communicate all the different 'going-ons' in our various districts!