I was asked to collaborate on a workshop for incoming freshman with my colleagues. We are known for managing our classrooms well and administrators believed that we would be best fit for this particular job. While planning, we decided to have one of our former students come into our room while we were hosting our workshop and disrupt the session, eventually introducing the graduate to students and having a debrief about his behaviors. While conducting the workshop there was something that kept sticking out to me. My colleague repeated “how did he act like a bad student”, or asked “what makes a bad student?”. She meant no malice, but there…
-
-
Why it’s essential to teach muticultural education
I am so excited about teaching global this year. For the past 3 years I’ve taught U.S. and have been limited to the curriulum because it’s a regents class. I am sitting here on my couch attempting to write a grocery list, when this article caught my eye. “I used to be a Neo-Nazi” I questioned. I assumed there was no changing those people. As I read his story there was one thing that was really disturbing to me, they could be my colleague or neighbor. A point that the former neo-nazi made during the interview for Flipboard’s article is that his generation avoided mainstream media and only interacted with…
-
Ladies About Community Elevation Inc. Empowering Young Women in NYC
-
Who Will Protect Me Then?
As I walked up the step to Union Square Park, I immediately thought I was in the wrong place. I scanned the crowd and couldn’t find anyone who looked like me. I had decided to head downtown to participate in the Vigil for those who suffered during the incident in Charlottesville Virginia just a few hours before. I continued to walk past the crowd pretending like I was walking through the park to get to the other street when I noticed a poster that read “white supremacy is terrorism”, I stopped and joined the crowd as the bowed their heads in prayer. I guess I wasn‘t the only person who…
-
Keep Talking to the Brick Wall
Last night I received an unexpected phone call from one of the young women I mentor. It was my mini me. I had placed my phone on the charger in the back room so that I could focus on finishing my paper in another room. I needed to ask a classmate a question on the assignment so I went to get my phone. As I picked it up, I noticed a missed call from her. At the end of the school year, she refused to speak to me looking right through me as I walked through the hallway and greeted her one afternoon. She was upset, she felt betrayed by…
-
3 Reasons On Why You Need To Be An Empowered Voter : A message to my fellow Bronxites
Your social and economic conditions and opportunities depend on it. Bronxites- Did you know that our borough has the highest poverty rate? We’re one of the lowest in all 62 counties of New York State. We are also the least healthy, have the lowest median household income and lowest success rate for education in New York City. We also have the lowest voting turnout. We’ve been at the bottom of the barrel for quite some time. Wouldn’t you like to see our borough do better? Voting to put the right representatives in office will yield better results than not voting at all. Your Silence is still a vote of…
-
7 Habits of a Successful Woman
She’s Devoted: She knows nothing worth having comes easy, so she dedicates herself to whatever she starts. She is aware that she will face challenges that may discourage her from continuing, but she always remembers why she started. She’s devoted to doing what she loves. She’s Consistent: She starts at the end goal. Purposefully planning each step towards it, making each attainable so not to overwhelm herself. She goes at her own pace, celebrating the small but important accomplishments as a reminder of why she started. When she begins to slack she finds new ways to keep going whether setting up reminders or asking friends to setup check-ins for…
-
Happy Father’s Day to the Realest
Happy Father’s Day to my Dad. He is one of the most authentic people I know. His love is unconditional, which we see less of in this world these days. He created a life of his own that lacks conformity. He created his own happiness. He doesn’t care for other’s thoughts about him. One can expect him to do what’s right, even if it’s not the majority rule. He will ALWAYS take the high road because there isn’t a spiteful or bitter bone in that man’s body. He is hardworking, loyal and dedicated. He doesn’t take handouts but will not hesitate to support other’s around him, even if it means…
