Four-Legged Mayor in Trouble

This is as ridiculous as the movie Best in show...

Only it's real.

A $125,000 Starting teacher's salary: brought to you by TFA alum

I will be closely following this experiment...

It's a Dream Day, Baby

I fell in love with Pedro Albizu Campos Elementary within the first 30 minutes of my interview on Tuesday. Located in Central Harlem (on 134th street), and named after this guy, the school's student body is made up of about 83% Latino (mostly Puerto Rican and Dominican), 14% African American, and a small but growing number of Middle Eastern students. While about 96% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, the school sets high expectations for their students and and demands a committed staff in pursuit of academic success.

To make sure that students aren't held back by limited resources, the faculty recognizes the importance of collaboration between the public and private sector, and continues to apply for and receive corporate grants in order to create a resource-rich learning environment in an under-served district. Because of these efforts, the school boasts:
-2 fully equipped computer rooms. (Children begin to learn dual-systems in kindergarten!)
-1 fully equipped music room with keyboards (through a partnership with VH1)
-A theater (this made my day).
-Beautiful, colorful classrooms with electronic chalkboards
-A colorful library media center
-An art room
-A science room
-A 2 million dollar athletic track and field complex
-The "Say Yes to Education" grant, which allows 114 kindergarten students, upon high school graduation, to attend the college of their choice for free. In addition, it provides tuition support for all siblings, and full time social service workers throughout their k-12 educational experience.

Oh, and, Albizu Campos Elementary won the "Best of the Best" Intel and Scholastic Schools award in 2006 for their innovative "school as a community" model.

I know. It kind of seems like I made this place up. But I promise, it's real.

I will be teaching there this fall.

Even though the snow followed me here...

I just can't help but love this city, and can't wait to make it home.

Who Knew?

Did anyone else know that "under God" was only added to the pledge of allegiance in 1954 because of a sermon given by Eisenhower's preacher?

Winter in Wisconsin

Extra workers sought to fight snow on UW-Madison campus

Feb. 20, 2008

by John Lucas

Record-setting snowfalls could translate into extra cash for University of Wisconsin-Madison students and others hired to help clear campus sidewalks and stairs of snow and ice.

Officials are hiring extra workers to help with snow and ice clearance to help keep the campus safe for pedestrians. Snowfall after snowfall, paired with rain and subzero temperatures, have taxed the ability of crews to remove all of the ice and snow from the 933-acre campus.

Students and others are invited to enlist to augment the current Physical Plant staff in snow removal efforts at a rate of $11 an hour.

“This winter has dealt us challenge after challenge and we need to find some extra workers to help us remove the ice and snow,” says John Harrod, director of physical plant at UW-Madison. “This is a great way for students especially to make some extra money and help us keep campus slip-free.”

Work is available immediately, clearing ice from sidewalks, and in the event of future snowstorms. Students living within walking distance are particularly valuable because many Physical Plant staff members have a difficult time reaching campus in poor driving conditions.

To be able to work, participants need to first register with the Physical Plant Custodial Division at the Service Building Annex, 1225 University Ave. There, participants will be asked to fill out a W-2 form (bring a Social Security card, birth certificate or other qualifying ID) and specify potential work hours, ranging from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Workers would be assigned to work by phone.

Participants must make a minimum 2-hour time commitment.
Anyone participating should expect to do physical labor. Participants may be asked to shovel, use ice picks and small machines, such as snow blowers.

For more information, call Physical Plant Custodial, (608) 263-3081 or visit the Service Building Annex, 1225 University Ave.

Thank You

It's things like this that remind me how much I appreciate the friends I have.

The little things.

Cita de mi profe:

Vi a un gato, y me parece un perro...y pensé...Shit! Wha happened?!...desmasiado medicina.

On a completely unrelated note, what does this look like to you?

Si Se Puede

Ramblings in Bathroom Stalls

Something that has always intrigued me during my time at UW is the unyielding commitment of female bathroom users to express themselves via bathroom stall ramblings. I am always appreciative of these women, as they provide me endless entertainment during my frequent visits to these stalls, my favorites being Van Hise and College library.

I have many questions about these ramblings. Who is taking the time to write on the bathroom stalls? Do they logistically plan to write eloquent poetry and prose on the stalls before they enter? Do they wash their pen along with their hands after said bathroom experience? Some of these entries seem like they took quite a bit of time...do individuals schedule time in their day to add their two cents to the ramblings? Do they check back for comments on their work throughout the semester? Do men write on their bathroom stalls?

But I suppose my biggest question is this: Does the anonymity of bathroom-stall ramblings provide an outlet for women to scribble thoughts they would not dare not say under their true persona? Does it push them to ask questions that they may be too scared to ask of their friends, peers, professors? Does it provide women a venue to boldly state their true opinions?

All I know is, I have read more bold statements from women in the ramblings on the stalls than I have in many classroom discussions in my 4 years at UW.

Life's Big Questions.

What goes back and forth, back and forth....Forever?

Some Love

My roommates help me stay grounded and maintain my sanity.
I love them.
And I love the Gilman house.

Assessing The Damage

8:00 AM:

Katy ventures into the battlegrounds to assess the damage we inflicted on the Mice.
She carefully tiptoes through the living room and inspects the traps. My eyes follow her every step through the crease between her wooden doors....nothing yet. She ventures into the kitchen, with cat-like fixation on every crevice...

nothing...

nothing...

I wait....

BAHAERACAHGAGHHHHH!!!!

Becca and I pounce out of bed, and Katy's sole shrill scream becomes a bellowing chorus of The Gilman Girls screaming in unison at the sight of our first mouse-trap-inflicted Fatality.

The Damage so far:
-2 Deaths by Mousetrap: one in the cupboard, one on the kitchen floor.
-One death by Kyle's heroic bucket maneuver yesterday night.

The war continues...

And Then There Were None

The Women of Gilman and their loyal comrade Kyle have put their foot down.

They have declared that the Mice of Gilman shall no longer grace their presence.

The traps are set. Hearts race. A thick fog of intensity fills the air.

We anxiously wait for the first trap to snap.

There's gonna be a genocide
-Becca Keleher

Awkward-o Turtle-o

I had to do a 20 minute "role play" by phone to test my Spanish proficiency for TFA. I had to pretend to be a teacher (crazy, I know), and the woman on the phone was a worried mom.

I hope I'm not as awkward in actual conversations with parents next year.

Oh, and they're still letting me teach in a bilingual classroom.

Back to Life

I went to Egypt in a confused and confusing state, and returned to Madison with some mental clarity. I left under the assumption that I had lost a part of myself, a piece of my identity, and that that Egypt would give me the answers of what I needed to revert back to. Two weeks later, I came home to Madison with the realization that I do not have to revert back to anything, but instead that I simply have to continue to build upon the person that I am and to evolve and move forward in that personal growth. I came home realizing that the idealized and nostalgic vision of Egypt doesn't exist in the way that I always expect it to. I realized that in ways, Egypt is more confused and confusing than I am. I don't know if I will ever figure it out.

It's good to be home.

Wow.

Hell of a freakin semester.
And it is over!

Toughest month of my life.

It's a bit remarkable what a human being is capable of handling in a month.
I hope I can wrap up this semester before I come undone.

Ohhh Man!

Congratulations! We are pleased to invite you to join the 2008 Teach For America corps and are excited to assign you to teach bilingual elementary school in New York City.

Enseñando en Español?

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for completing the Teach For America bilingual Spanish exam.

We would like to congratulate you on passing the exam and qualifying to teach in a bilingual classroom if you are accepted to Teach For America. Please note that this exam has no bearing on your acceptance to Teach For America. The purpose of the exam was to evaluate your Spanish language proficiency for placement reasons, if you are accepted.

Additionally, if you are accepted to Teach For America, passing the bilingual Spanish exam does not guarantee that you will be placed in a bilingual position since we are also balancing your regional preferences and position availability.

We sincerely appreciate the time and effort you have invested in this process.

Sincerely,

Teach For America Admissions