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28 June 2007

A proud day. My students graduate! [More:]

Yesterday, Jon and I went to my high school's second graduation. It's truly a thrill to see the students reach this point, with many of them off to fine colleges in the fall, including the University of Delaware, Penn State, Johnson & Wales, Fordham, and various branches of SUNY & CUNY. Many will be the first in their families to attend college. It was a great ceremony all around, and I was so happy Jon got to meet some of my students and colleagues (even if it cut into his porch time :->).

I counted, and I've taught 32 of the 48 graduates (we're one of several small schools housed within what was one large, former high school; breaking up big, failing high schools of 2000 or more into several smaller schools within the same building has become a New York City tradition. It's been modestly successful in our case, since the graduation rate has gone from a dismal 20% to about 60% (the city average is 50%) in five years; needless-to-say, we could always do better.)

In any case, many of these students have overcome a lot to reach this point. Many relocated as children and adolescents from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Guyana (a student's mother was a witness to Jonestown as a child), Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and others. Others have dealt with family chaos, violence, poverty, foster care. I couldn't be prouder of them, and I wish them every success in the future. They've earned it.

Sometimes I think of leaving my high school; as much as things have improved, it's still a daily struggle to teach in the Bronx. Sometimes I think it would be easier to transfer to a more "selective" school (some city high schools get to pick and choose their students, based on eighth grade proficiency tests and entrance exams), but then, I don't know. I like the students where I am, and I think maybe I make more of a difference there. A lot of teachers are leaving, though; even our founding principal took a job as a superintendent in Long Island. Guess I'll take it a year at a time. I do like the thought of teaching at LaGuardia School for the Arts (the Fame school), if they'd have me. With my background in music and creative writing, I think it'd be a good fit. We'll see. For now, I think I'll stay put.

They've tentatively given me juniors and AP seniors again for next year, so that's a plus (freshmen give me shingles). And I have the whole summer to rest and recoop. Maybe we'll squeeze in a trip to the Jersey shore again this summer, or Key West, if we really wanna splurge. For now, a celebration mojito at Fatty's later will do. Not so bad, all in all.
Congrats pips! I admire your dedication to your work- it's one of the most important jobs there is.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero 28 June | 12:24
I'm in if you go to Key West, I'll meet you there.
posted by getoffmylawn 28 June | 12:27
That's so awesome, Pips- congrats to them, and to you!

posted by BoringPostcards 28 June | 12:32
Congratulations to them, and especially to you! As TPS says, it's a tremendously important job, and I'm consistently impressed by those who do it well and with good spirit. (Psssst --- by all accounts, that's you!)
posted by Elsa 28 June | 12:32
That's awesome, Pips. I admire you.
posted by Hugh Janus 28 June | 12:33
That's great, pips! I'm sure your students will remember you fondly.
posted by brujita 28 June | 12:35
Pips, you are SO cool!
posted by small_ruminant 28 June | 12:38
That's so awesome, Pips. I was looking at the photos a couple of hours ago and enjoying the expressions of pride and happiness on their (and your!) faces.

You are too too cool.
posted by gaspode 28 June | 12:43
Yay!! Well done Pips and your students! I bet you are an AWESOME teacher.

Are you an English teacher? AP English can be awesome. That's where I learned to be a copy editing bitch from hell. I benefitted from the Regents and AP courses I took in NY State.
posted by By the Grace of God 28 June | 12:55
Well done, Pips. I bet you're a great teacher. If you haven't already read it, get hold of a copy of "Teacher Man" by Frank McCourt (the guy who wrote 'Angela's Ashes'). It's all about his life as an English teacher in NYC.
posted by essexjan 28 June | 13:08
Fantastic, Pips! So do you get the summer off?
posted by chewatadistance 28 June | 13:35
Thanks so much, folks. It means a lot to be able to share this with y'all.

I am indeed an English teacher, BtGoG. In fact, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to start the AP English program at my school two years ago. And my syllabus for next year was just approved by the College Board (yay!), so we're official. The College Board (the same folks who do the SAT) held an audit of all AP courses this year, and each AP teacher had to submit a syllabus for approval in order for the school to continue using the AP (Advanced Placement) designation. My course title is Literature & Psychology, and includes a wide range of readings, from Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to Ellison's Invisible Man and Sartre's No Exit (about 17 major works, plus supplementary works in poetry and Lit. Crit., as well; I keeps 'em busy).

Thanks, ej... I knew that about McCourt, come to think of it. I'll have to check that out.

(GOML! It's oh so tempting... flights to Miami this time of year are cheap, cheap, too. I even know where I'd like to stay... the Lighthouse Inn, right near the Hemingway house, and blocks from Mallory Square. The thought of rum runners and conch fritters on my birthday is tres fabulous. Now, what's the name of that "clothing optional" bar again? ; )
posted by Pips 28 June | 13:39
Fantastic, Pips! So do you get the summer off?

I do, indeed, chewy. About ten weeks, in all. Sometimes life is more than fair.
posted by Pips 28 June | 13:43
Oooh, what a cool course! I'm jealous of your students.

I loved my junior-year AP English teacher. I credit her with most of my love of literature (as opposed to just a love of reading) and with teaching me to write well.

Yay, AP English teachers!

And also, congratulations on having your hard work pay off with your students.
posted by occhiblu 28 June | 13:44
Thanks, occhi. I weave in readings from psychology, as well, including Freud, Jung, Kohlberg, Skinner, and Piaget. We also do creative projects, such as, imagine a character's responses to a set of ink blots, or wrtie a character's dream journal. Psychology was one of my undergraduate majors at Michigan (along with music), so it's a treat for me, too. And I love the literature. I am continually impressed with how insightful my students are. I wouldn't mind teaching an AP Psychology class, too; I was thinking of proposing it next year.
posted by Pips 28 June | 13:54
Deep respectful bows to you, Pips. I worked for many years with entering college students who came from backgrounds much like your students (first generation, refugees, poverty), and I *know* how much of a difference it makes for them to have even one teacher in high school who cares, works hard, and connects with them.

Have a fantastic summer -- you have more than earned it!
posted by kat allison 28 June | 13:54
Lit and psych are such neat complements to each other. I actually had a counseling psych classmate say to me the other day, "I just realized that you could probably learn a lot about psychology from reading novels! You should make me a list of good novels for that!"

I got to Henry James and then pretty much short-circuited -- all novels are good for that! But it did make me realize how much I do rely on novels to get into other people's minds. Which is a pretty neat thing to be able to do.
posted by occhiblu 28 June | 14:01
What a wonderful thread. 20% to 60% is no small achievement - it's a rather incredible rate of improvement and I hope you continue to see it go up. What a proud day for you and them. Best wishes to the college bound. Great post, great work, thanks Pips!
posted by Miko 28 June | 14:09
Cheers for Pips and her students!!
posted by deborah 28 June | 15:00
Congratulations to Pips and congrats to the kids! Your course sounds amazing - I owe a lot to teachers who made us actually think about themes and motifs and stuff and how it all fitted together, not just who did what in chapter 4.
posted by casarkos 28 June | 15:04
Awesome Pips! It must be great to have a job that gives back so much so quickly. I shall buy you a beer or drink of your choice upon our next rally.
posted by Hellbient 28 June | 16:58
In fact, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to start the AP English program at my school two years ago.


You started an AP English program. In the Bronx. You've introduced college-level books and ideas to students whom the larger society has pretty much written off and abandoned.

You rock, Pips.

That's all there is to it.
posted by jason's_planet 28 June | 20:19
Congratulations, Pips. Hooray for you and for your students and for summer.
posted by tangerine 28 June | 22:05
WHO ROCKS IN HELL? || Ummmm... what?

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