For each of the videos below, answer the 2 questions below on a separate sheet of paper:

1. How is the American Dream represented in this video?
   
2. What is the video saying about the American Dream?
   

Make sure the videos are not playing at the same time.

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Thank you, Rosa Parks

Many of you owe Ms. Rosa Parks a huge thank you. Without her, your life would be very difficult today. To know her a little better, I want you to first read or listen to this short report about Ms. Parks. Then, I want you to answer the following questions about Ms. Parks in your own blog:

1. When did Ms. Parks pass away?
   
2. What was Ms. Parks famous for?
3. What was the real reason for her actions? What did most people think was the reason for her actions?
4. What was Ms. Parks doing before her actions? What happened to her after her actions?
5. What would your life be like in 2005 if Ms. Parks and her colleagues did not act back in 1955? Give a short description of how your daily life would be different.

What is Katrina's problem?

►Today, you will give your opinion about what happened in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. You will post your thoughts on your blog, and then you will comment on what other people said. Before you blog though, I want you to read Bill O’Reilly’s opinion. Bill O’Reilly is the big man at Fox News Network:

“If you're poor, you're powerless. Not only in America, but everywhere on earth. If you don't have enough money to protect yourself from danger, danger's gonna find you. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina should be taught in every American school, if you don't get educated, if you don't develop a skill and force yourself to work hard, you'll most likely be poor, and sooner or later you'll be standing on a symbolic rooftop waiting for help. Chances are, that help will not be quick in coming.”

►Now, go to your blog and answer the following questions:

1. What do you think Bill O’Reilly is trying to say?
2. Do you agree or disagree with what he said? Why or why not?
3. How do you feel about what he said?

Create a link in your blog showing where people can hear what Bill O’Reilly said. The link is http://www.thislife.org/ra/296.ram

►Now, let’s listen to the opinion of a teenager who actually lived through Hurricane Katrina. She also talks about her experience during the Hurricane.

Ashley is a senior at John McDonogh Senior High and the author of The Combination, a book about her life in public housing and the closeness of her community. She has tutored students at elementary schools in her neighborhood, won poetry contests, and introduced journalist and public education advocate Jonothan Kozol when he spoke at Loyola University in the fall of 2004. At the Neighborhood Story Project, she writes stories, conducts interviews, participates in public speaking events, and helps with publicity.

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Which hole are you in now?

This weekend, I found somthing really interesting when I was reading a book titled The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. The book featured a poem titled "There's a Hole in My Sidewalk" by Portia Nelson. Read the poem below, and then answer the questions after it in your own blog:

I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost...I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in. It's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.

IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V
I walk down another street.

QUESTIONS:
1) Do you think the author really fell into holes in the sidwalk? What do you think the "holes" in this poem are a methaphor for? What kinds of "holes" have you fallen into in your life?

2) When I first read this poem, I thought of what's happening to your grades. Some of you seem to be stuck in hole #2: your grades go down; you pretend you don't see it; you have "F"s again; you can't believe you're in the same place; you say it isn't your fault; it takes you forever to get out or you don't get out at all. Which hole are you in right now? Why do you think so?

3) In terms of your grades, what do you have to do to reach step V and not fall into the hole of letting your grades drop? If you have already reached step V, how did you get there; and what advice can you give to the students who are stilling falling into "holes"?

Reflection on Our First Student-Run Assembly

I guess it’s only fair that I blog the questions that I assigned you:

1) What do you think about the incident with Luis and Chris?

I was torn about what to do with Luis and Chris. On the one hand, Luis and Chris seriously crossed the line in bringing and using toys that looked like real weapons. The law specifically states that students should be expelled for this. In Colorado, where Columbine happened, they would have been expelled immediately, no questions asked. On the other hand, as a teacher, I have invested a lot of energy in helping them and I see the potential in them. I also know that they would have a hard time surviving at their home schools. I really wished there was a way to keep them, and at the same time have them suffer consequences that were on the same level as expulsion. I couldn’t think of anything. So what I really wanted was for their biggest supporters, the students, to come up with the terms and conditions for their return to school. And if these terms and conditions were agreed upon by the teachers, administrators, and parents, only then would they not be expelled. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to try this plan out.

2) What do you think about the decision that was made about Luis and Chris?

If Green Dot, the organization that runs the Animo schools, said they should be expelled, then I totally accept their decision because I trust that they have thought about the situation seriously and thoroughly. I understand that they must keep the bigger picture in mind, and they must be consistent across all of the Animo schools.

3) What do you think about yesterday’s student assembly?

The whole time during the assembly, I had my head down because I couldn’t bear to watch. The point of the assembly wasn’t so much about Luis and Chris—the assembly was about respect. And it was sad to see that some of the students couldn’t even respect each other. I walked out of that assembly angry and depressed because, in my mind, I thought the students would come together and rally behind each other after this incident. What happened to Luis and Chris was unfortunate, and the only choice we have now is to turn this event into something positive. However, some students were selfish and could think of nothing but themselves. Unless they change their attitude soon, these students will be the ones who lead miserable lives because they don’t understand that for people to care about them, they must also care about others. Unfortunately, I think these arrogant students will only be able to change by learning things the hard way.

On a positive note, I commend the student leadership for having the courage to stand in front of 140 students, some of whom were the worst examples of humanity. I also commend the students in the audience who listened closely and asked thoughtful questions, and the ones who actually told the idiots that they were being idiots. You are the ones who are making the decision to create a better life for yourself, and it takes inner strength to do that. Hopefully, you will continue to learn from this experience, and to find ways to turn this event into something positive.

4) What do you think could be done differently in the future?

This is a question I want to leave with the students because the assembly was for the students by the students. Whether or not you want something different in the future is up to you—that is your choice. You must realize the power you have in making the choice to do something differently. Few people in the world have the power to do something different with their lives.

My Students and I at the Small Schools Rally

I should have posted this a long time ago. Well, here's my reflection on the rally. It's excerpted from my reflection for my 452B class at UCLA:

“…Steve [Barr] asked teachers from all of his schools to have our students participate in a rally for small schools. So, last night [February 28^th, 2005], 34 of my students and I rode a chartered bus to CBS studios, where the mayoral debate was taking place. We joined 3 other schools, and the organizers gave each student a green and white picket sign that said “Small Schools Now: www.smallschoolsalliance.org” and marched them up and down the sidewalk chanting “What do we want?! Small schools now!!” We then split into four groups and stood at the corners of the CBS studio intersection, getting cars to honk in support. It wasn’t until then when it hit me how much the public cares about education. It was amazing how many people slowed down and honked in support—literally an accident waiting to happen. For me personally, the rally was an eye-opening experience because my political participation has so far been limited to voting, which has been spotty to say the least. I grew up in Taiwan when it still had martial law, and the first presidential election there wasn’t until after I left for college. So, the whole idea of the democratic process still remains foreign to me, even though I attended a private (international) school. It seems like my students, who are attending a public school, are learning more about the democratic process than I did in high school…"