Teachers

I was shocked to hear from my sister Joanne, a teacher in California, that her state ranks 46th in the nation in spending on education.  It seems that the baneful effects of Proposition 13 are still with them.

Joanne just got back from the California Federation of Teachers' conference at Manhattan Beach this weekend, and sent me some words of wisdom and inspiration she heard there:

Quotes from the CFT Convention 2015

“We might not change the world, but we can spark the mind that does!”

“All great undertakings are risky.”  Socrates

“The highest risk is love.”

“Expect perfection knowing you will never get it.”

“Their pain is our pain.”

“Help people, don’t hurt them.”

 “Deformers want to derail public education and unfairly blame teachers.”

“Hope is required when growing roses in concrete.”

“We don’t blame the seed for not growing.”

“No child left off-line.”

“Give a helping hand, not a slapping hand.”

“Teachers aren’t the problem…the solution is to stop negativity and  increase positivity.”

“Teachers are ‘hope’ dealers!”

“An iPad will never replace a good teacher!”

“Empowering educators empowers students.”

“The diversity of California is our greatest strength.”

“California is the #8 economy in the WORLD, we should be #1 in funding education, not 46^th!”

“If you don’t know your rights, you don’t have any.  If you know, but don’t act, you’re part of the problem!”

Speaking to the leader of the classified union [union representing school systems' non-teaching staff] after a moving speech he gave about how their union members support educators, “We know you’re not a teacher, but you taught us all today.”!

“What can we do if we all work together?”

“Corporations have money, but we have people.”

“Public education provides access to social justice.”

Farm Stand at School

When I first discovered PS 11's Wednesday morning farm stand last year, it was nominally open 8 till noon, and I could drop by at 11 and still find terrific fruits and vegetables at great prices.

But word has spread, and now most stuff is gone by 10--some things sell out earlier.

Half the fun of shopping at the stand is being served by 3rd graders, watching them absorbing lessons in customer service along with arithmetic. The kids also learn about their wares--from the certified organic Stoneledge farm in the Catskills--how they're grown and how to cook them.

The stand operates from early June through late September, and this year, the kids have been there every week I've gone, even during vacation.

What I got this week: a bunch of scrumptious summer spinach ($1.50), 3 peaches($1), a cucumber (50 cents), and 2 peppers on their way to red ($1). I still had a patty pan squash from last week, when I bought other summer squash, eggplant, tomatoes, and a bunch of young leeks.

You'll find the stand in front of the school, at 320 W. 21st St. I understand the chefs show up by 8:00.

For further information about the stand, the farm, and recipes, check out:

http://ps11farmmkt.wordpress.com

and

http://www.stoneledgefarmny.com

Trashing the School Cafeteria

While folks in the film industry are trying to make film production more environmentally friendly, I've just seen signs of an opposite trend in New York City schools.

Last Friday, on my fifth substitute teaching gig, I found myself in a gloomy middle school basement cafeteria, where the trays are styrofoam, the utensils are disposable plastic, the floor gets covered with litter minutes after a janitor sweeps it, and even recyclables get tossed.

My forty minutes of cafeteria duty consisted mostly of gathering the kids' trays after they finished eating (or not eating), and tossing them, along with many uneaten apples.

Seems that this school instituted the teacher-as-busboy practice to prevent food fights, and according to the dean who told me about the policy, it's been working. "We've only had a couple of food fights since," he said.

Unfortunately, it's also teaching the kids that they're not responsible for cleaning up after themselves--a great addition to the model of environmental negligence that the failure to reuse and recycle provides.

I wonder whether teachers or students ever discuss the practices of their very own cafeteterias during the inevitable environmental unit--and whether there are any schools still using washable trays . . .