did you hear about f3rguson?

I teach boys of color. They are 0scar Grant, M1chael Brown, Trayvon M4rtin, you get the idea. They all wear hoodies and have swagger and they are mostly brilliant (i think most 12 year olds are brilliant, which is why my job is great).

So today we had a walkout - or anyway we participated in the #handsup nationwide walkout in solidarity with boys who've been killed by police aggression. But as deeply as I care about these kids and the madness that's happening in my country, I am not the most articulate speaker on the issues.

I don't want to tell children of color about racism. I don't want to pretend I know what they live. I don't know what the kids know about the killings, and I don't know if they're oversaturated or hungry to discuss it. In Oakland it seems to go both ways.

But still. It was a national event and I wanted to let the kids know I live in their world too. And that I'm angry and scared too. So I asked B00ts Riley. He happened to be in my classroom this morning. Because Oakland.

The kids wrote private notes to themselves about the value of participating in an action like that, or they made signs to hold for the on-campus photographers (their friends and teachers with smartphones). And then they prepared for a lab using electrolysis. And then they went to math class.

I never really know what to do in this job. But caring a hell of a lot goes pretty far.

First week of school: take 2

Just found this draft. oops. it's late, but true. :)

Day 1 (orientation) boy asks for advanced science curriculum "I want to study quantum mechanics"

Day 2 (first day) first request for help spelling is for the word "repertoire". Second is "sponsored". 

Day 3 new kids volunteer for, excel at, and are appreciate for taking on classroom jobs.

Day 4 in collage about equity, scales are decorated "because some people need lentils and some people need Korean food". 

student refuses to help clean the classroom until better wages are negotiated. 

Honey, this is NORTH Oakland. Welcome home!

2 things i learned today

1) i watched my teacher stick to her midline core center when her students were all over the place. i could see her tailoring her class to one side or the other, and losing half of us...but she stuck to her plan her self her source, and we all learned together. i should go into that more as a life/teaching lesson, but i'm busy enjoying the fruits of...

2) beans and greens soup! mustard greens + kale + beet greens + leek scallion garlic and carrots. so simple. so delicious.

please pray for my health, mang. I hung out with two semicontagious besties this weekend and the effects are all up in my sinuses....sniff sniff.

see ya soon
xo
bex