"And so he returned to the City of Angels..."
taken with:
FUJIFILM FinePix A210
Shutter Speed: 1/208 sec
Monday, May 26, 2008
A random moment in time...(12.19/2006)
Down Wilshire Blvd., Downtown Los Angeles, Califas
"And so he returned to the City of Angels..."
taken with:
FUJIFILM FinePix A210
Shutter Speed: 1/208 sec
"And so he returned to the City of Angels..."
taken with:
FUJIFILM FinePix A210
Shutter Speed: 1/208 sec
Saturday, May 10, 2008
"Putting the Art in Language Arts"
Symbolic Self Portrait, by Mr. N, 05.10.08.
Today, I had the opportunity to attend the Bay Area Writing Project Saturday Seminar, which focused on the Arts, and how important and influential Art can be in all classrooms. I attended a particular writing workshop hosted by Regina Marie Woodard, titled "Putting the Art in Language Arts: Building Vehicles for Thinking Critically," and was wowed by the engaging nature of the presentation. Ms. Woodard herself is a credentialed English and Art teacher, and has helped facilitate an activity that showcases the best of both worlds. Writing critically, symbolically, and interpretively can give way to artistic expression, and in so doing, the student has the tools to express themselves in a multi-modal nature. For today, we played through the activity in an abbreviated sense, bypassing some of the written work involved, but we were led throughout the workshop, to brainstorm relevant things about our selves concerning self, family history, goals, wishes, dreams, inspirations, what makes us tick, etcetera, which would be communicated through an image based on our answers. This activity helped us identify symbols and metaphors, two very important elements to know about reading and writing, and through the multi-modal implementation of those two elements, we would better be prepared to create multiple pieces that would highlight symbols and metaphors in relation to us through writing and visual images...the product of my study today produced the "Symbolic Self Portrait" of myself, as showcased above. The image itself was assisted through a picture of ourselves, which we traced using Saral transfer paper. Through this tracing, students who have been otherwise reluctant to draw out themselves (citing age-old student quotes like "I can't draw, I won't draw!"), can create their self portrait through tracing, which took the sketch work out of the activity and streamlined the drawing portion for ease of use. At the conclusion of the activity, we looked at a poem from the great G. Reyes, titled "Paint Me As I Am," and were encouraged to use this, and other pieces on identity as models to help students in writing.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Why I Teach
"Yo Soy Maestro, Full of Hope"
by John Villanueva Nepomuceno, English Teacher
My emphasis in teaching is on learning centered on a classroom community atmosphere acculturated in success and agency. My teaching goal is to foster a community in the classroom where success is measured by the student’s ability to learn, be it to learn to adapt or adjust, if only to overcome. The ultimate outcome is to ensure that learning and knowledge is valued, and that every student in my classroom belongs to this culture of learning and success. I am not only a teacher. I am a facilitator, an organizer, and a mediator. I choose to facilitate discussions in a classroom that is organized and orderly. I mediate dialogue between myself and my students because I believe that as teacher, my responsibility goes beyond the primordial transaction of teacher knowledge for student consumption, but towards the realm of enabling students to be empowered in the knowledge I attempt to transact, so they may also make new knowledge out of that for which they have been learning about. The responsibilities inherent then are simple. Whereas I am held accountable to teach to the standards that I have been required to impress, my students are held accountable for knowing what has been taught, so they may share that knowledge between themselves and beyond their classroom community as agents of positive change. My emphasis is on success and agency, attained through the classroom community where the transaction of learning and knowledge is not just between the teacher and the peers, but also, the students to their parents, families, home community, and themselves. Much of this knowledge can be, and has been, taken from many an English classroom curriculum. I only seek to further the trend.
I believe that effective teaching is comprised of two necessary elements dependent on each other: establishing order and harmony in a classroom community with an emphasis on success, and communicating knowledge and learning in a way that makes its application to the students both useful and relevant, especially in bettering their own self-agency. Knowing what to teach and how to teach it may not be sufficient enough to be effective, especially in an active and diverse classroom. Thus, it is important for me to take care of the classroom dynamic early on. In establishing a classroom presence and atmosphere premised on respect and safety, I feel that this is where knowledge can be safely valued, and where learning can effectively take place. To make the knowledge understandable for the students is made that much easier when the classroom itself is convinced of its role as an agent of success for all. The communication of knowledge to students then, becomes an exercise in agency, where learning becomes a process of increasing and bettering the students’ own agency, and where students can begin to learn from themselves as agents for each other.
I take great care in being mindful and knowledgeable about the material I teach and the standards that must be kept, but I also emphasize the importance of motivation, and how that can be meted out in a classroom where motivation can be scant. I motivate students to succeed because I am motivated. I am stern, but I am fair, and I am personable, because I am genuine. Genuine, in the sense that I genuinely care about the welfare of my students, and should my students not be successful, then their welfare is at stake, and whatever aspect of that falls under my control, will not be ignored.
Care, guaranteed.
by John Villanueva Nepomuceno, English Teacher
My emphasis in teaching is on learning centered on a classroom community atmosphere acculturated in success and agency. My teaching goal is to foster a community in the classroom where success is measured by the student’s ability to learn, be it to learn to adapt or adjust, if only to overcome. The ultimate outcome is to ensure that learning and knowledge is valued, and that every student in my classroom belongs to this culture of learning and success. I am not only a teacher. I am a facilitator, an organizer, and a mediator. I choose to facilitate discussions in a classroom that is organized and orderly. I mediate dialogue between myself and my students because I believe that as teacher, my responsibility goes beyond the primordial transaction of teacher knowledge for student consumption, but towards the realm of enabling students to be empowered in the knowledge I attempt to transact, so they may also make new knowledge out of that for which they have been learning about. The responsibilities inherent then are simple. Whereas I am held accountable to teach to the standards that I have been required to impress, my students are held accountable for knowing what has been taught, so they may share that knowledge between themselves and beyond their classroom community as agents of positive change. My emphasis is on success and agency, attained through the classroom community where the transaction of learning and knowledge is not just between the teacher and the peers, but also, the students to their parents, families, home community, and themselves. Much of this knowledge can be, and has been, taken from many an English classroom curriculum. I only seek to further the trend.
I believe that effective teaching is comprised of two necessary elements dependent on each other: establishing order and harmony in a classroom community with an emphasis on success, and communicating knowledge and learning in a way that makes its application to the students both useful and relevant, especially in bettering their own self-agency. Knowing what to teach and how to teach it may not be sufficient enough to be effective, especially in an active and diverse classroom. Thus, it is important for me to take care of the classroom dynamic early on. In establishing a classroom presence and atmosphere premised on respect and safety, I feel that this is where knowledge can be safely valued, and where learning can effectively take place. To make the knowledge understandable for the students is made that much easier when the classroom itself is convinced of its role as an agent of success for all. The communication of knowledge to students then, becomes an exercise in agency, where learning becomes a process of increasing and bettering the students’ own agency, and where students can begin to learn from themselves as agents for each other.
I take great care in being mindful and knowledgeable about the material I teach and the standards that must be kept, but I also emphasize the importance of motivation, and how that can be meted out in a classroom where motivation can be scant. I motivate students to succeed because I am motivated. I am stern, but I am fair, and I am personable, because I am genuine. Genuine, in the sense that I genuinely care about the welfare of my students, and should my students not be successful, then their welfare is at stake, and whatever aspect of that falls under my control, will not be ignored.
Care, guaranteed.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Preparing to Videotape (my classroom)
I am currently in the middle of the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT) teaching event, a sort of "crucible" or last rite given to student teachers as they wind down their student teaching candidacy and prepare for the reception of their coveted teaching credential, as approved by our director and cooperating supervisors of the Multicultural Urban Secondary English of the Graduate School of Education at UC Berkeley, and blessed by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
The event is a two-weeker, and I am approaching my fifth and final day of my first week. The unit I am teaching is the decline of the American Dream, as exemplified by F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby, and I am required to film two 10-minute segments of my teaching, focusing on my instruction and my interaction with students. The filmed video segments are to be viewed by myself and the members of our program who will be evaluating my PACT portfolio, a volume of sorts chronicling loads of lessons, materials, and daily reflections on the two-week event. So, the question remains:
Think about the teaching strengths and weaknesses that you would like to highlight or receive feedback on for your PACT videotaped lesson. How could you capture those aspects of your teaching on video in a meaningful way that would demonstrate your teaching philosophy for your portfolio?
In order for me to effectively highlight and receive useful feedback from a PACT videotaped lesson of my creation, I feel that planning a day's lesson centered on the videotape's goals would make for good classroom TV. So, rather than focusing on the strengths and weaknesses, I'm going to tailor my lesson(s) (I anticipate between one to three days of filming) as planned:
>Initial 10-15 minute period dedicated towards instruction and clarification of the previous week's readings, or the last three to four chapters. Present questions of note for students to ponder and think about, and attempt to encourage criticism of the historical context of the story and relate it to today's concepts of the American Dream. The camera can be fixed towards me and the class as a whole during this session.
>Dedicate another 10-15 minute period towards taking up a Q&A session with students on a one-on-one basis. Group students in fours and allow students to work through questions and encourage students to ask for assistance or help as they work. Another student can be in charge of filming, following my movements and my interactions with student groups.
Following this plan can alleviate the anxieties of filming, and I feel comfortable in explaining my own teaching philosophy and learning goals for my students as the reflections of my videotaping conclude. I feel that I am very connected to what I teach and that I can readily bring up my strengths and weaknesses through the critique of the videotaped sessions.
Recipe for success? I hope so...filming starts next Monday, April 14, 2008 and may or may not conclude on Wednesday, April 16, 2008.
The event is a two-weeker, and I am approaching my fifth and final day of my first week. The unit I am teaching is the decline of the American Dream, as exemplified by F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby, and I am required to film two 10-minute segments of my teaching, focusing on my instruction and my interaction with students. The filmed video segments are to be viewed by myself and the members of our program who will be evaluating my PACT portfolio, a volume of sorts chronicling loads of lessons, materials, and daily reflections on the two-week event. So, the question remains:
Think about the teaching strengths and weaknesses that you would like to highlight or receive feedback on for your PACT videotaped lesson. How could you capture those aspects of your teaching on video in a meaningful way that would demonstrate your teaching philosophy for your portfolio?
In order for me to effectively highlight and receive useful feedback from a PACT videotaped lesson of my creation, I feel that planning a day's lesson centered on the videotape's goals would make for good classroom TV. So, rather than focusing on the strengths and weaknesses, I'm going to tailor my lesson(s) (I anticipate between one to three days of filming) as planned:
>Initial 10-15 minute period dedicated towards instruction and clarification of the previous week's readings, or the last three to four chapters. Present questions of note for students to ponder and think about, and attempt to encourage criticism of the historical context of the story and relate it to today's concepts of the American Dream. The camera can be fixed towards me and the class as a whole during this session.
>Dedicate another 10-15 minute period towards taking up a Q&A session with students on a one-on-one basis. Group students in fours and allow students to work through questions and encourage students to ask for assistance or help as they work. Another student can be in charge of filming, following my movements and my interactions with student groups.
Following this plan can alleviate the anxieties of filming, and I feel comfortable in explaining my own teaching philosophy and learning goals for my students as the reflections of my videotaping conclude. I feel that I am very connected to what I teach and that I can readily bring up my strengths and weaknesses through the critique of the videotaped sessions.
Recipe for success? I hope so...filming starts next Monday, April 14, 2008 and may or may not conclude on Wednesday, April 16, 2008.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
a modern Drama - "only the Strong"
wrote a little song for the first time in months...
this is dedicated to all you hard-working teachers out there...
and everybody else hustling, always on that grind. making ends meet.
you know who you are.
listen and download - a modern Drama's "only the Strong"
"Highway, highway...along the Osmena Highway, Manila, Philippines"
taken with:
FUJIFILM FinePix A210
Shutter Speed: 1/208 sec
--
available at my alter-ego, music project, band page:
a modern Drama
"only the strong" (2008) nepomuceno
i
tried as hard
tried as hard
as i could before the feeling would return
to me
the filling up that’s killing me
so said i
so says i
that the reason why i get up in the morning
is my reason, nothing more
cuz the morning star can shine that light again
the morning star can shine again
i
tried as hard
tried as hard
as i could before the feeling would return
to me
the filling up that’s killing me so said
so says i
that the reason why i get up in the morning
is my reason, nothing more
cuz the morning star can shine that light again
the morning star can shine again
again
only the strong take all they need
but sometimes it takes a little more
to survive because the strong need rest
sometimes
only the strong take all they need
but sometimes it takes a little more
to survive because the strong bleed
they need the little rest sometimes
a little bit some more
this is dedicated to all you hard-working teachers out there...
and everybody else hustling, always on that grind. making ends meet.
you know who you are.
listen and download - a modern Drama's "only the Strong"
"Highway, highway...along the Osmena Highway, Manila, Philippines"
taken with:
FUJIFILM FinePix A210
Shutter Speed: 1/208 sec
--
available at my alter-ego, music project, band page:
a modern Drama
"only the strong" (2008) nepomuceno
i
tried as hard
tried as hard
as i could before the feeling would return
to me
the filling up that’s killing me
so said i
so says i
that the reason why i get up in the morning
is my reason, nothing more
cuz the morning star can shine that light again
the morning star can shine again
i
tried as hard
tried as hard
as i could before the feeling would return
to me
the filling up that’s killing me so said
so says i
that the reason why i get up in the morning
is my reason, nothing more
cuz the morning star can shine that light again
the morning star can shine again
again
only the strong take all they need
but sometimes it takes a little more
to survive because the strong need rest
sometimes
only the strong take all they need
but sometimes it takes a little more
to survive because the strong bleed
they need the little rest sometimes
a little bit some more
Sunday, March 9, 2008
only the Strong...
take all they need
but sometimes it takes a little more
to survive because the strong do tire, sometimes.
One of my strengths is that I push hard, relentlessly. Be it my students or myself, if it's one thing I know I'm good at, it's being tenacious as hell.
But I have come to realize, that my relentless attitude and work ethic is also my weakness, as I have been stricken by my own lack of self-care.
You see, I haven't been so strong lately.
I actually went down on one knee, drove me to tears, on the onset of my fears -- the unknown. Anxiety. Panic.
The story.
This past Wednesday and Thursday, March 5th and 6th, 2008, last week, I was absent in my classroom at San Lorenzo High School, and absent for my methods and technology classes.
It was, in very few words, uncharacteristic of me.
Characteristic is my continuity.
I missed but one class during the summer semester, and only one class during the fall semester. I had only missed one day of teaching to sickness last semester as well, and have taken much pride in being relatively healthy these past eight months, until last week...
On the morning of March 5th, at around 5am, I woke up in my East Oakland apartment feeling nervous, with my heart beating a bit faster than normal, and my breathing, quick and constant. I felt panic and anxiety and vowed to lay off the caffeine for the day, having felt this way the past Friday night as well...the anxiety taking over, I have not felt in over five years, and I was a mess.
Three hours later, time found me in Berkeley, picking up Tam in the morning was the daily routine. We carpool to San Lorenzo High School from Monday to Friday. I felt nervous the whole drive through, and now I began making frantic calls for help. Mom.
Mom. I'm messed up. I have heavy heart palpitations. I'm having trouble breathing.
John, go to a hospital.
Mom. I'm okay.
I'll call your Auntie Marissa. Don't go to work. Don't go to class. Can you drive?
Yes I can.
I'll call Auntie. She'll talk to Uncle Nar. See your Uncle Nar at their clinic.
Okay Mom.
Drive straight to Union City, okay?
Okay Mom.
I love you.
I love you too.
On our way to San Lorenzo High School, racing through the 880 freeway, I had felt a disturbing feeling in my body. My chest felt heavy, my heart felt like it was racing too quickly. My breathing was labored, and my muscles tensed up. My throat felt like it was choking inward. I was struggling not to panic, and had resolved to go straight to the hospital after I dropped Tam off at SLz. I asked Tam to let Ms. Souza know that I wasn't showing up today. He relayed the news to my Cooperating Teacher that morning as I raced down south, panicking. Crying. I drove off to Union City to my uncle's clinic, where he and my auntie (his wife, my mom's younger sister) would check my blood pressure, give me some tranquilizer, and contact a cardiologist.
After calming down for a good hour and a half on the examination table, my auntie drove me down to Washington Hospital in Fremont, where I was seen by the cardiologist. I was evaluated, took a blood test, and was scheduled for a few more tests over the next few weeks. I was prescribed medication that would slow me down, and I received it with thanks...as I had to realize that I needed pause.
I had to slow down.
...and I slowed down.
I will speed up. Yes, I will soon...but not now.
Best not to rely on my weaknesses, if I want to become strong once more.
I'm rested. It's time to stand up and go again. Not too hard, just enough. Until I'm ready.
Ready to Fight again.
But with caution.
If I want to even be ready to showcase my strengths for the PACT, I had better be healthy first. That is the long and short of it.
On a personal note...
Lord, keep me strong so I can make others stronger. Amen.
but sometimes it takes a little more
to survive because the strong do tire, sometimes.
One of my strengths is that I push hard, relentlessly. Be it my students or myself, if it's one thing I know I'm good at, it's being tenacious as hell.
But I have come to realize, that my relentless attitude and work ethic is also my weakness, as I have been stricken by my own lack of self-care.
You see, I haven't been so strong lately.
I actually went down on one knee, drove me to tears, on the onset of my fears -- the unknown. Anxiety. Panic.
The story.
This past Wednesday and Thursday, March 5th and 6th, 2008, last week, I was absent in my classroom at San Lorenzo High School, and absent for my methods and technology classes.
It was, in very few words, uncharacteristic of me.
Characteristic is my continuity.
I missed but one class during the summer semester, and only one class during the fall semester. I had only missed one day of teaching to sickness last semester as well, and have taken much pride in being relatively healthy these past eight months, until last week...
On the morning of March 5th, at around 5am, I woke up in my East Oakland apartment feeling nervous, with my heart beating a bit faster than normal, and my breathing, quick and constant. I felt panic and anxiety and vowed to lay off the caffeine for the day, having felt this way the past Friday night as well...the anxiety taking over, I have not felt in over five years, and I was a mess.
Three hours later, time found me in Berkeley, picking up Tam in the morning was the daily routine. We carpool to San Lorenzo High School from Monday to Friday. I felt nervous the whole drive through, and now I began making frantic calls for help. Mom.
Mom. I'm messed up. I have heavy heart palpitations. I'm having trouble breathing.
John, go to a hospital.
Mom. I'm okay.
I'll call your Auntie Marissa. Don't go to work. Don't go to class. Can you drive?
Yes I can.
I'll call Auntie. She'll talk to Uncle Nar. See your Uncle Nar at their clinic.
Okay Mom.
Drive straight to Union City, okay?
Okay Mom.
I love you.
I love you too.
On our way to San Lorenzo High School, racing through the 880 freeway, I had felt a disturbing feeling in my body. My chest felt heavy, my heart felt like it was racing too quickly. My breathing was labored, and my muscles tensed up. My throat felt like it was choking inward. I was struggling not to panic, and had resolved to go straight to the hospital after I dropped Tam off at SLz. I asked Tam to let Ms. Souza know that I wasn't showing up today. He relayed the news to my Cooperating Teacher that morning as I raced down south, panicking. Crying. I drove off to Union City to my uncle's clinic, where he and my auntie (his wife, my mom's younger sister) would check my blood pressure, give me some tranquilizer, and contact a cardiologist.
After calming down for a good hour and a half on the examination table, my auntie drove me down to Washington Hospital in Fremont, where I was seen by the cardiologist. I was evaluated, took a blood test, and was scheduled for a few more tests over the next few weeks. I was prescribed medication that would slow me down, and I received it with thanks...as I had to realize that I needed pause.
I had to slow down.
...and I slowed down.
I will speed up. Yes, I will soon...but not now.
Best not to rely on my weaknesses, if I want to become strong once more.
I'm rested. It's time to stand up and go again. Not too hard, just enough. Until I'm ready.
Ready to Fight again.
But with caution.
If I want to even be ready to showcase my strengths for the PACT, I had better be healthy first. That is the long and short of it.
On a personal note...
Lord, keep me strong so I can make others stronger. Amen.
Friday, February 29, 2008
A random moment in time...(01.10/2008)
Crenshaw, South Central Los Angeles, Califas
"Say 'again' to South Central (slight return)"
taken with:
CASIO EX-Z75
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec
"Say 'again' to South Central (slight return)"
taken with:
CASIO EX-Z75
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Forum-ation
So I had recently been "involved" with some forums...one is a forum that I browse more than anything else, while the other is something I have joined about 5 years ago and have not posted much since 2005! The first is quite funny...I had come across the San Diego Chargers' fan forums at the San Diego Union-Tribune forum website.
There are hardcore fans, and there are hardcore forum fanatics! The place is crazy and I don't think I'll be posting there any time soon...many have their own "inside" lingo, like "CHURCH M'FER" ...I don't know what that means! But anyways, the experience was entertaining. From an outsider's kind of view, I'm not sure if I'll be involved anytime soon in terms of posting...but nevertheless, GO CHARGERS! These people got the scoop on ANYTHING!
As for the second forum...I had always been interested in city development namely that of urban cores and downtown districts. Hence, in 2002, I had chanced upon a website for skyscraper and city development fanatics called SkyscraperPage.com. Aside from the SkyscraperPage Forum, the page itself features many facts about cities, the skyscrapers they have, heights, dates built, architecture information, and user-produced renderings and photos of buildings and skylines. Given my love of the development of the San Diego city skyline, I had been enticed in joining this forum community who were all, "in the know" about my city's burgeoning development. Nearly six years later, I have seen a massive transformation in my city's skyline, and have the SkyscraperPage forums to thank for giving me the inside info throughout. Though I have not posted there in nearly two years, I had begun to be involved again recently.
The Downtown San Diego skyline...as I saw it last January, 2008.
In sum, I feel that online communities can be outstanding resources, especially when these communities or forums are inhabited by those who are "in the know." The drawbacks to membership to these communities could include "newbie status" where your respect in the forum does not take shape until you post enough insight, but after awhile, you begin to find more and more information about what you might be looking for, if you try hard enough (or ask enough people) on these forums. If you have hobbies about anything and have questions or a desire to know future info, you can really depend on forumers who post regularly to give you the answers you need. Really.
PS - Did I mention that I am a hardcore Chargers fan AND a one-time prospective ARCHITECT? Now I only CHARGE up the classroom and architect my own sky-high structures of badass English curriculum...scaffolds and all!
There are hardcore fans, and there are hardcore forum fanatics! The place is crazy and I don't think I'll be posting there any time soon...many have their own "inside" lingo, like "CHURCH M'FER" ...I don't know what that means! But anyways, the experience was entertaining. From an outsider's kind of view, I'm not sure if I'll be involved anytime soon in terms of posting...but nevertheless, GO CHARGERS! These people got the scoop on ANYTHING!
As for the second forum...I had always been interested in city development namely that of urban cores and downtown districts. Hence, in 2002, I had chanced upon a website for skyscraper and city development fanatics called SkyscraperPage.com. Aside from the SkyscraperPage Forum, the page itself features many facts about cities, the skyscrapers they have, heights, dates built, architecture information, and user-produced renderings and photos of buildings and skylines. Given my love of the development of the San Diego city skyline, I had been enticed in joining this forum community who were all, "in the know" about my city's burgeoning development. Nearly six years later, I have seen a massive transformation in my city's skyline, and have the SkyscraperPage forums to thank for giving me the inside info throughout. Though I have not posted there in nearly two years, I had begun to be involved again recently.
The Downtown San Diego skyline...as I saw it last January, 2008.
In sum, I feel that online communities can be outstanding resources, especially when these communities or forums are inhabited by those who are "in the know." The drawbacks to membership to these communities could include "newbie status" where your respect in the forum does not take shape until you post enough insight, but after awhile, you begin to find more and more information about what you might be looking for, if you try hard enough (or ask enough people) on these forums. If you have hobbies about anything and have questions or a desire to know future info, you can really depend on forumers who post regularly to give you the answers you need. Really.
PS - Did I mention that I am a hardcore Chargers fan AND a one-time prospective ARCHITECT? Now I only CHARGE up the classroom and architect my own sky-high structures of badass English curriculum...scaffolds and all!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Suggestions for "A Better Tomorrow" and the (Inner-) City of San Diego (02.25/2007)
Suggestions for "A Better Tomorrow"
Bridging the Gap Between Disparity and Promise in
the City of San Diego
by el M. (02.25/2007)
In drafting out this piece, I decided to brief a short pictorial perspective as a foundation per addendum to my review on the inner-city high schools (and neighborhoods) of San Diego in an effort to better understand the similarities and differences of each school and their communities. As an alumni of Samuel F.B. Morse High School and resident of the predominantly working-class North Bay Terrace neighborhood in the urban Southeast San Diego area, it had always been a note of contention on where my education and those of my peers in neighboring high school institutions fell in relation to our counterparts in higher performing high schools in the suburban communities of San Diego, namely the high schools north of Interstate 8.
As a Visiting Teacher for the San Diego Unified School District, I have taught in over 20 different elementary, middle, and high schools, from all corners of our expansive District, and have spent the bulk of my teaching in our inner-city. Of the seven inner-city high schools of San Diego, I have taught at five of them (the exceptions being Lincoln High which is currently closed for construction, and Gompers High, which I have not had an opportunity to teach yet). It seems that much of the same challenges encountered in the inner-city schools appear to be symptomatic with each other, and that teaching in the suburban schools really shows a disparity of classroom conduct and motivation that is woefully broken across all boundaries of neighborhood, community, socio-economic, and ethnically diverse differences and persuasion.
The case in point may lie in the environment for which our students learn.
Though San Diego still maintains six operational inner-city high schools, it is important to note, however, that many students from San Diego's inner-city neighborhoods, namely those from the Lincoln High School boundary cluster in the Lincoln Park, Emerald Hills and Mountain View communities, have been for the last few years since Lincoln's closure in 2002, spread out all over the District, with most finding their academic homes in high-performing high schools in more privileged and safer communities like Scripps Ranch and Mira Mesa. Many seem to have been more successful in these schools, but others are still struggling with issues that may not affect most of their peers who may live close to their respective suburban high schools. Issues such as long cross-city commutes, a higher-standard of learning and high academic competition (as opposed to their respective inner-city elementary and middle schools), as well as their disadvantaged home environments all play a role in the difficulties many of these students are having.
I believe motivation for all our inner-city students regardless of what high school they attend, must be paid more mind and attention when it comes to raising achievement with these students. As teachers, we are held accountable towards all our students who are our future's Promise. For our most disadvantaged students, who are inclusive in their membership of The Promise, we must find more creative ways in planning out their success, ahead of their inadequate past learning, out-of-school burdens, and a readjustment to their discipline. We should also step back a bit from our sometimes aggressive approach to their motivation and discipline and offer both our help and respect through a milder tune of intervention, since many of these students had probably gone too tired of the aggressive kicks they had been getting for so long. It is through the implementation of these suggestions that I think we might move one step closer towards bridging the gap between our most disadvantaged students, both in their disadvantaged community high schools, as well as those in their more privileged adopted high schools.
With Respect and Commitment,
~el M.
(02.25/2007)
Mr. Nepomuceno
English Teacher
San Diego High School
School of Business
Bridging the Gap Between Disparity and Promise in
the City of San Diego
by el M. (02.25/2007)
In drafting out this piece, I decided to brief a short pictorial perspective as a foundation per addendum to my review on the inner-city high schools (and neighborhoods) of San Diego in an effort to better understand the similarities and differences of each school and their communities. As an alumni of Samuel F.B. Morse High School and resident of the predominantly working-class North Bay Terrace neighborhood in the urban Southeast San Diego area, it had always been a note of contention on where my education and those of my peers in neighboring high school institutions fell in relation to our counterparts in higher performing high schools in the suburban communities of San Diego, namely the high schools north of Interstate 8.
As a Visiting Teacher for the San Diego Unified School District, I have taught in over 20 different elementary, middle, and high schools, from all corners of our expansive District, and have spent the bulk of my teaching in our inner-city. Of the seven inner-city high schools of San Diego, I have taught at five of them (the exceptions being Lincoln High which is currently closed for construction, and Gompers High, which I have not had an opportunity to teach yet). It seems that much of the same challenges encountered in the inner-city schools appear to be symptomatic with each other, and that teaching in the suburban schools really shows a disparity of classroom conduct and motivation that is woefully broken across all boundaries of neighborhood, community, socio-economic, and ethnically diverse differences and persuasion.
The case in point may lie in the environment for which our students learn.
Though San Diego still maintains six operational inner-city high schools, it is important to note, however, that many students from San Diego's inner-city neighborhoods, namely those from the Lincoln High School boundary cluster in the Lincoln Park, Emerald Hills and Mountain View communities, have been for the last few years since Lincoln's closure in 2002, spread out all over the District, with most finding their academic homes in high-performing high schools in more privileged and safer communities like Scripps Ranch and Mira Mesa. Many seem to have been more successful in these schools, but others are still struggling with issues that may not affect most of their peers who may live close to their respective suburban high schools. Issues such as long cross-city commutes, a higher-standard of learning and high academic competition (as opposed to their respective inner-city elementary and middle schools), as well as their disadvantaged home environments all play a role in the difficulties many of these students are having.
I believe motivation for all our inner-city students regardless of what high school they attend, must be paid more mind and attention when it comes to raising achievement with these students. As teachers, we are held accountable towards all our students who are our future's Promise. For our most disadvantaged students, who are inclusive in their membership of The Promise, we must find more creative ways in planning out their success, ahead of their inadequate past learning, out-of-school burdens, and a readjustment to their discipline. We should also step back a bit from our sometimes aggressive approach to their motivation and discipline and offer both our help and respect through a milder tune of intervention, since many of these students had probably gone too tired of the aggressive kicks they had been getting for so long. It is through the implementation of these suggestions that I think we might move one step closer towards bridging the gap between our most disadvantaged students, both in their disadvantaged community high schools, as well as those in their more privileged adopted high schools.
With Respect and Commitment,
~el M.
(02.25/2007)
Mr. Nepomuceno
English Teacher
San Diego High School
School of Business
Saturday, January 26, 2008
A random moment in time...(10.21/2006)
Tijuana, BC, Mexico
"Pushing (through) a cold (hearted) line..."
taken with:
FUJIFILM FinePix A210
Shutter Speed: 1/208 sec
"Pushing (through) a cold (hearted) line..."
taken with:
FUJIFILM FinePix A210
Shutter Speed: 1/208 sec
Ed Tech
For the foreseeable future, I will be maintaining this blogspot as a space to discuss the use of Educational Technology...
With that I pose a question...
Is the utilization of student "blog spaces" in the classroom something we can see in the near future?
Developing an online forum for students to put their thoughts down on the internet could make for some interesting writing...especially if we are committed to bringing computer and internet access to ALL CLASSROOMS, and helping students learn to use computers as an alternative medium to writing...
...If we can help kids start channeling their Myspace-bulletin-rant energies to other, more educationally-sound mediums, then maybe we can help them get there...and by there, I mean, wherever we need them to be...in an English classroom. Yea dat.
With that I pose a question...
Is the utilization of student "blog spaces" in the classroom something we can see in the near future?
Developing an online forum for students to put their thoughts down on the internet could make for some interesting writing...especially if we are committed to bringing computer and internet access to ALL CLASSROOMS, and helping students learn to use computers as an alternative medium to writing...
...If we can help kids start channeling their Myspace-bulletin-rant energies to other, more educationally-sound mediums, then maybe we can help them get there...and by there, I mean, wherever we need them to be...in an English classroom. Yea dat.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
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