"I'll have to ask my uncle if I can use his Internet this weekend."

"Maybe my mom can take me to the library to look at 'The Cat in the Hat'; we don't have a copy."

"I don't think my child can join band next year... We have to pay to rent the instrument, right?"

Per a goal report created by my teachers and administration disseminated to us last week, I learned that my school (PS 43; the Monday school--Van Nest Academy--still seems like a pretend-job) is situated in THE poorest congressional district in the country. ...We're number one!...? 100% of our students receive 10 meals a week at school--likely MORE than half the meals they will consume the entire week. I see the same sweaters over uniforms (likely also the same) every single day.

I am so fortunate to have been placed at 43. It has been an ideal environment for my continued education, both of pedagogy and diversity of realities. In all likelihood, I will be traveling to multiple continents next summer. Some of my kids have never left the Bronx. When I nearly set my kitchen on fire (a story for another entry), I can go get a burrito at the corner stand and not have to sacrifice that trip to the grocery store or that new pair of mittens or whatever the need may be. Diversity of realities.

This is not a "pat me on the back for working in the inner city" appeal. It's a "pat THEM on the back" for thriving and maintaining momentum in their education despite tremendous obstacles. My afterschool group is so excited to research their Seuss-inspired roles for a Seussical medley. I know a really fabulous single mom with two girls (in our school at least) who has her older daughter taking piano lessons and playing trumpet in band--and she is GOOD. We learned about 12-bar blues structure in the general classroom today, and as she was waiting for our afterschool group to begin, she pulled out her trumpet and figured out the tonic notes of the blues chords and played them in flawless sequence. Parents take precious time off from work to attend conferences and concerts. For the most part, the students I see during the week are a smiley, social, well-adjusted bunch.

I hope that fourth grader does get to use her uncle's Internet this weekend, because she is going to make a terrific Horton when we perform at the concert. =)

Happy Weekend!!
K

Conference Discoveries

My principal makes lollipops for special occasions. What.

Parents remember concert songs from December! Hooray!

My students have SO many dedicated parents and guardians who are sincerely invested in the education of their children, in music as well as the general classroom.

A baby touching your face at a baby shower means you are next to have a baby (like a bouquet at a wedding, presumably), and making delicious cookies means you can get married. Love my kooky teachers and their wives' tales.

Our crazy (no seriously, CRAZY) art teacher did not know one of our teachers was pregnant--8 months along at that!--until her baby shower this afternoon. The quote was, "Well, she's fat anyway, so it's hard to tell". [She is NOT.] Seriously, crazy.

Staying for the whole night of conferences is kind of fun when you're not truly accountable for academic promotion or standardized test performance. =)

Love, Hugs, and a Few Cups of Coffee Today,
Ms. Phillips