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Some Watch Flowers Blossom, I Watch My Garden of Students

Sometimes there are groups of students who capture your heart as you capture their minds. This year, while my students may not be Einsteins, they have a heart of gold. It does happen every now and then. The last group of students who made me feel like this are now graduating seniors at their local high schools. This year, the kids have been amazingly kind and well mannered. Now to get them to have the hunger for more knowledge is the last piece to my puzzle. I don’t have much time. The school year ends at the beginning of June. The FCAT, statewide Reading test, isn’t my primary goal. Getting them to think on their own, use critical thinking skills, love novels and understand themselves is more important.

Continue reading “Some Watch Flowers Blossom, I Watch My Garden of Students”

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NMX Addiction: It Started With the First “Hi”

Andre Meadows from Black Nerd Comedy with Nathasha Alvarez
Andre Meadows aka Black Nerd from Black Nerd Comedy

It’s been one crazy month and the year just started! I am very excited for 2013. I couldn’t wait to say goodbye to 2011 and 2012 was really umm interesting. But 2013 is going to be amazing!

MY new year always starts on my birthday. I am not a big New Year’s Eve fan. Kissing strangers while being intoxicated is not my thing. I’ll let the people who enjoy waking up in unknown places handle that experience.

I started my birthday waking up in All Suite Rio Hotel  in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now it’s not what you think. Although they say that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas applies to everyone, it won’t be applying to me. I want to tell you about Vegas, all about Vegas! Including my crummy stay at the hotel. Continue reading “NMX Addiction: It Started With the First “Hi””

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The Golden Rule of Accountability: VAM Unto Others as You Would Have Others VAM Unto You

Rick Lapworth’s view on Value Added Models takes on a funny yet, truthful view of the hypocrisy that goes with it.

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho bought out UTD for pennies.
United Teachers of Dade sold the teachers of Miami Dade County County Public Schools for pennies to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho

What are your thoughts on VAM? Continue reading “The Golden Rule of Accountability: VAM Unto Others as You Would Have Others VAM Unto You”

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Gifts Come In Unexpected Ways

Holiday Blog Tour 2012
Holiday Blog Tour 2012

Hey everyone! I’ve been sharing the news all over the internet about this awesome holiday blog tour of which I have been chosen to be a part of by Icess Rojas Fernandez. Did you catch yesterday?  You should!

Now it’s my turn, the pressure is on! Of course, when you are on a blog tour with great names like Caridad Pineiro, Julie Amante and Zoraida Cordova, it can feel as if you have to perform at your peak.

I was going to write about a personal memory of long ago, when an anonymous person gave my family a beautiful Christmas holiday. I tell my students this story every year right before my school’s annual toy drive. So yesterday, after my students left school, I stayed behind to write today’s post. It wasn’t flowing out of me. I knew what I wanted to say, it just wasn’t happening. Time flew by and I left work to go to School Board Member Marta Perez’s holiday event for the students in her district who just so happen to be my students. Continue reading “Gifts Come In Unexpected Ways”

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Occupy UTD: United Teachers of Dade Is Not Too United

 

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho bought out UTD for pennies.
United Teachers of Dade sold the teachers of Miami Dade County County Public Schools for pennies to Superintendent Alberto Carvalho

From noon today until tomorrow at 3 pm, Miami-Dade County Public School teachers will be occupying the United Teachers of Dade building. They are protesting the contract which we all will be voting on tomorrow.

1. Many teachers realized that Continue reading “Occupy UTD: United Teachers of Dade Is Not Too United”

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Superintendent Carvalho Throws Crumbs at Teachers

Miami Dade County Public School Teachers' Salary Scale
Miami Dade County Public School Teachers’ Salary Scale

This post is dedicated to my childhood friend, Bernabe Perez. He doesn’t fully understand my gripe with Miami-Dade County Public Schools treatment toward teachers and most importantly toward the students. This post might clear up some misunderstandings.

Today The Miami Herald wrote about a tentative agreement between the school board and the United Teachers of Dade. This new contract wants teachers to accept crumbs. Continue reading “Superintendent Carvalho Throws Crumbs at Teachers”