Superman that Shawty?

Ah finally! I have reached my breaking point. I have come to realize that while all those that come before me have more knowledge and experience, those that come before me simply are not me. I have been following very large footsteps, that my feet kind of slosh around in and slip side to side because of all the extra space, since the beginning of the semester. I have been teaching lessons that bore me to ensure I teach the standards and cover all the material. After a brief hiatus in the mountains of North Carolina followed by a walk with cows and chiggins in the fields of South Carolina I have come to realize that the only way I will enjoy my job is if I grab my job by the balls and do things my own way.

Welcome to a Russian Literature unit! I know next to nothing about Russian history and had to figure out a way to get around a crash course on a history that could have possibly taken the entire length of the unit. So we are doing a study of the culture through the literature! Ta Da!
Today was great too! I asked students on Friday to journal about what they identified with, what culture(s) they come from, what are specific characteristics of that (those) culture(s) and then for class today each student came equipped with a printout of song lyrics. After a lengthy and rather enlightening discussion about my student's very unique cultures we came to the song lyrics. Now, we are doing a study of culture through literature, and song lyrics are, by definition a type of poetry, right? So, how does one feel if his/her culture is being represented by people singing about "Superman(ing) that ho!" or "shaking that laffy taffy?" My students were as baffled as you may be. They found it hard to connect or feel like they were being accurately represented by this writing that degraded women and, frankly, made no sense. They did, however, find it rather hilarious to hear their wise old teacher say "Superman that ho" and "Shawty."

Tomorrow they write lyrics that are true representations of where they come from and who they are. I am excited to have them writing again. I am glad to be back!

My resume is slowly trickling into the NYC school system and I visit Boston next week. I am scoping out the land...trying to find where I fit best. I am also very interested in going back to school sooner rather than later. If any of you know of any ways that I can go to graduate school for free to obtain a Master's in African American Studies pray tell. I am not ready for that PhD. just yet.