‘REALities’ Archives
My Boy Arthur, Who Can’t Pass Algebra
I had this kid in my 10th grade “Strategic” class, we’ll call him Arthur. Strategic is what we call sheltered at my school, at your school it’s probably just as strategically named to try to unsuccessfully hide from the students the fact [...]
Movie Night in My Community
A counselor at my school is very deliberate about interacting in the community when he isn’t at work. For example, every December, he takes his wife and two kids to the mall in the city where we work to do their Christmas shopping. He could just [...]
Latino Boys in the Red White and Blue
Here’s a fun fact many people don’t realize: In California, if you are a Latino male anywhere from age 12 – 35, you can’t wear a shirt that is red. Actually, you can’t really wear a blue shirt either. To tell you the exact truth, wearing a [...]
A Student Pulls Out a Knife: What Do You Do?
Photography by Jeremy SchulzSomething happened to a good friend of mine during the last week of school. He is an amazing teacher working in the ghetto, and this story is sadly one that isn’t too uncommon. We’ll call my friend Mr. [...]
Accepting the Fact That Nothing Will Ever Change
On the last day of school I was talking to a colleague of mine. I was telling her how even now, at the end of the year, I’m really looking forward to next year. She was delighted. She thought we should all be looking at every year in that light. [...]
Remembering Why We Do It
Photography by Jeremy SchulzI’ve said it before. In public education, there are more sad stories than happy endings. Even so, after graduation this year I have to admit that the happy endings might outweigh all that bad stuff. Well, not [...]
Ending the Year on a Real Note
With all the pink slips going out this year, I can’t help but being reminded of a story my mentor told me about when she first began her teaching career. She received her first pink slip in the mail from our district “Postage Due.” That’s [...]