My Thoughts are Many

It's been a week since I saw "Waiting for Superman" and I just have so much to say. I will try to compartmentalize my thoughts and narrow my focus in this entry.

First and foremost- I recommend this movie to EVERYONE.

I went into the theater with a bit of fear. I had heard some things about it already and was afraid it would just show all these extreme cases that do not represent the real issues but glorify those rare instances. It was not the case. Everything I saw, I knew with the exception of some of the national stats (we kind of hone in on California statistics). The movie did not cover everything to cover- it couldn't. What it did show is a chunk of an area of the flaws in our system. Every argument I have heard is something the movie did not include..."what about this?" and "what about that?" The fact that so many respected educators and non educators are asking these questions shows that there are many issues and that really, no one knows where to begin.

I woman in DC began by coming in and cleaning house- firing principals and closing down schools and proposing other ways to deal with tenure. She was shot down by the union and was actually just fired last week by the new mayor. She had the guts to make change and was not popular for it and didn't have the backing she needed to move forward.

Our students are not performing as they should and we need to fix that. No, the movie did not address the troubles our kids have today (family life, gang life, abuse, etc.) but we have to start somewhere. A kid may start a year behind grade level, but that teacher should be able to move that student forward in some way- and not all ways are testable by the state. We cannot control what a student's personal life entails, but we should be able to control who educates our kids. I have worked on 3 campuses now. At each place I could list a handful of teachers who simply should not be there. This is NOT ok. That is too many. People have argued that there are bad jobs being done in all professions. That is not a good argument! Those people shouldn't be there either! If we could get rid of the percentage of ineffective teachers, I believe a huge shift would happen.

Everything in the movie is true. The only itch I have is that charters are the only way to go. Only 20% of charters are more successful than public schools. We need to examine ONLY those successful schools and not just the idea of "charters" in general.

This film is designed to show us the flaws in the system. Educators are just as fed up with these issues as everyone else. It needs to change. I can say this to anyone who sees the film and has questions about public schools:

1. There are schools and districts that are successful. When I walk around my own campus I am among colleagues who share a passion and work ethic for these kids. In the film one man says, "There are so many good teachers out there. This is not who we are talking about. Walking into a room and seeing a good teacher is like seeing a pro athlete. It's magical." Most educators that I have worked with are effective in the classroom, especially my teaching partner who could teach all of us a thing or two about how to move kids forward. Those who are not, can be detrimental.

2. We all want change. Our kids deserve the best that there is.

3. So many good things are happening but these issues in the film are failing some kids. "Some kids" are too many.

4. Teachers affect lives in so many ways. Think of your favorite teacher. Was s/he your favorite because you got your highest state testing scores in his/her class? No. It was something else. We need to find other ways to evaluate student progress. State test scores are only one piece of evidence.

5. Visit the public schools you are considering for your own children. Do not just read the paper and see how they compare. Walk on the campus, meet with the pricipal, get a feel for the culture there.

I could really discuss this for hours and I already have. I love the debate and questions and thoughts. I am so glad this movie came out. People need to know what's happening so that change can be made.

Cheers to all the amazing educators out there!!!

"Packing Patch"

Yesterday we hit the "packing patch" as Ry calls it. We had a great time in the rain and mud.

The Girls

I love our nieces. I love to brag about them and share stories about them and laugh at everything they do. I love being an auntie.

Anxious For Superman

On Tuesday I am going to see a special screening of "Waiting for Superman," a movie about public education. This has created quite the buzz since featured on "Oprah." I do understand that the movie shows only the flaws with public education. I am prepared for that and it was made clear by everyone involved in the film that "there are so many GOOD teachers out there. This is not about them." I wonder what emotions and reactions I will have. I do know that I am excited at the idea that education will be the hot topic. When people are fired up, action happens.

I have always been proud of what I do. I am hoping that this starts a movement to fix the flaws in our system, especially the part about getting rid of ineffective teachers. But, with any movie of this sort, it doesn't show all that is right. The human beings who would do anything and go above and beyond their contract to have influence on children. It doesn't show the lives changed and the life lessons learned by going to school. I know that movies have huge influence and fear that viewers will place these exceptional cases under the umbrella of "all public education." Every education system has flaws (public, private, charter), big or small, and it is critical that we change them to ensure success.

I am anxious to see the film and will be writing about it after I do.

Santa Barbara, Slots, Surgery, Soccer and Snapshots (Say that 5 times fast)

It has been very eventful in the Russell household and we had quite a month!
We had a wonderful time in Santa Barbara for my mom's birthday weekend. It was so fun watching the kids play together. We walked up and down State Street, went down to the pier, rodes surrey bikes and hung out.
Amy and I went to Vegas and had a BLAST! This was just the beginning of our 6 hour pool time. We were in the water the whole day and the pool filled up with people that provided the most entertainment of the weekend. The Mr. Olympia competition was in Vegas that weekend as well so you can imagine the people watching. We thought we'd only stay at the pool for a bit and ended up making a day of it. We also saw "O" which was unreal. We had a giggle fest all weekend. Last year we decided that we are going to try and get together once a year. I already can't wait until next year!

When I got back into town I learned my dad had been in the hospital. Last Wednesday he had an angioplasty and had three stints put in the old ticker. It's been 16 years since his bypass and we are so glad he didn't have to do that again. He is resting and healing and all went well. THANK GOODNESS!
Haley has been having a fun soccer season and Josh is a great coach. It is quite the show every Saturday as these 4 and 5 year olds play up and down the field. We won our first game this weekend by scoring the first goal of the season! Haley really has no idea that there is a winning and losing team, but the parents went wild when we scored the goal and we all loved the fact that we finally won a game. Victory is sweet...even when the players don't know the difference.
My big purchase- I have been wanting this camera for a few years and finally I own it. I decided to take on some extra work this year that I wasn't originally going to do. I know that I will learn a lot and grow from this, but I really didn't want to take it on. My reward is my new Nikon D5000. I was going to wait until the extra money came in November, but it was at Costco for the first time I know and it was a few hundred dollars less than my research so I got it. I love it and can't wait to really learn all about it. This last picture is from it. Josh took it in my parents' yard.

Ok...you're caught up!

Paid It Forward

This weekend, in Santa Barbara, we bought a homeless man lunch. We wouldn't have done this if I hadn't seen the woman at Target buy that man some food. She didn't know she had some impact. I know people saw us buy that guy a burger and fries. Maybe those people will pay it forward too. Thanks random good deed lady we saw last week! You made a difference!

Far More Good

I was with the kids and we had some things to get at Target. As we approached the entrance there was a man who was disheveled going through the garbage can. He started walking away from the store when I heard a woman from across the parking lot yell, "sir? sir?" She came over to him and asked if she could take him inside and buy him something to eat from the Target snack bar area. As she walked him in she asked how he was doing and chatted about the day. I pointed them out to the kids and talked about what she was doing. They have given people money before or donated in a box outside a store, but this was different. This man was talked to and asked how he was doing and treated like any other human being.

My theory proves right over and over again. No matter what we see in the media, FAR more good is happening in small, sincere moments all of the time. People are good. I loved that my kids got to see that.