Our Policymakers, Lesigislators & Ed Reformers have no clue

Henry David Thoreau wrote: " The Mass of men, lead lives of quiet Desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city, you go into the desperate country and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats".
 
Children ask teachers the most interesting questions, pay close attention to what we say, and observe us closely. They are also extremely creative and generous. 

A while back, a second-grade girl asked if I was married. I said yes, and I have been happily married for 40 years. Then she followed up, "Why don't you wear your wedding ring?" (-: 

I explained that I have tiny fingers that swell up in the morning and become less swollen later in the day. Over the years, I have lost five gold wedding rings. After the fifth one, my wife said, "This is costing us a fortune...No more wedding rings for you, old man." 

Now, that seemed to take care of it that day. Two weeks later her teacher brought her to see me. She said A has a gift for you. She showed me one of those rings kids make with beads, it was elastic. 

I said wow, you made a nice ring for yourself. She said, it is not for me. The ring is for you, Dr. Turner. I know you love your wife, daughter, and your dog Toast, because you talk about them to us a lot. Especially, when you share silly Dad Jokes.  You say... I am going to share this one at dinner tonight. So, I thought about your problem with wedding rings. Wedding rings are important. You can't lose this one. 

You can bet your bottom last dollar that this ring will be on me in our Literacy Center for the rest of the semester. This is why I love this work. The kindness and generosity of children have no limits.  Much like the generosity of teachers. 

There is the data that counts, and then there is the data that really matters. The data that really matters, informs my thinking that 7-year-olds listen, care, and are natural problem solvers.

See the wonder, not the test score,                                                                                                                Dr. Jesse P. Turner 
CCSU Literacy Center Director 

If you like to listen to the song that inspired my morning walk this morning...its Malvina Reynolds "Little Boxes" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5IKpHTEuY0

I am a teacher, I don't have time to be depressed

I am a teacher, I don't have time to be depressed

I thought I saw Joe Hill walking over that hill with Congressman John Lewis last night. God has blessed me so many times by sending me role models of integrity.

On one of my trips to the Selma Jubilee, I was blessed with a two-minute conversation with my hero Congressman John Lewis at a Selma Gala. The Supreme Court has just ruled to weaken the Voting Rights Act. Everyone was depressed that year, but not Congressman Lewis. I ended up in line with him.

We exchanged greetings, and he said: "Why so sad young man"

I responded by saying how shocking the Supreme Court decision was. He said:
"Young man we don't have time to be depressed. He said, there is work to be done, let us do the work that needs doing.
I said, BUT...
Again, with his big, beautiful smile, he said: "Young man, you know there were 3 marches from Selma to Montgomery, 

The first two were met with brutal violence, 

On the first one, they fractured my skull, 

But I would not let bullies intimidate me, 

So I just got back up and did the work. 

I have been doing the work since 1965,

The work:

Lifts me, 

It is far from done, 

To be honest, 

I am not sure the work will ever be done, 

But doing this work,

Inspires me, 

Lifts me, and 

Sustains my soul,

Young man, 

I expect to see you march across that Edmond Pettus Bridge on Sunday with us." 

I was on the bridge with three other Uniting to Save Our Schools members when Congressman Lewis marched for the last time, just months before he would go on to glory. 

The day after the election, I think how many elections did not turn out Congressman Lewis's way. It never once let him stop doing the work. Elections don't get the work done, people gathering, organizing, and marching get the work done. I feel some marching coming. 

I shall honor God's blessing of those two minutes with Congressman Lewis, by doing the work that needs doing. The work inspires me, lifts me, and sustains me.

Call me Dr. Good Troubles,

Jesse The Walking Man Turner 

As long as I have music, I can go on, here is my walking song this morning link: One day when the Glory Comes Common John Legend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUZOKvYcx_o 

Come What May: I shall not be moved

 

COME WHAT May:
I shall not be moved.

Our daughter is joining us on November 5, 2024, to vote,
We shall cast our vote for Vice President Harris,
Win or lose, we shall stand with love together.

If we win, then,
We shall do what my grandfather did,
hold her accountable.

If we lose, then,
We shall not run away,
We shall once again join the women in DC on inauguration day,
Standing up for our civil rights.

If Trump builds his detention centers,
If Trump turns the army on the people who opposed him,
If women are blocked from Reproductive health care,
If Trump's Supreme Court of shame,
Takes back LGBTQ rights,
Then, I should use my voice, my feet, and my body to block them.

I shall not be moved,
Like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,
Like Rosa Parks,
Like the Civil Rights Leaders of old,
I shall speak up,
Stand up,
March, and
Practice my right to assemble even under threat of arrest.

If they lock me in a cell,
Then I shall come right back out, and
Do it again,
If they arrest me 1000 times, then
So be it.

I will not flee our America,
I shall stay, and
Stand up for our rights.

Come what may,
Like a tree by the water,
I shall not be moved.

Dr. Jesse P. Turner
United to Save Our Schools
Badass Teacher
Just call me unmovable

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired my walk today, its Marva Staples singing "We Shall Not Be Moved
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcDpmzQh3YU

Dr. Rev William Barber Jr at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama

Book Banners don't care about books, they fear how books humanize us

 

I remember reading "To Kill a Mocking Bird" in Middle School and watching the movie at home and in school. There was something transformative about those experiences in my youth that helped make me the teacher, son, brother, husband, and father I am today. 

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” ~ Harper Lee 

As a Literacy Educator, I am informed by a rich body of research, and experiences in the classroom. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop said diverse Books are mirrors, (places we see and reaffirm ourselves), Windows, (places we come to see and know others), and Sliding Doors, (places where we step inside the lives of others). Literature is more than print on pages, it can be a communion with transformation of hope, peace, joy, and love. I would say diverse books humanize us. It is that potential to humanize us that racists fear most. The Humanizing factor is why people seek to ban books. I have asked college over a thousand undergraduates and graduate university students what the reason teachers gave you is to make you a reader. Their answers seldom come close to any transformative answers. Most are linked to employment or access to university.  Mrs. Stanfield my Hornor's English Teacher told us Frederick Douglas said " Once you learn to read you will be forever free". She was my first Black Teacher, she always linked literacy to freedom. Father Fitzgerald told us reading gives you another doorway to God when your ears are blocked. Reading is God's gift to all, and Brail is his gift to the blind.  

If we spent more time with young learners explaining why we want them to read, we would find powerful ways to motivate and engage them. It is my opinion that we spend too much time teaching how to read, and not enough time teaching why we read.

Respectfully,

Dr. Jesse P. Turner 

CCSU Literacy Center Director 

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired my morning walk today...its the "Teach Your Children" cover by Play For Change https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5AuFDHdrrg&list=RDP5AuFDHdrrg&start_radio=1 

Imagine opening all the doors of teaching and learning with Count Basie and Jackie Robinson

Who is afraid of AI, not I said this educator.

 
Yesterday my future teachers were asking me about "AI in class".

I began with a YouTube video of elementary kids using movement, dance and song to tell the Jackie Robinson story. this is the link of the video we shared. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqzaUxJ5JXA

Their questions such as "How do we ensure students are really doing their own work?"
We had some great discussion and I reminded them how just last week we had a discussion on disciplinary literacy, and learning foundations. With disciplinary literacy, the learning receptive processes are rooted in listening, reading, and viewing. This is how we learn about our world. I reminded them that their mission as teachers is to remember the importance of using all of these receptive processes in order to engage and motivate.

AI, I continued is another learning tool, just like Google. When Google first came out , there were some teachers and educators who thought "game over"! Now students had instant answers to any question! Google (they thought) would end teaching as we know it... We all learned while Google can point students to a million possibilities, the learners themselves still have to search for the best answer. And that search is a worthy academic journey! Rote assignments rooted in the old ways of assessing students, do not inspire learners, instead they just "rank and sort" learners in ways that no longer make sense, especially in the 21st century.

Our role as teachers, is not to be rooted in methods and ways of the past. We need to think about upping the ante with those learning foundation engagements. We need to teach outside the box, and then watch students rise. Challenge them to demonstrate what they know, the best way they know how. Open doors to all the arts, add dance, singing, and visual art to your productive processes every time you can.
In this new brave world let us not restrict students to their seats, but unleash the arts, and then see them shine ~ again and again.
Dr. Jesse P. Turner
CCSU Literacy Center Director If you like to listen to the tune that inspired my morning walk, it is Count Bassie's "Did you see Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-7Ac2LVVYU

Just Saying, another Reading War is the best you have

25 Billion every year for what? 

What do you call education reforms that spend billions on scripted reading programs, but not actual services to Black, Brown, and Special Education Children in our poor communities? Same old systemic racism that profits off the misery of children and teachers in our public schools.

JUST SAYING 

We have been fighting this war for over a hundred years, the casualties of war at this stage are in the millions. The profits are in the billions, and what have we gained? A vicious cycle of one-size-fits-all literacy programs, that increases profits, confuses teachers, and reduces children to data points.

Where is the humanity in endless war?

Where is the humanity in a public school system that spends annually 23 billion dollars more on wealthy predominantly White Schools, than on our poor predominately Black and Brown Schools?
Can we use that 2 billion dollars annually spent on high-stakes testing to give teachers the necessary resources?

JUST SAYING, I imagine something different, and this is what I am fighting for.

Just in case you like to listen to the tune that inspired my first day back teaching...its Barry Lane's "We Found Defiance" https://soundcloud.com/gaetanp/we-found-defiance-barry-lane-live-umass-dartmouth

The data that matters and the data that really matter

 In medical research any new medical or intervention requires research talk and listen to patients, health professionals, and family. New medicines or treatments are only approved with collecting taking and listening to your subjects.  It is not considered soft data, it is crucial data, so vital it would shut any approval process down without it. This is good science. I question any Education Research intervention that does not listen and talk to children, teachers, and parents. This isn't soft data, this is necessary and vital data. 

There is the data that matters, and there is the data that really matters! 

In education research, no one talks or listens to children, teachers, or parents and guardians. Imagine if we asked parents:

How do you feel about class size?

how do you feel about less art, music, and play?

How do you feel about some children getting everything needed, and others are given less? 

What if we asked children about all this testing down to them?

Would they ask for more? 

Would they understand why adults want to rank them? 

Would they ask for less art, music, and play to make room for testing? 

What if we asked teachers: 

Would smaller class sizes help?

Would better school and classroom libraries help?

Would less testing give you more time for teaching?

Is it fair that predominantly white schools get 21 billion dollars more every year than poor predominately schools of color? 

Would student loan forgiveness help,

Would Better benefits and pay help?

Would professional respect for teachers help? 

There is good science and poor science, 

Good science talks and listens,

Bad Science pretends listening doesn't matter. 

 I question any education science that does not talk and listen to children, teachers, parents, and guardians. 

Respectfully,                                                                                                                                                    Dr. Jesse P. Turner
CCSU Literacy Center Director

If you want to know what inspired my blog today? It was the Play For Change Cover of Teach Your Children song https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/235655313607365412/6193250921375836163

Shaking the Tree: A True Olympian

 

This is my school lesson day one.  

Beyond Gold Medals, 

I see a champion, 

I see a podium above the rest, 

I see a hero.  

I know an Olympian.   

I know what courage looks like, 

I know what the Olympian Character looks like.

I know what women standing up for the rights of young girls looks like, 

She is an child Iranian Refugee,

She is an Afganstaini Woman. 

I know what Afghanistan's hope looks like, 

She is a three-time Olympian,  

Her name is Kimia Yousofi.  

She is worth all the Gold Medals together. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/08/02/afghanistan-sprinter-kimia-yousofi-taliban/74652683007/

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired me this morning...it is Peter Gabriel's "Shaking the Tree" 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Q79lls1f0  

Beyond costly one-size-fits-all Ed Reforms

 There is a difference between the so-called recent literacy experts and me; they chase one-size-fits-all all silver bullets…

I learned from literacy giants; insisting that literacy experts must work in classrooms, next to children, parents, and teachers. Experts who place children at the center of learning. Context and proximity to children are far more important than test scores - or scatter charts. 

Rather than write books, we painted a masterpiece of humanity, and love for books, and focused on creating physical places, and literate environments that said “Come join the Literacy Club.“ We focus on motivating readers, giving them a reason to read, write, talk, listen, and draw new worlds. 

We seek not to prove our methods, but new ways to inspire a love of books. While the rest of the experts battle theory, chasing one-size-fits-all solutions. We battle for humanity, a humanity that honors all learners. 

When they argued that “testing" will save children“ and that one-size-fits-all programs can fix children. We argued children are not broken. Teaching with humanity opens the door to motivation. During the past 27 years, I worked to give children, teachers, and parents a place worthy of them. When no one listened I walked two walks to DC, close to a thousand miles - for humanity in our classrooms. 

Ed Reform Fixers, show me the humanity in your reforms?                                                                            Your boxed expensive curriculums and high-stakes tests have always failed,                                                  Show me the awesome learning environments that you have built,
Show me your humanity.                                                                                                                                  I have put all I have into building a place that inspires reading at our Literacy Center. 

This year is going to be my last year teaching here.                                                                                         I am ready to pass it on - next June. 

After that, who knows… maybe a book about teaching, and awesome welcoming learning places. 

Dr. Jesse P. Turner 

CCSU Literacy Center Director

How many school children must be sacrifice to scam Ed Reforms?

We miss you our Power House Union Truth to Power Badass Teacher Voice Karen Lewis

 

A question what asked today on Badass Teachers Facebook page: 

“Hi everyone. Music teacher (21years) here.

If you have a moment, please chime in on these topics.  I am trying to get a wider perspective. 

• Have today students become more resistant to learning?

• Are you experiencing more behavioral difficult difficulties than in the past during class?

• What ways have students changed in recent years? 

• Has teaching become more difficult?

I sure appreciate any thoughts you are willing to share. Anything you say remains 100% anonymous. Thanks” 

I responded 

No Child Left Behind, (NCLB), shifted the focus from teachers being judged by how creatively they engaged their students to the only thing that matters are test scores in our schools.

That shift also siphoned off billions of dollars from actual services for students, to standards, expensive tech-based data systems, and testing. Equity is not everyone taking the same test. I can’t emphasize enough how harmful that loss of services has been to Black, Brown, and Special Education students. This is child abuse!

Former CTU president Karen Lewis who passed away from cancer helped teachers in Chicago understand what we do to children, we do to teachers, and frame the battle against these high-stakes and school choice education reformers as a Civil Rights battle.

What I am seeing is a loss of humanity that abuses children and teachers, I would even call it, trauma. This trauma began in 2002 and drained everyone's energy. Teaching and learning are becoming more and more exhausting. We also have very few places to safely discuss this. BATS is one of the few safe places left.

I wish Karen Lewis was still with us, no one understood it better or stood taller. 

Respectfully,

Dr. Jesse P. Turner

Uniting to Save Our Schools

Badass Teacher 

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired my morning walk it is Teach the Children cover by Play for Change > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5AuFDHdrrg <

You are a Racist, if you fear these 3 words: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

" Alabama lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday that, if signed into law, would prohibit public schools and universities from maintaining or funding diversity, equity, and inclusion programs." Link for Alabama Legislation banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/19/us/alabama-bill-bans-dei-public-universities-reaj/index.html

What does structural racism look like?

The Alabama Legislature is banning Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in their public schools and universities. Looking at the definitions of the three in the Oxford English Dictionary we find the following:

“Diversity” is “the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc.”

Inclusion is a term used to describe and promote policies, strategies, and practices which aim to enable all learners to participate fully in education.

Equity is defined as being fair and impartial. Equity in education refers therefore to the systems that support or allow for the scaffolding of learning to take place.

Perhaps next, Alabama will ban public education itself?

Let me state it plainly if you voted for this bill, you are a racist.

Just calling it as I see it, Dr. Jesse P. Turner Uniting to Save Our Schools Badass Teacher

Woke up this morning, Education is Civil Rights, and Civil Rights is Education, 

If you like to listen to the song that inspired my morning walk today, it is Freedom Singers "Woke This Morning" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsziXdKfOsE

What Scripted Literacy Programs and Chorme Books Miss

We hear much about the Science of Reading and mandated scripted programs, teacher-proof silver bullets. I was discussing how lessons are opportunities to insert some magic into our teaching. A group of teachers from a district using one of the state recommended SOR Silver Bullet Reading Programs; said we don't write lesson plans in one of my courses. I asked them how do you modify and differentiate instruction for Individual instruction for Second Language and Special Education Students? "Everyone gets the same, everyone learns at the same pace.  I asked what about those special learning moments that change everything? "We don't have them, to be honest, Dr. Turner the kids are bored and so are we. I said I don't see much science in scripted programs, and I bet even advocates of SOR might agree. 

It was Reads Across America Day, and as always, I visited a local school to read. I picked a few books to read at a local school whose teachers write lessons, teach a healthy dose of phonics, and squeeze lots of real reading. They assigned me two classes to read to. I always asked for classes with plenty of second-language learners. One of the teachers Mrs. Jefferson saw me in the office and said looking forward to having you read to my students later. She said 10 of them are new arrivals. I told her I was bringing one of my Spanish Language Teachers to help me read a bilingual book.

She said that was perfect. I love reading aloud to classes. I always wear my CCSU Colors and put on a great show.  Of all the paths I could take, and dreams I could chase, only one called my heart ❤️ 

Like all paths, teaching some days is tough, but then some are perfect. This is me on a perfect day with my LLA 440 student at Reads Across America Day. 

Mr. Martinez and I read “Super Oscar” A bilingual book about Oscar De La Hoya. The children loved hearing it in Spanish and English. Of course, we read like we were comic actors, hamming it up to highlight Spanish and English words like Música.  

We were on a roll this morning. Our plan was, to begin with, me saying to the class "Wo Wo Me", I brought the wrong book. This one is a bilingual book, in Spanish and English. 

Everyone knows Dr. Turner's is not very good. My apologies Ms. Jefferson, but I won't be able to read to your students today.  Sorry Children I can't read to you today. I would need a Superhero Spanish Teacher. Then from the back of the room came "Hola Dr. Turner, it is me Mr. Martinez a Superhero Spanish Teacher".  

We read, being sure to involve the children, and whenever a problem in the book popped in this one there were many. I close the book saying that is it children, it all goes downhill from here. I better leave now. Of course, a chorus of no you have to read more. You might even say Mr. Martinez and I scripted it, and then something very unsuspected happened. 

It was the highlight of the day. One newly arrived student to the USA got right up next to the book whenever Mr. Martinez was reading the Spanish text.  We thought maybe he wanted to see the pictures better. Mr. Martinez put the book right in front of him. Then he started reading every word in Spanish fluently and with feeling. It was as if he was part of our team. We had to have him join us. This is the stuff literacy educators live for, this is the stuff that scripted can't do. 

Teaching calls my heart still 40 years later,   
Dr. Jesse P. Turner                                                                                                                                    CCSU Literacy Center Director

Barry Lane and Jesse Enjoying a walk together 

If you like to listen to the song that inspired my walk today, it was Barry Lane's "Little Programs" https://barrylane.bandcamp.com/track/little-programs

Activism lifts our soul and body Uniting to Save Our Schools.

 

Change requires we put in the work 

In 2010, during the National Council of Teacher Conference held in Philadelphia, a panel of educators discussed the harmful effects of high-stakes testing on students and public schools. The panelists presented research indicating that such policies were killing students' motivation to learn and were consuming eight weeks of valuable learning time. 

Despite this, lawmakers and policymakers remained silent on the issue. After the session, two teachers, Nancy Creech and Ruby Clayton from Michigan, asked what could be done to address the issue since no one seemed to be listening. Dr. Jesse P. Turner, a university professor, suggested educators follow in the footsteps of Civil Rights Leaders and walk to Washington DC to bring attention to the issue. 

Thus began the story of the Walking Man. Dr. Turner embarked on a 400-mile walk from Connecticut to Washington DC to raise awareness about the harmful effects of high-stakes testing. Over fifty pounds was lost during the journey; he was welcomed in DC by Bess Altwerger Vivian M Vasquez, the Dean of the School of Education. A plan was put in motion to organize the Save Our Schools Conference, Rally, and March in 2011, which brought together Diane Ravitch, Jonathon Kozol, Karen Lewis, CTO leaders, the 

Wisconsin Teachers Union, and 12,000 others to DC. This event sparked a resistance movement that is still active today, fighting against harmful education reform policies of high-stakes testing, privatization, and choice without equity reforms. Resisters are in the face of harmful education reform policies in all 50 states these days. 

I believe that silence and apathy are unacceptable, and he continues to unite educators to save our schools. Activism lifts both the soul and the body. 

If we don't fight back, we lose, and losing is not an option for our children, teachers, and public schools, Dr. Jesse P. Turner     
Uniting to Save Our Schools                                                                                                              Badass Teacher

If you like to listen to the tune that inspired my walk this morning? It is Barry Lane's "Jesse Turner the Walkin' Man" https://barrylane.bandcamp.com/track/jesse-turner-the-walkin-man

Silence and apathy are not acceptable