I went to Public-Schools

I went to public schools, public universities, and have taught my whole career in those places. I owe a million thank you(s) to those teachers who taught me.
I am sure both Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Betsy DeVos would call the public schools I attended failing schools. Both could not understand why someone like me would feel blessed to have attended those public schools. 
But, blessed I am to have been taught by teachers who believed we could be more, 
Teachers who taught their entire careers in inequitable settings, 
Teachers who had to make do without the necessary resources, 
Teachers who had to teach, us the hungry, the poor, and the abandoned. 
Teachers who taught every day without complaint,
And when I looked up, and said I want to go to college? 
Their smiles made me believe I could. 
When I was cold? 
My teachers found a coat, gloves and a hat for me,
When I went to Public Universities,
I found teachers who placed wings upon my dreams.

In those public schools and public universities, 
I found friends for life. 
In those public schools and public universities, 
I found my voice, my hopes, and faith in myself,
If it were not for my public-school teachers?
I would have fallen long ago.

Here's to every public-school teacher,
Here's to every public university professor,
Here's to those teachers who never had the resources,
Here's to those teachers who never had the professional supports needed,
Here's to my common bond, I share with 90% of my fellow Americans,
Here's to my heroes,
American public-school teachers.

Love from the little boy without a coat, 
The one you brought a coat for.
Love from the little boy who had no lunch, 
The one you brought an extra sandwich for. 
Love from the little boy who had a dream,
The one you gave wings to his dream.
Love, love, love, and a hundred thousand thank you(s).
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

If you like to know which song inspired my morning walk in the rain....its Sam Cooks Wonderful world ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4GLAKEjU4w

Before Gentifaction Killed Us!

Long before the beautiful Judy Collins recorded Amazing Grace at Saint Paul Chapel at Columbia University and made it an instant international hit.  Judy Collins link > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdAEOrqZ1Jk <
Before she turned that little recorded song into one of the most recorded songs ever.
Irish and Scottish Bag Pipers had played it for two hundred years.

Jersey City firefighters and members of the Port Authority Police Department Bag Pipe playing at 9/11 memorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVc_0i_ufTo 

What I missed about when I was young and Irish?
Is Paddy playing Amazing Grace on the Bag Pipes.
Before the gentrification killed us,
Before our politicians gave tax credits to billionaires to move our jobs overseas,
Before they busted our unions,
Before they stole our pensions,
Before they decided a living wage would hurt Wall Street profits,
Before the Yuppies came,
Before 9/11.

When being Blue Collar meant something beautiful,
When being Blue Collar meant being proud,
When being Irish meant something more than green beer on Saint Patrick Day.

When I was young living by the river near the old pier on summer nights on Saturdays.
The men would come to the river, smoke and drink a bit before they would go home.
My mother would say go get your father and your uncles.
I would find them sitting with their shirts off, talking, laughing, moaning, bragging, and groaning. The Whisky was pouring, and then Paddy would jumped out on those old single pier piles with his bagpipes. He play " a Wearing of the Green. We cheer Good Man Paddy!
Eventually as the sun began setting Paddy played "Amazing Grace", and it signaled time to go home boys.

I remember being proud of all of them.
I remember all I ever wanted was to be them.
I was blessed by living in a time when Blue Collar life mattered.
Those men taught me what my school books couldn't.
Those men educated me in the ways my numerous university degrees could never do.

They taught me:
It does not matter Little Jess what kind of work you do.
What matters is pride in an honest day's work.
Work is dignity, and dignity is pride in a good day's work.
They gave me a place to hold on to,
Gave me a soul to call my own,
They gave me an identity of my own.
They made me Irish Proud,
They made me American Proud,
They made me human.
Here's to all those fathers, uncles, and cousins who educated me.
Here's to all you working class heroes,
Here's to the heroes I love.
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

On my walk over the mountain this morning...I listened to Sinead O'Cornor signing the song all the men sang as they walked home from those abandoned piers.. "Oro Se do Bheatha Bhaile"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sje2VYw99A

Standardized testing has always been about Half Glass Learners

Every time I meet new students I place a glass in the middle of a large bowl. I then fill it half way. I look out, and ask tell me about this glass?

Everyone immediately states the glass is half full.
I say what about the other half of the glass?

They look at me somewhat puzzled.
Tell me teachers, is there water in that half?
They say no.

I say then the glass is half empty then?
Yes...BUT..
But what?
Well it's better to see it as half full?

Who told you that?
Everyone Professor.
Would you say there are half glass people and half full people?
Yes, we would.

Today let me tell you about the other people, the ones I hope you become.
Then I start pouring water into the glass until it overflows.
What do you see now?
A glass filled and over flowing.
Well, my hope is you leave that half full group, and join us people who fill our own glasses.

I hope you open your minds, read until you drop, think until it hurts, and join this group of people who reject the notions of half empty and half full.
Standardized testing has always been about measuring the half glass learners, it lacks the vision to measure those capable of filling their own glasses.
Children are more than test scores,
Jesse The Walking Turner

What happens when students boycott a standardized test?

They become learners who fill their own minds! If you like to listen to the tune that inspired this Walking Man on his walk this morning its...Play For Change cover of "Teach Your Children" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5AuFDHdrrg