One Love

The Starfish

An old man walked the beach at dawn. He noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Finally catching up with the youth, he asked him why he was doing this. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left under the morning sun.

“But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” countered the old man. How can your efforts make any difference?”

The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said. –Anonymous

Why I walk, 

Why I protest, 

Why I fight against the wind,
Why nobody is going to turn me around,

Because I am a Star Fish Teacher

Week one in Jamaica over. My teachers and our children worked hard. Like in the USA our plastic gold medals were a hit. It is a humbling experience to be able to work with Jamaican teachers and children. We built a community of learning rooted in love and caring for each other. We pushed children forward, but always with a deep sense of empathy and love. We fought for every letter, word, sentence, every paragraph, and every story. We walked a challenging path together. Everyone counts, everyone matters, and everyone learns. Including Dr. Turner, his teachers, and our children. Sam Sharpe Teachers College is a gracious host, nice air conditioned classrooms, cold water, and nice snacks. Kevin our security/facilities person breaks down and sets up our rooms every day, and make sure we have lots of cold water. He does this with a smile and real love in his heart. Everyone respects and loves Kevin. 
The best parts of my day here is seeing our children running to us, playing checkers, (these kids are good), Dr. Turner v the Jamaican kids word challenge, and debriefing with my teachers at the end of the night. There is a ton of learning going on at all levels. 
Just in case you want to know...our "Word Challenge" pits the children against me. Teachers write words on the board from a local graded work list. Ten points for every word children get, and 20 points for any missed words for the Mighty Dr. Turner. In the end they always win, but not without me puffing my chest up, and shouting at the sky no way not today. I love watching the children work together to get the words, and them shouting give up harder words teacher. It's all good here. 
Sometimes all I need is this work, this hope, and this place where teachers and children grow and learn together. Each night on the ride home I bow my head, and say thank you Lord for this beautiful day. Tell every fake Education Reformer ain't nobody gonna turn me around. 
One Love,
Jesse

If you want to know what song I am listening to under this giant Jamaican Moon...it's Bob Marley's "One Love" > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdB-8eLEW8g <

Legislators money doesn't matter must think we are stupid

http://nepc.colorado.edu/newsletter/2016/06/does-money-matter

NEPC Policy Brief Of course money matters, especially to poor schools

Money doesn't matter to the wealthy, the powerful and the connected their children only attend schools with plenty. Legislators and policy makers who claim other wise must think we are stupid.

Resources matter,
Class size matters,
Certified teachers matters,
Teachers for life matter,
Real art teachers matter,
Real music teachers matter,
Real librarians matter,
Up to code buildings matter,
Having enough custodians matter,
Having experienced principals matter,
Having enough special educators for all children matters,
Having enough Reading Specialists for all children matters,
Having school nurses matter,
Having teacher aides matter,
Having elected boards of education matter,

What doesn't matter,
Rigor,
Grit,
PARCC,
SBAC,
Choice without equity,
Drop by teachers,
Top down driven Ed Reforms,
Legislators who think voters are too stupid to understand that only those with money think money doesn't matter in public education 

What really matters is a public that votes out legislators who think we are stupid,

What really matters is writing to the editors,

What really matters is speaking up at Board of Ed meetings,

What really matters is opting out,

What really matter is carrying a sign,

What really matters is marching,

What really matters is showing in DC for the Peoples March for Public Education and Social Justice at the Lincoln Memorial on July 8, 2016.

What matters is not what everyone else does,

What matters is what you do.

#EquityNow16

NCLB, RTTT ESSA inequity has always been part of the plan from the beginning

President Franklin Roosevelt said: "The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”

Equity is complicated. Inequity is not in my humble opinion. You either have the public will for justice for all, or you don't.
What is wrong with NCLB, RTTT and the ESSA? Of course the testing and standards will save us is all wrong, but it is more complicated than merely the over use of testing.
What is not complicated is every one of Ed Education reform acts is they have come up don't help every child. Education reformers offer false choices, lotteries, and competitions between those with more resources and those with less. Their plans are punitive, they reward some with new buildings, more flexibility, and resources, and leave others with less. Places like Chicago are no different than any other urban or rural community of color. These Education reform solutions only help some. They were planned from the start to only help some. They demand very costly data tracking systems, but offer little in the way of actual help at the classroom level for children in need.
These Ed Reform Acts are like the Titanic. They never had enough life boats for all children. Why were there not enough life boats on the Titanic? They were so sure their boat was unsinkable. After all the were the builders, business leaders, and owners. They were smarter than everyone else. They did not want to spend money on life boats for all, because anything they did would never ever sink!
What is not complicated in my view is they have no plan to end inequity in our public schools. If you have no plan to end inequity than any plan you have is unjust for some. Injustice for some is injustice for all.
My question to policy makers, politicians, and compromises is why can't we have equity for all?
Equity Now,
Jesse The Walking Man Turner

Notice to the wealthy, the powerful, and the connected your education reform plan have failed FDR's test of progress.

If you are wondering what this walking man is listening to on this day...it's Barry Lane's "Afraid of love" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqVLkPaDEDI Come July 8, 2016 the coalition of the just shall gather together against the harm done to our children in the name of education reform. We will gather at the Lincoln Memorial to rally, and we will march to the White House. We will not endorse any politicians, we will not cheer Grit and Rigor, we will march for play, art, music, real reading, real writing, physical education, real history, applied science, applied math, student learning choices, and respect for teachers and parents. We need every who can to come join us.