Prekhodit V Gosti (Coming as a Guest)

In my two visits to Russia, the concept of "coming as a guest" is the essence of building relationships. There's no pretensions or preparations necessary for the event. The humble kitchen with its stools and tiny table, bare floors and walls allows a glimpse into the unvarnished, undaunted Russian Soul.

To enjoy coming as a guest, just be yourself, maybe bring some sweets or a drink to share. The tea is poured from a kettle, brewed strong, then diluted with hot water. Add honey, milk, and some sweet cookies.

The conversation comes naturally when hearts are warmed by the tea on a late Winter's night. Most Russians that I've known haven't had the money to go out to the movies or a restaurant. Why let a dark room or mouths filled with food get in the way of conversation and just BEING with each other? Coming as a guest means coming as you are.

Friendships are forged when one comes as a guest. Like Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, after the third cup, you're family. When I went to the house of Elena, I could tell that she was a kindred spirit. She is the best friend of my host teacher, Tatiana. I warmed up to her quickly, too. We all would get together two more times in my remaining time in Korablino.

There is something about coming as a guest in Russia that builds relationships based on sharing nothing more than who you are as a person. With nothing to conceal in a bare kitchen, there's nothing to unravel a friendship's future with false pretenses.

Confetti Taste Testing

 

Well, there's not enough hours in the day to experience everything from the Russian countryside AND blog about it, so you'll have to forgive me for not writing more frequently. I'll have to catch up on all the stories I've experienced here when I get back.

Yesterday, Tatiana and I went to the market to buy some things for dinner parties we'll be having in the next few days. Inside of the buildings of the market were the candy (confetti in Russian) vendors. My previous trip to Belarus in 1997, I wanted to taste test every type of candy in a store. The poor attendant had to weigh each piece of candy, print a price sticker, and then total it all up for me to the whopping price of $1.

Things were just the same 12 years later! Spakoini nochi! Good night!

Knee Deep in the Bank of the Oka

 

My host teacher, Tatiana, is a very adventurous woman. Visiting the backyard of Sergei Esenin's home, there are 100 steps to the bank of the Oka River. A scenic patio and beach invite summer visitors to barbeque and sunbathe. Somehow the same invitation does not extend to its winter visitors. 6 inches of ice and snow have piled up on each step, creating a treacherous clavalcade for anyone who dares to descend. Undaunted by the impasse, Tatiana says, "let's go and see that ice fisherman!" 300 meters in the distance. Ugh. I plod step by step, trying to freeze (no, wrong verb) blank yesterday's memory of falling from my mind. I have a death grip on the bannister as I go. A few times I fall down but thanks to my hold, it is only an exciting slip. Wha-hoo!

Finally I'm on solid ground, knee deep in snow. Tatiana sees a photo opportunity and takes the above picture. Yes, the beauty of the Oka River was worth the attempt.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

 

Greetings from Russia! Today we visited the village of Konstantinovo, which features a beautiful monastery and the home of Sergei Esenin, a young writer of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Here was a nice photo opportunity to visit with a beautiful horse, Masha, and his furry hatted owner.

Russia is cold and windy, but the people are warm and kind!

lost/found

lost/found

I left my 3-y-o journal on my flight to DC. Thanks 2 God & United airlines for getting it back 2 me b4 I leave!

<b>Leaving on (another) jet plane</b>
Its sunny in Denver, and I've forgotten how dry & thin the mile high air is. Gasp!

<b>The journey begins</b>
I'm en route to Washington DC for my pre-departure meetings. I slept about 3 hours after repacking zzzz!

Russia here I come

"It has been a month of buckling down and focused preparation." That's what I wish I could have written now that I am four days away from my next major international trip: a 2.5 week teacher exchange to Russia. I've re-designed my blog in honor of the Russian flag, which I'll be living under from March 6-21. But the onerous task of preparing for a goodwill trip in the middle of a school year, involving the collection of artefacts and lessons to take with me and the preparation of 2.5 weeks of lessons to leave behind, has been like juggling cushy teddy bears with revving chainsaws.

I now realize why it is so rare to find research and hear of mid-year projects from public school teachers - it is very hard to do. Still, I aim to do the best I can and to make the most of the opportunity. I'll be traveling to Korablino, outside of Ryazan, located 3 hours Southeast of Moscow. No, the weather will not be a respite from the temperate climate of Central California. But the warmth of my host teacher and school will. I'll be serving as native speaker celebrity in a handful of English classrooms in the area, visiting local officials, and enjoying cultural performances and International Womens' Day during my time there. I expect to come back with closer ties to Russian teachers and students, a renewed appreciation for Russian culture, and plenty of stories and pictures to share with my students and friends back home.

I hope to be documenting my trip on a regular basis with this blog, as well as my professional observations on my teaching blog. Thanks for reading!

Throw Away Your Trash - Jamaican Style!

My closest Peace Corps neighbor, Richard, sent me this link to a music video featuring Mr. Vegas and the students of Point Hill Primary and Junior High School. That's one of the schools where I taught environmental education. I certainly can't take credit for their know-how, but perhaps a seed was planted that others came along and nurtured.

Come to think of it, I actually may have known about this video before it was produced. When I visited Point Hill in June of '08, the current Peace Corps volunteer assigned to the school was only able to visit with me for a few minutes because he was busy going into Kingston for the recording of some song. I guess this was it!

Enjoy the song and remember, where ever you are, "Dash whey yu trash!"

Visiting Rafe Esquith, Part IV: The Hobart Shakespeareans

**If you haven't read the first three installments of this series, scroll down and read those first.

After lunch, things were rather open ended. The class received a package from a group of students and professor from Delta State University, somewhere in Mississippi. Once again, the class chorused with an "oohh!" of appreciation as Rafe extracted a bag of candy, an ornament, pennant, and okra mascot. "Well, we can't put up the banner because none of my students have gone to Delta State," Rafe quips as I study the placards under them. I've finally figured out that the dates under students' names mark when they were in Rafe's class, not when they graduated from university.

Rafe apologizes to his students from keeping them from lunch, he gets a little carried away with history, he says. Then he tells two more anecdotes about Grant and Sherman, Sherman and Johnstone, and Nathan Bedford Forrest. He goes on the say that elementary school is like a big restaurant, "you get to try a little bit of everything and then choose something you want to do for your whole life."

The students worked on their art projects for the rest of the day, a full hour, while I talked with Rafe about teaching philosophies and just plain observed.

At 2:10, Rafe gets up in front of the class again. At one student's request, Rafe tells a series of jokes. Then asks, "who has a compliment?" Two students chime in, complimenting one person for helping them, and another sweet students says, "I'd like to compliment our visitor for traveling so far to see us." [Isn't that nice?] There's no bell to dismiss the students so all just pack up and go, not like the students would have a Pavlovian response to it anyway. At several times during the day, Rafe would just teach right through the bell and students would answer through the bell. Room 56 obviously marches to a different drummer.

Students from other classes and grades start to file in, taking out their copy of "The Merchant of Venice" to browse or read. At 2:23, Rafe begins by announcing that Friday will be Casino Night, "A fun way to teach students not to gamble," he says asidedly to me. Rafe sets the ground rules for attending as far as parent pick ups and communication go.

Key Points for Holding a Shakespearean Practice

• All students participate all the time. For two sick players, the entire cast and crew chorus their lines in their absence. While only a few players will perform with guitar, voice, piano, or drums, there are at least 10 students practicing to be ready if called up to replace a student. I asked one student what her part was and she said, "I used to be Jessica," and no more than that, implying that she had lost the role for some reason that didn't cut the mustard.
• Its a rock opera. The students will perform 18 songs for the Merchant of Venice. 18 memorized lyrics, beats, and chords. Today I heard, "The Obvious Child," "Comfortably Numb," and "Heart of Gold." Songs are chosen for their lyrics to describe the plot or character in the play. It brings the Middle English down to a pleasant level and enhances the skills of the students to learn music.
• Choreography is key. As I watch a "beach blanket bingo" looking scene of suitor boys and selector women, Rafe explains that he's added dance and moves in the last 5 years. The first choreographer was a diva and wanted the 10-year-olds to treat her as such. She didn't last long. The most recent one was a CSI actress who comes in her spare time and gets the fact that she must be low key, inclusive, and patient. Hardly a student was sitting down when it was time for this dance scene.

By 3:30, our rehearsal of the Shylock's defense scene was over and Rafe got out his roulette board, spinner, and chips to demonstrate a game for Casino Night. His message: like alcoholism, gambling too is a sickness. The House always wins. Giving the first turn at gaming to the 4th graders, Rafe explains each type of bet, give a chip to each student, and rolls the wheel. Then he collects the losers, gives out winnings, and then shows how much the house won. Another chorus of "ooohh!" Then to the 5th graders not in his own class, the same illustration. Then his own 5th graders. The students grasp the real life example: gambling with chips is fun, but with money is always a losing venture.

At 4pm, everyone is dismissed. Everyone says, "good-bye Rafe" as they leave. Rafe replies with a, "goodbye beautiful" or "goodbye ______". A core group of seeming main characters lingers and a visiting 6th grader interacts with them. Rafe leaves the room for a few minutes, and the kids start throwing a softball in his absence. They reveal that they're not robotic superkids: like most kids would act "when the cat's away, the mice will play." I ask if they're concerned that something could break if they continue playing and they stop, echoing that, "something could break." Wow, I'm still amazed.

Rafe knows that I took the bus to get here in the rain and he doesn't want me taking the bus now as the sun sets. So he drives me home in the Oprah van, given to his foundation from the Oprah grant. I ask him some more questions about how to prepare urban ESL students for a global marketplace with suburban and foreign students accelerating so much faster without making them feel like they're behind. We both agreed that the students need the cultural literacy and background knowledge to make connections and thus learn more. Building that literacy for our students means giving them the experiences that level the playing field: trips to site of significance in the USA, music and rigorous performance that builds individual voices, and the why-factor that motivates students to realize that what they're learning has real-life implications.

He drops me off and wishes me well. I walk to my brother's apartment with a smile of appreciation. Until I realize that I've forgotten my umbrella in Rafe's car. I call the cell phone number he gave me. He circles back to give it to me. "I knew we'd see each other again, but this is getting ridiculous!" That's the kind of person that one of America's most amazing teachers is. I've been privileged to spend the day with room 56 at Hobart Elementary.

Realizations and Resolutions

I can't believe it! I've been blogging since 2004? Granted, some of those times have been on life support and others on adrenaline as far as posting frequency goes. But the blog still evolves and serves as a record of my travels, thoughts, fears, and dreams.

For the record, this is what I resolve to do in 2009:

-Learn to play the guitar well enough to lead songs and teach others
-Maintain appointments that I make
-Collect, then read, all Newbery Award books from 1922-2009

Those seem like smart enough goals to me. Let's see by December how I've done with them!

Winter Doldrums

I'm back in Chicago now. Luckily I got into town before 12 inches of snow have fallen in 4 days. Temperatures have been as low as 0, with wind chills bottoming out at -35. Coming from temperate California, this is quite a shift in atmosphere. Air inside is dry, outside is only braved for very good reasons. I braved the slushy roads today to get the last of my gifts for family. Its hectic, but for some reason I can't plan ahead to avoid the rush on stores. Pictured here is the snow I had to sweep off my rental car to get out and about. Ah, now I remember why I've stayed on the Pacific coast for 5 years!

Visiting Rafe Esquith, Part III: Math & Science

**If you haven't read the first two installments of this series, scroll down and read those first.

10:24 Chemistry

Keeping in mind that some 5th grade classes may spend the whole day on English and Math, its remarkable that Rafe Esquith's class has already completed their lessons on both of them before the first recess! Here are some highlights from the lesson:

-As a continuation from the previous day, Rafe brings out pie tins which contain salt crystals leftover from a solution that has evaporated.

-Rafe points out to me that he doesn't use a textbook for science, everything is hands on. Students observe for themselves what is a homogeneous mixture and a heterogeneous mixture.

-Students are introduced to the Periodic Table of Elements with a story about Rafe's daughter, who has a double PhD and does cancer research using the Table. Another real-life application to the learning.

10:45 Recess

In most classes at the sound of the recess bell, students have a Pavlovian response to ignore the teacher and race out the door. In room 56, Rafe speaks through the bell and the lesson goes on. The clock in the room is broken at 12 midnight and the ceiling is leaking in 4 places. Rafe mentions that the roofs have been leaking for 25 years with nothing done about them. This year they did provide buckets!

Of course the students in room 56 still get recess, but they choose to stay inside and work on one of two projects: guitar lessons or their rug art project. (see similar rugs here).

Of the students doing guitar, 3/4 of them are strumming acoustic to one of the pop tunes for this year's Shakespeare play, The Merchant of Venice. The other 1/4 are playing keyboard, electric bass or guitar. They'll be performing, I assume, come June. That is, if they can keep up with the standard for performance. On more than one occasion, Esquith unequivocally tells a student, "_____, this is why I may have to replace you, because you're not focusing on your part." Esquith is strict. He has high demands on his students, but he still includes them in the family if they're not able to perform at the moment.

Meanwhile, in the other room, a group of boys and girls are working on their hook rug projects. Rafe mentions to me that this teaches them delayed gratification. At first the project was difficult for those students who were used to getting things right away. They complained to Rafe, "Its hard!" He replied, "I know. Keep at it, one hook at a time." Now 4 months into the school year, the students have completed maybe 10% of their rugs depicting various scenes and animals. Not directly in front of Rafe, the students show that they're still 10 years old instead of super children. They're chit-chatting, speaking in vernacular, but for the most part having something to do with their project. Still, Rafe comes in check in on the students and asks one of them what level are you on?

11:10 Back to Chemistry

Rafe introduces the project for the day after teaching students the basis of the atomic model of protons, neutrons, and electrons and electron configuration in order to make a model of Boron. Students select their own groups of 5, get a set of materials, and get to work using fishing line, translucent beads, and pipe cleaners to make the nucleus and orbits of electrons.

As we observe the students in various rates of progress, Rafe mentions to me that he allow his students to fail so that they can learn from their mistakes. In life, isn't that how we learn too? The School of Hard Knocks is based on that model. Students come up to Rafe to show him their work; each design is slightly different. Rafe compliments groups and individuals profusely though genuinely throughout the day to encourage good behavior and work habits.

11:50 History

Rafe transitions to this lesson with a recap of how the war started as students look at a year by year timeline. Today we watch two segments from Ken Burns' Civil War documentary. The first was an eloquent love letter written just before the battle of Shiloh. The second was a narrative of the battle itself, where more men lost there lives than in all previous wars in America combined.

Much of the teaching here is in narrative story. Still, students can recall specific vocabulary from previous lessons and fill in gaps of chronology as Rafe tells anecdotes of Ulysses S. Grant and Nathan Bedford Forrest.

12:20 Lunch

Suddenly we dismiss to lunch with children taking their lunch tickets in hand. I follow from a distance, just observing Rafe's students compared with others. In many ways, they're the same. Yet when waiting for their turn to get milk, Rafe's students manage to keep their hands to themselves while other shoulders of other kids are ebbing and flowing back in forth in play as they wait.

Not able to fit in the cafeteria with the students, I have my own lunch in the staff lounge. I over hear teachers banter about a girl caught stealing with the excuse that she's poor and how their own adolescent children won't listen to them even though they repeat the same expectations over and over again. This brief encounter gave me an opportunity to see how unique Rafe and his students are at the school. Rafe assures me that many strong teachers are at Hobart, but some leave with disillusionment from administration and the edutocracy governing/mandating equality of experience when some children's current behavior doesn't merit the privilege of an experience (for example requiring a child who cusses out a teacher to participate in a 5th grade promotion ceremony).

By the time I get back to the classroom, Rafe and the students have resumed their guitar and art projects. Rafe is finishing off his salad. "Is there a single down minute in his day?" I ask myself.

Reflection

Science and History may be the gravy of lessons that some classes can't get to. With resources from his non-profit organization, The Hobart Shakespeareans, Rafe is able to organize trips and get supplies for these enriching projects.

With extra effort during vacation breaks, teachers can also apply for grants to get similar projects and resources for their classrooms. Many teachers just buy things out of their own pockets, which is totally fine. But with educational foundations ready to support teachers, schools, and districts that organize proposals, I learned that I could get better at either writing grants or finding someone to write them for me.

Questions

What steps have you taken to enhance your classroom with enrichment or after-hours community building activities?

With so much emphasis on "active engagement" and tasks, under what classroom conditions are lectures and narratives appropriate for learning to take place with them?

Have you ever used failure as the starting point for a lesson in your class? How did it go?

Next, Part IV: The Hobart Shakespeareans

Visiting Rafe Esquith, Part II

**Note: if you missed reading the first part of this series, scroll down and read it first for the context, then come back to read this entry.

7:59 - 9:35 Mathematics

Rafe begins class on this Monday gradually, with students getting their materials and desk areas ready for the day. He greets the remaining students as they come in the door, asking about the health and weekend social life of his 10 year olds. Rafe has a voluminous DVD library that students check out titles from on the weekends. I see one student take out "West Side Story," a laminated page of comprehension and reflection questions about the film and a one page response to them, which she gives to a class clerk to collect.

Rafe is reviewing fractions with the students. Many teachers see a dichotomy between their responsibilities to prepare students for real life and to prepare them for the standardized test. Rafe addresses both with the seeming ease of his 27 years of experience. Writing 3/4 along with .75 he asks, "When would we use this in real life?" Students respond that they'd use .75 with money, and Rafe volunteers that he'd ask in baseball, "3/4 of you go in the infield, the rest go to the outfield." Rafe emphasizes to me that the children need to grasp the why of what they're learning if they're going to buy into what you're telling them.

Test-taking Strategy

A few minutes later, Rafe is making a test item on the board to express ".040" as a fraction. He's got
"A
B
C
D"
lined up, and then asks a student to give him the correct answer AND WHY.
A
B
C 40/1000 (because it is in the thousands place)
D
Next he asks students to suggest alternative answers that could be on the test and why someone might incorrectly think its the right answer. One students offers "4/10, because someone might think that the 4 is in the tenths place" Another gives, "80/2000, because it isn't simplified yet". When you get test takers to think like test makers, then you're teaching decision making skills that will help students to master something that few teachers like, but all must admit is a reality we need to prepare them for.

Motivation

As students do independent work, Rafe comes back to the corner to talk with me. He would do this several times during the day. [As my own mentor teacher Natalie Bernasconi tells me, the most valuable thing you can give someone is your undivided attention. I'm honored that Rafe gave me such a valuable gift.] We talk about the motivation factor, my focus for inquiry and reflection for the year. After 25 years at Hobart, Rafe has established a reputation that precedes him. I spoke with a students who'd entered Hobart as a first grader with the hope that she'd be in Rafe's class in 4 years. But there are other students who haven't "bought into the whole school thing" and become motivated by the constant stream of returning students who visit room 56. Finding themselves unchallenged in middle school when they leave Rafe's class, some of Rafe's past students come for Saturday sessions of enrichment. Before such a reputation and returning stream is established, teachers need to help their students grasp the thought that, "If I do/learn this, my life will get better."

Language Learning

As this is a language teaching blog, I'll mention some of the ways that Esquith works with some of his ELL students to comprehend material. He mentioned to me in our back-of-the-class conference that 6 of his students came to him with reputations as "unteachable" by their previous teachers. "I think I've turned three around, two not yet, and 1 I don't know about." Esquith emphasizes that the class culture he establishes is fundamental for why his group of 34 students can accomplish so much in a year.

-Error correction is an issue in second language teaching. I notice on several occasions that Rafe will give a direct "no" to a student's answer, but there's never any impatience in his voice.

-Rafe calls on one student to answer an item on the least common multiple (LCM) of two fractions from the text. The student remains silent. Rafe rephrases the question. No response. Rafe then uses a synonymous phrase and asks yes/no questions to find the LCM. Eventually the students speaks up to verify the correct answer.

-At times during independent work, Esquith will engage in side conversations not directly related to the work at hand, but having to do with something else learned previously (a DVD watched over the weekend) or coming up ("You guys are going to like Chemistry today").

-Just before the lesson concludes, Esquith delegates some students to tutor others who haven't grasped all the concepts of fractions yet. I notice that these tutors lean towards the tutee, ready to help.

Reflection

All of these moments were possible because the anxiety level in the classroom was practically in the basement. Rafe emphasizes that teaching is about building relationships. You build background knowledge in your relationships by having on-going conversations about current events in/out-side of the classroom. Learners need to know right and wrong ways to do, say, and write what they will be assessed on in the future. In a low pressure, high support environment, receiving a direct "no" doesn't seem to discourage participation.

9:35 - 10:25 Literature

The students are 4 chapters away from finishing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It will be the fourth novel they have read so far this year, after: Of Mice and Men, The Westing Game, and Lord of the Flies (I think). Can I remind you these students are in 5th grade? My 7th graders read two novels in the back half of the school year, The Red Pony and The Pearl, which are at least half as short as one of these novels. Needless to say, I was very interested in how Esquith led the guided reading. Here's what I noticed:

-Rafe strategically selects students to read passages that are appropriate for their level. He took over the reading on a few passages that contained colloquial phrases and vernacular that were difficult.

-Reading flows between the teacher summarizing what was read, comprehension check questions, students reading, and the teacher interjecting background knowledge and explanations.

-Students are used to being held accountable for following along in the text. When a student re-read a part already covered, Rafe said, "we've already read this, who wants to read?" and another student continued reading. BUT, then Esquith comes back to the same student for another opportunity to read at the right spot!

-Students read with prosody and fluency. Commas and sentences require pauses of different lengths that Esquith ensures students use when reading.

-He ends the 10-page reading segment with a speculating (Costa's Level III) question, "what do you think the family reaction is going to be?"

-Room 56 students still must pay the piper of standardized tests. He prefaced the multiple-choice benchmark test the students were to take by saying, "guys, this has zero effect on your future, but give me your best effort. If anyone gets 10 out of 10, I'll give them a 100 dollar bonus [in class money system]."

Reflection

Again, the class culture allows many of the language learning features to take place. Direct, polite error correction; consistency in expecting students to follow along in the reading to be ready when called on randomly or by volunteering; and the ability to take and give up the floor for guided reading can happen when the teacher has established an environment of respect and free of fear.

Questions

At times, language classrooms need to have structure and predictability. How aware are you of your consistency as a teacher to maintain expectations that result in a rigorous curriculum?

When teaching other content through English, what scaffolds to you use to help your students in comprehension?

What would a system of introducing tutors and past students to your class do motivate your current students to achieve more?

Visiting Rafe Esquith, Part I

On Monday, I had the privilege of visiting the classroom of Rafe Esquith, a 5th grade teacher at Hobart Boulevard Elementary School in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles. If you haven't heard of this teacher, its about time that you have. I first learned about him from a 2006 LA Times article announcing his second book, "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire: Lessons from Room 56." When I finally read the book a year later, I was immediately impressed with his compassion, work ethic, and 100% devotion to his students' learning.

As a teacher on the so-called "front lines" of public school education, I have sought out many books for inspiration, instruction, solace, and skills for working effectively in this intense environment. From theorists, Friere, Piaget , to the activist Kozol to practitioners like Montessori, Kohl, Wong, LB, and Clark, I've read them all. But all of them have ceased to (or never even) teach in a classroom. With the theorist/researcher-practitioner dichotomy aside, there's something to be said for staying in the classroom to adapt to current conditions. While some teachers with an effective method could reach more by rising to administration or higher education to train teachers. But the transfer of skill from professor to textbook to student teacher to classroom to student thins out at every level, what you intend to teach students may not be actually what they receive. The only way to ensure that what one wants to teach them will be taught is to stay in that classroom. And that is exactly what Rafe Esquith has done for the past 27 years.

Along the way, Rafe has earned numerous accolades and awards: The Disney "Teacher of the Year" award (in a tux and his white tennis shoes), National Medal of Arts, Member of the British Empire (for his Shakespeare performances), a mini-van and "Use Your Life" from Oprah Winfrey (he drove me back to my brother's house in the mini-van!), and Compassion in Action award from the Dalai Lama. Every year he takes his students on trips to Washington, DC, East Coast and Midwest college trips (for his past students who are on college-bound tracks), and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Needless to say, this man works tirelessly on weekends and vacation periods to make things happen for his students. As you may suspect, these amazing extra-curricular activities don't happen with out extra infusions of cash. A former student of Rafe's set up a 501c3 Non-Profit status for his classroom to receive tax-deductible donations from interested donors. Few public school teachers can say they have a 6-figure budget for the work they do, but Rafe has worked to establish the foundation to support every amazing thing the students do in and outside of the classroom. It is with this premise that I am drawn to see for myself how Rafe's class operates.

This observation opportunity happened after I hopefully sent my copy of "Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire" to him in May to sign. I received it a week later with the inside page signed by all the members of room 56 as well as a card saying, "Jeff, let's get you down here for a visit. Call me xxx-xxxx, Rafe". I was incredulous. Here is this mega-busy, mega-famous teacher giving me his personal cell phone number and inviting me in on the action? I called him up in early June, and after a brief discussion of both our teaching situations, we agree to correspond via email to setup a date to visit. We settled on December 15 because I would be on winter vacation and he would not. So for 6 months I prepared and waited for this rare opportunity.

December 15 turned out to be rare alright: it was raining in LA. I arrived with drenched pant legs and shoulders from my bus commute around 7:45. Rafe certainly does get a lot of visitors, 4/5 of the first page on the office sign-in sheet were for "Esquith/Room 56". He extends the opportunity for student teachers, professors, and others to visit his classroom. Wow.

Two of his students came down to the office with umbrellas to greet and escort me to room 56. Upon entering the classroom, I noticed that most of the desks were already filled even though school starts at 8. Students can arrive as early as 6:30 to get extra help on their math. Rafe gives me a warm handshake and invites me to sit anywhere to observe the class for the day. I look at a seat in the corner, next to the soundboard where cords for microphones, electric guitars and basses are plugged in for this afternoon's rehearsal of the Hobart Shakespeareans. Before I can sit down, a student asks me if I'd like a cup of water. Already, I notice that these students are considerate of others.

I won't dare to compile eight hours of observation into this one blog. Instead, I think I'll divide them up into a series: Math, Literature, Science, History, Art, Shakespeare, and a final summary. There's just too many fine points to note that a summary of the whole day won't do it justice.

Questions

How do you as a teacher benefit by observing a mentor or peer? Is there a difference in the benefits between mentor and peer?

How do relatively young teachers (<5 yrs) incorporate features from expert, experienced teachers (10 years <) who've reached a level of mastery and efficiency mostly due to refinement over time?

A farm in LA?

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Yum yum Thanksgiving with brother, sister-in-law, and friend Charley. Had pork instead of turkey, sweet potato fries, and pie!

Well, the experiment is working. 3 posts in a day and I'm finally in LA. We've shopped for turkey day. What is UR fave food?

Padaro

You have a Picture Mail from jeffreymattison@pm.sprint.com

Message: Another rest stop along US 101. i had octopus tacos. delish! U know in Jaan the word for octopus is ''taco'' so u could say i had taco tacos! On to LA with a claering in the clouds! Options View Picture Print at Retail Reply to Sender Reply to All Forward Send and receive Pictures and Videos through Picture MailSM. For more information go to www.sprint.com/picturemail.

Please be aware your friends can forward your picture, video, and album share invitations to others or post the unique Web link to your share invitation on any number of sources (e.g. blogs), through which others could also gain access to your online photos. If you have private or sensitive photos you are sharing, please share them only with those you trust.

© 2008 Sprint. All rights reserved.

Road trip

You have a Picture Mail from jeffreymattison@pm.sprint.com

Message: I'm trying something new... Updating my blog via my cellphone. I figure its always with me and if Japanese can write entire novels on theirs, I can jot out a few sentences at a time on mine. Gilda and I are on the road to LA for Thanksgiving to be with our families. We stopped at the Atascadero A&W and used some coupons to get that frothy mug taste for less. No school for 5 days will give me some time to clear my head. Im already starting to visualize some curricula that has been disjointed for some time now. But u don,t want to hear about all that teacher jumbo. Hopefully more updates from the road later on! Options View Picture Print at Retail Reply to Sender Reply to All Forward Send and receive Pictures and Videos through Picture MailSM. For more information go to www.sprint.com/picturemail.

Please be aware your friends can forward your picture, video, and album share invitations to others or post the unique Web link to your share invitation on any number of sources (e.g. blogs), through which others could also gain access to your online photos. If you have private or sensitive photos you are sharing, please share them only with those you trust.

© 2008 Sprint. All rights reserved.