Day 68: The Praxis of Pedagogy

So I started off the day with all my classes doing typing tutor and SSR, meanwhile I checked their sources and checklists that they had due today. A lot of students didn't have shit so I gave them zeros on their contracts. Some kids didn't even have internet sources. Not even getting internet resources...disturbing. But even more disturbing was that only 8 or 9 student gave me corrected tests back. Most of the students flunked the first test and so I told them they could go back, correct the test and get half of the remaining credit on the test. I told them that on Friday and said the revised tests were due on Monday. Only 8 or 9... depressing.

I also gave all my classes vocabulary words today. The vocab words were Establishment, Zeitgeist, sophisticated, provincial, and ethnocentric. I think these are good words to talk about history and politics. I'll have to drill students on this again tomorrow though or maybe have them make flashcards.

With the remaining time in 1st period I finished up the 5 pillars of Islam. They are zakaat and hajj. I emphasized the desire in Islam to take care of the less fortunate and thus the zakaat. With the hajj, I emphasized the view of a brotherhood of equals where paupers stood next to princes before the kaaba. I talked about Malcolm X and his hajj and how it changed his views and he broke from the Nation of Islam. Then I tied in this poster I had with a quote by Che saying "Let me say at the risk of sounding ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love".

In the second period, with the remaining time I had students finalize and share with their groups all they got from "War is a racket". This class is really bumming me out. They just aren't there and it's not a fun class.

In my third period, we broke down the words myth and model. After we did that I had them make a list of Asian stereotypes. Then from that list we chose the stereotypes that were seemingly positive stereotypes. So we had things like Asians are smart, Asians are good at math, Asians are good salesmen, and Asians are family oriented. Then I used that to intro them to the "Myth of the model minority" by Curtis Chang. Class ended here.

Tiring day. I think I'm getting sick. I think it might have been from sailing yesterday. I went sailing on my friend's houseboat/sailboat. It was totally fun and I got to raise sails, tack, and man the helm. But towards the end I got seasick. I'll never drink beer and sail ever again. Not a good combination for me at all. I think the students got me sick and being on the ship didn't help, cause we came in late and I was cold.