tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15710805209703890702011-07-31T05:20:39.683-04:00I read. A lot. I also teach. This year I have decided to bring my two passions together to form one cohesive, mind blowing career path. I am an educator. I taught high school English. This year is my first year teaching an adjunct professor. My career in education is just beginning, but it will be long and successful. This blog is my notebook of experiences, triumphs and heartbreaks in teaching.Ninanoreply@blogger.comBlogger301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-42436699175896465322010-03-01T21:35:00.003-05:002010-03-01T21:39:59.750-05:00

-John Lennon I spoke a bit too soon with my last post. Shortly after the beginning of the year my classes were canceled due to low enrollment. Such is life. Since I have not been busy with teaching, I have had the time to be more creative. I am working on a novel and I run a very successful food blog with a friend of mine. We have a podcast being published this month. We are eagerly awaiting our

Ninanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-79445319720481952742009-12-18T23:26:00.004-05:002009-12-19T10:40:47.485-05:00

As I was driving home from my last day of classes, I started thinking about next semester. This semester I was bogged down with six classes at two different schools in two states. I started my day in NJ teaching three different remedial writing courses with three different preps. After classes ended there, I commuted to Southeastern PA where I taught two sections of one course. On Wednesdays, I

Ninanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-59830565759835393322009-11-21T21:04:00.006-05:002009-11-21T22:40:52.014-05:00

The National Council of Teachers of English Conference kicked off this Thursday in Philadelphia. As an English teacher, I felt so motivated to attend and be amidst thousands of other like minded people for the duration of the weekend. Though my experience at NCTE was not what I expected, more on this later, hearing Junot Diaz speak was exactly what I needed. Allow me to set the scene: It was a

Ninanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-32686485687686520322009-09-23T22:03:00.003-04:002009-09-23T22:27:38.161-04:00

Every day I get to walk into a classroom and teach is a gift. I am fortunate to have the awesome responsibility of educating those who want to learn. I am a community college adjunct professor and it is, by far, the best thing that has ever happened to me. Tonight was an amazing night in class and I need to share it with you.My night class consists of mostly non-traditional students who work all

Ninanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-71575382650809239992009-09-20T23:06:00.004-04:002009-09-30T10:24:47.648-04:00

I am planning on writing a post about comfort zones that wll formally introduce what I have been doing for the past month and a half, but for now, I must write about work ethic. I am currently teaching at a couple community colleges in South Jersey and Southeastern PA, respectively. Though the two schools are like day and night, one thing that is constant is how the work ethic of my students

Ninanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-81111661081449886522009-08-19T11:03:00.003-04:002009-08-19T11:59:54.026-04:00

Dear Uppity Urban Charter Schools, It has come to my attention that most of you will not give me or my resume the time of day because you have insanely high standards for both your students and your faculty. This is wonderful, but disingenuous at best. Allow me to explain. The State of New Jersey requires its teachers to have a 2.75 GPA in order to be certified by the state. I am

Ninanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-6864044528679079662009-08-11T13:41:00.007-04:002009-08-11T14:31:56.156-04:00

In the light of having some very promising interviews not work out because of issues with the right fit, I am left to ponder the value of educational leadership. I have worked in both the private and public school sectors and I fully comprehend the politics of the process. No one said it would be fair, but I understand how it works. Educational leadership has the ability to make or break this

Ninanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-84594113124379701182009-07-13T11:58:00.007-04:002009-07-23T21:53:29.513-04:00

I have this long standing joke/analogy with some of my students re: teenage sexuality. The subject came up when one of my allegedly promiscuous male students remarked about how after a date, he brings his lady friends home to watch movies. As one who is not too far removed from teenage life, I know *exactly* what happens when one "watches movies." The joke goes a little something like this:If

Ninanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-61712672942468472082009-07-02T00:18:00.000-04:002009-07-02T00:19:34.014-04:00

I am fiercely overprotective of any child I am put in charge of. When I am responsible for them, I will love them and care for them as they were my own. Why? Because when I have children and entrust another person to their care, that is exactly what I will expect from them. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Since Saturday, I have been advocating for a resident who has severe

Ninanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-68642516954996271832009-06-29T13:37:00.000-04:002009-06-29T13:39:02.750-04:00

I'm in Boston for the summer working as a residential counselor for a prestigious summer dance program. Last night I was working a double in the boys' dorm and I was able to really earn my keep in quite a teaching moment. I had a resident wander in and I noticed his disposition was off. He's normally bubbly and enthusiastic, but last night he was quite reserved. I kept asking him what was wrong

Ninanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-6604345364560468602009-06-13T09:00:00.005-04:002009-06-13T09:07:07.679-04:00

It took a while, but I did it. :)

Ninanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-82361022034008975432009-06-13T08:45:00.005-04:002009-06-13T09:35:17.313-04:00

Last week I finished my first year of teaching. I am supremely proud of myself and of the things I have learned in the year. I was a long term substitute and I was basically thrown to the wolves. I didn't mind. As I explained to the Dean of my department, I have been thrown to the wolves all my life for much less. This time, my lesson in sinking or swimming was about my new career and it was

Ninanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-51903317968320197622009-05-14T22:59:00.005-04:002009-05-14T23:12:27.279-04:00

A fellow blogger, Affrodite, posted a contest to win the book "Letters to a Young Sister" by Hill Harper. I have been pondering the idea for the longest time and on the eve of my commencement, I thought I should enter. The journey to be able to write this letter to my mother was long. It took a lot of soul searching. A lot of talking and learning from life's mishaps to be able to understand and

Ninanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-73356287273266038872009-04-30T22:04:00.003-04:002009-04-30T22:28:43.865-04:00

Last week, one of my students disappointed me. The funny thing about disappointment is that it is actually worse than being angry. It is a feeling that hits you so deep in your soul, that there is no other word suitable for expressing it. It is disappointment and it is the worst feeling in the world. I give my kids journals (that I bought myself) to complete every week. They contain daily

Ninanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-21483564808671886872009-04-13T22:18:00.007-04:002009-04-14T10:55:45.012-04:00

Ethnocentrism Rears Its Ugly Head in the Cancellation of ABC's "Eli Stone"Last year during Christmas, ABC had the genius idea to cancel "Eli Stone." And by cancel, I mean completely phase out mid-season. The show was in the primetime line up and it aired before Boston Legal. "Eli Stone" was set in a San Francisco law firm. It was cleverly written and extremely progressive. Like San Francisco, it

Ninanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-40844489470950583472009-04-05T23:35:00.002-04:002009-04-07T15:36:41.257-04:00

One of the main reasons I became a teacher was because of the title of this piece. When I first started teaching, actually before I walked into the classroom I was briefed on my students. I was told warned of diff personalities, behaviors, ticks etc. I took this info and ignored it as I didn't think it was fair or warranted to give it much thought before actually meeting my students. I don't

Ninanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-32970836332494083842009-04-01T08:08:00.000-04:002009-04-01T07:54:19.066-04:00

I was insulted by one of my ninth graders. They often throw mud at me and most times I don't give them the satisfaction of a response, but in this particular instance I did.I was attempting to do a lesson based on No Name Calling Week because their class has had issues with bullying. I was in the process of the painstaking task of getting them to respond to lessons they don't care about when the

Ninanoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-58329061556215813002009-03-31T16:39:00.002-04:002009-03-31T16:39:31.000-04:00

Ninanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-29307985296992507892009-03-28T11:26:00.004-04:002009-03-28T12:42:18.330-04:00

for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf has saved my life on several different occasions and continues to do so even now. Though I have never actually contemplated suicide. I have dealt with a lot of the issues in the book first hand. To start, the book is actually what Ntozake Shange has dubbed, a choreopoem which intertwines poetry, drama, prose, performance,

Ninanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-16905671913583862182009-03-17T12:45:00.017-04:002009-03-21T23:24:08.616-04:00

This post was inspired by a song I have heard dozens of times. The song is called "City High Anthem." The artist, City High, is/was composed of three twenty somethings, all of which were born and raised in Willingboro, NJ. I was also born and raised in Willingboro, NJ. The group gained some notoriety from their song 'What Would You Do?' but the aforementioned song off their self-titled album is

Ninanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-28115543286849156062009-03-16T07:45:00.003-04:002009-09-30T10:34:02.351-04:00

I read somewhere one time that the reason Emily Dickinson was such a recluse was because she wanted to keep her art pure. That is to say, she cut herself off from the world because she believed everyone you come in contact with has the ability to change you; to influence you in some way. She was not willing to take that chance with her craft so she stayed home. And wore white. And wrote.You'll

Ninanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-81843774875024189202009-03-08T21:55:00.003-04:002009-03-08T22:20:59.155-04:00

Teaching is so terribly fascinating because I am constantly learning as I am teaching. Here I am. 24. Fresh out of college, getting ready to graduate again and I am a teacher. Teaching is my accidental calling (as I have explained in earlier posts), and I'm good at it so why do I sometimes get so nervous? I'll tell you why: My audience. As an undergrad and in grad school, you sit in courses

Ninanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-83427027444884755022009-03-04T23:07:00.005-05:002009-03-04T23:24:53.188-05:00

When I read literature I tend to be overly analytical. This is an ideal trait in one who is pursuing a Graduate degree in English. The problem is, I tend to over analyze everything. Job interviews, conversations with friends, random thoughts that pop in my head. One night I was pondering the word "quarter." I could not get to sleep until I looked it up in the Oxford English Dictionary, Wikipedia

Ninanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-2015112723860112412009-03-01T20:08:00.005-05:002009-03-01T20:59:16.914-05:00

I had a conversation last night with a fellow artist about what inspires me. My gut instinct was to say love. It's true, I do what I do because of love. I could not be a teacher without love. I then got to thinking about Shakespeare. I am attempting to teach Julius Caesar to my 9th graders. The play talks a great deal about love even though it is a tragedy. Brutus loves Caesar, but he loves his

Ninanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-5826747081213340662009-02-21T18:59:00.000-05:002009-02-21T18:59:53.985-05:00

National Council of Teachers of English - Homepage

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I found this while running a google search on myself. (What? I'm applying for teaching jobs. I need to know what I have attached my name to!) This was a message I sent to Professor Kim Pearson the summer after I started at TCNJ. To Professor PearsonFrom: NinaDate: 23 Jul 2002Time: 12:43:05 -0400CommentsI just wanted to post this message and say thank you for teaching us things that we could have

Ninanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-38032288980926487802009-02-15T14:59:00.004-05:002009-02-15T15:17:48.768-05:00

Quick post. I'm keeping to a minimum for the sake of writing too much too soon. Over dinner last night my dear friend Tyrtle told me her plans to become a high school teacher. Perhaps I am a little biased, but I think she should do it because she is perfectly suited for the job. Tyrtle is the kind of person who can not stand idly by when she knows there is a job to do somewhere. She is the

Ninanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-36474548966701757412009-02-13T21:55:00.006-05:002009-02-13T22:34:43.115-05:00

In honor of Black History Month (which my school has yet to formally acknowledge) I am teaching my juniors African American poetry. The unit is, of course, supposed to teach the different literary devices that they can use to approach a text. Seems simple enough, right? My class consists of reluctant readers, "dumb" jocks, lazy jocks, a kids with unclassified "learning" disabilities, ESL students

Ninanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-18839851851191288552009-02-12T23:22:00.008-05:002009-02-13T08:29:33.726-05:00

In the midst of a very involved conversation I had on Twitter this evening I made the segue from talking about Tony Rich and is brilliance to the Best Wedding Songs of the 90's to the brilliant of Kahlil Gibran. The gentleman I was tweeting had never heard of him and so I gave him "The Prophet." (Note: Whenever I refer someone to a work of literature I like to think of it as a gift. My life is

Ninanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1571080520970389070.post-82167110196587603442009-02-12T22:42:00.008-05:002009-02-12T23:22:25.946-05:00

I am beginning this blog from the suggestion of several people. My grandmother wanted me to write down my experiences, @openlyfeminist wanted to know what I did in my classes and quite frankly, I'd like to track my own progression in teaching. My biggest challenge is going to be making a commitment and sticking to it. Since I am not committed to anything at this point in my life besides my car

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