Blue Cereal Celebration (3/13/16)

March 11, 2016June 4, 2023 ~ Blue Cereal

It’s my birthday.

Not my person birthday – I’m too old to care about that much anymore. It’s Blue Cereal’s birthday.

Two years ago this week, I started Blue Cereal Education, and – let’s be honest – from that moment, your worlds would never be the same.

For the first six months or so, most of what I wrote was pretty hit’n’miss. The learning curve was steep, as I’d never done anything like this before. Thankfully, Janet Barresi was our State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and while that was horrible for Oklahoma teachers and students, it was GREAT for snarky blogging!

The State Department site alone was a gold mine of edu-horror. *sigh*

In November of 2014, the Russians killed my site. My wife and webgoddess called me with a very concerned voice and told me that while she’d managed to retrieve a zillion pages of text and code, anything I wanted back would have to be completely recreated.

I was SO relieved! What an amazing chance to start over – keeping the parts I liked, editing the stuff that I thought had potential, and tossing the rest.

Dr. Barresi had lost her primary by then and we knew Joy was on the way (in more ways than one), so I didn’t bother with that material. The rest I began wading through, deciding what I liked enough to write again.

It was less than you’d think.

I don’t let myself become too obsessed with analytics and numbers, but of course I check from time to time. (Anyone who says they don’t is fibbing.)

Here are the Top 10 most visited pages on Blue Cereal since that rebuild in November 2014:

(1) End #OklaEd (2/15/16) – This was a blog post from quite recently, as you can see. I assume it’s good news when what you’re writing now is getting more traction than what you wrote back then – otherwise, you quickly become Foghat playing at the state fair.

I’m a bit surprised and pleased at the degree to which this one has surpassed all other posts (it has more than double the page views of the post in second place), since it’s a call for state-wide edu-revolution. You people are a bunch of radicals and trouble-causers… no wonder we get along so well.

(2) Oklahoma Turns Against APUSH? (1/17/15) – This was the first of a series of posts about the attack on AP U.S. History in Oklahoma last year, spearheaded by Sen. Josh Brecheen of Ada, OK, and Rep. Dan Fisher of the largely fictional Black Robed Regiment.

The post is mostly a brief intro – since I knew very little at the time I posted it – followed by the rather extensive text of Brecheen’s bill. So… that’s humbling. I assume it kept the highest hit-count partly because it was first, and partly because it had the most obvious title in reference to the subject matter.

I tend to get a little, um… too ‘creative’ for my own good in naming these things sometimes. It’s a wonder ANYBODY knows what I’m talking about.

(3) Special Election – Senate District 34, January 12th – #OKElections16 (1/4/16) – Another relatively recent post, and another very clear – if not particularly creative – title.

J.J. Dossett won, in case you didn’t know, and while I’m certain there were many, many other factors in play – his campaign, his platform, his timing, his supporters, and the like – I prefer to believe I used my pithy wit and extensive social media influence to annoint the good State Senator as the first of many pro-education types winning office this Election Year.

Return those New Candidate Questionnaires, kids – you don’t wish to offend the king-maker!

(And can we, um… can we NOT tell Dossett that I kinda just claimed credit for his election, even in jest? I, er… I think it’s important he feel like he contributed. It’s good for his self-esteem.)

(4) Roster Villification (11/19/14) – This one surprised me a bit. I was having a bad day, and unlike most of my posts, this was a one-and-done. (Well, I may have edited it once for about 10 minutes.) Then again, the angry and frustrated stuff generally does MUCH better overall than the thoughtful, reflective bits. In fact, you may have already noticed how few of the deep, thoughtful bits made the Top 10. Hmmm…

But I was right about the idiocy of the process. So there’s that.

(5) #OKElections16 – This is the main page for all things related to Oklahoma Elections this year. It’s only been up since the start of the calendar year, and I can’t tell you how gratifying it is that people are accessing it as a resource.

I try to keep the Candidate Profiles interesting, get my Pending Legislation straight, and stay current with the Issues, but this part is not as fun and doesn’t come as easily for me as the bloggery or the lessony stuff. Now that people actually read this site, however, I kinda wanted to make myself useful, and this seemed like something that needed to be done.

I’ll be better at it next election cycle, I have to think. Maybe. If I’m still around…

(6) #11FF – I did NOT see this one coming, but of course it’s SO appropriate that it ranks this high.

When I was writing during that first year, I was all too aware that my numbers were abysmal compared to the legit blogs. But I’m all about the sauce and the inside joke, so from the start I determined that here, and on Twitters, and the Facebooking, I’d always proceed as if the adoring masses were a given.

The thing is, although I didn’t get tons of comments or emails or messages, the ones I DID get were SO good! I don’t mean merely in terms of praising me (although that’s essential and appropriate), but rather… the quality of what you write to me, and how well you write it, and the questions and comments and insights and suggestions… I was a bit taken aback, and deeply gratified. I still am.

This was much better than having adoring masses. These were witty, insightful peers. Booyah – internet gold.

At some point I began referring to regular readers as my Eleven Faithful Followers. When it was time for the first Blue Cereal long-sleeve shirts, the hashtag #11FF was contrived.

I’ll be carrying on more about you guys soon, but for now let me just say – all tone and schmaltz aside – you are some quality peeps. I wouldn’t trade you for ten times the numbers, or a hundred times the money.

(7) Who Killed Avery Chase? Document Activity (4/21/15) – Consistently in the Top 10 each month, I have yet to receive a single comment about whether it’s being used, if it’s working, or how it’s being changed to make it better. I hope the numbers mean someone’s finding it helpful – seriously. I’m pretty proud of these.

(8) State Testing: The Ultimate Solution (7/10/15) – This one is a personal favorite of mine. I thought it struck a nice balance of genuine frustration and teacher-y passion for *sniff*… THE CHILDREN. I’m still like this one quite a bit – go figure.

(9) My Response to Alfie Kohn’s Attack on ‘Growth Mindset’ (8/18/15) – Like I said, conflict gets page views. That’s not why I wrote this one, of course – I’m too pure to be swayed by such logistics. I really hated the piece Kohn wrote and to which I’m responding here.

I was somewhat surprised by how many messages and tweets and such I received which not only supported my post, but wanted to share mutual loathing of Alfie Kohn. I don’t agree with the man on everything, but neither do I consider him a charlatan or a moron or any other bad words which were used in an effort to secure my solidarity. I just thought he was wrong on this one. Really, really wrong.

So, I’m glad all of those people love me, but I was unable to share their vitriol towards A.K. I hope that didn’t ruin the moment for them.

(10) Welcome to Atheist School (2/26/16) – Another recent post, which suggests that my page views are benefitting from the kerfuffle over this session of the OK State Legislature. (In Oklahoma, the legislature meets from February – May each year. The bulk of the damage they do has to happen in this window, so they’re intense months.)

It’s unfortunate that so many posts have to be written about the state of our state, but we’re a mess. At least shining some light on the assumptions of our elected leaders has some small chance of shaping the upcoming elections. In this post, Rep. Dunlap says what many of his peers wouldn’t, but which they THINK anyway – that public schools are godless, decadent places, and the only way young people can possibly learn to be decent human beings is through taking the two mites remaining in public education and giving it to upper middle class white parents so they can rescue their precious darlings from yucky poor people.

I cringe, but I’m also glad it’s out there. It’s not quite as good as legislators this past week reading the Bible on the floor of the State Senate to prove Jesus is against regulating firearms, but it’s part of that same mindset – that it’s their job to put the Old Testament into state law, and that they alone are fit to arbitrate the true meaning of Christian faith on our behalf.

So This Week Is Blue Cereal Celebration Week.

Who better to focus on me than ME, after all?

Thanks for coming along for the ride. You are daring and wise to do so.

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Career Options

March 8, 2016June 4, 2023 ~ Blue Cereal

{NOTE: If you’re a newsletter subscriber, you’re going to want to view this one one the actual blog – assuming, of course, you wish to view it at all.}

Most of us at one time or another have considered leaving the classroom and pursuing other career options – especially during, say… March. It’s during this stretch that different grass most often seems so much greener.

Don’t make big decisions during March.

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But I get it – sometimes you wonder what else might be out there. Maybe a different gig could be just as fulfilling… heck, maybe the right opportunity could be MORE fulfilling – if it’s really your calling…

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For those of us in the white collar world, the idea of working with your hands – maybe sweating a bit – does have some appeal.

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Everyone thinks they could teach – better than any of us actually DOING it – but we’re not the only ones who deal with such silliness. Imagine what it’s like to be an author… “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about writing a book myself…”

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Coding is the new ‘business degree’ (how many times have we been trapped in the ‘if only we could get every child coding…’ discussion?) It must pay more than teaching, and surely they’re richly fulfilled every damn day, right?

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Maybe a balance between creativity and practical production – say… something in fine foods?

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Then again, why be practical? We’re teachers – if we’re going to leave one idealized gig, why not do so for another? Maybe something more generally romanticized, if a bit anachronistic?

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Perhaps even something of which every kid used to dream at one time or another –

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OK, maybe a little more practical than that. No need to leave one profession before testing the waters on another, right? Maybe the right summer gig…

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I’m pretty sure I’d have to take my shirt off for that one, and that’s not something any of us want to see. Surely I could see the country full dressed…?

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Did I say see the country? Why not the world?! And while serving my country… {Jay Warning: One adults-only word ahead.}

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If irony is your thing, you might consider the chosen profession of our FORMER Superintendent. I tell my students I became a teacher in order to make young people suffer – this could serve that function as well…

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Then again, not a fan of saliva. Maybe a medical professional of another variety?

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At the very least I’d like to be in charge of something. Maybe have a cool hat…

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*SIGH* Maybe the problem is thinking in terms of ‘professions’ and ‘careers’ anyway… perhaps something more – shall we say – ‘transcendental’? {Skip this one, Jay – vitriol & obscenities ahead…}

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I’d wrap up with something about staying put and finish with a ‘teacher’ song, but let’s be honest – they’re all creepy as hell. “Teach Me Tonight,” “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” and all those songs from the 70’s about how horrible schools and teachers are to children. It’s almost as if kids who do great within the confines of the system are less likely to go on to become rock stars…

Blue Serials (3/6/16)

March 5, 2016June 4, 2023 ~ Blue Cereal

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Things I’ve Learned This Week…

1. It’s not practical to hold a full-time job AND try to keep up with all possible pending edu-slation. I just can’t. So we’ll rework that goal for next year.

2. People are visiting the #OKElections16 pages – as much or more as anything else I post. I don’t know what that indicates in terms of results, but someone is reading them. The Candidate Profiles seem to be the most popular.

3. People are also visiting my Who Killed Avery Chase? Document Activity with great regularity. It’s been in the Top 20 pages visited since I posted it about a year ago, often in the Top 10. I have yet to receive any indication whether that means anyone is using the activity, likes it, hates it, has changed it in some amazing way I didn’t think of, or what. But… I’m glad it’s being visited. I hope I’ve revolutionized hundreds – if not thousands – of classrooms with my mad pedagogical skills.

4. Far more Americans than I’d previously allowed myself to believe are some combination of ignorant, hateful, racist, and possibly fascist. Sadly, ‘ignorant’ is the least troubling element in that mix.

5. At the same time, there are SO many really good teachers, blogs and essential posts out there. You can’t read them all, but there are some it’d be a true shame to miss!

I can’t fix or solve everything, but this last issue is one I can at least mitigate.

Stuff You Absolutely Should Not Miss From The Past Week…

…or two. Or the past month. I’ve been behind – which is ironic, I realize, but, um… HERE:

The Schools We Need vs. The Schools That Need Us – Molly Tansey on Young Teachers Collective wrestles with the inherent tension between going where you can grow – or at least survive – and going where you’re most needed. While the specifics of her situation will resonate with some more than others, the larger questions about why we do this – where we do it – should seem familiar to most of you no matter WHERE you are. Go read this. Several times.

“He’ll Never Catch Up” – Conor Pierson on Young Teachers Collective recalls the not-overly-supportive words of one of his teachers to his father sixteen years before. Hopefully we’ve collectively grown a little when helping students with dyslexia, but how often do we less overtly believe something similar about other kids? How often do we tell them without telling them? Here’s to struggling students who become teachers.

Now – seriously – if you’re an educator and you don’t follow and support @YTCollective, you’re doing it wrong. I realize they lean young and idealistic, moreso than some of you fully appreciate, but how many bitter old conservatives are entering public education these days – at least without reapers and flamethrowers? Thank god for smart kids with missionary zeal and enough moxie to speak truth to power.

White Man, Black Boy – Jon Harper, aka Bailey & Derek’s Daddy – “Because we are not the same. We never have been and we never will be. Dr. King did not wish for all people to be treated equally because we are the same. He wished for all people to be treated equally because it is right.” Harper is an old white guy in a school full of young black children. He’s also one of the most introspective and caring edu-bloggers out there. Follow @jonharper70bd on the Twitters and be introspective, too.

Should Teachers Have Strong Opinions? – Steven Singer on gadflyonthewallblog is a bit of an antagonist. Personally, I can’t imagine what it’s like to spout off vehemently every time something’s on your mind, but it seems to work for him. (If he doesn’t reign it in, though, I’m telling Jay. I’ve already bookmarked at least THREE instances of shocking language – and I don’t mean grawlixes!) Spout off with @StevenSinger3 on the Twitters with or without naughty words – but know your stuff before you start something. He’s feisty.

Did These 2nd Graders Debunk The Myth That Tests Measure Learning? – Mark Barnes on Brilliant or Insane? wraps us up this week with a piece that’s short, accessible, and wise. Also, there are paper airplanes – so… bonus. Follow @markbarns19 on the Twittering and bask in the brilliance AND the insanity.

Next Weekend’s Blue Serials Wrap-Up will kick off a week of self-absorbed Blue Cereal Celebration – honoring 24 months of unbridled edu-bloggery.

Who better to write about me all week than… me?

Until then, my Eleven Faithful Followers – arms locked, minds set, no fear. Thank you for fighting the darkness, in and out of your classrooms and offices. You don’t have to fix it all – just do your part so audaciously that they simply can’t ignore you.

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Waiting To Follow The Worms

March 2, 2016June 4, 2023 ~ Blue Cereal

There’ve been some interesting political rallies so far this year…

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I came of age listening to Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” I even saw that weirdo movie version with Bob Geldof – the guy who would later put together Band-Aid and Live-Aid, and who we can safely blame for every musical cause célèbre since.

Neither the album nor the film were flawless, but I find them nonetheless poignant for what they tried to say, and to do. No one can accuse Pink or Geldof of lacking ambition, or shooting too low.

That’s the thing about taking big risks when something’s on your mind – you can’t really know in advance how it’s going to go. There’s a fine line between clever and… awkward.

I’ve always admired the marchers and other protesters of the Civil Rights movement. Most of us do, I guess – it’s pretty much U.S. History canon. Calmly pressing forward, singing songs of faith; riding those buses, knowing the mobs were waiting; or sitting patiently at the counter while angry white folks taunted and abused them.

They carried such dignity and confidence, at least in retrospect.

I’m no expert on the Arab Spring, but who doesn’t love seeing oppressive regimes overthrown by the humble masses? Democracy didn’t exactly triumph everywhere, but Egypt seems… stable. Syria? Not so much.

The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. The Prague Spring. Various Vietnam War protests in the U.S. – especially those involving flowers in rifle barrels. And of course, more recently, #BlackLivesMatter.

It was this last series of demonstrations which started me wondering seriously for the first time whether I’m personally capable of something so audacious, should circumstances require.

I’m not sure.

I’d like to say yes. I want to be that person. Not a leader, not a spokes-anything, but an ally adding my tired old demographic to the mix.

I worry I’d do something foolish – say the wrong thing, bungle a moment. I’d never want to be an embarrassment to such a powerful movement. I also don’t like looking or feeling stupid, so there’s that.

To date, however, I haven’t been in a position to consciously make that choice. I just keep going to work, writing my little blog, tweeting my little tweets, and hoping in a few years I’ll feel kinda silly for overreacting to the events of the day.

But what if I were in that sort of situation? Would I even know for sure? At what point do you lock arms, set faces, and say “enough”?

I mean, Trump won’t really be elected President, will he? That’s crazy… but then, so was the suggestion he’d be taken seriously even as a candidate for more than a few weeks.

Even if he is elected, it’s not like the President can just start issuing Executive Orders to circumvent the Legislative Branch, or appeal directly to the people to do horrible things in the name of the very ideals they’re subverting… can he?

I’m being unreasonable, surely. My usual cynical, impulsive self – just darker?

The problem, even setting aside Trump the individual, is that his tactics are working. He isn’t the first to build his power on ignorance and venom; he certainly won’t be the last – especially now. Tyrannical and childish is officially a winning strategy.

‘Merica!

Congress isn’t exactly known for being a bastion of reasoned legislative prudence, or a force for equity and calm. I take little comfort in the percentage of reactionary bastards who can barely see past the next electoral cycle or the likelihood they’ll “check and balance” anything meaningfully.

It’s even worse at the state level. Where national office-holders tend to be narcissistic and exploitative, many local folks genuinely believe themselves. Even when they don’t, they can see what’s working for those who do – and Christian charity towards all God’s children ain’t it.

Even if Trump falls short, he’s broken new modern ground in old-fashioned scapegoating, fear-mongering, and demonizing by demographic. Facts don’t matter, American ideals don’t matter, and $#@% the Bill of Rights.

And we love it and want more. If Trump doesn’t make it, the next guy just goes harder and higher, and does. Until…?

I’m being ridiculous, right?

I’m told that more often than I’d care to admit – that I may have a point about this or that, but I take it too far. The hyperbole becomes absurdity.

This is one of those times, I hope?

Otherwise, what happens when we start rounding up Muslims, or Gays, or Mexicans, or Reporters? I’m in Oklahoma – the only thing likely to stop us from leading that charge is our proximity to Texas and how happy they’ll be to take point on this one.

What do I do then?

See, when the unthinkable occurs – in 1930s Germany, in 1960s Alabama, in 1980s Beijing – everyone has to make a choice. If you’re not waving your little flag at the tank, you might as well be driving it.

Silence is not neutrality. Inaction supports the oppressor, and plays for Team Power Structure. You’re in the dugout; at least be honest enough to wear the logo on your cap.

That’s what sucks about teaching history – you can’t escape certain enduring realities.

You can’t sit by while people in your party, who go to your church, and who speak on your behalf for a living, are categorizing or isolating real live human beings under a thin guise of good intentions and claim you didn’t know or it wasn’t you.

You can’t simply remind those of us losing our $#@% that the silent majority “isn’t like that” and negate culpability. The ‘majority’ part is cancelled out by the ‘silent’ part. It’s like having on imaginary clothes – it doesn’t really matter how nice they are, because no one else can see them.

OK, wait – this is crazy talk, right? An embarrassment to myself and the blog to even be thinking this way? Maybe this is one of those “type-it-and-get-it-out-of-my-system-but-OMG-don’t-post-it” moments?

I mean, I’m supposed to be building a brand here. There could be merchandise down the road. A self-published treatise on edu-truth. It’s nearly time to unveil the new logo – and I’ve ordered clever magnets!

I should stick to vouchers or learning styles or arguing with Alfie Kohn – that stuff’s great for my analytics. A wild rant about irrational parents or some crazy legi wanting to kill AP History? Those were good times.

I almost wish Barresi were back; she made it TOO easy.

I’m afraid I won’t know when it’s time. That I’ll feel stupid showing up carrying a sign, or chanting, or… something.

Oh god, I hate chants. I really do. Especially anything involving “2, 4, 6, 8…” or forced wordplay. I don’t think I could chant for the best cause in the world.

I’m afraid because I’m pretty sure I’ll say the wrong says and choose the wrong chooses and end up looking like those maroons on the news. You can edit blog posts for hours before posting – days, if necessary – but real life isn’t so gracious.

I’m not particularly afraid of being attacked, or arrested, or mocked – although history tells me it becomes much harder to be suave and collected once the bad things are actually happening. So, yeah – I’ll probably embarrass myself.

That’s no excuse not to try, of course. Lock those arms. Set those faces. (For the record, I’m still going for ‘suave and collected’ if I can manage it. But if not…)

What I can’t bear is the idea of going down in history as a small, anonymous part of a generation that let it happen again. Who stood by, distracted and willfully dazed, as the evil things occurred around and through us.

What I can’t bear is some kid a half-century from now raising his virtual hand during Self-Directed Multi-Studies and asking his robo-teacher if people back now ever really believed our own lofty ideals – noble words enshrined on such fragile parchment.

Why didn’t they do something? Say something? Protect someone? Refuse that command? Deny power easy access?

Why didn’t they keep their eyes open, no matter how uncomfortable?

Did they not know back then what happens when you give power to our darkest, most ill-informed urges? Was their comfort so valuable and their safety so precious that they just tried to pretend it was all OK… again?

I’m overreacting, right?

I hope so. Otherwise I’ll eventually try something reckless, and badly timed – and not at all suave. I wish I could do it as well as the folks in history books. But I’ll make my sign, and ready my personal affairs, and spit truth at power as they haul my fat @$$ away.

How can I live with myself otherwise? How can you?

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A Hand Goes Up

February 29, 2016June 4, 2023 ~ Blue Cereal

We started a new book in 2nd hour today. I knew it would be challenging, so I tried to set it up a bit better than I normally do, explaining why we’re reading it and some of the historical issues it includes.

I even drew a map on the white board. I’m THAT dedicated.

Three minutes left in class, I ask if there are any questions over the book so far. A young lady shouts out:

“This book sucks!”

Some of them laugh, which is fine. It wasn’t unexpected.

“Oh! I’m sorry, that’s NOT a question! Please check with your English teacher to review the distinction. Anyone else?”

There’s a pause, and one of my young men with much potential and so little production raises his hand.

“Will this book get ANY better?”

I think I laughed as much as the rest of the room. Maybe more. And in my class, if I laugh out loud (literally), you can’t get in trouble for it.

It works for me.

“Now, see? THAT’s how you make the same point, but within the structure given. Nice job.”

I didn’t answer his question. That wasn’t why he’d asked.

That quick thinking, and wit? If he could learn to use that for good and not evil… oh, the places he could go!

I’m not convinced he will – not anytime soon. Too many things right now. Too many things. Maybe eventually…

It’s not relevant to the story, but I did agree that if over half of them still think it sucks by Friday, we’ll change books. This one has so much in it that’s amazing, if they could only see…

Just like them.