"Mr. Caruthers you got SWAG!"

Thirteenth Day of Student Teaching? (Un)Lucky. Get it? It was my 13th day. Hahaha. No? Too Soon? Ok bad joke. Today was really easy. The students had their warm up, map test, and then I gave them my post-test. Today for their warm up I gave them a sheet of paper with about 8 clues some of them were, “I was an American Actress and singer. I was the first black to be nominated for an Academy Award. In 1954, I was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a leading role as Carmen Jones. Who am I?” Do you know? If you said, Dorothy Dandridge give your self a pat on the back. My favorite clue was, “I was a three-time “Mr. Basketball” of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a sophomore at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. I was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003-04, NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008-09 and 2009-10, and I have been in both the All-NBA selection and an All-Star every season since 2005. Who am I?” Go ahead and shout it out that is none other than the King! LeBron James! The kids really like the special “warm-ups” (bellwork) for Black History month I find that I can introduce a lot of black icons each day. I also included in the warm up: Ida B. Wells, Spike Lee, and Booker T. Washington. The kids learn and they get to see what they know about some of the current black icons.
While we were going over the warm up, one girl said to me, “Mr. Caruthers you got swag!” I said, “Pretty Boy Swag?” and the whole class started laughing. She told me she liked what I was wearing, I was rockin purple and gray with some navy blue cords! I guess. It was funny though! I try and keep up with what these kids like because it is a way I can connect with them and make class entertaining.
There is one thing that bothers me. These kids do not like to do any work! They are going to have to work for the rest of their lives, unless the win the lottery but even with that they have to manage their money. I keep thinking to myself, who fooled these kids! Why do they think that they don’t have to do any work when they come to school! Was I like that? (Thinking) Maybe, I was a first rate class disruption. Ain’t no lyin dur! (TRANSLATION: There is no lying there). I’m not worried about it because pretty much get to work when I ask them to. My cooperating teacher also tells them to stop whining. It’s a team effort.
My day consisted of grading papers, not much teaching. Today and tomorrow the kids have some test. Next week is short, only four days because the teachers have a professional development day on Monday. It is also Presidents Day! History is all up in our holidays!
Here is a quote, “It is not the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe”-Muhammad Ali. I love Ali (Cassius Clay) he was mad cocky. Being cocky and proud is not socially acceptable for many reasons. Anyway, we remember Muhammad Ali because he was the greatest and also because he was crazy cocky! I really like what he said. His words were deep, “It’s the pebble in your shoe”. I know we sing songs about “God giving us the strength to climb” (a mountain) Usher had a song about “Moving Mountains” but sometimes you can’t even get to the mountain because you have some issues you need to work out within your self. The thorn in your side, you get me? Until we work out what we got holding us back we can’t even approach the base of the mountain. Whether is it insecurity, low self esteem, emotional pain, and so forth. Until we have that pebble (Internal Struggles) out of our shoe (mind/heart) we won’t ever have the spunk to scale life’s mountains.
I know my issues, and I’ve changed my shoes! I’ve made some changes! Get the pebbles out! I’m ready for the mountains that are sure to come as I travel on the road of life. I implore you to get those pebbles out, get you some new Air Force One’s (Nelly) if you need to. Whatever it takes. Don’t hold yourself back. Have a great evening.