Re-education

I just watched "You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train" and am re-inspired to the role of an educator. What an amazing and charmed life Howard Zinn was able to lead.

You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train



I am re-committed to engaging in education as I embark upon my sabbatical from the three years I have just spent in Baltimore City 9th grade Algebra 1.

Tonight I ran into Katie, a veteran 2nd grade teacher (in Anne Arundel County), and Brandon, a product of Baltimore City public schools, strolling along the waterfront, the most amazing perk of living in the city. My passion for teaching math was re-ignited as I described the beauty of the fundamentals of algebra, inspiring, if but temporarily, Brandon to feel the need to re-learn algebra.

Last night, I ran into Amelia down on the square in our 'hood. She will be starting at Hopkins next year following the footsteps of her older brother, Eddie, but their younger sister, Patricia, has dropped out of Baltimore City College in her sophomore year. "She doesn't like high school." I understand what she means. The state of our schools is such that it can be such a waste of time!

In my final encounter with 'education' I will be volunteering with the Baltimore Montessori tomorrow, a brand new charter school my children will be attending in the fall, painting and cleaning the school building. I am struck that this is the third school building that my family has been involved in painting, cleaning, or otherwise renovating. I am just realizing in a concrete way that bumper sticker about the military holding a bake sale to buy bombs.In the richest country in the world, we bust our volunteer butts on weekends so our children have a functional school building while the nation spends trillions of dollars on foreign wars.

re-diculous.