VOL. 47 — NO. 4 DECEMBER 2008POSTMASTER: All forms 3579 are to be forwarded to Detroit Federation of Teachers, 2875 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, MI 48202

Happy Holidays

DPS ConsentAgreementCauses Concern

preliminary consent agreement witha state Financial ManagementReview Team raises serious con-cerns for Detroit teachers.

The agreement to correctcontinual deficit spending calls for the dis-trict to develop a deficit elimination planthat includes the closing of schools andreductions “in positions, wages, employeeretirement systems, other fringe benefits...”

The consent agreement also stated thatthe terms of an existing collective bargain-ing agreement cannot be extended if thoseterms are “...inconsistent with the deficitelimination plan.”

“That cannot be allowed to stand,”Patrick Falcusan, DFT financial analyst,said at the Nov. 13 general membershipmeeting. “It appears to violate labor lawsin the state of Michigan under PERA —the Public Employment Relations Act.”

Falcusan said that wages, benefits andother items will be subject to negotiationswhen the contract expires June 30, 2009and cannot be simply imposed.

The district must deliver its plan to thestate the first week in December. MikeFlanagan, the state superintendent of publicinstruction, will decide whether to acceptthe plan. If the plan is not accepted, thestate may appoint an emergency financialadvisor to take over the district’s finances.

The state got involved after reviewingthe district’s 2008-2009 budget and a 228-page audit by the Washington, D.C.-basedcouncil of the Great City Schools. Theaudit and the state’s review team notedserious accounting problems, years ofdeficit spending, and deficit reductionplans that didn’t go into effect. Flanagan’saction followed months of revelationsabout the district’s financial woes and aplan in the summer to cut $522 millionover the next two years.

The consent agreement is likely to holdthe district to strict monthly accounts of thedistrict’s spending or a financial advisormay take over.

The Teacher Behind the Parade Winners

Turning a Historic Election into a Thematic Unit

ove it. Love it.How do you feel about Clippert

Academy? How do you likemiddle school?

Clippert Academy artteacher Ruth Goldfaden

doesn’t mix up her feelingsabout her job. She sees tons of talent in hermiddle school students — some of whomhave never had art before.

“There’s so much talent here,” she says.The fine arts major had a run of success

with her recent move to Clippert last yearafter 20 years at Gardner ElementarySchool. Last year, her student won theThanksgiving Parade float contest. Thedesign from eighth-grader GuadalupeBarrera featured dancers from Mexico ina ballet Folklorica. The float featurednine-foot tall twirling dancers in eight-foot wide flowing, multi-colored skirts.Barrera called it “The Dancing FlowerGarden.”

This year eighth-grader EmireneMunoz was the grand prize winner of theballoon contest. She designed a circus ele-phant balloon called “Elephante.” The 25-foot balloon floated down WoodwardAvenue in the 82nd America’sThanksgiving Day Parade.

Howe Elementary School onDetroit’s east side turned the his-toric election into a thematic unit

on democracy, keyboarding skills,research, speechwriting, and much more.

Each of the 438 students got theopportunity to cast a ballot prepared bythe City of Detroit Elections Department.

“We want them to understand the dem-ocratic process and be part of it,” saidLee Wright, second grade teacher. “Wewant them to have a say in what’s goingon in their community.”

Howe teachers took the opportunityduring the election fever to drive homesome other skills. Luciana Simpkins, ateacher of the Early Child Develop-mentally Delayed, ran a pizza party con-test for the class who registered the mostpeople. Sixty real voters got registered

through the project.And Latoya Wilson, a language arts

teacher, ran a speech contest. One stu-dent would present his argument to elect

Sen. John McCain and another studentwould present as Sen. Barak Obama. Thestudents had to research on the internet,study polls, type on the keyboard, anddraft and rewrite.

“I didn’t have to type reports until Iwas in college,” Wilson said. “By thetime they enter middle school, they’llknow how to do it.”

“They not only learned grammar, theyworked on their oratorical skills, makingsure their reports were really well writ-ten,” Wilson said. The best two researchproject winners presented to the entireschool in an assembly.

Although the glory of the election wasa memory for not only this school, Wilsonsaid all the keyboarding and grammar andresearch skills made for a long campaign.

“I’m exhausted,” she said.

“They were reallytrue to her drawing,”said Goldfaden, aCass Tech graduate,who has taught inDetroit PublicSchools for 22 years.After 20 years at theelementary level,Goldfaden lost her artroom at Gardner.

“I was a little nerv-ous about middleschool but I love it,”she said. “It couldn’tbe a better fit. I wasready to work witholder kids. You can domore sustained work.”

The fit has been agood one too for theschool, which didn’thave an art room.

Goldfaden says thestudents feel a tremen-dous amount ofachievement when theywin a contest like this.

“Some of them may not have had successin other parts of their life,” she said. “What I

see on their face when they succeed — it’s awonderful sight. It can change them a greatdeal. They think of themselves as being ableto accomplish something.”

Ruth Goldfaden is the art teacher behind twoThanksgiving Parade designs.

Luciana Simpkins helps a studentat a voting booth.

On Nov. 17, I gave the offi-cial handshake to start con-tract negotiations with the

Detroit Public Schools. For theearliest time ever, we started theprocess of negotiating.

I never could understand whywe waited until February or Marchto open negotiations when weknow that our contract expires onJune 30. I remember only oneother time – under SuperintendentDavid Snead — when we left forsummer vacation with a contractsigned.

There’s a big reason I wanted tostart negotiations, and at least setthe parameters, the dates we’llmeet, and the place where we’ll benegotiating (a neutral environ-ment).

The parents of this city have

started voting withtheir feet. They areleaving the schooldistrict, their neigh-borhood schools,because of the veryinstability that is por-trayed on a dailybasis in the newsmedia about this dis-trict.

The parents knowthis is a contractyear. If they see usjust getting started inFebruary or March,they may figure wewon’t have a con-tract. They mightstart looking at otherschools – charterschools – to enrolltheir children.

I want early bar-gaining as a symbolthat we are trying tostabilize the exodus ofstudents from ourpublic schools. There is no reasonto continue to project a picture ofinstability and a “can’t do” attitudein this district.

This union, for one, wants to

Let’s Start Bargaining Our Contract Early

VirginiaCantrell

THE OFFICIAL HANDSHAKE – DFT President Virginia Cantrell opens 2009 contract nego-tiations Nov. 17 with an official handshake with Gwendolyn de Jongh, chief labor nego-tiator for the Detroit Public Schools. The current teachers’ contract expires on June 30.

(ISSN 0011-9695)

The Detroit Teacher is the official publi-cation of the Detroit Federation ofTeachers, American Federation ofTeachers Local 231, AFL-CIO. Memberof the Union Teacher Press Association,International Labor Press Associationand Michigan Labor Press.

The Detroit Teacher is published month-ly, except for July and August, for $4 peryear by The Detroit Federation ofTeachers, 2875 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit,MI 48202. Periodical Postage Paid atDetroit, MI.

POSTMASTER: Send address changesto The Detroit Teacher, 2875 W. GrandBlvd., Detroit, MI 48202.

Editor — Margaret Weertz

Communication Tips for Teachers

Parents can be a teacher’sstrongest allies or greatestconcern. And it usually

depends upon how a teachertreats not only the student, butthe parents. Just a few momentsof a teacher’s time to let parentsknow how he or she values theirinput into their child’s educationcan make all the difference in theworld. Try some of these meth-ods for keeping in touch withparents:

3 At the beginning of schooland each new grading period,address small note cards with

each student’s name and placethe cards in your desk drawer.Each week, pull out a few cards,jot down a positive note about thechild, and send it home. By theend of the grading period, everychild will have received a posi-tive note from you. These areoften kept by mom as a memoiror placed in a scrapbook.

3 Be sure that parents haveaccess to your school emailaddress. Send quick testreminders, fun learning reinforce-ment activities, and class news asa group email. Send personalnotes as a private email.

3 Keep a journal page on yourcomputer with each child’s name.Take a few moments each day orweek to note problems, praise,conferences, etc. This is a greatback-up for memory loss!

3 Either manually or on thecomputer, document on a com-

munication log each note yousend or phone call you make toparents. This documentation canbe invaluable in parent confer-ences and guarantees that yourprincipal knows of your effort.

3 Monthly or during eachgrading period, send home a classnewsletter. This can be written byolder students as part of anassignment or by you if studentsare younger. Always include aspace for parents to write ques-tions or comments to ensure two-way communication.

These types of communicationassure parents that you as ateacher value their input into theeducational process, and theygive you an opportunity to letparents know that you truly careabout their child. After all, that’swhy teachers teach.

Courtesy of Cut & Paste

project a professional attitudethat it’s possible and right to sta-bilize this district, to clean upour finances, and to have a faircontract in place for the next

school year.In Washington, we will have a

completely new way of doingthings and, most important, a newattitude with which to do the hardwork we need to do to makethings right.

Let’s plunge in and do it right.Yes we can!

Page 2 The Detroit Teacher December 2008

President’s Report

December 2008 The Detroit Teacher Page 3

Ronald Brown Teacher Appointed

Angela Evans, a preschool teacher atRonald Brown Academy, has been select-ed to participate on the AdvisoryCommittee for the development of thefive new frameworks for the MichiganTest for Teacher Certification (MTTC).Evans will serve on the Early ChildhoodEducation Advisory Committee at theObjective Review Conference inLansing.

The MDEselects exemplaryteachers to servein these roles.Members of theContent AdvisoryCommittee willinclude schooleducators andfaculty fromMichigan teacherpreparation insti-tutions. As amember of the

Advisory Committee, Evans will beresponsible for reviewing the test mate-rials produced during the test develop-

ment process. “As a teacher with the Detroit Public

Schools System, I look forward to utiliz-ing the skills and knowledge that I haveacquired at Ronald Brown Academy andthrough the Office of Primary Education,”Evans said. “I would especially like tothank all of the outstanding professors Ihad at Wayne State University in theCollege of Education, my principal,Nancy Ross, and other staff members andmentors who have supported me andgiven me the necessary tools to becomeone of the best preschool teachers.

“It is my belief and the belief of theMDE that as educators, it is so importantthat all certified teachers in Michiganhave the necessary basic skills and con-tent knowledge to serve in Michiganschools.”

RetirementsAnnounced

The following DFT members retiredthis year: Vicki Bell, Dorothy Brown andPatricia Oliver. If you have retired in thelast three months and would like itannounced, please call the editor at 875-3500 ext. 776.

Visit the New

DFT Web site

www.DFT231.com

Updates...

Kwanzaa to be Celebrated by AllKwanzaa is a week-long event that honors the her-

itage of African-Americans. It isobserved from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.While most observers areAfrican-Americans, the celebra-tion continues to become moreinclusive.

Kwanzaa was created by politi-cal activist Ron Karenga in 1966.Though it was originally intendedto be a holiday for African-Americans, in 1997 Karengaamended his position.

While still honoring Africanheritage, Kwanzaa should be cel-ebrated by any individual of anyculture or race. Karenga hopes itwill become similar to Cinco de Mayo and the Chinese New Year, which are commonlycelebrated outside of their original cultures.

Book Shows HowSchool DisciplinePractices are FailingKids with social, emotional, and

behavioral difficulties presentenormous challenges to schools.

And when their difficulties are poorlyaddressed, everyone loses—the child, hisparents, classmates, teachers, administra-tors and the community at large.

A new book, Lost at School, revealshow current discipline methods are failingour children and offers a new model formanaging challenging children inside andoutside the classroom. The book offersteachers, administrators and parents prac-tical tools for working with children inthe school setting and beyond.

Lost at School focuses on two premis-es. Hard to manage kids lack the skills tobehave adaptively and when adults teachkids the skills they lack (rather than rely-ing on detention, suspension, and expul-sion), the results are profound.

On a national telephone briefing to beheld on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 1:00 p.m.EST, the author of the book, Dr. Ross

Greene, PhD, will discuss his model —called Collaborative Problem Solving —and how it can be used by teachers,administrators and parents to help chal-lenging kids get back on track. Greenewill be joined at this briefing by stafffrom schools where his model has beenimplemented.

Greene is associate clinical professorin the Department of Psychiatry atHarvard Medical School. Greene is theauthor of the book, The ExplosiveChild, and originator of theCollaborative Problem Solvingapproach. His research has been fundedby the U.S. Department of Education,the National Institute on Drug Abuse(NISA)/National Institutes of MentalHealth (NIMH), and the StanleyMedical Research Institute. His frequentmedia appearances have included TheOprah Show, Dateline NBC, GoodMorning America, The Morning Show,and National Public Radio.

Angela Evans

You have to wonder what the Michigan Thanksgiving Day Paradewould be without the Detroit Public Schools. The Detroit PublicSchools is a continual presence at the parade with marching bands,floats and balloons designed by Detroit students. The Martin LutherKing High School band, above at this year’s 82nd Annual MichiganThanksgiving Day Parade, is a parade mainstay.

THANKSGIVING PARADE SHOWCASES DPS

Page 4 Page 5

Outstanding Teachers of 2008Work is Play for Science Teacher

Kathryn Meloche’s home is just a storage bin and a place to sleep. Her life is at Clippert Academy. The middle school science teacher runs the Science Olympiad, HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) and You Be the

Chemist. “Teaching science to me is like playing,” she said. “It’s what I do and think and feel all the time. Where else can you bring

in Hot Wheels or blow things up or mix chemicals or dissect animals?”Because of this enthusiasm for teaching, Meloche was honored as a 2008 Teacher of the Year by Wayne RESA.Meloche started the Clippert Labs Inc. to hire student scientists and have them solve today’s problems. This month: how

to make toys without lead or batteries.“We design it, package it, and advertise it,” Meloche said. The students test the toys then present them to the board of

directors via Power Point.Clearly Meloche succeeds with the students – 81 percent of her students met or exceeded the state standards in the MEAP.“There’s something about middle school – I’m hooked,” she said. “My favorite age kid I found out is 12 to 16 – right

when parents are about to kill them.”And clearly Meloche is happy in her environment.“This is an incredible school,” she said. “The teachers work well together. It’s well run and managed.“They have to kick me out to shut the door.”

Preschool Teacher Lays the FoundationWhat looks like chicken scratching, Phyllis Williams sees the beginning of writing. Her four-year-old preschool stu-

dents will grow from September to June by leaps and letters.The Northwest Early Childhood Center teacher sees her role as pouring the concrete underneath the school building. If

it’s not strong, the building’s not going to hold much weight. And that’s where the three-year DPS teacher wants to be.“I like to be the beginning,” she said. “I like to give them a good start. I know how far I can get with them because I

can see ahead.”Williams was honored as one of the 2008 Outstanding Teachers of the Year by Wayne RESA. Having taught preschool

through third grade gives her an understanding of how preschool learning will play out in third grade.The energetic and bubbly teacher is moving in many directions at once – applying for another grant, or setting up a

parent program. She makes home visits to each family and is surprised daily by her students.“I didn’t know my child played the violin,” she said. “One person spoke Japanese – I didn’t know that.” The Northwest

Early Childhood Center is a Michigan State Readiness Program for at-risk preschoolers.Williams, though continually surprised by kids, is grounded in differentiated instruction and multiple intelligences. But

the foundation comes back to reading, exposure to the world, and bringing parents into the learning cycle. So far, shesees loads of success.

The school holds family feasts, picnics and fundraisers to get parents involved. She takes her 16 students on field tripsand nature walks. “They love coming to school,” Williams said. “The lady in the office said, ‘Your kids are never absent.’That’s because I make it fun.”

Renaissance Teacher Takes a Risk in FrenchSeveral years ago, Todd Losie didn’t like what he saw with his students.“I wasn’t happy with what I was seeing in class with the traditional approach, with the textbook,” the Renaissance

High School French teacher said. “I wasn’t seeing the proficiency.”Losie slowly started taking risks, specifically using the TPRS model – Teaching Proficiency through Reading and

Storytelling. He said TPRS is how we learn our first language. That is – repeating over and over again the verb tensesin a specific content area.

“There’s no expectancy of productivity,” the 16-year teacher said. Losie slowly went toward the research and away from the textbook.It’s something he was interested in doing for years. He slowly entered the model and then took a complete plunge

four years ago. And never looked back.“It’s scary to release yourself from the textbook and trust research and theory,” he said. Losie is one of three outstanding Detroit Public School teachers honored in 2008 by Wayne RESA for their innova-

tion in teaching.“He has really innovative ideas and he’s really passionate about French,” said Lauren Adamo, Losie’s student

teacher. “He takes a lot of risks and he sees it pays off.”

Academy Focuses on BehaviorThe gym at Turning Point Academy was rocking Oct. 28 for the second annual harvest

party. The staff at the special education day treatment school for severe EmotionallyImpaired students held a Halloween costume contest, face painting, sack races and dance.

The school was celebrating autumn, Halloween and the end of taking the MEAP.“We got through the last three weeks without any major problem,” said science teacher

Mariann Watson. “That in itself is something we can celebrate.”Watson said many of her students are academically above grade level. It is behavior

that’s the focus of the school. And she has concerns that the predominant students sentthere are boys.

“I have a theory,” she said. “Boys are aggressive and most teachers are women. That’snot how we are.” Still, many of her students need to learn how to function in social situa-tions, thus the reason for harvest parties and dances.

“They want to be someplace with girls but they know girls don’t want to be with them.”Watson teaches — and better still, models — a better way to behave.“You can teach them there’s a different way to respond,” she says. “If they address me

wrong and say something about my mother, I can let it roll off my back. They see there’sa different way to react.” For her part, Watson loves her place at the east side school. Sheloves middle school and special ed.

Improving Citizenship through ROTCWhen Finney

High School studentDesirae Littlejohnhelped at theCapuchin SoupKitchen, some ofthe hungry thoughtshe was from theArmy. Fromappearances, theJunior ROTC stu-dents look liketroops in training.

But ROTC givesthe Finney junior much more than a mili-tary perspective of things. It was such goodtraining that Desirae was recruited by herbrother Julian.

“I wish we could put everybody inROTC,” said Julian Littlejohn, a Finneysenior. “Maj. Knop got me in in ninthgrade. I was a little rough around theedges. We feel like they care about us.”

The cadets learn such diverse skills asleadership, controlling anger, financialresponsibility, physical fitness, history andcivics. There’s reading and writing skillsand the Heimlich maneuver. It’s all in themission to motivate these young people tobecome better citizens.

The students are so motivated they pub-lish the only newspaper in the school – TheFinney Highlander Battalion.

Maj. Jeff Knop is one of 66 ROTC in-

structors in DPS.Half of theirsalaries are reim-bursed to the dis-trict from the U.S.Government. Andthe Army funds thestudents’ uniformsand shoes, text-books and comput-ers.

Knop sees therole of learninggoing in two direc-

tions. “I tell them, ‘You’re teaching mehow to deal with teenagers. And I’mteaching you how to succeed in society.’”After 22 years in the Army, Knop retiredand found his way to DPS. His missionnow is to teach the discipline and lifeskills he’s learned in those years.

Many students gravitate to ROTCbecause of the very structure of the envi-ronment, the quiet of the classroom anda teacher who is in charge. The booksare organized and the materials secured.

“I want these kids to graduate on time,be able to read and function as a citizen,”Knop said. “I don’t care if they go into theservices. I want them to be good, produc-tive citizens.”

For senior Julian Littlejohn, he’s appliedto seven colleges with hopes of attendingGeorgetown University in the fall.

Left to right: Julian Littlejohn, DesiraeLittlejohn and Maj. Jeff Knop

Turning Point teacher Mariann Watson with students.

Page 5

Tour of Japan Opens EyesIn a country of 128 million on a tiny island, Shawn Forman didn’t see a piece of litter

on the streets of Japan. The Detroit elementary teacher saw such paradoxes as over-crowded schools and calm orderly kids.

“Every school we went to, there were no custodians, the children cleaned the schools,”said Forman, who spent three weeks in Japan touring schools. Forman saw the Japanese

children mopping, vacuuming and dustingtheir own schools.

“The most amazing thing is to see the kidstaking responsibility for their school,” saidForman, a first-grade teacher at MacDowellElementary School. “They truly are buyinginto their environment. Not only does it givethem responsibility for their environment, it’sa place they should care for because it’swhere they go to learn.”

Forman said the schools are so eco-friend-ly they produce hardly any waste, usingplates and chopsticks during lunch. The chil-dren even break down the only disposableitem — their milk cartoons to be recycled.

Forman said Japan has some of the sameissues we have in Detroit — over-crowdedclassrooms and crowded schools. But, she

said, the kids were calm and orderly, even with 700 students in an assembly with long-winded presentations.

Forman has been teaching 10 years in Detroit and applied for a Japan FulbrightMemorial Fund scholarship to observe teaching and learning. She was impressed that thestudents got a 15-minute recess after each class to unwind. Many went in the courtyardto weed or jump rope. Teachers didn’t address each subject every day, but only tackledthree core subjects. After the core subjects, the children learned judo, kendo, brass bandor tea ceremony.

Forman stayed with a host family in Takeo, Saga and visited Nagasaki where the U.S.dropped the atomic bomb. She also visited the Diet – the Japanese Parliament, and theImperial Palace in Tokyo.

“I had the chance to see Kimono wrapping as well as visiting the busiest intersectionin the world, in the Shibuya,” where 1,000 people cross at an intersection every time thelight changed.

She will introduce her students to the customs, traditions and food of Japan, where shelearned to make tempura, miso soup and rice balls.

OBAMA HAS LEFT THE BUILDING — For the last five months, theDFT has hosted the Obama Campaign Michigan Headquarters on thesecond floor of its building. The busy headquarters brought in numer-ous speakers, politicians and personalities including MichelleObama, Bill Cosby, Usher, Forest Whitaker, Doug E. Fresh, Sen.Debbie Stabenow, U.S. Rep. John Conyers, former Detroit MayorDennis Archer, and AFT President Randi Weingarten.

Teachers of 2008for Science Teacher

me is just a storage bin and a place to sleep. Her life is at Clippert Academy. nce teacher runs the Science Olympiad, HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) and You Be the

e is like playing,” she said. “It’s what I do and think and feel all the time. Where else can you bringngs up or mix chemicals or dissect animals?”asm for teaching, Meloche was honored as a 2008 Teacher of the Year by Wayne RESA.ppert Labs Inc. to hire student scientists and have them solve today’s problems. This month: howor batteries.it, and advertise it,” Meloche said. The students test the toys then present them to the board of

eds with the students – 81 percent of her students met or exceeded the state standards in the MEAP.out middle school – I’m hooked,” she said. “My favorite age kid I found out is 12 to 16 – rightkill them.” happy in her environment.chool,” she said. “The teachers work well together. It’s well run and managed.out to shut the door.”

cher Lays the Foundationn scratching, Phyllis Williams sees the beginning of writing. Her four-year-old preschool stu-tember to June by leaps and letters.

Childhood Center teacher sees her role as pouring the concrete underneath the school building. Ifg’s not going to hold much weight. And that’s where the three-year DPS teacher wants to be.ing,” she said. “I like to give them a good start. I know how far I can get with them because I

as one of the 2008 Outstanding Teachers of the Year by Wayne RESA. Having taught preschool her an understanding of how preschool learning will play out in third grade.bly teacher is moving in many directions at once – applying for another grant, or setting up aes home visits to each family and is surprised daily by her students.d played the violin,” she said. “One person spoke Japanese – I didn’t know that.” The Northwests a Michigan State Readiness Program for at-risk preschoolers.nually surprised by kids, is grounded in differentiated instruction and multiple intelligences. Butk to reading, exposure to the world, and bringing parents into the learning cycle. So far, she

y feasts, picnics and fundraisers to get parents involved. She takes her 16 students on field tripslove coming to school,” Williams said. “The lady in the office said, ‘Your kids are never absent.’fun.”

extbook,” the Renaissance

ency through Reading andd over again the verb tenses

en took a complete plunge

yne RESA for their innova-

damo, Losie’s student

Shawn Forman

Grants...

Roll Call...

Literacy ResearchThe International Reading Association

(IRA) supports research on literacy with agrant opportunities of up to $100,000.The Elva Knight Research Grant supportspromising research that addresses ques-tions for the discipline of reading/literacyresearch and practice. At least one grantwill be awarded to a high-quality, teacher-initiated research project. Applicants mustbe IRA members.

Deadline: Jan. 15, 2009. For more infovisit mmoore@reading.org.

The Big ReadThe National Endowment of the Arts

(NEA) and the Institute of Museum andLibrary Services and Arts Midwest areoffering grants of $2,500 to $20,000 fororganizations that wish to participate inThe Big Read, a program to revitalizereading and bring literature back into thelives of America’s citizens.

Deadline: Feb. 3, 2009. For more info,visit TheBigRead@artsmidwest.org.

Science EducationThe American Honda Foundation

makes grants to nonprofits that work inthe areas of youth and scientific educa-tion. The foundation looks for programsthat have a clear purpose, a commitmentto the best use of resources, and a historyof accomplishing their objectives. Thefoundation looks for programs that alignwith Honda’s ideals: dreamful (imagina-tive), scientific, creative, humanistic,youthful, innovative and foresightful.

Grants of $10,000 to $100,000 are madeon a one-time basis, paid in a lump sum.Applicants may download an applicationfrom the website.

Deadline: Feb. 1, 2009. For more info,visit http://corporate.honda.com/ameri-ca/philanthropy.aspx?id=ahf.

Athletic ProgramsThe Finish Line Youth Foundation

supports organizations that give youthopportunities to participate in athleticprograms, encouraging healthy lifestylesand team building. The foundation alsosupports camps that emphasize sportsand active lifestyles. Grants from $1,000to $5,000 are given to fund scholarshipsfor camps and youth athletic programs.

Deadline: Dec. 31, 2008. For moreinfo, visitYouthfoundation@finishline.com.

ProfessionalDevelopment

The Horace Mann Companies supporteducators with financial assistance andscholarships to further their professionaldevelopment. Horace Mann is offering$30,000 total in scholarships for publicand private school K-12 educators to takecollege courses. The company will awardone $5,000 scholarship payable over fouryears, while 15 recipients will receive$1,000 each payable over two years.Twenty other recipients will receive one-time awards of $500 each. The funds willbe paid directly to the educator’s universi-ty or college.

For more info, visit www.horace-mann.com/resources/scholarships.

Musical InstrumentsEstablished and sustainable music pro-

grams are eligible to apply for grantsfrom the Guitar Center MusicFoundation. The foundation makes grantsof musical instruments ranging from $500to $5,000 in value. Qualifying applicantshave ongoing music programs that pro-vide music instruction for people of anyage who would not otherwise have theopportunity to make music.

For more info, visit info@guitarcenter-musicfoundation.org.

Music EducationThe Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation

seeks to support and redefine music edu-cation to help children achieve their fullpotential. This year’s grant programfocuses on educational reform for schooland independent music programs. Theannual, one-time grants range from$1,000 to $12,000 each. Eligible appli-cants are public school music programsserving at least 70 percent low-incomestudents, or independent music programsserving economically disadvantaged chil-dren.

Deadline: Feb. 4, 2009. For more info,visit heart@muzak.com.

Aerospace GrantsThe Air Force Association provides

educational opportunities for youth in theUnited States with its Civil Air Patrol

Aerospace Educator Grants. The AFAwants to ensure that future generationswill appreciate the role of aviation andspace in America’s future and have thetechnical knowledge and educationalbackground to pursue aerospace careers.Grants of $250 are available.

For more info, visit aeadmin@capn-hq.gov.

Radio ClubsThe National Association for Amateur

Radio Foundation offers mini-grants of$1,000 to support youth activities in radioclubs. The purpose of the Victor C. ClarkYouth Incentive Program is to support thedevelopment of amateur radio activitiesamong high-school age (or younger)youth. Grants can be used to purchaseequipment, buy training materials, or sup-port local service projects that bringfavorable public exposure to amateurradio activities.

For more info, visit foundation@arrl.org.

Humane SocietyThe Humane Society Youth selects one

young person each year to be designatedthe KIND Kid Award winner. Children ingrades K-6 who have made a positive dif-ference for animals are eligible for thisaward. The KIND Kid will receive $100and two runners up will receive $50 eachfrom the Humane Society Youth. To findout what other KIND Kid Award winnershave won, visit the website and view theirprojects.

Deadline: Jan. 15, 2009. For info, visitwww.kindnews.org/kids.

Page 6 The Detroit Teacher December 2008

Adult EducationBagleyBarbourBarsamianBartonBennettBirneyBowBoykinBrownBurtBurtonButzelCampbellCarletonCarstensCarverCassCentralCervenyChadseyChryslerClarkClementeCleveland

ClintonClippertCodyCody NineCoffeyColumbusCookeCooley NorthCoolidgeCraryCrockettDavisonDenbyDetroit Academy

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Detroit Federation of Teachers Membership Meeting — NOVEMBER 13, 2008

December 2008 The Detroit Teacher Page 7

Educating Childrenabout Harmful Ideas of Sexual IdentityBy Ron Seigel

Education can help young people eval-uate the harmful ideas they may haveabout sexual identity.

As I wrote in past articles, when boysassociate masculinity with aggression, awillingness to cause pain and a shameabout feeling, this can lead to school misbe-havior, teasing, bullying and even violence.

When girls equate femininity with theirability to please and attract others and judgetheir self-worth by other people’s approval,this can lead to low self-esteem, psycholog-ical pain, joining in a mean competition forpopularity and a conformity to nastycliques.

Such attitudes also create a hostility tolearning. Boys who achieve academicallyare often considered sissies. Smart girls areoften considered unattractive.

Psychologist William Pollack suggestedadults talk with young people “about waystheir feelings and behavior are triggered” bysuch misconceptions about what is mascu-line and feminine. This can be done in aca-demic subjects. In literature, teachers canrelate plots, themes and characters to prob-lems in students’ lives, including those ofidentity.

The late Mary Rose, who chaired theEnglish Department at West BloomfieldHigh School, noted that literature can pro-vide young people with insights fromobservers of many cultures and show themthat their situation and emotions are neitherunique nor odd.

Pollack suggested we “teach boys thereare many different ways to become a man.”

Both literature and history can provide aperspective on this by pointing out ideals ofmanhood in other ages, for example thePericles’Athenian ideal combining “manlyvigor” with a love of wisdom and medievalchivalry, where strength was combined withgentleness.

Elizabeth James from the University ofMichigan Department of African Americanand African Studies suggests the Zulus inSouth Africa can also be a model. Shenoted their code represented the spirit ofcommunity and their courage arose from asense of tradition, honoring of their ances-tors and service to the community, andinvolved a strong sense of discipline. Thesevalues, she said, not only helped in theirstruggle for freedom but in finding commu-nity solutions in the current fight againstAIDS. One might add that all hero storiesinvolve strength and courage being used toprotect victims of bullying.

For girls, psychologist Mary Pipher callsfor “more stories of women who are strong,more examples of women in a variety ofroles.” She noted, “Most of what girls readin school is written by men about men.”Pipher suggested, “History ought to includethe history of women, psychology the psy-chology of women and literature the writ-ings of women.”

In addition, Jacqueline Campbell, whoworked in Wayne State University’s Collegeof Nursing, suggested health classes mightdiscuss questions of respect between menand women in dating situations.

Ron Seigel is a freelance writer living inHighland Park, Mich.

Detroit Teachers KeepStudents Warm

Detroit winters might as well be Alaskan winters. But some kids dress as if they’re inbalmy Florida.

Twelve years ago, Joyce Elementary School teacher Mearon Lewers noticed too manykids dressed inadequately for the weather.

“I noticed kids standing at the bus stop with their shirts pulled over their hands,”Lewers said. “I stopped and was giving kids gloves out of my car.”

“It started with the children in my class, then the kids in my building,” she said. Lastyear, Lewers and her husband, Clyde, expanded the program district-wide.

She began collecting coats for the students. Then she realized it was about more thancoats. They needed to bulk up in layers. They needed undershirts and thick socks, glovesand hats.

Lewers’ Coats for Kids Drive transformed into an “Accessories for Kids” drive.This year Lewers wants to give warm accessories to Detroit schoolchildren from

December through March.Lewers is asking for donations of six purchased items: hats, scarves, gloves, under-

shirts, socks, and tights. The items should be in children’s sizes of x-small to x-large. The items can be dropped off at four locations: the Detroit Federation of Teachers,

2875 W. Grand Blvd.; the Detroit Public Schools Welcome Center, 3031 W. GrandBlvd.; the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, 315 E. Warren; andthe Comerica Bank branch in the lobby of the Fisher Building.

To receive goods from the drive for students at your school, complete the form below.

Accessories for Kids Request FormSchool ___________________________________________

Item: H nn S nn G nn U nn S nn T nnH=HAT S=SCARF G=GLOVES U=UNDERSHIRT S=SOCKS T=TIGHTS

Child’s Name____________________________ M/F _____

Size: XS nn S nn M nn L nn XL nn

Return to Mearon Lewers at Joyce Elementary School

HOLIDAY BAZAAR – Dozens of vendors sold their wares at the DFTHoliday Bazaar on Nov. 22. The Holiday Bazaar is held each year atthe DFT office. Proceeds fund COPE (the Committee on PoliticalEducation).

Clyde Lewers, Joyce Principal Diane Goins and teacher Mearon Lewerswith Joyce students.

All meetings will be held at 2875 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, unlessotherwise noted. Dates and times are subject to change. TheDFT telephone number is 313-875-3500.

DECEMBER9 Retirees Chapter luncheon, 11:30 a.m.,

Breithaupt Voc/Tech

11 General Membership Meeting, 4:30 p.m.

17 Attendance Agents Staff Meeting, 3-4 p.m.

19 Schools close at end of day, Christmas Break

JANUARY5 Schools reopen

5 Counselors Chapter, 4:00 p.m.

8 General Membership Meeting, 4:30 p.m.

12 School Social Workers Chapter, 3:45 p.m.

19 Schools closed, Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

20 Retirees Chapter, 11:30 a.m.

21 Attendance Agents Staff Meeting, 3-4 p.m.

22 Ed Tech Chapter Meeting, 4:15 p.m.

26 Special Ed Chapter, 4:30 p.m.

Page 8 The Detroit Teacher December 2008

The Best Motivation is Useful Advice

Good leaders can be counted on todo what’s necessary under pressure— but exactly what they do canchange from moment to moment.

In the 1968 National BasketballAssociation Eastern Division play-offs, Philadelphia took a commandingthree-game lead over Boston in abest-of-seven series — one more winwould eliminate Boston. During thenext — and must-win — game,Boston fought back and had a two-point lead with seconds left.

Bill Russell, Boston’s star center,was fouled and went to the free-throwline to shoot two baskets. If he madejust one, Boston would be far enoughahead to win the game even ifPhiladelphia scored again; but if hemissed both, Philadelphia could tiethe game with one basket.

Russell, normally a cool competi-tor, missed the first shot — leavinghis team only one more chance tolock up the game.

Then Sam Jones, a Boston guardand team leader, whispered a few

words to Russell. Russell promptlysank his remaining free throw andwon the game (Boston also went onto win the series). Afterward,reporters clamored to know whatJones had said to Russell. Was it aninspirational gem that motivatedRussell to do his best in the face ofadversity?

Hardly. Knowing that Russell shotfree throws better when he remem-bered to relax his muscles, Jones sim-ply said, “Flex your knees, Bill.”

As Russell puts it in his book,Russell Rules (New AmericanLibrary), “It was about as inspira-tional as a car manual, but it was theonly thing I needed to hear at thatmoment for us to win.”

It’s a great lesson for high-pressuresituations: Effective leaders figure outwhat to say — and sometimes thatmeans saying only what’s absolutelynecessary. The greatest inspirationmay simply be quietly helping some-one do his or her job better.

Courtesy of Cut & Paste

THE IMPRESSION A TEACHER MAKES

Volunteers from the Junior League of Detroit have been helping to openthe Carstens Elementary School library two mornings a week for stu-dents. Students from Rochelle Haye’s second grade class were person-alizing tote bags to carry back and forth when Hayes noticed how famil-iar one face looked. What a surprise to realize it was Cheryl Harvey, herown second-grade teacher from Hubert Elementary School. After shesaw Harvey, Hayes went home and found a certificate – a spellingaward – that she had received from Ms. Harvey back in the secondgrade.

Obama T-shirtsStill SellingJohnnie Jackson, ownerof Universal Merchan-dising, sold rhinestonestudded Obama T-shirtsat the DFT’s HolidayBazaar in November.Although he sells anarray of T-shirts, he saidthe Obama shirts wereheavy sellers through-out the fall.

“It got to the point thatObama was all I wasselling.” Jackson, whoalso does his own print-ing, is designing bothan inaugural T-shirt anda Black History MonthT-shirt. “I did much bet-ter than anyone expect-ed.”

For info on T-shirts call313-982-2137.