Good News Board

I used this board this year for students to post good news about their lives whenever they were inclined.  The following is a collection of anonymous entries.  While this might not seem to be the most innovative, I believe there's a lot of power in focusing on the positive.  And, if anything, it's a good pick me up at the end of the day.

It's 5th period.
Let's go Hornets.
I got my phone again.
Found 2 peppermints in 1 package
I got a new charm bracelet.
Honey Sticks from Sprouts
We ran out of sticky notes, so we have to use notebook paper.
I bought my prom dress.
My awesome friend is getting a motorcycle like mine.
My boyfriend brought me flowers to work.
New dog
I made the state all star team.
Tomorrow is my birthday.
Girls Soccer won Lakeshore, 2/21
It's Cast List Day!
JV Girls Soccer beat Pell City, 3/2
Boston College basketball beat Georgia Tech
Ms. Yeilding did not send me to the office today- didn't have my adhd meds.
My boyfriend walked from Oak Mountain to Chelsea to see me.
My dad bought a 1967 Volkswagon Bug.  It's a manual.
One of my top two colleges (West Point) sent me an application.
Chelsea beat Briarwood!
JV Shamrock Tournament, win/tie/loss, 3/20
My boyfriend's mom no longer hates me.
My prom dress has a cape and is super majestic.
I played the call of duty game.
I saw one of my good friends last night for the first time in 3 months.
We beat Oak Mountain and Curry.
My birthday is in less than one month.  Got a job!
Brought Math grade up 10 points to a high B.
I actually showed up.  Shocked me too.
I turned 16.
My teeth have gotten whiter.
Back at school :)\
The beginning of the year has been a wonderful start.  Yay!  I have Ariel socks.
I made a 26 on the ACT and an 8 on the writing essay.
My sister has started talking more.  She's 9 months old.
I got a sweater for Christmas.
It's 2015 and we graduate in 2016.
I haven't gone completely crazy from the school year yet.
Olivia got me excited about Christmas.
Got new shoes!
I got my braces off yesterday.
I have older friends that love me and watch over me and teach me life lessons and make me laugh.
Coach Adams is having another kid.
I'm passing all my classes!
I wrote on the board!
I have 3 field trips coming up.
Dougy and I have bonded.
I like instagram.
I'm passing.
I like chicken.
I have a car.
New Garret Baby being born today!
I got my first real Christmas Tree.
I got my car back the other day.
I got to see my friend who moved to Minnesota last year.  I had not seen him since last February.
I got to see my family in Florida.
Went to Homecoming with___
___asking___ to prom in class.
I'm ungrounded.  I think.
I exist.
Live the Zax life.
I got a new dance partner.
Halloween.
Lacrosse season has officially started.  Turned 17.
You all are beautiful.
I wasn't bored.
Elephants exist.
Treated myself to expensive shoes.
I hit a homerun, 11/10
It is 2015!
I get to see my sister for the first time since she moved out 3 months ago.  I'm so excited.
I finished my dance duet.
My mom bought more groceries.
It's finally Friday.
I made Southwind Drum and bugle corps.
I can walk!
It rained.
I got new truck floor mats.
Made a 10/10 on my Spanish quiz.
Boston College beat USC.
I'm awesome like a possum.
My good friend moved back to Chelsea.
84 on my French Exam.
Ms. Yeilding's sister had a healthy baby girl.
Old Spice.
I turned 17 October 23.
I am going to the Auburn game on Saturday.
Volleyball won whole tournament over weekend.
Vball beat Macadory.
Vball won against Pell City.
I'm going to be an aunt!
Little brother's birthday is tomorrow.  Congrats on living!
We won 2 games against Oxford.  Took them to 5 games.
Vball beat Walker and Spain Park.
Vball won against Pell City.
Vball beat Pell City again.
Vball won against Briarwood and Calera.
I got my C up to a half B in history.  It's an A now.
I watched Shrek for the 543rd time.
Choose courage.
We won our game against John Carroll.
We beat Homewood.

A Strong Community of Poets...

This IMOVIE is designed by Gail Harper Yeilding for the Images Project assignment for EDF 600: Urban Education taught by Dr. Tondra Loder-Jackson at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

The photos were taken by myself and also pulled from newspaper articles. Newspaper sources are from The Birmingham News and the first bridge picture is from the Huffington-Post. Also, the picture at the Alabama Humanities Foundation was taken by a parent. I took photos from the newspaper in an effort to explore media portrayals of education with my own experiences.

The rationale for this project was developed from a reading titled, "Releasing emotion: Artmaking and leadership for social justice" by Laura Shapiro.

The goal of the movie is to display a community of strong poets and to display the ability of artmaking as a tool to challenge assumptions, release emotion, and to allow a learner to make meaning.

A guiding quote from the article which gave me inspiration: (Barone 2000) writes, "the strong poet is a strong storyteller, continuously revising her life story in the light of her own experience and imagination..."

Reference for the reading:
Shapiro, L (2006). Releasing emotion: Artmaking and
leadership for social justice: Making revolutions in
education (pp.233-250). Boston: Pearson.

Many thanks to the strong community of poets involved in this project!

Take this class if you haven't already and check out UAB's Center for Urban Education, http://www.uab.edu/cue

EDF600: Student Panel at Alabama Humanities Foundation

Upcoming stars from Birmingham City Schools, Shades Valley IB and Academies, and Vestavia City Schools welcomed us to the Alabama Humanities Foundation tonight to lead a discussion as part of our study of "Urban Students" for EDF 600: Urban Education taught by Dr. Tondra Loder-Jackson. For starters, what we discovered tonight was that "urban" might be a little more than urbane ;)

Locate many exciting programs and projects at http://www.ahf.net/

More excitement...

Another charter school that seems to be working, interesting!

Check this out, http://valoracademy.org

GO Mr. H.RAG!!! :) So impressed.

One System? Don't leave the table yet...

"Reinventing Our Community"

Is there a disparity in what city kids and suburban kids have access to?

Watch CBS coverage here:

Education Roundtable

Last Monday I had the opportunity to sit in on the Education Roundtable entitled, "Reinventing our Community" at the Birmingham-News. The room was full of excitement as Tom Scarritt facilitated a discussion that posed questions to a full room of diverse Birmingham stakeholders in education. Questions included: what the disparity looks like, what success looks like, if we had the will and from John Norris of Oakworth Capital, do we have a clear goal?

Dr. Craig Witherspoon, Superintendent of the Birmingham City Schools first made the distinction in educational opportunities and instead of an achievement gap, an expectation gap.

Jerry Tate, a Phillips Academy parent, advocated for the best technology and challenged all parents to become more involved. He also mentioned Phillips candidacy for International Baccalaureate as well as a need for the best teachers, correct leadership and a dropout recovery program.

Dr. Voltz of UAB's, Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at the School of Education mentioned the key to be teachers and a need to change the mindset of the schools. She also challenged for us as a community to begin to, "move the needle on student's achievement."

Leigh Perry from Ed Birmingham commented on what success looks like as well as a design for partnerships with schools and the business communities. Other emphasis included identifying negotiables and non-negotiables, knowledge or ability, engagement, thinking outside the box, leadership and trust.

Other memorable quotes:

"Will and vision go hand in hand."

"Alternative used to be a bad word."

"Tell your story... where are they, where are our students learning, they're at libraries!"

"We gotta do it!"

"Everyone is a child of somebody."

Education Roundtable, "Reinventing our Community"

Tom Scarritt, editor of the Birmingham news, on a series of conversations for our community:

This is exciting!

Education Roundtable Discussion

We Are All Ed: EdBirmingham.org

    Here's a movement that continues the work of Yes We Can! Birmingham by reporting the findings of community meetings across the city.  This website combines many efforts of stakeholders from all over Birmingham who are united by a desire to see our school system be successful.  Similar to Michelle Rhee's Student's First, EdBirmingham asks for input from parents, teachers, students, and community members on ways to increase achievement for the students.  By tackling issues of parent involvement, college and career focused schools, professional development for teachers, and pre-advanced placement initiatives, edbirmingham is a forum to get results through engaging everyone with a place that they can contribute for the good of all the community of Birmingham.  Calling for 3 simple things, money, time and heart, this could be the catalyst for what we so desperately need to give our students the schools and opportunities they deserve.  Be sure to view the notebook, a link at the top left of the homepage, http://edbirmingham.org/notebook.htm and sign up for the mailing list.

I am Ed Birmingham, and so are you.