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By Kyle, July 31, 2008 3:32 pm

So as many of you have guessed by now, I was not killed in the Chino Hills earthquake of 2008 (neither was anyone else for that matter). In a somewhat ironic twist, my iTunes random shuffle has decided to play a movement from contemporary minimalist composer John Adams, entitled Shaker Loops: A Final Shaking. Yet this magnificent piece, written for sting quartet, was not inspired by any California seismic events (as was his opera I Was Looking at the Ceiling and then I Saw the Sky), but rather the historical Shaker religious sect. Nevertheless, this piece is one of my favorite Adams works. The way he creates melodies you’ve never heard of and chords you’ve never dreamed of is absolutely astonishing.

Earlier today I had the opportunity to visit, Los Angeles High School, the high school that I can literally see from my front door, and the high school that the majority of my middle school students will end up at. So today, I ran into about 30 or so of my former students, the majority of whom are freshmen, and had just begun their high school experience. I could tell that many of them are still “learning the ropes” as they expressed missing middle school very much. I also was able to run into a few students that I taught from 2004-2006 (who are currently juniors), and they reminded me just how old I am getting. My guess is soon I’ll be approaching the age that my students think I am at already.

Now only a few more days until work begins again…..not that I’m counting.

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By Kyle, July 29, 2008 11:36 am

Seriously folks, calm down.

Why can’t local and national news affiliates spend this must time, effort, and energy on the crisis in education in LAUSD, rather than on an earthquake that causes zero deaths, zero injuries, and (aside from a broken water main) zero damage !?!?!

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By Kyle, July 28, 2008 11:01 am

Yesterday, NFL players reported (or did not report) to training camp, officially beginning the countdown toward the beginning of the season. And just as their summer vacation has ended, mine is quickly coming to a close.

One week from today, I report at 0800 to Johnnie Cochran Middle School, eat the free breakfast, say hi to some friends, and then begin the daunting task of staying awake through three weeks of professional development (PD). Thus far in my short teaching career, the breakdown of such PD has been about 80% sitting passively in boring meetings / 20% useful time working in my classroom. Not only that but, this year we’re getting close to twenty new teachers at our school (about a 25% turnover) so I’ve got a feeling that a majority of the time will be time spent orienting these new folks to the school, yet we’ll just have to see.

Finally, in the background I’ve got a recording of local classical radio station KUSC’s weekly Modern Times program. Basically, an amalgamation of classical music composed and recorded in the past 75 years, the program only comes on once per week, and since KUSC streams their radio station (as now most radio stations do), I’ve been using Replay AV to record it directly to my PC for later playback. A very cool piece of software, especially if you listen to internet radio at all.

Now I’d best be going. I’ve got a whole week to enjoy before cynicism, despair, frustration, school meetings begin.

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By Kyle, July 24, 2008 2:15 pm

Periodically, one of my more politically-minded roommates will spontaneously (and irreverently) shout out this above phrase, especially during the live CNN coverage of any speech by Democratic Presidential nominee Barak Obama. Yet this fall, not only will there be new hope and optimism in the new Federal administration, but there also will be (and in some ways, there already is) new hope in public education in Los Angeles.

In September, charter organization Green Dot begins their takeover over former LAUSD Locke High School, located in Watts. A high school that has been rampant with gangs, drugs, graffiti, and other crime, Locke has existed as the epitome of all that has gone wrong for kids in the top-heavy, bureaucratic district that has failed to serve the high school students here. This travesty is chronicled in the book Relentless Pursuit, which follows the stories of four first year teachers at the school in what seems like a hopeless situation.

After a long and furious battle, Green Dot wrested control of the school from LAUSD and seeks this fall to transform it using their own education method, which relies less on top-down initiatives and more on teacher innovation and accountability. Up until now, Despite their success, Green Dot has certainly has had it’s detractors since all of their other schools in the Los Angeles area accepted only those students who applied, and assumedly were thus more intrinsically motivated to succeed. But with Locke, Green Dot inherits the behemoth that it actually is. Thousands of students, many with gang affiliations, many without motivation, and many whose families are “less-than-involved” will be thrust into a school organization and culture that has only previously worked with those who chose it. This challenge is essentially “do or die” for Green Dot, and perhaps the charter movement in Los Angeles.

And yet, as Steve Lopez writes in an L.A. Times article, this campus is, in fact, showing signs of hope. Summer school is three weeks into session and already the culture at Locke is different. Students are in class (as opposed to “ditching” for my readers who didn’t previously know there was another option). Students are on time. Students are in uniform. And while the challenges still loom large (for example, teaching algebra to kids who can’t multiply), the optimism of hope looms even larger.

My hope is this. If Green Dot can successfully pull this off (which would be a major accomplishment) it will essentially prove to LAUSD that change can happen even under current conditions. At that point, LAUSD will have no excuse not to implement whatever changes it takes to improve education for our kids here in Los Angeles. And again, while there are many opponents of the charter school movement (and I do see their point), the main goal should be exactly this: to provide a path for major district reform.

And so, quite appropriately, the background track is an instrumental from Thoroughly Modern Millie, entitled “I Turn The Corner”. While I can’t say much about the track (one of those that seemingly randomly winds up on my machine), I can say that education in Los Angeles is about to turn a corner, hopefully for the better.

And so as the fall quickly approaches (yes, I go back to work on August 4th), I do have a sense of hope. But it is not in any presidential candidate, nor in any ballot measure, nor even in any team currently tied for in first in the National League East (well, maybe a little). I have a hope that kids can learn. And I have a hope that given the right structure, attitudes, effort, and motivation, that the new Locke will pave the way for changes across LAUSD.

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By Kyle, July 21, 2008 6:58 pm

On my home from a wedding in Maine this weekend, I stopped by a little college in Massachusetts, simply because I’d never been there before.  Although the place was mostly empty, I strolled around the grounds a bit, sampled the architecture, and breathed in the smell of fresh cut grass on a breezy Sunday morning. Unless they’ve annexed nearly all of the surrounding neighborhood, the original is remarkably small, yet it’s history and aura simply overwhelm the senses.

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As you probably figured out, I am currently on the tail-end of a trip to the Northeast over the summer. As previously mentioned, the past four days were spent in Maine (and New Hampshire) at my best friend from high school’s wedding. Yes, I had to give a toast, which went well (I suppose that teaching has done a little to allay my fear about speaking in public). One of the coolest parts (aside from the ceremony/reception itself) was getting invited by the bride’s dad to go lobstering in his boat (a verb, which I didn’t know previously existed). We pulled up about 35 lobsters in about 30 minutes from about 20 traps that were set in the river that borders Maine and New Hampshire. While this was certainly alot of fun, I cannot imagine doing this for a summer, a few years, or even a lifetime.

In the background, we hear Erik Satie’s La Diva de l’Empire, a brilliant piano piece that is surprisingly minimalist, Very good. Very cool. Chill out music.

Anyway, I’m out!

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By Kyle, July 14, 2008 1:08 pm

121. One hundred- twenty one. That was my score!

Unfortunately, I was not playing basketball. And no, I was not bowling either. Yes, I was golfing, an activity that I love but have not really had the opportunity to enjoy frequently in my time in Los Angeles (where the most inexpensive greens fees are around $35, compared with $9 we spent here today). Anyway, I did hit a fair number of shots that I was happy with, however most of them were more than accounted for by the poor shots that immediately followed.

Anyway, I did have fun and it was nice to spend some outdoor time on the links with my Dad and my sister (who is also visiting the North-east for a non-mutual friend’s wedding).

I must say that adjusting to the concept of “visiting home” is an interesting one, one that I’m continually feeling out. There is no wife yet. There certainly aren’t any grandkids for anyone to ogle over. So it’s pretty much just me, my lonesome self, visiting home and spending some quality time with my parents. And yet there’s so much that’s different from when I visited them in college, or even for extended periods during summer break in high school. Oh well. I guess it’s simply new territory being forged all the time! In the meantime, I’m simply enjoying getting to spend the time with them, because at 3000 miles apart (and 3 time zones), it doesn’t happen often! :)

Ironically, in the background the random song that played was The Rolling Stones’ Please Go Home, off of the amazing Flowers album. You can listen here:

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Well, I’m definitely not ready to go home quite yet.

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By Kyle, July 10, 2008 3:35 pm

Ironic. It’s absolutely sweltering outside now that it’s mid-July and iTunes decided to be fun and play Celine Dion’s Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day. Now, if you’re like any of my friends who’ve had the opportunity to browse my iPod, you should now be (appropriately) asking the question, “Why on earth do have a song by Celine Dion?!?!?!” Fair question. To which I give the same response as I do when people ask why I have songs by Britney Spears, ‘N-Sync, Michael Bolton, and Boyz II Men.

BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE SAME CHRISTMAS COMPILATION ALBUM AS SOME OTHER AMAZING TRACKS WHICH MORE THAN MAKE UP FOR THE FACT THAT THESE TRACKS CALL INTO QUESTION EVERYTHING I BELIEVE ABOUT GOOD MUSIC AND DARE I SAY IT LIFE IN GENERAL!!!!

(….so why don’t you just delete them, Kyle???? are you really that lazy?)

YES.

Anyway, it’s mid-July and I’m excited to be headed out of Los Angeles in just a few days. Basically, I’m spending some time with my family (whom I rarely get to see) punctuated by a short trip to Maine for a wedding of a good friend from high school. It should be a great trip, and I’m looking forward to saying goodbye to Los Angeles, even if it is just for a few days. Anyway, as much as I love L.A., I figured I’d compile a list of Things I Won’t Miss while gone:

• Not having an air-conditioner in 80+ degree weather
• Online summer courses that continue whether I’m in LA or not :(
• Having a state board of ed making policies from the top down that they will ultimately be unable to support in the long term.
• Being surrounded by folks with either zero skills or zero motivation (self-included) to make quality home-cooked meals.

Anyway, I’m done whining now! My next post will probably be from NY so, until then, keep enjoying your summer (especially all you all with regular jobs that work year-round) :)

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By Kyle, July 7, 2008 8:28 pm

Well, I can’t say there’s much at all to write about, but I figured, isn’t that the point of a blog anyway? After all, isn’t this just a way that I get to hear myself talk without actually talking?

Anyway, it’s now almost mid-July and summer is once again in full swing. The summer heat consistently keeps me out of the out-of-doors, which is unfortunate due to the utter dearth of good films out right now. The last two films I’ve seen, Wanted, and Hancock, have been alright, but nothing stunning.

Even the background iTunes song, Evan Dando’s nondescript and ponderously long-titled The Same Thing You Thought Hard About Is the Same Part I Can Live Without is droning on and on. Oh well.

Anyway, as I sign off, I realize that this is probably the most boring post I’ve ever written, but I offer no apologies, after all, that is what you risk by reading my blog.

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By Kyle, July 4, 2008 4:33 pm

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Webster’s Dictionary defines Crapware as the category of software programs that come previously installed on your brand new PC, programs which slow your memory, your speed, and are often incredibly difficult to exorcise from your hard drive. I’ve spent the last few years tweaking my ability to get rid of crapware and it’s ugly cousin spyware from my PC. And to a high degree, I’ve been fairly successful, and now I’m the proud owner of a blazing fast, Microsoft powered, Windows Vista machine, with nary a blue-screen-of-death to show for it. For anyone interested, I highly recommend the use of the free programs Ccleaner and Ad-aware as part of a regular maintenance schedule to keep your machine running at top speed.

Why am I posting about crapware? Well, simply because my random iTunes background song is, in fact, one of the media files that came attached within the sample media files for the Windows Media player to discover and play. The piece, a slow jazz groove entitled Despertar, which is the Spanish verb that means “to wake up”. The sad thing, is that the piece is not that bad. For not being much of a jazz music aficionado, it’s actually growing on me. I grew up listening to some ragtime, and small doses of “big-band”, but only recently have gotten into the likes of Miles Davis or John Coltrane. It’s only when I feel like I’m sitting in a dentist’s waiting room that I get a bit perturbed.