Innovation starts with the local education professionals in each school : “Creative education programs in schools or in the universe are only possible through the support of caring administrators such as Principal Barry Kevorkian, site based Treasurer and UFT Chair Beatrice Desapio and Jane Bahnsen School Attendance Coordinator and Science Literacy resident.”
Mr. Downes, a unique teaching professional whose expertise in American History content is matched by his passion for and talent with singing songs, inspired me to have two classes of 8th graders at Ditmas IS 62 create an American songbook/ glee club book analyzing classic American period songs. The students have created their own unexpected responses, parodies, updates and reactions to these songs. As early as the 8th grade at a middle school they are becoming astute critics of pop culture and informed creators within that realm.
Today, in a class of sixth graders – perhaps all 12 years old – inspired by the idea of David Liotta, a talented Social Studies teacher who also does video and rap projects, the 6th graders discussed the economics and ethics of letting teachers go using either seniority or effectiveness (merit) as the criterion. When one listens to 12 year olds making more sense than adults passionately discussing issues, how can one not be inspired?!
Last year, outstanding ELA educator Maryanne Purtill worked with me to help her students design two books focusing on place and on adventure/fantasy that tapped their evolving poetry, story-telling and graphic arts talents in directions they revealed as their publications progressed.
-In which way do you consider yourself an innovative creator?
I am an innovative educator in that I provide students with a creative open to a broad-variety-of-responses atmosphere, which in turn inspired them to innovate and not to template according to my expectations. For example, in working with the class of master science professional Mr. Joseph on a Science as Magic book , I am having students stylize songs about magic to include components of his science curriculum and principles plus personal aspects of his personality. As I designed the project, I allowed the students to create using letters of the key units – Simple Machines, Chemistry, One Cell Organisms, Precipitation – their own lettering including objects that represent each unit. They surprised me with their own versions of this lettering and their ideas for mini stories about the science units.
I also share with students my own personal interests in film, television, clothing, images, personal life, theatrics, and museums to excite and to connect with them. I see
our coming together as individuals and sharing what excites us as teacher and students as a nexus/bridge or innovation. I am all about pop culture, mixed with the canon of so-called adult literature or adult materials that I make come alive for students.
-Do you have any other creative ambitions or dreams to which you aspire?
My dreams are to continually evolve. This past year at Ditmas IS 62 with Mr. Downes, Ms. Copeland, Ms. Purtill, Mr. Liotta, and Ms. Gonzales, I started the We the Students podcast on issues relating to students.
I have
produced radio shows and podcasts with students before. This year I am privileged to be working with a superb educator at IS 62, Ms. Rosinda Rodriguez, [to help] 7th- and 8th-graders develop a dual language Spanish/English poetry anthology using works by Gary Soto, Sandra Cisneros, Lindamichellebaron, Maya Angelou, and others (as well as my own seed poems) to write about their ethnic, cultural, and challenging lives/stories. Every year, students and educators show me another direction to explore.
-Which basic elements of creativity did your family teach you?
My mother taught me to speak and move creatively. I learned from her and my relatives the values of working with paper and pen and lettering to create engaging visuals and to use visuals as a catalyst for stories. My father taught me about the importance of photography plus composition for imaging. He was big on doing graphic, measured art renditions. I have taught students scale drawings based on that.
-How did you get the idea for writing books on education?
I wrote books on education as a validation and a form of seeking recognition for my innovative practices. I also wanted to celebrate in my writings the extraordinary “wonderful” (a word I always overuse because, to me, students are just that “wonderful”) students I encounter in my teachings. I hoped to inspire other educators to break away from mandates and test-taking to liberate their own creativity plus that of students.