Week seven, fall, friend, and music

One melts into two. Two fades to three. Three comes as quickly as the last, and before you know it, five stares you dead in the face. Then, without warning, six has come and gone. That’s right, folks. At Church Rock Academy, we are entering our seventh week of school. Report cards go out in three more weeks, and I’ve just finished grading a test and quiz that will instrumentally form my youngsters’ quarterly marks. What can be the assessment at this point in the game? Well, everyday, we learn a little something new about one another, that is, the students and me. Each day, small battles are fought, whether it means working to become more closely in touch with the feelings of your students, or more fully becoming able to show them why it is that you do the things that you do. As surely as one week flows into another, each day brings with it minute triumphs and small, but notable progress. A synopsis is indeed in order, but first a word on autumn.

I’ve always loved the fall. The way the air increasingly gains a crispness hinting at the cooler months ahead; the way the days slowly become shorter and the darkness hangs out longer during both morning and night; the readiness of sweaters (and long johns) to emerge from deep within the doldrums of one’s closet; the growing appropriateness of a tea for breakfast; the leaves falling off their trees; the pumpkins’ and Halloween costumes’ reawakening after three seasons of inactivity; the excitement that high school football brings to enthusiastic young people and their families, nostalgic for Springsteen’s ‘glory days’, bring a smile to my face and mind; they each call to mind an excitement that only manifests itself at this time of the year. In this corner of New Mexico, and as I make my way to school in ever colder mornings, I close my eyes and reflect on a happiness that this time of year brings and I hope never stops.

Back to school, karma police seem to rule the day. If I’ve put in the time developing a solid lesson, the rewards abound. In other words, my effort directly impacts the actions and attention/interest of students. They can tell when unpreparedness is afoot even more quickly, sometimes, than I know it is there. Karma? Well, yeah, karma. What I do comes around in the classroom. I notice that the most important gains come when I am able to spend meaningful time with students in a one-on-one manner. I’ve retreated from trying to work with as many students as possible as quickly as possible. I would rather make a connection with a student and help her or him perform well on a lesson than have visited, often ineffectually, fifteen. This reverts to the old adage ‘quality not quantity’. I buy in, and think my students, based on their performance when I am able to personally work with them, do, too.

We, as I mentioned, will issue report cards in three weeks and then break for one. Too many students are still not turning in their homework, coming up with increasingly unbelievable (and often humorous) excuses as to why they could not. I don’t buy any of it. If it’s not there on their desk when I come to check and give credit, then it is as if they’ve never done it all. Learning and practicing responsibility is an important, indeed critical, part of personal development, and by golly, I’m going to work to see that my students make strides in this area by the time we’re through.

Many students are up and down. On one day, they will be incredibly into a lesson, participating and contributing readily, whereas, on others, their sole purpose seems to be wreaking havoc on my lesson delivery efforts. This confounds my ability to understand children, as, just when I think I have figured a little something out, one of the whippersnappers (yes, I am a seventy-five-year old) acts in a way that totally throws me back into a state of bewilderment. Perhaps I should be happy about having a job with such marked twist and turns. Yes, perhaps.

At the same time, I become increasingly attune to the fact that, at the end of the day, my kids are really special and good. I hear horror stories from roommates and friends about students using truly awful language, saying alarming things about what they might do to their friends, teachers, and selves, and, in the worst of cases, following through. What can bring such pain and hurt into a human heart? Can the conditions of one’s home, one’s community, indeed one’s own mind bring them to a point where the only release is to bring pain unto themselves or others? Well, I reckon they can, which makes me feel all the more blessed that the most severe of my trouble with students to date is excessive talking, note-passing, and a lack of attentiveness. This, I can handle. A students hurting her or himself, I could not, I think. Hopefully, I will never know for sure.

One of the most exciting weeks of the season to date occurred last week, when an incredibly special friend, who is a first-year teacher in Las Vegas, came to visit and enjoy Gallup. She is a remarkable young person, exceptionally dedicated to her class and students, and one who lives life with a zeal that is the envy and goal of most. She, ever modest of her own abilities, nearly refuses to take credit for the progress she is so obviously making as an educator, but, after observing her with my students when she came to help teach a lesson on the U.S. Constitution last week, and when all my students could do the next day was ask about her and if and when she was coming back, there exists zero doubt in my head that she is a uniquely skilled teacher and that her students will benefit exponentially, both in terms of academic progress and personal development, under her guidance. In other news, we had a great time exploring the many charming facets of life in Gallup, and I was stoked that she met a good portion of my closest friends here. Hopefully, she’s reading this while enjoying the company of her family, remembering that she is missed, and reveling in the many comforts of home.

Finally, I was published, sort of. A local weekly newspaper called the ‘Gallup Herald’ ran a piece I wrote, initially solely for this blog, regarding a Gallup-McKinley County Schools Board of Education meeting I attended at which only one member was present to review results of the districts’ abysmal steps toward reaching No Child Left Behind’s ‘adequate yearly progress’ (AYP). I have a friend at the Herald who kindly donates twenty-five papers each Tuesday for my students, and he passed the piece on to his editor, who, apparently, though it worthy of putting into the paper. I didn’t even know I’d made it in until Thursday, when a colleague complimented me for it and said that she agreed with a lot of the points I’d developed (which was especially complimentary given that she has served as an educator for some thirty years!). So, to view the piece, all you need to do is review my last blog entry and the last paragraph thereof, which is titled something like, ‘In Closing, A Note of Concern’.

Well, the weekend was great. Even though G-Force dropped a 4-1 decision today in Gallup’s adult soccer league, bringing us to 1-1 on the season, I read a ton and finished a couple of great books, including Jimmy Carter’s ‘Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid’, which makes an extremely compelling case that U.S. policy vis-à-vis Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict, more generally, is fundamentally misguided, unjust, and quite often against our interests as a county. I appreciated the former president’s (perhaps my favorite prior resident of 1600 Pennsylvania) insights, especially given my upcoming visit to the region and the helpful information he offers regarding the deep history and current issues surrounding the conflict. Thanks, pop, for sending. Also, Friday night offered a great chance to see Church Rock Academy’s star music teacher, with whom I’ve become good chums, live in action performing with his jazz band at a popular local watering hole. It was a great way to close the workweek. On to week seven. The last sentence, since I’m currently listening to them, must be go a little something like this: Radiohead is amazing, and denying this is a disservice to promoting rationality, as well as just a blatantly inaccurate statement about music. Cheers.

Soccer, Art Crawl, and Exciting Travel Opportunity

Another Sunday is here, and, with it, a delightful breakfast of oatmeal, wheat toast, and coffee at Earl’s Diner, a staple along Route 66 in Gallup, New Mexico. As I reflect on the past week, a good week, to be sure, I think about the excitement that comes with laying routes somewhere, particularly a place as historic as this city. This Friday, we were delighted at Church Rock by the presentation of Albert Smith, an 80+-year-old former Navajo Codetalker, whose tails of his experience before, during, and after World War II riveted admiring students and left them antsy to get at the veteran with some questions. While many, indeed most students, had heard of the Navajo Codetalkers, I don’t think enough of them had a knowledge of the profound influence their work during WWII (and other conflicts up until Vietnam) had an ensuring the preservation of U.S. prosperity. Albert arrived just before nine, to the surprise of our secretary Judy. Many thanks to the janitorial crew of Tony, Bobby, and Fred for quickly readying a table, seat, and microphone for Albert (in retrospect, I should have alerted other staff about Albert’s coming much further in advance; I will do a better job of this next time!). At the end of his talk, our attendance secretary, Grace, presented Mr. Smith with a commemorative Church Rock Academy Bulldog pin. Next to his numerous medals of accolade for service and bravery, hopefully this memento will also provide him with joy and pride.

In addition to recounting his time as a soldier during WWII, Albert spoke to students about the importance of taking good care of themselves, working hard in school, and preserving their heritage by learning to Navajo language. He stressed that the youngsters need to get enough sleep, eat well, and ensure that they pay attention in class. He said that he had difficulty upon returning home from the war. On one hand, he had suffered, as had thousands of other veterans, deep emotional distress stemming from the horrific things he had seen in combat. Also, however, he found it extremely difficult to obtain a quality job with his eighth grade education (which he quickly rectified by returning to school and picking up a high school degree). He said to students that, looking around the gymnasium, he saw eyes that were tired, students that were elsewhere in terms of their mindset, which he found concerning given that the young people populating the bleachers represented the future of his and their Navajo heritage.

In sum, it was a great honor to have Albert come and speak. Despite being upwards of eighty, he keeps an extremely active schedule, traveling regularly to promote a book he helped publish on Codetalkers, as well as lecturing on the topic to audiences ranging from young, elementary school students to high-ranking Defense Department Officials. I think the staff, myself included, might have found Albert’s presentation even more interesting than the kiddos! As I reflected last week, the contribution made my Native American soldiers to the military success of this country, particularly with respect to Codetalkers during WWII, has been almost disgustingly underemphasized in or, worse, omitted from the historical literature. Albert’s talk ensures that Church Rock students will not go without knowledge of the hugely significant role played by their relatives.

Soccer League Opens:

Tonight, I have my first game as part of the ‘G Force’, a team that I and a few other New Mexicorps members joined in the Gallup Adult Soccer league. Yesterday, a few of these comrades and I went down to the park to kick the ball around a bit and ready for tonight’s battle. It reminded me of just how much I love the sport of soccer, which I think to be the best in the world. While I played tennis longer and more competitively than any other sport, I believe soccer offers a beauty unparalleled by any other sport. Moreover, the way in which the game infuse and enthrall an entire country’s culture and psyche is remarkable. The dynamic of the game itself also conjures thoughts of equity and justice. I think of it as the ultimate equalizer. I think this because, in soccer, a team that can defend well can compete with anyone. Even if a squad has far less in the way of flashy talent or physical size, if it can somehow claw out success on the defensive end, rendering opponents scoreless, there always exists a chance that a well-played counteract can result in a monstrous upset. This manifests itself in international competition in riveting upsets of small, often unheard from countries upsetting traditional pariahs and, more interestingly, former colonial rulers. Note, for example, Senegal’s enthralling 1-0 upset of France in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea. Going into the game, bookmakers scoffed at the chance of tiny Senegal to pull of the unlikely upset over the defending Cup champion, but with solid, tenacious defense and a single, glorious offensive sequence, Senegal did the unthinkable, sending the country into a joyous whirlwind and paving the way for an even more improbable run to the contest’s quarter-finals. Now, with all this talk of upset, does it mean I am betting on Novak Djokovic to upset Roger Federer in today’s U.S. Open Men’s Final? Not a chance!

Art Crawl:

Gallup holds an ‘art crawl’ on the second Saturday of every month. What this means is that art galleries and other stores that line historical downtown Coal Street open their doors in the evening, inviting in locals and tourists to check out some of the wonderful pieces of local, regional, and international artists, and also providing them with live music and snacks. Last evening, I happily took part in what I hope is the first of many Gallup art crawls. I think these events embody the charm of Gallup. The hub of Native American art and jewelry in the Southwest and, some argue, across the country, the art on display last night was remarkable. Some pieces illustrated the region’s breathtaking environmental beauty, while others made political statements. One memorable painting, which the proprietor of the popular downtown gallery and jeweler, the ‘House of Lyndon’, told me had been painted in 1982, juxtaposed the painting of six Ute Indians in the upper-left hand corner with a white man wearing a suit from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The owner of ‘Lyndon’s’ informed us that the piece’s artist told him that the point of the painting was for the observer to decide which of the six Native Americans had shot the BIA official, who was missing a left! Talk about hard-hitting! The piece was $450 dollars. The gallery owner told me and a couple of other TFA chums that we could set-up a payment plan. We smiled at each other and told him we’d be in touch when teacher’s wages were a bit more conducive to establishing quality art collections.

In addition to paintings, the gallery offered an extensive pottery collection, some of which had taken away prizes and high marks from regional shows and contests. The precision and care with which artists approach the pottery, jewelry, and other hand-crafted works I have had the pleasure of observing since coming to Gallup never fails to amaze and humble me. If you plan a trip to Gallup, do your darndest to align it with the second Saturday of the month in which you are coming. The ‘art crawl’ is, to put it mildly, a treat.

Enjoying the crawl last evening also hinted at the roots I am slowly but surely putting down in this charming Northwest New Mexico town. I saw several acquaintances I have made since moving here and enjoyed conversing with them in the cool night air, which hinted that autumn is quickly approaching. Moreover, a friend who writes for a local paper and is also a skilled musician performed to the delighted ears of many observers. The music teacher at Church Rock Academy, a remarkable man named Randy whose career has taken him across the world, first as a child professional and, during his adult years, as an acclaimed performer and teacher of music. The kids at Church Rock love Randy, and talked last night about pairing him and another friend I saw last night who also performs regularly on the local music scene for a concert at school. After seeing so many friendly faces over the course of the evening, I could not chuckle when reflecting that, over the course of 24 hours, I had probably seen over 50% of the folks I’ve met since moving to Gallup within a 40-feet radius. On Friday, I ate dinner at the Coal Street Pub, a popular restaurant for teachers. Saturday morning, I did my regular coffee and paper at ‘The Coffee House’ just down the road on Coal Street. By the time, I popped out of the ‘House of Lyndon’ (also on Coal Street) and made my way home, I had seen and visited with almost the whole crew. This hints at the small-town charm and closely-knit communities that characterize so many towns across the Land of Enchantment. This dynamic is one of the things I find most endearing about my home state and look forward to enjoying for years to come. When people are close together, there exists a prime opportunity to bond, and, to be sure, life offers no greater gift than building strong relationships.

Travel Opportunity:

I will close with something that will undoubtedly result in a worried phone-call from mom. Last Sunday, I met with someone who is quickly becoming a dear friend. This particular person, an ’03 New Mexicorps member, helped start a successful edible garden at her high school, a project I, and other ’07 CMs, are interested in taking on at our respective schools. In addition to this, our conversation hopped around many other, exciting topics, including this young woman’s experience earning her masters in international development as part of program at a university in Southern New Hampshire. She described to me a particularly impressive and inspiring classmate by the name of Anwar, a Palestinian man who runs a microfinance non-profit, headquartered in Ramallah in the West Bank.

(A quick word on microfinance: microfinance, in essence, is an international movement to issue small loans to working-class, typically impoverished citizens to expand their business opportunities. Most microfinance beneficiaries have been women, though men are taking advantage of the initiative, as well. There exist hundreds of microfinance banks and lenders across the world, operating in places from Bangladesh to the United States. Many banks are ‘for-profit’ entities. The repayment and default rates of their borrowers are regularly higher and lower, respectively, than traditional lending institutions. For more information on success stories in microfinance, check out the autobiography authored by Grameen Bank founder and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus entitled ‘Banker to the Poor’. For all its strengths, microfinance has been criticized for a number of shortcomings, including its difficulty to function in disaster and disease-stricken areas, as well as cultural sensibilities that may arise in financially empowering women in communities wherein males typically dominate familial structures. At the very least, microfinance represents an important effort worthy of further study.

The organization is called FATEN and, like other non-profits across the world, offers an opportunity for working-class citizens to establish or expand their business practices. FATEN, in addition to its headquarters in Ramallah, has eleven branches spread across Gaza and the West Bank. The Second Intifada and persistent conflict among Palestinians and Israelis, particularly the recent flare-up of hostilities between Hamas and rival Fatah since the former group won political power in elections last year and further consolidated its mandate by seizing, militarily, complete control in Gaza, have hindered FATEN’s ability to serve Palestinians as effectively as it would like. Still, each year, it doles out millions in microloans, offering a number of different financial products to individuals, families, businesses, and non-profit and nongovernmental organization (NGO) employees. As in other parts of the world, microfinance does not represent a silver bullet in terms of providing impoverished populations a path to financial viability. Still, the services with which FATEN and other, similar entities across the world provide their borrowers offers an empowering brand of hope, as they seek to better their livelihood.

A trip to Israel and the Palestinian sits atop my travel list, and when Alicia mentioned that Anwar had invited her to visit him over spring break, my eyes nearly burst out of my head! I guess my friend could tell because, by that evening, she suggested that I consider coming along. Naturally and excitedly, I told her that I had hoped she would ask me that and immediately expressed a desire to come along. Since then, that is, over the course of the last week, several things have happened hinting that a remarkable journey awaits my friend and me next spring. First, a friend of my fellow Corps Member who she knows from her time with the Peace Corps has also decided to join us. She seems to be an extremely interest person and dedicated world traveler with whom this type of a trip would be even more enjoyable. Secondly, Anwar heartily and enthusiastically endorsed my coming along, saying that not only could we stay at his brother’s vacant flat during out stay, but that we also might have a chance to use a FATEN vehicle to tour sites in the Palestinian territories, as well as Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. Also, one of my friend’s other former classmates from her masters program, who works for the Israeli military and currently lives in Russia, agreed to come spend time with us during our visit. In sum, this is shaping up to be a trip of a lifetime. To the extent that the Arab-Israeli conflict represents one of the most significant standoffs in international affairs, this trip offers first-hand, unparalleled perspective into a great challenge of our time. I look forward to joining my friend on this unique journey and cannot wait to meet many new and intrepid people along the way. Mom, you eventually came around on Colombia, hopefully the same will hold true for the Middle East!

Cheers from Earl’s,

--Daniel

Week 3: Perspective in Understanding

Classroom Highs and Lows:

When Kyle raises his hand and asks me if he can do an extra writing assignment for added credit, I get excited. When Ashley goes above and beyond the call of duty on a homework assignment to describe her thoughts on what life would be like if individuals in the U.S. had no freedom, opting instead to interview each member of her family to get their thoughts on the manner, I feel encouraged. When Xavier correctly informs me that Richard M. Nixon was the only U.S. President to have resigned, the political junkie (and, oh yeah, teacher) in me feels ecstatic. Even when Trisheena sinks her head to the desk in utter dismay that her having missed Thursday’s class will leave her significantly unprepared for Friday’s weekly quiz, I feel hopeful that she care enough about her performance in my class to become so affected.

Conversely, certain signs also serve as stinging reminders of the significant amount of work that lies ahead of students and me. Repeated, direct instructions often go unabsorbed by students, and some simply choose to focus on other things happening around them in class. Reviewing homework assignments and quiz questions that require students to write complete sentences regarding their opinion on matters, tasks for which I assertively tell the youngsters that there exist no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers, but simply providing an opinion will suffice, sometimes troubles me.

I’ve noticed a pattern among some of my students who face the most significant challenges in the classroom. Years of falling behind vis-à-vis both what is expected of them and their classmates leads them to devote the bulk of their energies toward diverting my attention away from their academic needs and status. The result of this is behavioral problems. In other words, students are acting out, I think, to move attention away from their academic difficulties.

There are many problems with this. First, when students do not believe in their abilities to learn, they become disenchanted with the learning process. So, we already have students substantially behind the curve and with whom there exists tremendous inertia standing between them and devoting greater effort toward their studies. I try to, and will continue to do so, show them that working hard in the classroom can be both fun and fruitful. For instance, while sitting with Oliver, a student of mine for whom the issues I’ve just describe ring most true, we get into a discussion about horses, which, unlike most other topics into which we’ve so far delved, he speaks readily, excitedly, and confidently. I hope and believe that this will translate into Oliver’s being more willing and excited to write about the topic than he would be writing about another matter. However, from what I have seen so far, students who struggle academically often feel embarrassed about their trouble, which leaves them largely deterred from the learning process on a more general level. Combating this harmful and perpetuating process will be one of my main and most important efforts as a teacher.

A second issue with students who experience substantial trouble in the classroom is that behavioral issues they raise to detract attention from their problems learning can influence similar behavior in other students. This detracts from the overall learning environment of the classroom. For instance, sitting Irwin, a student who has trouble paying attention and completing assignments well and on time, next to Ethan, a student typically engaged in, and excited about lessons, often leads the former to distract the latter. Mixing up seating patters is helpful, but I have found distressing continuity in the desire of students who feel added pressure to perform to draw others into their escapades in misbehavior. The onus is on me, as their teacher, to draw out the natural talent and desire to learn inherent in each child from Oliver, Irwin, and others. They often dazzle me with creativity and enlightened perspective on topics in which they are interested. The key for me is to show them the importance of exploring these ideas within the context of our curriculum and striving to improve critical academic tools.

Learning about Myself: Adventures in Austerity and Routine

It becomes clearer to me by the day that I am very much a creature of habit. I enjoy so much the process of establishing routine in my day-to-day life, often working to nail down activities to the minute I do them each day. What might seem boring to others is enthralling to me. I enjoy hearing the alarm sound at 4:30 each morning. I look forward so much to that first lap around the track at Fort Canyon Park at 4:45, as my legs awaken and heart begins to pound in the cool, early morning air. By lap 25, I will have more energy and alertness than an extra hour of slumber could ever provide. NPR brings the BBC over the radio waves and into my humble ’92 Mazda MPV during the short trip from house to park. There is something strangely exciting and calming about listening to the financial analysts discuss market activity in Asian markets (recently incredibly unstable due, primarily, to the crumpling of the U.S. sub-prime home lending market), wherein the day has already come and gone. I think about the evening when the day will have come and gone for me, too. I never fail to find humor in the poorness of my tie-tying abilities as I apply the finishing touches to my daily ensemble around 5:40. I cherish the first sip of coffee and delight in taking in the opening words from the Albuquerque Journal as the sun makes its first headway over the horizon, shining brilliant light through our broad glass windows and into our front dining room. The crunch-crunch of morning cereal makes me feel like a kid again, filling my belly before scurrying off to elementary school. College required a hiatus from such activity, and returning to it has the double advantage of calming me before beginning the day and returning my mind to an earlier, simpler time in life.

The drive to work provides a daily treat. I usually leave the house around or just after 6:30, when the sun is slowly creeping over the horizon. Gallup sunrises are, in a word, amazing. Devoid of trees to block vision, one can see for miles and miles in all directions and study in great detail the wondrous process of sunrise of which we all to easily fail to take note and appreciate. Driving due east, the sun unveils itself before me. I feel like a parishioner, kneeling before a heavenly entity in church: humble, peaceful, and entirely calm. I’m not sure how many folks experience a similar daily commute, but were they more able to do so, road rage would certainly lose much of its thunder.

After arriving at school just before seven, I head directly to the computer lounge, to print out materials for the day before crossing the hall to make copies. I greet colleagues as they, one by one, make their way into the school (usually, my only companion upon entering Church Rock is janitor Fred, who, along with his two colleagues, Bobby and Tony, work harder and, arguably, better, than anyone at our school). Before reporting to my room to begin the day at 7:25, I fill up my coffee cup with some fresh brew from the pot Tony reliably prepares at 7 each morning. Walking out to portable 21, I wonder to myself how and why I have obtained such a relevant and rewarding environment in which to groom myself as an adult. The answer is unknown, but the appreciation strong.

Hikes, Navajo Culture, and the Majesty of New Mexico:

Come to New Mexico. That is my message to anyone reading this bog entry. Many have tried to describe the certain intangible quality that makes the ‘Land of Enchantment’ indisputably, powerfully true to its name. There is something about the sunlight bouncing off the hills and canyon walls that calm the soul. As I hiked Church Rock with two good friends yesterday, studying how millions of years of a sinking water level eroded the rocks, creating powerful and beautiful color variations, I engaged in a discussion about our growing fascination with Navajo culture and, more generally, the history of the Gallup area. Anyone who has read Rudolfo Anita’s ‘Bless Me, Ultima’ knows about the unique mosaic that constitutes New Mexico’s cultural makeup, and this truth manifests itself powerfully in Gallup, wherein the demographic of the town comprises a significant Native American, Latino, Caucasian, and even Palestinian population. Through the years, Gallupians have learned to interact and live in a peaceful and understanding manner that is at once progressive and respectful of the past.

Even as I write this entry, I watch Nathaniel Jesus make the rounds at Earl’s restaurant, working to interest diners in his hand crafted jewelry and trinkets. Nathaniel’s surname evidences the cultural combination so common in this area. Though a full-blooded Navajo, Nathaniel’s relatives adhere to the Christian faith, resulting in their adoption of ‘Jesus’ to serve as the family’s last name. Native American with traces of Latino in his name, Nathaniel is decidedly patriotic, serving honorably for six years in the U.S. Marine Corps, like so many of his fellow Native Americans here in Gallup, and across the country. Many take interest in the substantial role played by Navajo Codetalkers in helping the U.S. to victory in World War II. What is lost sometimes, I think, is the fact that Native American participation in the U.S. military remains a key component of that institution’s continued vitality. Codetalkers deserve significant praise for their contribution to this country, but the service of Nathaniel and his counterparts is no less worthy of similar accolades.

In Closing, an Element of Concern:

Last year, only one school in the Gallup-McKinley County District achieve ‘adequate yearly progress’, No Child Left Behind’s infamous benchmark for sufficient institutional progress. Last Monday, I attended the district’s board of education working session to review and discuss schools’ standardized testing results, which largely determine AYP. Much to my, and other present teachers’ dismay, only one of the Board’s five members were present. Not only did this result in the wasting of dinners that the district used to taxpayer money to purchase to keep board members happy during this extra session, but, more importantly, the officials’ inconspicuous absence has broader deleterious effects for the state of students performance in the district, more generally. If Gallup McKinley County Schools’ chief policymakers are not even interested enough to make an appearance at a meeting designed to lay out the substantial shortcomings of students’ performance in our schools, then how can they be entrusted to spearhead efforts necessary to improve achievement? What message, moreover, does it send to our children and parents, when the individuals whose jobs our taxpayer money continues to fund cannot take it upon themselves to show up for a session of critical importance to the financial resources that the Federal Government will make available for our district.

No Child Left Behind is deeply flawed and there will undoubtedly be much discussion among board members regarding the abysmal performance of our schools in meeting its benchmarks. The bottom line, however, is that a school’s achieving or not achieving AYP plays a great role in determining the type and extent of funding it receives from lawmakers in Washington. With this in mind, it is a slap in the face to the dedicated educators and other personnel across GMCS that those charged with the most critical decisions to our district could not sacrifice one hour of their Monday evening to discuss our schools’ performance in achieve AYP. The future of school performance in GMCS depends largely on policy that board members set to affect positive change at a macro level. To affect said change, they must be present. My message, then, to missing board members is that our students deserve more, much more.