Lesson One – Adopt a Species

Our favorite Spanish teacher has decided to jump on board with the recent fundraising frenzy. Mrs. Barron and her Spanish II have been reading a story that takes place in the jungles of South America, in this story there are many animals that her students were not familiar with. So in an effort to educate her students on various animals in the South American Jungles they began a fund raiser to support a species through the World Wildlife Fund. The World Wildlife Fund as an adopt a species program that is dedicated to helping endangered species all over the world. Anyone can visit their website and donate money to this cause and adopt/support a species with your donation…and did I mention the stuffed animal? Anyone that adopts a species will also receive a plush stuffed animal in the mail.

This is such a worthy cause and I’m happy that Mrs. Barron thought enough of what we did with the Race for The Cure to give it a go in her class with their own fundraiser. Well done Spanish II students.

Lesson Two – Arizona Immigration Law

This week my students and I have been discussing Jim Crow laws and the affects they had back in late 1800’s and early 1900’s. While we often look at Jim Crow as being a retroactive look at an ancient set of laws, the truth is there are still traces of Jim Crow present today. My Arkansas History students took the time to analysis the new Arizona Immigration Law that will soon go into effect in Arizona. The cliff notes version of this law is that it will now give law enforcement to check the ID of a “specious” person that they might believe is an illegal immigrant…if that person produce an ID then the police have the right to take them to jail.

Now rather than give you my long winded opinion of this matter (like it matters), I would rather leave this lesson learned open ended. My students and I have talked at great length about this issue and the implications that are associated with it, but rather then explain those conversations I would like to invite you to investigate on your own and come to your own conclusion. This lesson learned is riddled with links to news articles inolving this issue and I’d like to invite you to peek around at those a bit.

Lesson Three – Stay Positive

To be quite frank, I’ve had a really bad week this week. Nothing directly related to teaching or my students, but a bad week that has effect my performance as a teacher this week. I have came in to work several days this week just really grumpy and often times angry…and finally Thursday I had to check myself. I found started asking myself, “what do you have to be mad about?” After thinking about it I realized that my job is too awesome to sit about and be angry at work…I mean I get to come into work everyday and work with some of the brightest and funniest kids around and I blast everyday at work…and I’m mad about it?

I really had to re-evaluate what I was upset about and realize that I needed to get an attitude adjustment and give thanks that I have this job. I’m not lying one bit when I say that I have a really awesome job, and I should be broadcasting that message everyday I’m at work…or in other words, I just gotta stay positive. Have a good weekend.

Mr. McClung