So coaching on Friday was a bit discouraging. Only one of my students had done what I'd asked him to do by going to his teachers and requesting a grade report and finding out what he missed, what he could make up, and if there was any extra credit. He did it for his reading class. So when I looked at the grade report, it was at least half zeroes. When I got to the actual grade, it was an F, and the percentage: 27. I was devastated just looking at it. When I was in middle school I couldn't even fathom a 27% on a homework assignment, much less as my grade for a class.

I hope that with some encouragement and some guidance I can help him realize that his grades can and should be better. He is a smart kid, but I don't htink he gets a lot of help with his homework at home. His grandfather told him his mid-term grades were "fair" but I personally don't think an F is fair. Especially since he needs this grade to graduate this year. I really want him to succeed and improve this semester, because it will get him more confident and will help him graduate.

Also, my group got together to work on my lit circle project again today. I'm actually really looking forward to presenting our book to the class. Kozol is a brilliant scholar, and his account of urban schools and the public school system in general is fascinating. I really want to convey to the class the extremity of the situation in urban public schools right now. Our presentation as it stands now is set up to be very class discussion driven. We really want the class to get involved because Kozol's philosophy is that if we are going to be agents of change we have to speak out loudly against what we see and don't agree with. Kozol's book is fuel for an amazing discussion regarding the state of public education today, as well as the segregation we face in society and how it affects the school system. If nothing else, we will certainly put out some information that will have the potential to alter some perspectives.