Daily Danza

Embedded with the Teachers

2010-10-15T10:51:00Z

Maybe embedded is the wrong word. It certainly is a loaded word. It immediately reminds us of the reporters, the war correspondents, who are with our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. These brave men and women, sometimes more than brave, return from their assignments and recount the hardships our men and women in uniform are enduring every day to keep us safe. Not quite as bravely, I have returned to recount what I saw on the front lines of the education wars.

I spent from September of 2009 to June of 2010 teaching English to tenth graders, fifteen year-olds, at Northeast High School in Philadelphia. As soon as the laughing abates over the obvious irony of a guy from Brooklyn teaching English, {one commentator said I wasn't qualified to be an English speaker let alone an English teacher}, there are things to report. I was there to teach but also to shoot a reality TV show. I know that taints the good intentions of the commitment but unlike most reality TV, which is often soft-scripted, this was a real attempt to see and show what it is like to be a first year teacher in an urban American high school. For me it was an eye-opener.

I arrived in Philly over the summer and went through the orientation and professional development seminars that are required of all first year teachers. At orientation, I found myself surrounded by hundreds of excited and exciting young people, ready to give their all for their students. I began to wonder, if this was representative of the majority of teachers in our schools, why is it that all we hear about are bad teachers and failing schools? Once school started I began to understand. The new movie about education, that is all the rage, is "Waiting For Superman." In the movie we see the gut-wrenching ordeal the parents go through to try to secure a spot at a good school for their children. They enter a lottery for the chance. It is heartbreaking to see one family cheering because they got into the high-performing school right next to a family in tears because they didn't. The movie makes a point of zeroing in on the teachers and their unions as a major part of the problem in our schools. I'm sure there are bad teachers. As there are less than competent people in all occupations. Look at politics. I'm also sure that teacher unions do try to protect their members. That's what unions do. The dilemma is that teaching is arguably the most important job there is and we can not, as a society, accept anything but the best when it comes to our kids and their education. Here's where I differ with the movie and the conventional wisdom. There are bad teachers but I believe there are more discouraged teachers. The fact that after three years, thirty percent of new teachers leave the profession and that at five years almost fifty percent move on to some other occupation seems to support the discouraged theory. Just as they are getting good at teaching they give up and leave. Why?

A few other questions come to mind. Would the majority of parents with children in our public schools put themselves and their kids through the ordeal the movie depicts. If there was a commitment from parents at large to make sure their children understand the importance of education and are prepared to learn when they get to school, wouldn't we be in a much better place? What effect does our culture at large have on our children and what is our individual responsibility. Someone once said," We want children to learn manners without ever seeing them." I remember even the cartoons we watched when we were kids had small bits of useful information. Bugs Bunny would play Beethoven or some historical figure or event would be referenced. Now the cartoons target our children, selling them products and turning them into consumers. There are violent video games, TV shows and movies that don't help either. Almost everyday I would tell my kids, "Good behavior will pay off." Then they would go home and watch "Jersey Shore" and come back and say, "No Mr. Danza, you're wrong, bad behavior pays off." And please don't blame the cast members, it's the upstanding suits that run these huge entertainment companies who are responsible for their programming.

Lastly, how about a little respect for the people who teach our children? A teacher's only real currency is their love of the job. It's hard to love a job that everyone derides. We all have a role in improving our schools. Teachers and their unions included. The status-quo is unacceptable but if a teacher has to teach the curriculum, build character, instill values and most importantly, teach self-control and self-discipline, all in a forty-five minute class, you better give the teacher a bit more time.

Commencement Speech

2010-06-17T03:55:20Z

Good Afternoon. Fellow teachers, administrators, our wonderful support staff, parents and most importantly, the graduates. Class 169. For those of you that don't know I am Tony Danza, aka, Mr. Danza. Mr. Danza. Boy I like that. I have been here this year teaching and also filming a Television show called Teach, for the A&E Network. This effort has coincided with your senior year. I know it has been a great year for me and looking out at all of you I know it's been a great one for the class of 2010. Amazing how fast the year went by, but much more on that later. I taught tenth grade English this year. I know, talk about ironic. Unfortunately I didn't get to teach any of your class. Unfortunate for me but probably fortunate for you. I did get to know many of the seniors though, through the activities I took part in, the shows we did and by just being here and connecting with some of you during the many times I was lost in the hallways. It's a big school. Actually I was only lost for the first month or two. I have it down now, well maybe not the basement. The kids I did get to know are some of the most positive and exciting young people that I have ever met. Not only interesting but interested in their school, their city, their country and their world. Right from the beginning the seniors welcomed me. My first week before the kids came to school a couple of football playing seniors helped me set up and decorate my room. They were so tall I didn't need a ladder. They helped me put up my fadeless paper. Fadeless paper, that's teacher-talk. Graphic organizer, model it, collaborative learning. Watch out; don't make me say Venn diagram.

Snow Day Man

2010-06-16T22:02:04Z

When was the last time you had a snow day? I had one last week and four this week. In my romantic notion of days gone by I envision snow days as maybe the best deal you could get. You go to sleep knowing there is some possibility of it happening, a snowstorm big enough to close the schools. You have trouble sleeping and instead of counting sheep you count possible inches of frozen precipitation. You know you need a significant accumulation. Six inches just won't do it. You finally fall asleep and then it's morning. You run to look out the nearest window out onto the street and you are either elated or disappointed. If there is enough snow you run to the TV to see if the "no school" great news was being broadcast.

We Either All Buy in or Nobody Does

2010-02-10T18:59:22Z

It's February, or as it is known in the school business, the halfway point. I sit at home beholding another, over two feet of snow, watching Lawrence Welk on PBS. For those of you old enough to know who Lawrence Welk was, it was a good episode, one of the black and white, old ones. The popular music of the time was on display and it made me think about how different we seemed. Our tastes were so much simpler and yet so much more musical. The orchestra was playing and the beat was there but only in the background. The music and melody were out front. In the music of today the beat is more than prominent, it is another "p" word, preeminent! Oh well, lots of snow, cabin fever. Welk is rocking. Back to the halfway point.

Some Thoughts on the "Oughts"

2010-01-03T02:36:33Z

Some thoughts on the end of the decade. I am not, usually, one who thinks in terms of a time period being bad or good. I usually look at things specifically. This project went well or that one did not, but this decade has been special for it's lack of good news.

Radical Individual?

2009-12-14T23:34:13Z

My name is Tony Danza and I am a radical individual. Before I go on, let me first describe what a radical individual is. The term was first coined by Judge Robert Bork in his book "Slouching Towards Gomorrah". Judge Bork's definition is; a radical individual is one that is individualistic to the detriment of society. In the book he made the argument that the 1960's, with all its upheaval and idealism, was really just a bunch of radical individuals doing whatever the heck they wanted. Remember "do your own thing"? The argument has been; was the 60's and early 70's a time of profound change in thinking and a new way of relating to each other and to our government or was it just a big irresponsible party?

Attention Must Be Paid

2009-12-06T19:35:36Z

I have been thinking, do you think that the United States will be the dominant power in the world during this century? This is the last month of the first decade of that century. If you do, have you considered that we are now entering a phase where another will challenge our system of government? The Chinese system of Authoritarian Capitalism vs. American Democratic Capitalism. The first such ideological face off since the end of the Cold War. The outcome may be different this time.

An Article for the School Paper

2009-11-07T05:49:16Z

I am sitting on a plane in the Philadelphia airport. The name of the airline will go unsaid not because I want to spare them my intense aggravation but because as anyone knows flying is not fun anymore, no matter which airline you choose.

On The Eve of Teaching

2009-09-06T00:39:28Z

On the eve of teaching, I find myself sitting here wondering, "what was I thinking?" Well, not actually the eve, I still have 2 days until my students walk into my classroom. Believe me I have done many things in my life, but nothing like this. I am scared, but so are most of the other teachers I have met. By the way, I decorated my room with all kinds of encouraging slogans and educational displays. There's also a sign that says," no moaning, no groaning." You got to set a tone. I think you can tell how very excited I am about the chance to fulfill a dream of mine. I actually wanted to be a teacher, but for me, that noble profession became," the road not taken." So it is a challenge of the highest order and a great gift. I mean I got the chance to re-read, "To Kill A Mockingbird." It was much better this time.

Just Some Random Thoughts

2009-08-20T01:55:00Z

Just some random thoughts. I've been thinking. I wonder how many people in America support the men who showed up at President Obama's town hall meeting carrying guns. All the guns were worn in the open, as the state law stipulates. One guy even had an AK 47 or something similar. Now, even if you were worried solely about gun rights, would you think it was right, and that you have the right, to openly wear guns at a presidential appearance? Sorry, I don't, not with our history. I think this is a symptom of something scary that is happening in America. We are always divided about issues. Blue states and red, and so on. But, there's something happening here, to quote a famous song.

Can America Be Saved?

2009-07-29T17:38:22Z

I was just wondering, do you think that this country, of ours, is too far-gone to be saved? I find myself thinking that sometimes. I know it doesn't sound like me. I'm a big patriot, always have been. Not only because of what my mother and father's families had to do to get us to America, but also because of what this great country has given to me and my family.

The Climate Bill

2009-07-01T02:18:35Z

The House of Representatives passed a climate bill the other day. It is a big deal. There was plenty of horse-trading, in order to secure a majority that, unfortunately, served mostly to weaken the bill. Having said that, it is a seminal moment in the history of our country, and will, I think, affect the debate on climate change everywhere. We really do lead the world, whether we like it or not.

FAME

2009-06-27T17:30:53Z

I used to see Michael Jackson some Friday nights in the late 1970's and early eighties. He was a fan of our show, "Taxi", and he used to sit in the booth, above the stage, and watch the taping. This was on the Paramount lot, where I was first chasing fame. Fame was a bit different in those days. There were only three networks, no cable, no reality shows, less movies made, and far less coverage of celebrity. This is before ET and People Magazine, etc. That's not to say we weren't interested, we were, but the level of interest hadn't reached the frenzy it has today. This was also before "Thriller" and more importantly the "moonwalk". That moment when the audience stopped and gasped at what they saw. I remember watching it at home. It was the 25th Motown Anniversary show. I was a huge Motown fan and had the show playing in the background. I had first heard "Billie Jean", on my way to work. I remember parking in my spot at Paramount, and sitting there while the song finished. I went into the stage and asked Marilu Henner if she had heard this new song by Michael Jackson. We both agreed it was great.

The Guts to Protest

2009-06-22T23:04:40Z

I protested in the late sixties and early seventies. It was when I was in college in the midwest, and the country was consumed with controversy. The Vietnam war was raging and the draft had us all afraid we would end up like the friends we had who didn't make it back. At the time, I was torn. My father was a decorated WWII veteran and, I was of a mind, that my country needed me. But I was against a war that seemed to make no sense, unless you were an ideologue. A seemingly, unjust war that was taking too many of my friends. So we protested. We marched, and sat in, and spoke our minds. Speaking truth to power was what believed in, and, that we could change the world. It is amazing to be part of something like that.

A Thought for Father's Day

2009-06-19T21:30:20Z

Father's Day. If you look up, "father", in a large dictionary, you will find, it is one of three long entries. The other two long entries are for the words, "fate", and "fault". I thought that was interesting because, fate plays a hand in which father you get, and as we all know, it's always the old man's fault.