the best part is that in the teacher’s follow-up reply he wrote that noam essentially has problems with authority figures. he corrects them when they’re wrong. or otherwise. i wonder where he gets that from???
———-
On Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 11:29 AM, Marc wrote:

Mr. Rothberg,

I just wannted to touch base with you and see how you thought the meeting went yesterday while I was there and after I left. I saw the final IEP, without any changes, and just wanted to make sure that your feelings were expressed.

Additionally, Noam is complainiing of a sore throat and wanted me to ask you if someone could drop of lozengers for him.

—– Original Message —–
Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 2:21:32 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Re: IEP

Hi Marc,

Unfortunately I just got this email, and school is coming to a close anyway, so I’ll bring him some lozenges when I pick him up. Thanks for letting me know though.

I thought the meeting went well. Noam seems to have improved greatly since last year. I think a lot of it just has to do with him getting more mature as he gets older.

Honestly, I’m not sure how much meeting with Ms. Rizzo is actually helping. He seems to seriously dislike her. I wonder whether or not it would be better to have a ‘happy’ kid who isn’t frustrated at school. Or have a frustrated kid, who might be helped by her tutoring even if he dislikes it.

However, he’s always taken it personally when he gets corrected. As you mentioned yesterday when I saw you, he’s been aggravated by your corrections. Which is interesting because, that’s what teachers do… and he’s never mentioned it to me before I brought it up with him after school.

On another subject, I was concerned to hear that you told the students that “illegal” immigrants do not pay taxes. That is unfortunately not true. Undocumented immigrants work often resort to using false social security numbers in order to work. This way they pay into the U.S. social welfare system yet reap none of its benefits. Further, more and more immigrants are being detained for no good reason. Our very unfair economic system depends on undocumented immigrants to do a lot of hard work for little money. You can find out more about all of this here: http://www.amnestyusa.org/immigrant-detention/page.do?id=1641031
and a .pdf fact sheet can be found here: http://archdiocese.la/ministry/justice/peace/pdf/Factsheet-JusticeforImmigrants.pdf

Also, all of this nation’s residents are illegal immigrants, unless you’re 100% native american.

If I understood the lesson incorrectly – because it was translated through Noam, then let me know. I’d be happy to be wrong about that.

Best,

Fivel

———

Mr. Rothberg,

I neglected to mention that we spoke of Migrant workers, not illegal immigrants. The story mentioned “aliens” and Noam was fixated on that. He also felt the term was not appropriate, which he stated in class. I brought up the definition to show him what it really means (he thinks it means little green men from space).

We do need to work on his understanding that since he is a student, it is not appropriate to correct adults, especially Administration, regardless if they are correct or not.

—–
Mr. Rothberg:

I think the issue with Noam’s information was the fact the that he neglected to tell you WHEN the story and facts took place. The story we were discussing took place in the 1880’s, not in recent years. The facts are presented to the teacher to share with the students by the company that creates the textbooks. I interpret them and share what I know. I also showed a video presented by a different company, however, again, this information is from the 1880’s.

Maybe that added insight helps explain the lesson.

++++

The very fact that the states in the U.S. continue to execute anyone, even if they are “guilty,” is deplorable. The justice system’s propensity to convict and sentence indigent people, black men in particular, is a practice that must end now. Every citizen deserves a fair trial, no matter what his or her race or economic status.

Yet, this injustice is not new. It has historical ties going back to the institution of slavery, the post-Bellum oppression of black communities and the thousands of lynchings of the early 20th century. This makes the execution of a black man in Georgia even more disparaging.

I beg you, the men and women of the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to take the higher moral ground and reconsider the case of Troy Davis.

Think of the consequences of executing an innocent man. It would be tragic and prove that justice is not blind.

Think of the implications of executing a ‘guilty’ man. Execution is not a proven deterrent of crime. To the contrary, it demonstrates that the so-called correctional system is punitive and does nothing to ‘correct’ or help those who are warehoused in prisons across this nation.

Sincerely,

Fivel Rothberg

Take action at http://www.amnestyusa.org/troydavis

I was also excited that my son, Noam, got to meet them.  He had a lot of fun playing around with Angela’s interactive flash / video piece – which can be seen below.

Try. I just finished listening to Anna Deavere Smith’s book on CD Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-Up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts while driving to pick up noam. It’s a self-help survival manual written in the form of personal letters to a fictional reader named “B.Z.,” a high school-age painter who is struggling to gain support for an art program. The title is a play on Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet.

Deavere Smith’s Letters is a kick-in-the-ass. It is uplifting yet unafraid of grittiness. She encourages readers to get-going, practice practice practice, to exercise, concentrate, find mentors and press palms. On the other, it is written with a mentor’s parent-like tough love. At times, she releates conversations with people who she has connected with through her research for acting, play writing or social life. For instance, she quotes a bull rider whose determination astounds her. She feigns a rough, masculine voice and says, “you’ve got to ride with all the try you got.” Or something to that effect. Personally, I think her character acting voices ingratiating. It would, for me, be more effective if she spoke in her normal voice – which on its own sounds New Yorker, ex-smokery.

While the theater is her milieau, the book is equally appropriate for any type of artist trying to make it in the world. And to the author, “making it” does not have to mean monetarily. She shared a story about a long-time friend of hers who works half of the year at a fancy french restaurant and spends the rest of the time traveling around the world.

Artistically and professionally speaking, Deavere Smith herself is very successful on many levels. She is a well recognized performer, has taught at highly regarded universites, done speaking tours, started an organization called the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue. On top of all that she was granted a MacArthur “genius” award among other notable funding. Beyond that, she seems confident, super hard-working, and friendly but fierce. I’d love to sit-in on a class of hers, ’cause being that she teaches at NYU’s Tisch School, you know those courses cost an arm and a leg.

Ultimately the book is beneficial because I need the kind of encouragement that she offers. I think I should listen to it a second time.

took noam to the skate park w/ his friend marcus and his mom this past weekend. even though he was a pain in the tuchas this morning – throwing fits left and right, not letting me get work done, etc… He’s always had a problem with playing by himself, not getting attention.

i can sympathize – or i try. i know he was very eager to get outside and skateboard, and hang out with marcus. understandable. while i intellectually know that children his age cannot, generally speaking, empathize with others to a large degree, emotionally it is hard to put up with his lack of patience. in turn, i become impatient, upset and frustrated that i am left with no time to get any school work done,dedicating all my energy to noam. With all of noam’s fussing i got cranky, misplaced things, forgot to bring pads to the park later, and so on.

the morning was made all the more difficult by the fact that janet didn’t get in touch w. us until 1:30 p.m.. by that time noam was utterly stir crazy. yet i can’t blame them for taking care of sunday morning business – grocery shopping and schleping clothes to the laundromat. as a full-time single parent going through school she has has a great deal of responsibilities and quotidian tasks to attend to.

instead of going to the nearby skatepark we drove over to the Hudson River Skatepark near 30th street. I’ll post photos and video clips soon. they are a lot stricter there, pads and a helmet are both required for kids. it’s a lot harder to get to, but it offers a new and exciting environment for noam. it was marcus’ first time there and he had a great time.

“I conquered my fear dad!” noam hollered w/ delight after zooming down a steep, curved ramp. it’s been incredible to see his skills and, in turn, confidence increase over the past several months, years actually. i constantly remind him that even pro skaters fall all the time. you have to fall to grow. it’s a lesson that i need to learn as well.