Tag: Jarred Amato

Accountability, Black Community, Nashville, School Choice

Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline Through Literacy

Two years ago this month, the Nashville Literacy Collaborative, a large group of Nashville’s socio-political elite assembled to announce a blueprint to double the number of 3rd graders reading on grade level by 2025. Currently, 28.8 percent of 3rd graders are reading “on track” or “mastered,” Black students 19.2 percent, and Economically Disadvantaged 15.2 percent. The Collaborative’s stated goal is to double these percentages in … Continue reading Breaking the School-to-Prison Pipeline Through Literacy

Vesia Hawkins2 Comments
Accountability, Black Community, Nashville, School Choice, Tennessee

Nashville Can’t Keep Whitewashing Its Problem Educating Black and Brown Students

Interested parties have known about it for weeks. Many people have sat in front me over coffee referring to the “rumors” about the “potential” number of schools on the dreaded Tennessee Department of Education’s priority list. But they already knew. They knew the list of Nashville schools performing in the state’s bottom 5 percent would reach into the twenties. That every single school on the … Continue reading Nashville Can’t Keep Whitewashing Its Problem Educating Black and Brown Students

Vesia Hawkins4 Comments
Nashville, School Choice

Nashville Summers Are Not All Cowboy Boots and Denim

Summer break in Nashville is in full effect, I know this because last night the CMA Awards kicked off the annual Country Music Festival. Also, schools have been out for two weeks and the great summer happenings are flooding my timeline. However, the business of education is far from adjourned. June is hot for more reasons than the obvious as our city council has on … Continue reading Nashville Summers Are Not All Cowboy Boots and Denim

Vesia Hawkins1 Comment
Black Community, Nashville

Local Teacher Sparks National Literacy Movement With Focus On Culturally-Affirming Books

Nashville has seen better days. I realize I just published a blog crying about our woes, but put yourself in my position. I was all set to dive into the school district’s budget to search for a reasonable explanation for the enrollment decline causing a net loss of $7.5 million in state funding resulting in a mandatory freeze of all spending (even copy paper) for … Continue reading Local Teacher Sparks National Literacy Movement With Focus On Culturally-Affirming Books

Vesia Hawkins1 Comment
Accountability, Black Community, Nashville, School Choice, Tennessee

Reflecting on the Year’s Education Scene and Honoring Nashville’s #EdChamps2017

Volume and Light is dedicated to amplifying and illuminating education issues and stories traditionally unavailable to readers. The mission is to offer a point-of-view of education utilizing my lens as a former public school district staffer, parent, and student. This blog seeks to inform families of the good, bad, and wrong, and because of the toxic environment for parent choice, 2017 saw dozens of posts … Continue reading Reflecting on the Year’s Education Scene and Honoring Nashville’s #EdChamps2017

Vesia Hawkins3 Comments
Accountability, Black Community, Nashville

How The Flu, Nashville’s Reading Crisis, and A Single Question Ordered My Steps to 2018

Like everything else 2017 has had a hand in, this year’s flu strain showed up with a side of Satan. For nine days, I battled the worse flu of my life with rolls of tissue, too many doses of Theraflu, gallons of Hot Toddy, a rescue inhaler doubling as a crutch, and hours upon hours of Hallmark Christmas Movies and Gilmore Girls (yes, them). Oh, … Continue reading How The Flu, Nashville’s Reading Crisis, and A Single Question Ordered My Steps to 2018

Vesia Hawkins1 Comment
Accountability, Nashville, Tennessee

A Best-Selling Author Called Maplewood’s Jarred Amato The Truth and We Agree

Jarred Amato is no stranger to this blog-space. I first learned of the Maplewood High School teacher through Twitter and noticed the work he was producing outside the classroom. At the time of my introduction, Mr. Amato was collecting books to outfit book bins in book deserts for the community to access through his organization Project LIT Community. Soon after, I learned about the monthly book club open … Continue reading A Best-Selling Author Called Maplewood’s Jarred Amato The Truth and We Agree

Vesia Hawkins2 Comments
Black Community, Nashville

In Times of Upheaval, Teachers and Spiritual Leaders Calm Minds and Feed Souls

Exactly twenty-eight days ago, filled with anger and a hint of disgust at the display of hatred and depravity at Charlottesville, VA., I tweeted out: What are y'all teaching in school tomorrow? What are you preaching at church this morning? — Vesia #OneVoice Hawkins (@vesiawils) August 13, 2017 Classroom and The Pulpit As I wrangled with the events at and surrounding Charlottesville, I couldn’t help … Continue reading In Times of Upheaval, Teachers and Spiritual Leaders Calm Minds and Feed Souls

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Black Community, Nashville

There’s a (Project)LIT Movement Spreading Like Wildfire and I’m Here For It

For several months now I’ve been following Jarred Amato’s crazy book club antics on Twitter. Like, this dude had the wild idea of setting up a book club introducing books relevant to the students he teaches at Maplewood High School. Further, he opened up the club to members of the community who are afforded rare opportunities to interact with students  eager to share their points … Continue reading There’s a (Project)LIT Movement Spreading Like Wildfire and I’m Here For It

Vesia Hawkins5 Comments