An Irish doctor here at Port St. John's used "Two Worlds, One Place" to describe South Africa. It encapsulates this entire country. First world sits right up against third world, an hour drive from the tropics of Port Stepson brings you to mountains roads with snow along its shoulders. A visit to a remarkably poor school for blacks is followed up five minutes later by a lunch in a lodge that would be the envy of the best in Sonoma.
At the four schools we have visited there is a commitment to education that is palpable, but in the three black schools there is an excitement and enthusiasm that is difficult to put into words. Two days ago we visited a school where a group of 5th grade boys sang with an energy that I had not seen equaled, until a few minutes later when the 8th grade girls danced with a joy and fervor that was nothing short of remarkable. The videos are too large to upload from here but even they cannot capture the energy of either experience. The whistles and the drums, the music and the chanting, the shear excitement can only be felt when you are in the room with them.
We visited an organic farm project that is providing opportunity for 22 women and 2 men and a school in the center of Port Shepston that has white, colored, and black students. Our guide for both was Pauline Duncan, a long time activist with strong connections to the black community and committed to building the nation for all its citizens.
Today Douglas C. carved me a walking stick sitting under a tree as we met his family. I find myself torn between two desires; to record what we see in pictures and to respect the persons that we see. There is a dignity here, as there is everywhere, that makes you wince at treating them as tourist attractions. Still, I find myself asking others for copies of the pictures I was hesitant to take.
This afternoon we spent the time in the town square, the only non-blacks in view. I am typing this blog in a bar with whites and a black bartender (and Amy, a Chinese American on our team). We sit side by side at the bar just a little while after I was sitting next to Douglas under that tree while he carved my walking stick. They are a world away and a five minute drive apart. Or, as the good Irish doctor said, "Two worlds, one place."
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Two Worlds, One Place
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Two Schools in Two Days and Happy Birthday
Principal Ray and me
Students at Mdlangaswa High School
The past two days the team conducted workshops at Siyapambili and Mdlangaswa high schools. Both are extremely poor but have a remarkable dedicated staff and each has a charismatic leader who is committed to improving the schools.
Our science and math teams worked directly with the teachers, conducting mini workshops that lasted about three hours each while the IT team of one did what he could to get their computer labs working. I am very impressed with the professionalism of the teams. Jim Metz, on his 7th or 8th trip to South Africa, heads the math team. I know what a wonderful teacher he is from how he inspired my own daughter when she was his student. The other two members of the math team are just as dedicated and each bring a special quality. Mark’s “finger calculator” serves double duty as a math activity and an ice- breaker while Amy brings a remarkable ability to connect with the teachers that belies her limited experience. Mark and Jim may each have started teaching before she was born, but it is inspiring to see them all work together with the teachers.
The science team is a sight to behold. Barbara recreates the solar system in those dark and tiny classrooms with teachers revolving around the sun or duplicating the rotation of the earth while Robin blows things up and conjures up multi-colored solutions to allow the teachers to test hypotheses. There is an amazing patience in both groups as they focus on teachers who are so eager to become better for their “learners” as they call their students.
My job was to sit with the principals and learn about their triumphs and their challenges. Yesterday, at Siyapambili, Cecil was a very committed manager of resources but not the inspirational educational leader. That role was filled by Tokusan, a gregarious young man who seemed able to motivate the teachers while sharing an vision for improving the experiences for the learners through teacher workshops and training while Cecil focused on managing his very resources to support the learners and the “educators” (teachers). Their skills compliment each other beautifully. Today, at Mdlangaswa, Principal Ray Cele turned out to be one of the most inspirational principals I have ever met. While Siyapambili faced a dropout rate of well over 50%, Ray is committed to every student who comes to his school making it through 12th grade. When he arrived a decade ago, the school had only 140 students. Enrollment has grown to 830 even though population patterns have remained the same. He talked of teachers and parents, being a part of the community and attending all funerals and weddings. Our meeting was delayed for two hours because parents needed his attention and throughout our meeting he would call our to teachers and students when he saw something happening through the windows in his office or out the door. He is the heart and soul of the school. His picture with me is on this blog post.
It is hard to fit in the contributions of Lyla, who is my mentor and friend in the leadership workshop, Aaron who faces constant struggles working with IT staff who have few resources and often no experience, driven mostly by commitment and desire to learn, Fred, the leader of TWB and its driving force, Gora who loans his home and a gentle patience, and, of course, Yunus.
Today was Yunus’ birthday. We celebrated with a wonderful dinner prepared by his mom and he celebrated with flowers to his mom on the birth of her son so many years ago. Without Yunus none of this would happen. The rest of us play our roles. Some, like Fred or Jim, essential, while others are bit players with important parts to play, but all brought together and orchestrated by Yunus. Happy Birthday Yunus, and thanks to Mrs. Peer for the gift of your son long ago.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Attack of the Butterflies
I am sitting here in a remarkable house that overlooks the Indian Ocean. The building has almost no straight walls (top picture above) with two curved staircases. My room on the second floor has windows that open to the east (second picture above) so my "alarm" was a fiery sunrise. The sky was pierced with bright pink fingers, much like Homer described in the Odyssey three thousand years ago. It is amazing.
Equally amazing are the butterflies (or moths, we are not quite sure yet). Walking down the trail in front of the house we were attacked by hundreds, nay thousands of the little flying creatures. They come out of the thick foliage as if they are protecting their turf. It is amazing to experience it. We have to keep our mouths closed or they will fly right in. They pound into your head as you walk through their territory and as soon as you are past them they disappear. We have tried to take pictures but they seem to flit about too quickly to be captured on a digital camera so we have no visual proof of what we have seen. Even as I write from my vantage point overlooking the Indian Ocean, one of the butterflies flitted by, almost as if on a recon flight for the rest of the butterfly army which sits in wait for us a few meters down the hill.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Is it for them or is it for us?
Sitting here is Town Lodge outside the Johannesburg airport I find myself asking that question.
My flights introduced me to scores of people headed to Africa for some sort of service work. It was very different from the business men and women that filled the planes going to China. The largest group on Delta Flight 200 included about 50 high school girls sponsored by Spellman College, a historically black college for women outside Atlanta where would be in South Africa for two weeks. The rest of the passengers were 0overwhelming part of church groups that were also going for what seemed to be the obligatory two weeks as part of their church’s mission. My seatmate was, like me, a teacher going go work with other teacher, although her sponsor was the federal government and her area was economics. She and I seemed to be the only ones who wondered whether we were intruding on a culture without knowing what the impact would be. As we got closer to landing, I found myself wondering if we were really traveling to Africa to be of service or to fill our own needs.
As is the way with adventures like this, delays and annoyances have a way of creeping in. And as is often the way with delays and annoyances, they open new opportunities.
We sat on the runway in Atlanta for almost two hours as the maintenance crew replaced a fuel pump. Never complain about aircraft maintenance delays! As a result, we missed our flight from Johannesburg to Durban so we find ourselves sitting in a travel lodge about two miles from the J-Burg airport. The next flight to Durban was the next day at 5:30 PM via “One Time Airlines.” An interesting name that does not instill as much confidence as one might like in an airline.
As a result of the missed flight, we are heading off to the Apartheid museum in a couple of hours. Then it is off to Durban and points east so we can prepare for our work. Whether I can connect to the Internet there is still unknown, as is the question that started this blog. I believe the answer to the latter is “a little bit of both.” While we are here, I hope we remember what I learned long ago, “When you enter a new land, tread lightly, for much wisdom has preceded you here.”
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
A Hint of Maile
When I enter my apartment now I am greeted by the gentle hint of maile from the lei on Friday night. Only someone who has lived in Hawai’i a long time can know how special it is to be greeted by that fragrance when you walk in the door. Thank you for that wonderful evening. It pulled together the last eight years in a wonderful way.
As I said to many of you at the party, I was expecting a dinner with half a dozen people. I never expected anything like what the evening that you put on. It was particularly nice having my family there to share the evening.
Trying to figure out who to thank is a dangerous thing because I will undoubtedly leave someone off the list, but I must mention Winnie, and Laurie Ann, Joe and Rika, Nan, and of course Min. I wish she could have been there. My only regret for the evening was that the words to “Way Down South in Australia” escaped me and I was not able to finish the ditty.
I spent this weekend learning how to “kindle,” assuming that is a verb. (For anyone interested, my first order was a subscription to the old Gray Lady, the New York Times) and reviewing Laurie Ann’s seven page instruction sheet on how to blog (another noun that that doubles as a verb?). After some fits and starts with the blog, I expect to put both skills to good use.
Finally, I must once again thank you all for your friendship, your support, and for entrusting your greatest treasure to our hands. It has been an honor.
Andy
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Kindle Gift
Eight years of homework assignments surely add up. Therefore, as a token of our appreciation for all that you have done for the school and the students, we cannot let you leave without taking the liberty of assuming a role reversal here. You are now the proud and deserving recipient of "summer reading homework" gleefully "assigned" by the following individuals.
Don't worry. We're being merciful and limiting your reading assignment to just one page. We hope you enjoy your new toy! Each time you fire up this Kindle, may you be reminded of how very much we will always appreciate you and the work you've done over the course of eight years at CAIS--goals and plans, tasks and accomplishments, ideas and actions--the work that has ultimately benefitted the many students in attendance during your tenure and the work that will continue to benefit those to follow.
Susan Cheng & Alex Woo and Katy Woo '12
Rachel Chin & Thomas Wu, Katherine Wu '14, and Elizabeth Wu '12
Julia Chu and Celine Gauchey '11
Margie Chung & Steve Melino and Avery Chung-Melino '11
Shelly & Peter de Vries and Sophia de Vries '12
Judy Chan Farmer & Kenneth Farmer, and Caitlin Farmer '14
Winnie Fok, Alec Ng '08, and Emma Ng '13
Judith Gamble & David Irwin, Julia Mei Irwin '09, and Anna Irwin '16
Cynthia Gissler & Brian McDonnell, Pierce McDonnell '13, and Ronan Gissler '14
Nan Goldberg & Nick Van Cleve, and Lillian Van Cleve '08
Margot Golding & Michael Powers, Mara Golding-Powers, and Mirei Golding-Powers '13
Jing Wong & Don Hill, Soong Ming Hill '16, and Soong Ping Hill '16
Gwen Hinze & Ernie Chow, and Claire Chow '18
Jackie Holen & Bill Jackson, Clarie Jackson '14, and Arlena Jackson '16
Laura Kee & Daryl Browne, Rachel Browne '07, and Ian Browne '
Yalan & Greg King and Alexa King '16
Laura Larsen-Gilkey & Whitney Gilkey, and Sofia Gilkey '11
Barbara & Fred Lau, Nicholas Lau '08, Erik Lau '14, and Zachary Lau '14
Mee-Fah Lee & Bryan Young, Nicholas Young ', Charlotte Young '08, and Bonnie Young '10
Janny & Edward Lukawski and Audrey Lukawski '14
Jeremy & Chloe Lukins and Tianji Lukins '15
Vivian & Greg Massialas, Alexander Massialas '08, and Sabrina Massialas '11
Kazumi Matsuyama & Doug Steedman, and Emi Steedman '15
Joanie McCollom & Kevin Arnold, Luxi Arnold '16, and Niko Arnold '18
Maureen & Bill Newlin, Louise Newlin '09, and Nicole Newlin '11
Dorothy Pang & Peter Lee, Jonathan Lee '07, and Benjamin Lee '13
Ying-Hui & Louis Ptacek and Gabor Ptacek '14
Victoria So & Jason Yang, and Thea Yang '15
Myrna & Henry Sy, Hillary Sy ' and Hensley Sy '08
Joyce Tang, Jonah Tang '12, and Ian Tang '15
Tricia Tong & Kuo Tong, Lucas Tong '14, and Katherine Tong '16
Amy Tsui & Barry Alexander, and Quinlan Alexander '11
Rika Ueda & Joe Bravo, Nobuo Bravo '08, and Kenji Bravo '15
Linda Vann-Adibe & Robbie Vann-Adibe, Sophia Vann-Adibe '12 and Kai Vann-Adibe '17
Lilian Wan & David Curley, and Sebastian Curley '17
Laurie Ann & Dewey Woo, Gregory Woo '08, and Jonathon Woo '11
Ann & Charles Wu, Alex Wu '08, and Jacqueline Wu '10
Sherrie & Francis Yao, Crystal Yao '09, and Frederick Yao '12
A Message from Gregory Woo
Thank you so much for all the help, guidnce, and wisdom you have given me throughout my nine wonderful years at CAIS. It makes me sad to see you leave the office that has been yours for eight long, memorable years. I will miss your merry presence every time I go and visit CAIS. I wish you the best of luck for your time in Africa and in life. You will always have a place in my heart. Once again, thank you, but there are no words to describe how thankful I am for all that you have given CAIS. We will miss you, please visit!
Sincerely,
Gregory Woo
A Message from Jonathon Woo
Thanks for being the best principal ever! This is the best school, because of you. You have been so helpful throughout all these years. I've been at CAIS as long as you have been, from pre-k to now. Ever since you came to CAIS, this school has been special. We will all miss you forever. Your job is the hardest and most important job in the school, and I think you did the best job of all principals in the world. I will always miss you. 7th and 8th grade will be tough without you. The CAIS community loves you and will miss you. We are all sad that you are leaving. It was nice having you for the 8 years you've been here.
Jonathon Woo
-- kobe can own lebron
From Emma Ng
XOxo,
Emma Frances Anne Ng
aka Goober (my daddy gave me that nickname)
Behind the Sneaky Scenes, Take 3
Dear Principal Corcoran:
Joe's Jalopy Service shall arrive at your door around 6.15 pm Friday on 6/12/09. No need to tip your chauffeur, the Pot Stirrers' Posse has already taken care of his service.
Please bring your pretty self to enjoy a fine evening of Chinese food.
Looking forward to seeing you at the dinner.
Aloha,
Your "Favorite" Pot Stirrers' Posse
PS: Here's your driver's contact number 415.860.4595. If there's any customer service issue, please feel free to take it up with Management, Rika Ueda 415.860.5038. All complaints will be handled within 2.4 hours.
Potty Proclamation
whereas moms are not,
whereas men's rooms are for males,
whereas moms have women's rooms at their disposal,
whereas even ATM etiquette allows users a respectable space to conduct business in privacy,
whereas there exist seats in Min's office,
whereas there exists an inviting fishie bench at the end of the hall,
let it be known that today, Friday, June 12, 2009,
Andrew W. Corcoran,
--Granted this day by Da Pot Stirrers' Posse
What this means is that when this Head of School, whether current or former, heads for the head, let it be known to one and all (Winnie & Barbara), he's off the clock--so a) make an appointment, b) wait in Min's office, c) park on the fishie bench & be patient (there's no hidden escape hatch and secret corridor), or d) stay back at least three sidewalk squares!
In odda words, when Andy like use da kine lua, no boddah him, yeah? Sorry brah, pidgin is as bilingual as I can get. If it makes you feel any better, just think of Betty trying to visit the powder room in peace where all those moms ARE allowed! ;o)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Andy A-Z
Dear Andy,
A to Z, you're jus' da bes'! Mahalo nui loa for all of your dedicated and expert guidance and kokua as Head of School at Chinese American International School and as Head of the Institute for Teaching Chinese Language and as Principal. In just eight years, wearing three hats, you've contributed 24 years of service to CAIS!
I will always appreciate how you came into the school and stayed (thank you for banishing the revolving door!), how you stabilized the school and helped it grow, how you worked on weekends, and how you bravely addressed the crowd with your steadily improving Chinese. (Of course, I couldn't understand a word of what you were saying, but rest assured, it was all due to my shameful lack of Chinese, not yours! You sound pretty good to me!) I continue to be amazed at how you can take complicated questions tossed your way and deliver analytical yet comprehensible answers on the spot. An example of this was the complaint about CAIS having fewer days of instruction than public schools. You did some smart research then presented a very clear comparative study of hours of instruction, CAIS vs. SFUSD, and you convinced parents that they had nothing to worry about!
We'll miss your open door policy (some mothers--not me--even opened the door to the men's lavatory while you were in it!), your willingness to listen to and hear parents and students, your passion to serve the needs of all students, and your impressive Power Point State of the School Addresses which recently went high-tech. We'll remember fondly your willingness to get dunk tanked at the Autumn Moon Festival, play S.C. at the Holiday Faire, and get dolled up (and made up) as various Chinese Dignitaries in flashy outfits and being tethered at epistaxis level to Chinese New Year Parade floats on a yearly basis. We'll smile at the memories of your fun sense of humor, your thoughtfully home-baked cupcakes--with and without frosting, and your very human inability to control your cell phone during meetings!
However, we all benefit as your legacy lives on in the many students, families, teachers, and program(s)--the many facets of the CAIS Community--that you have touched. Thank you so very much for all that you have done and given to CAIS and the kids. We're sad to see you leave the school, but we wish you all da bes' with whatever endeavors and adventures life brings you!
Aloha and Mahalo,
Laurie Ann & Co.
A Note from the Alexander Family
Andy,
Words can not express how much we are grateful for your dedication to CAIS.
So, I am just going to keep it simple and say Thank You.
We'll dearly miss you!
If you are going to keep a blog somewhere, please let us know and I hope we can keep in touch that way.
All the best to you and best wishes to your exciting future endeavors.
Cheers,
Amy, Barry & Quinlan
Greetings from the Lau Ohana
Andy,
Nothing is more important to us than family. During your tenure, we have entrusted our sons Nicholas, Zachary, and Erik to CAIS. A great deal of our faith and confidence in CAIS has been due to your caring and leadership.
We will always remember seeing you in the hallways and in the yards stopping and being greeted by the children. There were many times when our sons would say hello and you would always take the time to share with them. We admired the kind and gentle way that you dealt with the trials and tribulations as the Head of School. Our school and children have grown, and will continue to grow, as a result of your dedication and hard work.
We will always be appreciative of your sacrifice and commitment to our school and our family. We will always cherish the memory that you are part of our family too.
It has been an honor and a privilege to know you.
Mahalo nui loa,
Fred, Barbara, Nick, Zachary, and Erik Lau
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Vann-Adibes
Dear Andy,
CAIS will not be the same without you and I mean that truly sincerely. You have been our Head of School during all of the 6 years we have been at CAIS and a great one at that. Each year, we have seen changes for the better that only reinforce our love and commitment to the school. You have handled delicate situations with diplomacy and fairness. I admire so much your integrity. Your job was not an easy one. You will be missed by many. Thank you for all that you have done. All the very best for what the future holds for you. With fond thoughts always,
Linda Vann-Adibé
Dear Andy,
I echo my wife’s sentiments – your accomplishments while being Head of the school have been substantial and I consider my children and our family to have been fortunate to have had you as the Head of the school while our children have been there. I wish you ‘bonne chance’ with your future endeavors and thank you greatly for your exceptional service to the school.
Regards
Robbie Vann-Adibé
Poetry
I remember during my first year at CAIS, Andy would check up on me regularly. It was towards the end of the first semester when he happened into the classroom during a Writer’s Workshop period. We had spent the previous few days scouring volumes of poetry, trying to identify pieces that we felt held a personal significance for us. We were sharing poems and our connections when Andy appeared.
I will generally involve any visitors directly into our classroom activities, be the expected or unexpected, and that is no different when it’s the head of school dropping in. I could tell I caught Mr. Corcoran off guard when I brought him into the conversation immediately and asked if there was a poem or poems that carried deep personal meaning to him. He paused for moment as he scanned the class and the 19 students staring in his direction, waiting for his response. Then, in one of the slickest moves I have seen by anyone in the field of education, Andy coolly reached into his pocket and pulled a folded piece of paper from his wallet.
“Why yes I do,” he replied.
I believe, “Wow” was the consensus response from myself and the class. Andy proceeded to share and discuss his personally significant poem for the 4th graders. I want to say it was Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson. This was 4 years ago so please don’t hold it against me if my memory has failed me. At any rate, it was a unique and special moment that I’ll always remember when I think about Andy and my time here at CAIS.
Zach Jones
4th Grade Teacher
Monday, June 1, 2009
A Beautifully Written History Lesson From Your Blog
Witnessing the Inauguration With the 2nd Grade
Submitted by acorcoran on Thu, 01/22/2009 - 15:59.
I just returned to my office after watching the inauguration of Barak Obama with the second grade. I find myself wondering what it meant to them.
I hope that at least a few of them remember sitting together in room 262 with their classmates watching this historic event together. They listened quietly (for the most part), standing when Senator Feinstein asked those present to stand for the oaths of office and applauding along with the crowds on the television. Teacher Winnie Mu gave an intermittent commentary to let the students know why some things were happening. The students laughed at some of the crowd shots as only second graders can but for the most part they watched and listened.
For a few years in my youth I lived in the south, then the land of separate water fountains and schools. Even as a boy I remember the how strange it was to see drinking fountains labeled 'colored' and 'white'. In the summer heat of Georgia it was clear that only white water fountains had coolers, only the white waiting rooms at the Trailways bus station had fans or air conditioning. My school had one student we would now refer to as a 'person of color', a Chinese girl named Ann Joe. Shortly after arriving in Augusta as a boy, I did not understand why I could not give my seat at the Five and Dime lunch counter to an elderly woman standing behind me. It soon became clear that the price of a seat was the color of your skin. I wonder if our students realize how recently those things happened.
Four years later we moved to Hawaii and I heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in person when he spoke at the University of Hawaii. I still remember the two mile walk back to my high school. I remember saying to one of my classmates, 'If he were white he would be president.' Finally, forty five years later, the first four words of that statement are obsolete.
The world of these second graders is much different from the one I grew up in. I wonder what changes they will see in their lifetimes. I wonder if one of them will stand behind some children in the midst of a monumental point in history and think back to how much has changed since they were children.
Memories of Andy
I have many memories and appreciative thoughts of you, Andy, during your years at CAIS.
I always found your ability to work out practical and tactical problems to be very helpful. Many times I brought questions to you in your office, and I found that your thinking included a broad and long-range perspective -- all the more impressive, because you would size up the problem and give very sound advice on the spot. Thank you for paving over what would have been some hard bumps, had I not had your foresight and diplomacy.
I also saw you extend yourself to expand the Music and Dance programs at CAIS, confiding that your own education was weak in the arts and so you wanted to make sure that our students would have a rich experience. I felt that you gave Aiping and myself the artistic freedom to teach and create performances as we saw best, and this is a precious gift to an artist. And I saw you place high value on the performance events that not only help create community at CAIS, but help project the culture of our school to the public.
One warm memory I have was when I was in your office and I mentioned how moved and impressed I was by the Changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery. We fell into discussing marching patterns and suddenly you were on your feet, demonstrating the exacting technique of handling marching turns. (And you say you aren't a dancer...)
Another nice connection I felt was when you revealed that you were a serious baker! Having helped to put myself through college as a restaurant baker, this particularly resonated with me. I have to say that I would never have guessed it -- and how wonderful! I saw the amazing dessert you baked for this year's ShowCAIS.
Thank you, Andy, for all that you have given our school these past eight years, both personally and professionally. I hope that lifting the huge weight of administering CAIS off your shoulders frees you to dance all the more lightly.
With warm regards,
Susan Kennedy
From Alec Ng
Hi Mr. Corcoran,
I had a great time while you were at CAIS, and eating lunch with you was just as fun. I remember when you told me why you liked the Dodgers, but I still liked the Giants much better. And every time at the Mass Greeting, you would make a brave attempt to say a Chinese introduction, my friends and I would laugh. But remember Mr. Corcoran, we made fun of you out of love…just kidding. Thank you Mr. Corcoran and I hope you start watching the Giants games.
-Alec
