Illegal Soapbox Derby

Aired on KQED's The California Report January 5, 2007, voiced by host Scott Shafer http://www.californiareport.org/domains/californiareport/archive/R701051630/d

For most people, soap box derbies bring up images of kids zooming downhill in cars made of orange crates and scrap lumber. But for members of The San Francisco Illegal Soap Box Society, the only rules are: cars can’t have motors, but they must have beer holders.

Saying Goodbye to 2006

Aired on KQED's The California Report, December 29, 2006
co-produced with Reid Pillifant, voiced by host Scott Shafer
http://www.californiareport.org/domains/californiareport/archive.jsp?date=20061224

Filipino Parol Festival

Aired on KQED's The California Report December 22, 2006
co-produced with Reid Pillifant, voiced by host Scott Shafer
http://www.californiareport.org/domains/californiareport/archive.jsp?date=20061217

For lots of Californians, the holiday season means picking out a Christmas tree, lighting the family's menorah or hanging a decorative wreath on the front door. But for some Filipino-Americans, a different image ushers in the holiday season: a homemade, five-pointed lantern called a parol.

Hunger 101

Aired on KQED's The California Report, November 19, 2006
http://www.californiareport.org/domains/californiareport/archive.jsp?date=20061119

Food banks across the state will be distributing millions of pounds of food during the holiday season alone. The San Francisco Food Bank will give away 3 million pounds, much of it to people like those represented in its Hunger 101 program.

In Defense of Homework

Published on Edutopia.org on October 19, 2006

http://www.edutopia.org/defense-homework

Well-respected writers like Alfie Kohn make sound arguments against assigning students homework. In this article, I explain why I stand behind the homework I gave in my twelve years of public school teaching.

Halfway Liking "Half Nelson"

Published on Edutopia.org September 13, 2006

http://www.edutopia.org/halfway-liking-half-nelson

With help from my friends and fellow teaching veterans Tanya Friedman and Denise Savoy, I critique the film "Half Nelson," about the relationship between a drug-addicted white teacher and a neglected but resiliant black student.