When asked to comment on some of her critics claiming she is just a "very lucky teacher who stumbled upon a good gimmick,"... Melvia Miller laughs and responds with this story---

FROM THE MOUTH'S OF BABES...

Little Johnny admired his college student big brother and constantly begged his big brother to take him to class  with him. His brother hesitated to do so because he thought that his little brother would squirm and make noise.

But after Little Johnny profusely promised to be quiet, his big brother took him to a large class lecture one day.

After the lecture ended, they walked to the Student Union for some lunch. During lunch, the college freshman asked his little brother,

"Did you see why it was so important that you be quiet in my class?"

And Little Johnny replied with a smile..." Yes, because people were sleeping." 

Why we must.... OCCUPY EDUCATION: 

Minority students will likely outnumber white students in the next decade or two, but the failure of the national teacher demographic to keep up with that trend is hurting minority students who tend to benefit from teachers with similar backgrounds. Minority students make up more than 40 percent of the national public school population, while only 17 percent of the country's teachers are minorities, according to a report released this week by the Center for American Progress.

Using data from the 2008 Schools and Staffing Survey, the most recent data available, researchers found that more than 20 states have gaps of 25 percentage points or more between the diversity of their teachers and students.

California yielded the largest discrepancy of 43 percentage points, with 72 percent minority students compared with 29 percent minority teachers. Nevada and Illinois had the second and third largest gaps, of 41 and 35 percentage points, respectively.

In a second report, the CAP notes that in more than 40 percent of the nation's public schools, there are no minority teachers at all. The dearth of diversity in the teaching force could show that fewer minorities are interested in teaching or that there are fewer minorities qualified to teach.