Yo Mista!

In high school, I worked my ass off all four school years to get into a good college. But that meant I rewarded myself by doing jack shit over the summer. My summer vacations usually consisted of sleeping, video games, sports, and during my junior and senior years, jamming with my band. Yo Mista! Trivia: Can you guess what I played in my band? Hint: I sucked. Anyway, I didn't read books during the summer nor did I engage in thoughtful debate during sleepovers. Who does that kind of shit anyway? I'd rather be shotgunning covenant soldiers in the face to show off how manly I am (not that I need to).   A few days ago, two of my former Algebra students, Kareem and Havana , began e-mailing each other (and CC'ed me) in what it appeared to be a debate about religion and the existence of God. FYI, it is still summer vacation for high schools in New York City. Therefore, my logic dictates these kids are either completely insane or incredibly intelligent. Thoughts? For backgro...

Hey kids (and some adults), Stop fucking around on all those iPods, iPhones, Droids, Blackberries, Kindles (ha! if you have a kindle, please disregard all of this), Palms, and other smart phones/devices. Why? Because according to this , you're getting dumber. Please, be considerate. Stop it. Don't make my job any harder than it already is. Thanks.

In the past few weeks, I've been back at my school off and on for the following reasons: Planning curriculum with my department (which usually just means we're doing Beavis and Butthead impersonations all day) Helping grade the August Algebra Regents (there were only 6) Showing my younger brother where I work (he was here for a week!) It's been weird, but every time I went back, I left the building with a small, controlled burst of optimism. Small because I'm now fully aware of the physical and emotional demands the school year will make and I'm a bit scared. Controlled because, well, I don't want to get too excited - last year my students started the year strong but by the end of the first trimester, a majority of them went back to their old ways. I suppose this year I will beat myself up less about it. Not. At one point this week, my fellow math teachers (I have two colleagues now, as opposed to just one) and I were discussing the upcoming school year ...

If you haven't watched TV or read the news lately, Pakistan has been suffering from extreme flooding. 1,500 people have died thus far and another 13.8 million people have been affected. The government is struggling to get aid to the victims due to heavy infrastructure damage.  Please help by donating as much as you can. A mere $5 will go a long way. Here are some links: UNICEF Global Giving The UN Refugee Agency