Yo Mista!

This year, another school opened it's doors in the same building where my school operates. However, this new school isn't another high school, it's an elementary charter school run by a popular charter school network. With the opening of this charter school, there are now six schools operating in the same building. Of these, four are public high schools, one is a public transfer high school (where I teach), and now we have an elementary charter school on the ground level. Of course, these new kids on the block don't have to go through the metal detectors every other student has to go through in my building, they have their own entrance. I'm not bitching about this, no children should have to go through metal detectors, young or old. What I am going to bitch about is the glaring difference between how their school looks and operates versus my own. I went perusing through their hallways last week and was shocked to see how much their school reminded me...

Teaching the last period of the day is the worst, especially in a school like mine. During this time, I'm completely exhausted and for good reason: I've been on my feet all day explaining, lecturing, discussing and entertaining. I would much rather have this period off and use it to recharge my batteries than to have to deal with a 25% (or less) attendance rate. Most students in my school decide it's okay to ditch 7th period. You know, because staying an extra 54 minutes is just asking for too much. Last Wednesday, four students who I know for sure were in the school building didn't make it to my 7th period class. Instead of simply letting it slide and hoping the administration does its job, I decided to take the law into my own hands. I paused the class mid-lesson, hopped onto my computer, logged into my e-mail, and began crafting this in front of everyone: date          Wed, Sep 23, 2011 at 2:45 PM subject     ...

I've really been enjoying my third year teaching thus far, but lately it seems all the fun ends the moment the bell rings and I check my work e-mail. Lately, we've all been getting bombarded with e-mails concerning new policies, procedures, and other 1984 Orwellian-style control mechanisms. Every single meeting we've had as a complete staff has been about keeping us in check, rather than what we as a school can offer the students. A recent school initiative now requires teachers to "sign out" when we leave the building to grab lunch during our own lunch period. The day we receive a ball-and-chain free blackberry, I'm going to quit. I left investment banking because the job owned me and made me feel like there was always an eye in the sky. If my blackberry buzzed at two in the morning and I didn't respond, my cell phone would ring. If I didn't pick up, I'd get another ten e-mails. Eventually, I would get in deep shit with my deal team and then ...

Hello kiddies, I'm back. First of all, Iceland was amazing. We spent two weeks there: the first week driving around the island and the second week entirely in Reykjavik, the capital. The picture below pretty much captures the coolness of the trip. Nothing like a gigantic waterfall to quench the thirst. Although there was some hiking involved, Iceland definitely refreshed me. Some of the nicest people on earth reside in that country. I think it's safe to say we'll be back at some point. So now my third year as a teacher is underway. I'm excited because I don't have graduate school this year, so I can actually think about how I teach. I was really getting sick of thinking on the run and coming up with lesson activities while showering or napping in the subway. This year, I'm also teaching advisory for the first time. Advisory is basically a "life-skills" course offered in high school. I'm pretty sure this is just a New York State thing, a...