I thank you for the proposal, Mr. Rivers, and I accept it with all my heart

I have decided, at the urging of my colleague NYCEducator, to begin my own blog. Those of you who knew me there as yo miss! (formerly in bushwick) may (or may not) enjoy my ramblings here.

I join the blogging community not because I believe my experiences are unique--far from it. I only hope to add my voice to a rich and diverse community of teachers who are fighting the good fight here in NYC, who believe that the dignity of educators and the good futures of children are not mutually exclusive.

I love the children I teach. They make me laugh even on the worst of days. Before I started teaching, one of my professors told me that New York City children are like none other on Earth. They are street-smart, she said, but so many of them have already had their hearts and spirits broken at a young age. They'll infuriate you and fascinate you, she said. I have to agree.

Here's what I'm pretty sure I can tell you: I teach English at a middle school in New York City that I'll call the Morton School (bonus points if you can catch the allusion). I'm not originally from New York City, but, as Leonard Cohen once noted, "New York is cold, but I like where I'm living." After a variety of fuck-ups, I feel am a reasonably confident, competent, comfortable teacher, but I like to make fun of myself and I am happiest around colleagues (and readers) who can do the same.

So thanks for visiting and let the fun begin.