NYC Teaching Fellows interview today --- plus, long time no see...

Yeah yeah, I know. I haven't posted in several weeks. It's been a combination of me still being pissed off at Teach for America for putting me on their waitlist and life getting really crazy for a bit: work=crazy/busy, vacation-to-Italy=crazy/wonderful, Thanksgiving=crazy/yummy, training for Bronx 1/2 marathon=crazy/crazy...

But this blog isn't about ME, it's about teaching. Well, ok, it's about me trying to teach...

Anyway ... today I have my interview with Teach for America (as does my compatriot-in-crime, KC). The interview process for NYCTF seems fairly similar to that of TFA, so I'm extremely interested to see how they differ. I'll try to come back tomorrow with a decent report on how the interview went.

America the Beautiful...

This blog is about education and teaching, period. I think too many educators' blogs become, at times, overwrought with political rants and ideological banterings. However, because I think it important enough to do so, and without gushing (or sobbing) with my own liberal, conservative and/or moderate views, I interupt this blog for a brief note about the election.

This country is amazing, if not always perfect.

I love politics. A lot. Way too much. Election Night is like my every-four-years Superbowl (which I guess would make it more like the Olympics or the World Cup, but I'm trying to keep this American-ey here). As I sat there drinking my 6-7 fingers of scotch (whether in celebration or in sorrow I won't say) I had to thank God I was born here. HERE. And, with all its worts and scars (which, at times, are horrid), and with all its imperfections (of which there are many), the system here in the United States (both political and economic) continues, daily, to amaze me with its flexibility, its fortitude, and its basic soundness.

That is all.

Now back to your regularly scheduled blog.

Yankee Stadium, children, and the woods

This blog is about teaching, and specifically it's abut me attempting to teach. I've come across plently of "education" blogs that end up being primarily NOT about teaching or education, but about politics or current events or race relations or other such issues of the day.

This blog -- is about teaching. Period.

However, from time to time, I will post something that is only tangentially related to teaching or ... maybe once in a while, not at all apropos to the subject in the least bit. This is one of those posts.

1) Yankee Stadium
On Friday, the wife and I (and sister-in-law) took a tour of Yankee Stadium. I've been a rabid, silly fan of the Yanks since the age of 8. I've been going to Yankee games longer than some of the kids I'll be teaching will have been alive. Almost twice as long, depending on which grade I end up in. I would guess I've been to over 300 games there -- but I'd never been on a tour of the stadium. It was excellent. We got to walk out onto the field, along the warning track, sit in the dugout. THE DUGOUT! Where Jeter sits! Where Mantle sat! The wife stole a bunch of dirt from the warning track and shoved it in a baggie in her pocket. The stadium will be missed.

2) children
We also went up to the Adirondacks this weekend for a big family hoo-haa (the wife's family, not mine). There are tons of little'ins on her side. Lots of 'em. Tons. Scurrying around like rabid little honking squirrels. There's something about the unconditional love and trust you get from kids. It's makes the world seem not so awful.

3) the woods
I'll skip all the Thoureau quotes and just say that spending a weekend up in the middle of nothing, on the shore of a deserted lake, with a ton of awesome, loving family, puts all of your real-life decisions in perspective.