NYC Educator: Happy Thanksgiving to All

NYC Educator: Happy Thanksgiving to All

Happy Thanksgiving to All

I wish a happy holiday to every reader of this blog, whether regular, occasional, or accidental.  This is one of the best holidays. Unless you're the one doing the cooking and cleaning (I'm not), all you have to do is get together with family. I'm grateful for having family with which to get together, and I certainly hope you do too.

Of course, there's your crazy uncle in the red hat who thinks being a teacher is akin to being on welfare, but sometimes it's best to smile and let him pass. After all, whether or not you engage him he's still going home to hear the Gospel According to Fox News.

I'm thankful for living by the Nautical Mile in Freeport, pictured at left. I walk there every morning with my best bud Toby. I tell him all my deep dark secrets, and he's never betrayed my trust. We make a lot of friends, both human and canine, on that road. (I'm not quite as thankful during natural disasters like Sandy, when the canal comes to my house to visit, but I won't dwell on that today.) I'm thankful for the balance Toby and I experience walking up and down the canal in absolutely every kind of weather.

I'm thankful today for having the best job in the world. Every day I get to wake up, go to work, and meet kids who inspire me. They come from all over the world, and they have every sort of story to tell. If I succeed in making them write and speak enough, I get to see them. Of course that's not always the case.

My second job is chapter leader of the largest school in Queens. That job is insane, but who's to say that's different from being a New York City public school teacher? Sometimes I'm able to help people. Sometimes I'm able to get people over the fear that CONTINUE READING: NYC Educator: Happy Thanksgiving to All