Dec 29, 2011

I'm Home Again

Hola good people, yours truly is in NYC right now! I'm here for a couple of days and I'm just taking it all in and enjoying myself. It's been awhile since I visited, and here are some current highlights:

- While I'm standing outside Rocco's Pastry on Hudson, I over hear a man in his sixties talking to a friend. The man says, "My concern is that in the recordings of the wiretap, it will come out that I was unfaithful to my wife with several women. Should I tell this to my lawyer?" The man than listed for several minutes and replied, "So basically you are saying honesty is the best policy." I guess better late than never.

- Fran Liebowitz is walking in front of my sister and me. Wow, she walks real butch. Slowly a motorcycle pulls up to the corner as we are crossing the street. The rider cranks on the accelerator and makes the hog roar. Fran then flips him the middle finger and keeps on walking. Like I said, she rolls real butch.

- I'm here with Gino and I'm meeting other dog owners. I met a lovely woman that was walking a tiny poodle that was rescued from a puppy mill. The poor dog kept spinning in circles, it seems she was caged most of her life and tends to spin around a lot. She also keep offering her rear end to Gino, she was put to have litters several times over during the past five years. May puppy mill owners burn in fucking hell, and shame on the people that buys dogs from those mills.

Dec 25, 2011

Merry Christmas To All














I wish you all peace and joy this holiday season. May the new year bring you not only what you want in life, but also what you need.

Remember to live, love, learn and pass it on!




Dec 18, 2011

The Line Between Student and Teacher Relationships


I was gagging as I read this article in the Times about school districts having to implement policies restricting teachers from getting connected with their students through social networks and texting.

I was very surprised to see that some grown folks don't use their common sense in this situation. At what point does it make sense to "friend" a student of yours and invite him or her into your personal life, via your online presence?

Children don't really know boundaries unless you clearly set some. Over the years students have tried to blur the line between our teacher and student relationship. I quickly help them course correct.

This is how I handle this situation with my students:

Student: "Mr. S do you have a facebook page?"
Mr. S: "No. Facebook is for you young folks."

This prevents a student from looking for me on Facebook and requesting I "friend" him or her.

Student: "Mr. S do you tweet."
Mr. S: "No. Tweeter is for you young folks."

I actually don't tweet.

I do leave room for students to interact with me on a somewhat social level because at times they will need an adult to confide in if they are experiencing something heavy like bullying or abuse.

Moreover, we see each other five days a week for hours, and we are human beings that develop connections to one another.

However, I am not their father or friend. And, my students are not my kids.

When students open up to me about any problems they were having, I listened compassionately and guided them to the right person in that school that could help them. In other words I respond as a professional.

With that said, there are exceptions to this rule. I have a handful of "friends" on Facebook that were my former students from when I taught in high school.

My rule was modified to included any student that was 18 or older and attending college, and the relationship will be as mentor/mentee.

Oh and it is by invitation only to students that displayed a mutual respect and a certain level of maturity.

Dec 11, 2011

Peter Pan Syndrome In Effect

Quidditch has gone muggle. Well, at least they are getting more of a workout if they had played baseball.









Dec 6, 2011

I Went All Lemming On Myself


I gave into peer pressure and got a smartphone. I did get the phone at an extremely discounted price, but my monthly cost went up $20.  I took the bait and got hooked.

I'm curious to see if after a few weeks if I feel at ease with joining the herd. BTW, my students don't laugh anymore when they see my cell phone.