Dilbert Says It Again

Saw this and thought of all the unqualified Principals and assistant Principals in schools today like the totally unqualified math teacher (she certified after leaving a business career, failed teaching exam first time) who became an AP in special education or the math AP who observed my AP calculus class with not a clue about what I was doing.  I could go on and on but every teacher reading this can add plenty of their own examples.  Also add in all the people who think they know everything about teaching because they went to school.

Goodbye Mr. L We Will Miss You

Most people don't realize that Mr. L was really a shy, introverted guy.  The loud man who told lots of off color jokes just covered up a very private, very insecure person.  We spent a lot of time talking.  When Mr. L told me he liked a pair of shoes I was wearing, I nicknamed them Mr. L's shoes and wore them long after they should have been discarded.  Imagine, I took fashion advice from Mr. L!  When Mr. L told me his attraction for short, chubby women, I kept my eyes open always looking for a good one for him.

I remember one Passover when he came to my seder and how my dad who did not like too many people, liked him.  I remember when he had trouble walking but still vowed to walk his son down the aisle and he did.

Mr. L had health problems towards the end of his career and he could not physically be the teacher he once was.  Our principal at that time (not Principal Suit) respected what he once was and gave him an assignment he could handle.  Hats off to that administrator.  Unfortunately, not everyone was so nice.  I won't go into details here but I no longer speak to her.

Mr. L loved his job and he loved people, especially the people he worked with. Mostly he loved his sons and his grandchildren.   He glowed when he talked about all of them.   I always said he would probably die with a piece of chalk in his hand.  I wish I was right.

Letter to Editor

A recent Newsday editorial said that education standards were getting low, partly because there are teachers who want to pass everyone.  Here is a response from an actual teacher!

Retirement

A vacation in Amsterdam when flights are cheap, streets and sites not overly crowded as the school year begins.  

Picture taken in Delft.  Bikes rule in the Netherlands 

The Right Choice For Me

I know people who say they don’t know what they would do if they retired. To me, it is a no brainer. This is so much better than fighting with my ill mannered, ill tempered, stupid former AP.  

Once A Math Teacher, Always A Math Teacher