The other day, I don’t remember why, we moved our desks. Instead of 6 groups of four, we ended up in two groups of 10. At some point during the day, my students asked me to leave the tables in two groups of 10. I took their request lightly, and began to dismiss it. But they pleaded, [...]

Once upon a time there was a little 2nd grade boy. He was new to a school, and he brought with him, all his problems and issues.  Sent to live with dad after mom “couldn’t take it any more”, a pre-primer reading level, an evil stepmother, and siblings who did not like him, [...]

And no, those four marks represent the word “H-E- Two sticks”, not the other word. Although I have to admit, I  don’t know what word that teacher was thinking at that moment it happened. She was slapped. Slapped hard.  By a first grader. Seriously? I remember 7th grade, George Gershwin JHS in East New York, [...]

Just before Spring Break,  I asked my 5th graders if any of them wanted to enter the contest, “Why My Teacher is Great!”.  Only two students completed the letter.  One was an Honor Roll student and the other was a girl I had trouble with from Day 1!  I have to say, within the last [...]