Excerpt:

As in any other subculture, rap aficionados argue about which rapper has produced the most impressive output. Jay-Z has cited Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., and 2Pac as “greats”—and his career is often compared with theirs. The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac met untimely deaths in 1997, so comparisons are limited. But Nas’ “Illmatic” is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. Few hip-hop fans believe any of Jay-Z’s albums are of the same caliber, yet Jay-Z has released a consistent stream of critically acclaimed albums—while Nas’ career hasn’t flourished.

As teachers, we cannot expect to perform perfectly for every period of every day of the school year: Such unrealistic hopes can lead only to utter disappointment and early burnout. Unfortunately, perfectionistic tendencies can often be intensified by the pressures of high-stakes accountability systems. That’s why we must gird ourselves for the long haul, developing mindsets, skills, and innovations that will enable us to sustain our careers.

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Mr. Vilson, who thinks that shit’s cray …