inspiration

MLK Day: It Doesn’t Matter With Me Now

January 18, 2010 Jose

I’m not going to quit being an educator. Even when people want me to quit, even when the gossip comes raining down, even when the whole world tries to tell me that education is not particularly valuable in the American hierarchy of occupations, I know I cannot quit. I know when people ask me to [...]

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Be Somebody

December 1, 2009 Jose

Everytime I come across December 1st, I think about the millions of people across the world who have constant reminders of their impending doom, and that no matter what they do or how well they keep themselves in shape, their impending mortality becomes not only more certain but with a shorter timeline than average. Oftentimes, [...]

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The Proverbial Godfather to My Students

November 5, 2009 Jose

This morning, I had a strange choice to make. Ever since the Yankees made the playoffs, I made a quasi-promise to myself that, should the New York Yankees win the championship, I’d take my students to the parade. While not educationally sound, I’ve been building that bridge from Inwood to South Bronx for my students [...]

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Why Your Voice Really Does Matter

October 18, 2009 Jose

Last night, I and the gentlemen from MiBodegaOnline.com went to El Museo Del Barrio, a museum dedicated to the Latino experience here and everywhere, located in Spanish Harlem, to see a preview of CNN’s Latino in America, a spinoff off the acclaimed Black in America by Soledad O’Brien. She was present to introduce the clips [...]

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Walk With Your Chin Up, Young Man

October 12, 2009 Jose

Sometime last year, a young weary teacher walked through a still leaf-laden path along the projects in his neighborhood. Exhausted after a long day and a subsequent pair of naps on the trains he needs to take to and from work, sore from his feet up, and generally in need of a welcoming seat and [...]

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The Process, of Teaching and Otherwise

October 5, 2009 Jose

On Saturday night, yours truly had the opportunity to see County of Kings, a one-man show by Lemon Andersen, in which he tells a semi-autobiographical tale about his life and struggle in the slums of Brooklyn, facing p0verty, drug convictions, AIDS-harboring parents, and the challenges of learning how to be a man without having many [...]

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Michael Jordan’s Principle: Address The Haters

September 28, 2009 Jose

Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame speech (and his career, for that matter) read like a diatribe against wrong decision-making … and our fundamental ideas about sportsmanship. For those that have lived under the sea for the last 30 years, Michael Jordan’s arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, surpassing records and racking up a [...]

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Why We Quote

September 21, 2009 Jose

On Twitter a few hours ago, I asked a simple question: Here’s a good question: who’s the person you quote the most? Why? I got a myriad of responses, all of which I’d like to share with you: Dr. King. He’s timeless and relatable. – @missprofe Emerson. Radical (for his time), individualist, remained true to [...]

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Leave Out All The Rest

August 6, 2009 Jose

This past week, I had the fortune of, among other things, hanging out in North Carolina with the folks from Center of Teaching Quality. I got there (in one piece) right in time for dinner, where teachers from across the country got together and just hung out. It’d been our second time together, so there [...]

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Jam

August 3, 2009 Jose

It ain’t too much for me to jam. I have to find my peace ‘cuz No one seems to let me be False prophets cry of doom What are the possibilities I told my brother There’ll be problems, Times and tears for fears, We must live each day Like it’s the last Go with it [...]

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