Another day, another list of edubloggers I may or may not have made it on.

This conversation trickled down via Teacher Magazine, then the Teacher Leaders Network, and it has some people up in arms about why some of the same bloggers get chosen for these and they exclude others. Even my friend John Holland, whose Pre-K Now made it on the list, didn’t have nice things to say about Rasmussen’s list. He says,

I think these folks had a narrow idea of what “best” would be before they made the list. My work on Pre-K Now is very easy to swallow where as some of my other writing is a little less easy. I am appalled that Nancy [Flanagan], Bill [Ferriter], and Jose aren’t on the list but, none of the three of them are easy consumption material. They are all difficult and demand something of the reader.

…

Jose’s tag line is “Its not about a salary, its about reality.” and that pretty much “sums” (wink) it up for this brilliant writer about the reality of being a middle school math teacher in NYC, Washington Heights. He tackles subjects that most teachers, including me, would never tocuh. Not even with a ten yard stick. He writes with such lyricism and passion that we can taste the chalk dust in his classroom. Does he talk about more than just education? Yes, but thats the point, teachers are more than just educators, they are human  beings. Teachers are within a system that they are constantly defending with students and fighting as professional. Jose is not an easy read, and that is why he should be read.

[Emphasis mine]

At this point in my writing, I’m participating in the honest conversations we need to have about the state of education, and with people who I consider awesome allies in that fight. People on the local level and the national level want to engage in constructive, critical conversation about the things that not everyone’s talking about. They want to understand the rationale behind our most desperate children, or put words to why there’s something just not right about those creepy pro-charter commercials on TV. They want to encourage others to join teaching as a profession without feeling like they’re advertising for a camp. They want their voices amongst the others who have a say in the national conversation about everything.

That’s why I write, too.

Lately, I’ve ended up on a couple of honorable mention type lists, which either means I’m doing a great job at being understated or a bad job at tailoring my message for the mainstream. Or both. Which works just as well for me. I have a great group of readers who want to further the dialogue of our critical pedagogy, who can’t sugarcoat the raw experiences of America’s youth and the positive and negative repercussions of our collective consciousness as they affect education, and who find inspiration in the work they do.

Readers like you.

Am I your favorite edublogger’s favorite edublogger? That’s not so sure, but if I am, then that’s a list I’m privileged to be a part of.

Jose, who has his book giveaway in two more days …