My Secret Identity

A lot of people ask me, "Hey, NYC Educator, who the hell do you think you are?" That's an interesting question. But it doesn't matter a whole lot who the hell I think I am. It matters more who the hell I am, I suppose. Whether or not I think I am that person is one of those things I'm too tired to contemplate right now.

So here's the thing. If you actually want to know who the hell I am, or you'd like to meet me, or Patrick Sullivan, or Leonie Haimson, or Diane Ravitch, you can come to the Skinny Awards next Tuesday night, have a great meal, and support the best cause there is. Actually, I'd also like to meet Patrick Sullivan, Leonie Haimson, and Diane Ravitch. That's why I've specifically canceled my rumba lesson in order to make it.

Now, I know what you're saying. You're saying, "But NYC Educator, Tuesday night is when the "Wheatgrass Roots" episode of Chopped is on the Food Channel. I can't miss that. How will I find out what you can cook with rutabaga, Froot Loops, stuffed green olives, and Chef Boy-Ar-Dee's Meat sauce?" Now that's a great question. I'm gonna suggest if you actually go to a real restaurant and eat real food, you may no longer have the compulsion to watch hapless chefs cook things you wouldn't eat on a bet.

In any case, this is where it's all happening. It's now, it's wow, and there you have it. I'll see you there! Bring your friends, your family, your neighbors, and meet a whole lot of people who aren't insane, all in one room.

What more could you ask?

Thank you, thank you very much

It looks like we've been listed as one of the top 20 teacher blogs!  What taste and discernment they've shown to select us.  In fact, I too would have selected us.

I knew this blogging thing would pay off one of these days.  I can only hope Miss Eyre doesn't ask for a raise.

I want to thank all the people who made this possible--Joel Klein, Michael Bloomberg, Randi Weingarten, my dog Bertha, and last but not least, all the commenters with whom I argue on a regular basis.

Blogoversary!

NYC Educator is four years old today. Here's the very first post, reflecting a viewpoint that sorely disappointed some of my friends at the Independent Community of Educators. I didn't get around to mentioning class size till post number two.

Here's one of my favorites, from a time before the 2005 contract shocked me. Here's an optimistic post about the advent of Edwize, something I thought would really help counter the nonsense on the tabloid op-ed pages.

Like many UFT members, I'd never have imagined they'd come up with such a stinker of a contract, or that any sentient being would actually support it. At that time, I'd written for NY Teacher on several occasions, and was in negotiations to begin writing for Edwize. I was going to fold this blog and do so. Curiously, when I began opposing the contract on a daily basis and leaving disparaging comments on Edwize, that invitation was unceremoniously withdrawn.

A few months ago, though, NY Teacher amazed me by reprinting a piece I'd posted about Michelle Rhee. My favorite stories are the ones about kids, and I stay anonymous so I can keep writing them.

I want to thank everyone who's read the blog, and everyone who's commented. Special thanks to Schoolgal, who fed me tips for the longest time and supported this blog when almost no one else was reading it. It's been a thrill to meet some of the people who've emailed me (I can't believe who some of them are) and to receive responses from some of the people I've emailed.

Thanks to all! It's been a thrill and an honor to write this blog, and I ain't finished yet. I've learned a lot, and I learn more every day.

Number 13

On January 13th, Social Media Explorer determined NYC Educator to be the number 13 education blog in the country (or perhaps the world, or the universe, or perhaps only the city). This determination was made very carefully, involving measures and metrics precisely considered and applied, which I would explain here in great detail if only I understood them.

Congratulations to Joanne Jacobs, who is number one on the list. All those years of having 5 million readers a day are beginning to pay off for her.

As for number thirteen, I don't often reveal this, but I was born on the thirteenth, as was my wife, so it's a lucky number for me. Sure, you'll say, it's got a bad reputation, and sure Friday the 13th came on a Tuesday this month, causing many people to be especially careful. But so far, I haven't spent a single day of this year in New Jersey, so I'm feeling very lucky.

And when you get right down to it, that's what life is all about, isn't it?

Stop the Presses

Well, we don't actually have any presses, so perhaps that's overkill. But it appears that NYC Educator has been selected best education/ homeschooling blog of 2006 by Best of Blogs.

I want to thank everyone who voted, particularly a few friends from Staten Island who seem to have actually organized a campaign (too bad they weren't around for UFT elections). Also, thanks to Ms. Cornelius at A Shrewdness of Apes for the nomination.

Doubtless all are worthy, but I'd like to call attention to three of my very favorite blogs that were in the running: April May, Today's Homework, and California Teacher Guy. I don't miss 'em, ever, and neither should you.

Anyhow, thanks very much. The entire staff here at NYC Educator appreciates this.

State of the Blog

Thank you all very much for coming.

First of all, I'd like to welcome everyone here. Let's get right down to it. On the issue of bipartisanship, we are making definite progress. Several voices from Unity Caucus have been visiting lately, and while we disagree with them, they are welcome here. Unfortunately, the sole representative from New Action has opted to take his ball and go home, and there is little we can do about that.

We continue to do battle with the evil empire, but I must report we are vastly outnumbered and massively outspent. Also the unruly space aliens with whom we battle daily continue using weapons of mass destruction to achieve their goals, and still hope for kids to act like those they've seen in their favorite movies. We will not give up, we will not relent, but it will be some time before we can expect peace and prosperity.

Now we must turn to balancing the budget, and I say to you this goal is attainable within five years, and there will be no new taxes to accomplish this. The deficit is a burden to us and future generations. First, it's 12 bucks a year to get rid of those Haloscan ads. Then, there's the added burden of the new domain name nyceducator.com, which brings the deficit up to a staggering $17.99, the largest in our history.

I'm pleased to announce that this summer I plan to get a paper route in order to ease the debt. Sometimes, in extreme situations, one must take extreme measures.

So rest assured that this blog will remain free and independent of foreign influences. God bless you all, and let's be careful out there.

Now That I'm Famous...

...I can get a swelled head and stop hanging with my lowlife friends. Maybe I can get a job with my union and stop working altogether.

Anyway, NYC Educator is quoted in today's Daily News. You have to scroll down to see it (as they saved the best for last).

Oddly, on the web version of a column called "Eopinion," the web addresses don't link to the sites.

So much for the extra 5 million readers I was hoping for.

Thank You, Thank You Very Much

NYC Educator has been named one of the top 100 education blogs by Online Education Database.

And before you start laughing, it turns out there are more than 100 educational blogs. Here are a few (from the list) that I read:

Schools Matter
Education in Texas
Eduwonk
History is Elementary
Jenny D.
This Week in Education
Intercepts

Thanks...

...to the LA Times' School Me for considering NYC Educator in its Highly Coveted Teablog Awards. Though we're second place, we promise to try harder.

Thanks also to Get on the Bus, written by Scott Elliot of the Dayton Daily News, who rated NYC Educator among the best teacher blogs.

On behalf of all the Get on the Bus picks, we, the entire staff here at NYC Educator, would like to humbly request that Mr. Elliot come up with a cool graphic like the LA Times did, so that the beneficiaries of his excellent judgment can display it on their blogs (and point back to his, of course).