Don't Call It a Comeback

Ross,

I understand your media black-out. (Though somehow you seem to have real time updates about various Knicks free agency scenarios...not complaining, just saying.) And I understand your fear that the blog is a totally self-indulgent exercise.

I disagree.

1. Addiction 101: addicts don't really quit something cold-turkey. They learn to live with their addiction. What's the first thing someone says at an AA meeting? "I'm ____, and I'm an alcoholic." Zero media during working hours = totally unreasonable bar. Remember, we're constantly harping on you to craft attainable aims for your students. Same thing applies for self-imposed aims. Or, as Maia might say, make it bite-sized. So maybe you just do one Yankees stats round-up each day at 4pm. Start small.

2. It's game time now in MTT. Your first "real" class. Your curriculum. Your kids. Your phone calls. If this isn't grist for the blog mill, I don't know what is. This is the stuff that readers -- particularly other new teachers, both current and future -- want to know. Plus we have a lot of actual money invested in how much you LEARN this summer and actually APPLY next fall. Stickiness. I think regular blog writing about what you're learning this summer increases the likelihood that it sticks. And if you need a way to move past thinking your learning is self-indulgent, think about the impact of these lessons on your future students. Hell, think about me having to take a second job mowing lawns so I can send my 2 kids to college if you guys don't turn out to be jaw-droppingly good teachers.

Yours,

OMG

Well, crap. Lila and Gabe's erudition rests squarely on my shoulders. I can't say 'no' to Orin Mark Gutlerner. And not because his initials are OMG. Or his last name means "good teacher" in German (yeah, that's real). I can't refuse him because... it's an offer I can't refuse.

Gulp.

To clarify for the Gut Teacher, my media blackout begins tomorrow with Day 1 of Summer Academy teaching. The specs:

1. Duration: 7:15-1 (teaching, prep), 2-4 (prep, Orin time) and 7-8 (phone calls).

1. My phone remains in my drawer until 4 PM.

2. My laptop remains powered down until 1 PM.

3. I have 1 hour between 1 and 2 to read/answer time-sensitive work emails.

4. 7-8 is dedicated phone outreach time.

5. NO laptop post 10 PM. Get your ass to bed, Trudeau.

6. 10:30 PM bedtime.

This is a trial period. If blogging seems healthy and makes things stick by next Friday, I'll continue for the duration. There's a TON to say about summer academy so far, so stay tuned...