Powerhouse

So, evidently it wasn't enough for my face to be splashed bigger than life on the school website.
Don't jump the turnstile yet.  We present to you... you're favorite token.

Welcome to the Powerhouse. 

The Jinx

Every year, my school has an opening ceremony during which all of the faculty and staff members are introduced to the incoming class of students.  In 2011, during my first year employed at the school, I missed the ceremony because of the death of a family member and the resulting sojourn to Pennsylvania for the funeral.  Fast forward 12 months and I'm thinking, count me in for the opening ceremony because (two years in a row... same weekend...) what are the odds, right? Well, on July 12, 2012, my maternal grandmother passed away.  Yet, I was still pragmatically optimistic.  My thought was, hey... at least school didn't start yet, right? Wrong...  the service date?  One month later. The weekend of (you guessed it) school opening ceremony.  Fast forward. Fast Forward. Fast Forward. And bam... Here we are, weeks before the start of the 2013 school year.  There's no way in the world a third family member can die on the same weekend.  I mean, come on.  What are we, jinxed? Mind you, no one has passed away on my side of the family during any of the months in between.  It's like we wait for the school to start each year.  Or maybe we wait to get through one last summer, I don't know.  But here we are, a full two months away from opening ceremony, and I find myself taking a mental survey of the health status of my entire family in order to figure out which member is most likely to die this year during opening ceremony.  Morbid... I know, but can you blame me?  I mean, every time my phone rang in September, I was like, "Oh My Gosh! Uncle Joey! I knew it would be uncle Joey!.... Come on kids, pack your bags. Uncle Joey's dead." It was a stressful month to be a Reyes.

Well, fast forward just a hair more... two weeks before the ceremony... and not one but both of my parents are now in the hospital due to chronic illnesses that have taken a turn for the worse.  And I'm thinking, this totally can't be real.  September is officially coombs-reyes-i'm-ready-to-die month, and I evidently won't make it to an opening ceremony until my entire family is dead.

Well... the good news is that (after a lengthy hospital stay for my dad) both of my parents checked out of the hospital with a pulse and escaped the wrath of my school's opening ceremony.  As for the ceremony itself, I was able to attend this year (whoo hoo).  However, I have to admit: Sitting in the school gym on uncomfortable folding chairs for 20 minutes while waiting to wave hello to 125 new juniors turned out to be enormously anticlimactic.  It also proved to be no match for my new fall family tradition.  Just a couple of weeks later, my 48 year old cousin Rosalyn lost her improbable (and somewhat sudden) battle to Lou Gehrig's disease.  Obviously we will miss her, and we also enjoyed the subsequent family caravan to New York as we connected with family and old friends to commemorate my cousin's life.  As for opening ceremony, I have to say that despite how mundane it turned out to be, I still found solace in the fact that I didn't miss it for a third consecutive year due to the death of a family member.  Because that would have just been creepy.

Residence Inn

Atlanta, Georgia. Professional development workshop.  A full week of classes.  8 days. 8 nights. 1 hotel.  And 3 kids that have clearly never been anywhere before.  Oh boy... this may be a long week.

I'm thinking we should try that waffle maker out one more time...

Spoiled Rotten

Well, there goes the summer. In two weeks from today, the school year officially begins and we get to do it all over again. I'll admit, however, that my first year (in my entire life) as a 12-month employee was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. I know that you people with "real jobs" are rolling your eyes at me as you read this; but hey, call it what you want. I've been doing nine months of work and a summer vacation for over 30 consecutive years. Old habits die hard. Start with kindergarten, add grade school, undergrad, graduate work and 7 years as a college professor... and suddenly you realize that, for me, June, July and August are like the sabbath. Keep it holy, man. I'll see you in three months.

Well, here we are: just a few weeks past my first anniversary at the new job and I can gleefully say that I not only survived what I thought would be my biggest hurdle (working a 9 to 5 for 12 months), but  what-do-ya-know... I still love my job. One year down. At least 4 more to go [remember... I'm here on a five-year (but renewable) private grant]. Year two here we come.
 
  

How We Roll, pt II

The second best part of my job is the opportunity I have to personally create and deliver unique opportunities for students to learn (and become excited about) math and science. The most recent example of this was the organic chemistry workshop that I hosted this past Saturday for a dozen high school students who were ready to be awed by some chemistry (and no, I don't know much about chemistry... but I know how to hire someone who does). Anyhow, this particular workshop called for a morning split between two locations (the local high school and the local college just 4 blocks away)... which brings us to the point of this blog entry and the new job title that I can add to my resume: Mr. Bus Driver.

Of course, I first had to complete my bus orientation (self-guided, no less). And like everything else in our household, it couldn't be anything less than a family affair. Hop in kiddos. Enjoy the ride. No chewing gum. Watch your step. And keep all of your body parts IN the bus.

PS.... here's the link to How We Roll, part I ... because it just never gets old.

Hartsville

Life's a little chaotic right now with us in between homes (target close date is Aug 9) but we're making it. My new job has been great so far. Hartsville has been fun to get to know. The kids and V continue to be the models for resiliency despite all the change and pregnancy woes. And the heat has been about 4 notches north of absurd. Welcome to Hartsville.

Moving Day

I start work on Monday... 2 states away. I don't think it sank in until last night when I packed my last bag and thought, wow, this is pretty much my last day as a Virginia resident. Insane. After 7+ years of employment at the University (of which the last 2 could not have been more trite), I packed up the office (with help from the half pint moving crew), turned in my ID, ripped my name off the door, and sailed off for most likely the last time. Reinvigorated. This should be fun.

Godspeed

Virginia has been good to me. It has given me a wife, three kids, 7+ years of gainful employment, and some of my most wonderful moments and memories. However, this fall I'll be "taking my talents to" South Beach South Carolina. Yep. We're moving two states south! Yesterday I signed my letter of resignation at the University, and on July 18 I will officially be a state employee of South Carolina. May this be the precipice of greatness and abounding happiness for myself and my family.

Thank you, Virginia, for seven incredible years. And a big thanks to everyone who has loved, encouraged and supported us during our Hampton Roads rendezvous. We love you and we'll miss you. So long, my friend.

Silver Lining

Friday's message from the Dean:

Congratulations! Your requests for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor were approved by the Board of Visitors today. Let me take this opportunity to thank you for your work on behalf of our students and to encourage you to continue your efforts to help our students be more successful.

________

I guess last week a good week, after all. Tenure... Promotion... Department Chair... Hey... two out of three ain't bad! If this was baseball, I'd be a rockstar.

The Verdict

He got the swing votes... and then some. And just like that, life moves on.

Anxiety

Ok... Just shoot me now. While I've been kicking around the idea for the past 6 months or so, I am now officially on the clock: I have 24 hours until I find out if I have been elected Chair of the math department at the University. Ugh, the agony of waiting. I almost blazed a trail in the carpet at work today as I paced back and forth through the office hallways trying to burn off nervous energy. At 1:30pm tomorrow, the cat will be out the bag and I will either be the next department chair, or I'll be in the faculty parking lot throwing tomatoes and slashing tires. Just kidding... I would never throw tomatoes.

Seven random thoughts about this process:

1. The toughest part of deciding to run was knowing that it would likely spell less time at home with the family in the months to come. That's especially troubling given that baby #3 is on the way. But in truth, we've gotta pay for this lifestyle and desire for a big family and a stay-at-home mom somehow. So, something has to give. At the end of the day, it just means that we will have to do everything we can to make sure that V is properly supported at home in my absence. She's still not sold on the idea of having a helper (nanny?) of some sort come by the house to help on occasion... but we've at least agreed to move forward, knowing that (a) this is probably best for our family, (b) best for my department, and (c) we'll figure out how to make it work like we do everything else.

2. I feel like I have a really good idea of what good leadership looks like and a million ideas as to how to better guide our department towards being successful. From that perspective I have to admit that I'm very excited about the prospect of this leadership role. With so many things that I want to do, I don't think I'll even know where to start. I suspect that the hardest part of my first six months as Chair would be learning how to pace myself. With that in mind, at some point it hit me that, while it may seem noble on the surface to have declined having my name on the ballot; it would actually have been the selfish thing to do. Accepting a nomination and at least presenting myself as an option for the department is bigger than my personal comfort zone. That's counterintuitive, and it took me a while, but I get that now.

3. If one thing is for sure, it's that the idea of so much responsibility makes me very nervous. But I like what Pastor said when I talked to him about it 2 weeks ago. In so many words, he said to be more concerned if that nervousness goes away. Absence of that feeling usually means overconfidence in our own abilities in the sense that we may have let ourselves get in the way of God's plan and the pursuit of what is right. Likewise, that may explain why I am usually suspicious of those who seek leadership positions overzealously; as that can be an indication of an agenda that is laced with more personal agenda than team initiative.

4. Leaders don't always step up to lead "when the timing is right". In fact, I'm willing to guess that most good leaders didn't feel ready for their leadership opportunity when it first presented itself; but rather they simply felt obligated to step up because there was a need to be met. That inability to sit still despite themselves when they know that they could make a difference is ironically what qualified them as a good leader to begin with. This line of thinking is what I've kept in mind over the past 2 weeks in order to propel me to where I am now. Because as uncertain as I feel about whether this is what I want to do; I feel an equal obligation to my colleagues to at least allow them (not me) decide.

5. If I am elected, that will at least help explain why I have not been able to leave the University over the past 7 years (because Lord knows I've tried). With so many attempts at other employment opportunities falling short over the years (the most recent just 3 weeks ago); V and I have always wondered if my stay here was a "your job here is not done" kind of scenario. I don't know, and I guess I'll never really know... but it sure sounds reasonable.

6. V is a little worried about how I'll take it if I lose. I forget exactly how she phrased it, but she said something along the lines of how this would be the most significant position that I've ever sought. And so she thinks that the disappointment will be grave. However, I honestly think I'll be cool with it. For one, running against the incumbent automatically makes me the underdog; and that's always an easier position to be in. I also think that my humility will make accepting defeat pretty easy. Besides, I'll be the first to tell you that people have plenty of reasons not to vote for "that young kid that's only been here a handful of years." Take your pick: He's too outspoken, too young, too unsophisticated, inexperienced... did I mention too outspoken? I definitely have a "love him or hate him" working relationship with most of my colleagues. The point is, if I don't win, I suspect I'd be pretty understanding.

7. On a more positive note, I've been running some numbers in my head... there's 20 faculty members in our department, and since we need a majority vote; the first candidate to get eleven votes wins. As I run down the names in my head, I think I could list 9 faculty members that would be more likely to vote for me than the incumbent. Conversely, I can think of exactly 4 that will almost definitely vote for the incumbent. For those keeping score at home, that leaves 7 undecided votes... Seven people that can really go either way. So here's the positive spin: Of those 7, I only need TWO to win the race to eleven. On the other hand, the incumbent would need all 7 in order to get up to (4+7 equals) eleven. Recap: I need 2. He needs 7...
   I like my odds... But before jumping the gun, I'm brought back to reality by two obvious facts: Firstly, the odds of him getting those other seven votes are really not that bad. The truth is, they may not be "swing votes" at all... but they might be more objectively titled as, "seven people more likely to vote for him despite my hope that they'd vote for me instead." Secondly, I'll never forget the story of a friend who ran for a similar position and only got a total of 3 votes despite about 5 people saying, "I voted for you!". My point is that those 9 votes I talked about are anything but a done deal. People are funny. And sometimes you honestly don't know how the chips will truly fall once push comes to shove. The good news is, for us, push will come to shove in exactly 24 hours and the waiting game will be over.

Promotion Process

What ever happened to just submitting a resume?

Last week I submitted my portfolio for promotion and tenure... which, yes, included a resume... but also included 3 binders of who-knows-what detailing "everything" I've done at the university over the past 7 years [I can't believe I've been there SEVEN years... I guess this is how life gets away from you, as they say]. Putting that binder together was a beast of a task; only soothed by the fact that I've got the world's greatest proofreader under the same roof with me. Needless to say that not much sleep was had last week. But the application has officially been submitted.

And now... the waiting game begins.

Plan AAA57

I started back to work a couple of weeks ago, which is never a fun transition from summer vacation. However, I think things are starting to settle down a bit with my schedule. By next week, I should be fully adjusted to my new schedule and the norms of going back and forth to work, grading papers, prepping for class, etc. As for other haps in the past two weeks, V also started back at TCC this semester, marking her third semester teaching there (1 class in the Spring, 1 in the summer). LIke last semester, her class is online, which continues to work great with respect to the flexibility it lends her as a stay-at-home mom. And speaking of home, as a family, we've been through more back and forth over the past 2 weeks in terms of moving than I care to talk about (moving... not moving... renting... not renting... wait... renting again... no... not renting.... oh, wait... pack your bags, we're... nevermind). But the bottom line is that we're still here, we've moved on the plan AAA57 as V calls it (because that's how far we are from plans A, B, C, etc.) and everybody is still enjoying life.

As for the kids, I know I owe them both milestone updates, so hopefully those will come soon. But a couple of quick highlights: Jasmine Olivia still has 8 teeth, and her hair seems to have grown 2 inches in about 5 days. Her vocabulary and understanding also seem to have taken a pretty big leap over the past 2 weeks. Personally, I'm still amazed at how clearly she speaks (I felt like we spent forever trying to decipher Justin's lingo). She doesn't know how to say a ton of words, but the two dozen that she does know are clear as a bell. Her two new words for this week that come to mind are "luz" and "jabon". As for my favorite phrases, those are definitely "gracias" (I think she says that better than I do), "sesame street", and "that's justin".

Justin Alexander has picked up German as his third language... Just kidding. But in truth, he does start organized soccer practice next week. He's had a soccer ball since forever, but didn't really get into the swing of things until we bought him the goal (it's like the ball had no true purpose before then). We've been playing a lot at home, and I think it's safe to say that he won't be the kid at the first practice that picks up the soccer ball and tries to run home with it (because there's always one, isn't there?). Otherwise, Justin is Justin (i.e., Mr. Comedian). Not much has changed.

The Geek Squad

Who said research couldn't be fun?! This summer I certainly have my plate full with respect to the number or research projects I've got my hand in. As I've done for 3 of the past 4 years, I have about 3 weeks carved out to teach a math program that helps K - 12 teachers become better instructors. The difference this year is that the content is different than every other year, which means a lot more preparation on my part. Add to this an 8-week research mentoring program that I've committed to, and a research project of my own that must be completed in the same time span; and summer suddenly doesn't feel like summer anymore.

But with all of that said, on Thursday I got a chance to involve the entire family in a little bit of research; and it definitely made for a good time. My research student is studying the water absorbency properties of different fabrics (wool and cotton)... And instead of just taking cotton samples from our Fruit Of The Looms, I thought: How cool would it be to get our samples from living, breathing animals? So off we went to the Fuzzy Farm!

48 Miniature Llamas. 2 Alpacas. And a one-year-old that fears nothing. Jasmine found the largest llama on the property and chased it around like she was going to take it down for dinner. My student bagged up her wool samples. We all got educated on some really cuddly animals (not to mention we got to eat eggs that were laid just a few HOURS earlier... and store-bought eggs suddenly taste years old). And most importantly, we added one more tab to our growing book of family memoirs. In short, we had a really good time (the kids are both ready to move to a farm) and the kicker is, I got to call it "work". I guess it's not a bad summer after all.

Building Community

Do you want to really get to know someone? Then watch them interact with their children. A few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of doing exactly that with one of my colleagues at work. I have always felt a certain connection with Ming since we were part of the same recruiting class by the University back in summer of '03. And so it was doubly special to spend time with him, his wife Le, and daughter Alice. I'm hoping this will be the first of an ongoing "get to know your colleague" project, as a look to highlight the other side of some of my co-workers and share the photos with the department. Colleagues, check your email for a link to the full gallery. It's funny how we can work side by side with someone for years (or decades) and know so little about what they do once they leave the office. Here are just a handful of photos from the shoot. Ming, you have a beautiful family and I appreciate the opportunity to photograph the three of you. Thanks again.

Back on the Job

A 12 day gap between entries could only mean one thing around here: It's time to go back to work! And so goes the holiday season. It was most definitely a nice break, and for a change it didn't seem too short, nor too long. But instead, it was just enough time to enjoy the family, get some things done around the house, and to regroup and recharge before tackling another semester. I only have 2 classes this semester; which is by far my lightest load in my six years at the University. So this semester should be a great one. I may finally have time to implement all of these great ideas I have but never get to when it comes to improving student achievement. It also may mean a little more time for research, family activities, and (whoo hoo) photography.

I should also mention that mommy is officially back to work, too. No, she hasn't relinquished her position as super mom and wife extraordinaire on the home front. But she has decided to teach a class (one night a week) at a local community college. Her first foray into the realm of higher education; and if day one was any indication, I have a hunch that this won't be her last. In preparing for the class, it didn't take long for her to be reminded of how much she simply loves the math; and the bottom line is that she is just really good at what she does. Anyway, congrats on the milestone, Love. It looks like this will be a fun semester for both of us.

And as the most recent additions to the Black and Decker team, Justin and Jasmine are apparently back at work, too. We just haven't figured out what they're building. But then, I don't think they know either.

Pass The Baby

Grades have been submitted. The last meeting is done. All offers to teach this summer have been vehemently refused. And 94 days of Summer Vacation starts now!

Procrastination Expert

At my job, we have an evaluation portfolio that is due every year about the same time. The creation and submission of this portfolio is usually quite an ordeal as it essentially summarizes my efforts in 4 key categories (teaching, scholarly activity, professional development, and university service) over the previous calendar year. 

Well... my portfolio is due today in about 12 hours (at 5pm, to be exact). Which of course means that this weekend I took it upon myself to gather all of my supporting documents, pile them on top of my desk at home, shut out the rest of the world and... replace the bulbs in the garage door opener... then borrow a ladder to re-attach the vinyl siding that had come undone on the back of the house... strip & re-caulk the sink area and bathtub in the master bath... and complete our tax return paprework for 2008. 

And of course a reminder was sent out about a week ago concerning the due date of these evaluation portfolios. And so naturally I did not wait until the last minute to get started! Instead, I spent last weekend... re-organizing 3 of the 4 closets upstairs as to maximize our storage space and make additional room for Justin's growing collection of toys and clothes.  And as for Superbowl Sunday... with a portfolio due who has time for football?! No, sir! I had to turn the television off, buckle down and... take my family to the mall so that Justin could run around in their new activity play area... and also do some light shopping for his sibling to come. And with so much work to do, who has time to cook, do dishes, clean the kitchen, etc.? So naturally we went out to dinner afterwards.

And with so much "accomplished", I could barely keep my eyes open last night through what appears to have been a pretty good football game. And so I went to sleep. As for the portfolio... well, that's why God invented "the last minute". Because 4:51 am on a Monday morning is when things like that are supposed to get done. 

Still Breathing

Where have we been? Well, we've been...

At work, mostly.
Just like with the first pregnancy, the arrival of the 2nd trimester was like flipping a light switch. V was re-invigorated, back on her toes, and everything was great in the Reyes household... for about 4 days... at which point the strain of the midterms, PTA meetings, committee work, and overcrowded classrooms reclaimed us both; turning our energy levels upside down. And so the past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind. But of course that's the way the cookie crumbles. Just like in other professions, teachers have to learn to ride the wave: one minute you have time to grade EVERY paper with a fine-toothed comb, and lollygag your day away... and in the next minute you barely have time to tie your shoelace, let alone update a blog. So yeah... we've been swamped. But of course the tide will turn again (as it always does) and before you know it we'll be on some kind of extended break (winter, spring, summer... ) talking about how cool it is to be a teacher and actually looking forward to getting back to work, as twisted as that sounds right now. 

At the doctor.
V's next appointment is still 2 weeks away, but Justin visited his doctor a few weeks ago and is doing great. The tooth count is still at four and the doctor confirmed that he still has his daddy's head. His measurements put him in the 75th percentile for head circumference, 50th for height, and a measley 10th for weight (which is actually an improvement from the 95/40/6 split we got last time). Along those lines, the really good news is that after a steady 5 months of weighing 20 pounds, our little pip squeak finally weighed in at 21 pounds  during his wellness checkup. However, the bad news is that he came home quite depressed... walking around asking everyone, "This diaper makes me look fat, doesn't it?!" And speaking of home, we've also been...

At home.
Justin has had his fair share of company recently. Between us baby-sitting for some friends on Friday nights, having a number of kids to watch during care group on Thursdays (which we now host and facilitate here at home), and showing some neighboring kids to a fun Saturday at the zoo, you'd think we were running a foster home over here. Of course, Justin loved every minute of it, as he welcomes any break from the peace and quiet that V and I enjoy when it's just the 3 of us. 

At the airport.

We had some grown-up company too, as V's mom paid us a visit from South Carolina this past weekend. Her lasagna was worth it's weight in gold (delicious!) but it was definitely outdone by the virtue of her free baby sitting services. While Elena and Justin had a great time together, V and I were more than appreciative of the chance to spend a little quality time without Mr. Giggly (aka Justin Alexander)... Because as much fun as he is, sometimes I can't help but to think... what in the world are we going to do when we have TWO of him to keep up with?!

Odd Men Out

There was an article in Sunday's paper about a professor at my university who is (according to the headline) being fired for giving out too many F's. I don't know him personally, nor do I know the details of everything that led to his dismissal from the University. Therefore, by no means am I defending him and his classroom performance... but I do have to say that everything else that he said about my day job is probably true.

I love my university. And I cherish the opportunity to work with my students. Yet and still, as he suggests in the article, there are plenty of days at the University when integrity seems like a thing of the past, and plummeting levels of expectation for student performance seem to be embraced by faculty and administration alike.

Case in point: This semester I started with 22 students in my upper level course. Ten dropped out after midterms (mostly at my request). Another withdrew just days before the final exam. And of the remaining 11, after today's final exam I suspect that only 3 or 4 will pass the course. I should probably point out that historically my pass rates for this class have never been this low, but it is not uncommon for this course to have a pass rate of 50% or lower. Now granted, I have been much more fortunate than the guy in the article in that my low pass rates for this course have never come into question by administration (probably thanks to my track record with success rates in other courses)... but it still brings to light the following dilemma:

Grade Inflation
The students that enter my upper level course are consistently deficient in both prerequisite content knowledge and their ability to learn in general. To add insult to injury, every now and then I will get a group of students in the same semester who could not pass an exam even if I stapled the answer key to the back of the test paper. And this was the case for me this semester. So my question is, if my primary objective is to achieve a particular pass rate in order to uphold our enrollment figures... then who's objective is it to ensure that undeserving students are not allowed to (further) tarnish the reputation of our university by receiving degrees they most certainly did not earn? When I come across so many upper level students that are so dreadfully unprepared in myriad areas, it pains me to think of how many professors must have simply passed these students along in order for them to have made it this far in their academic careers. It makes me think that there was a memo that I missed that read "Please pass Johnny if he ends up in your class. He is not very smart nor does he try very hard, but he shows up every day and that should be enough for at least a B". Long story short, it makes no sense for my students to be this deficient in study habits and content knowledge in their junior or senior year at the University. It is all very reminiscent of those stories you hear about kids who somehow make it through high school before anyone figures out that they cannot read or write. Where are the teachers? And what are they teaching the students? It all makes me question the true value of the degrees that we administer to hundreds of students at the end of every semester. Exactly what are they graduating from? And how academically worthwhile was their journey to get to that point?

Consolation Prize

But if nothing else, I take solace in the fact that, despite the F's and D's... and despite my no-nonsense approach and their repeated attempts to pass my class... my student reviews remain above average and almost all of my students (from the A's to the F's) deem me as one of their favorite teachers. Because at the end of the day, they are smarter than most of my colleagues give them credit for, and can appreciate the love that might come with a failing grade far more than the nonchalance and lack of concern that often accompany a passing grade in other courses. Even though my elevated standards are often their demise, they still understand the extent to which I care about them, how much effort I put into trying to help them learn, and (even if they don't attain it) can appreciate the level of discipline, focus, and dedication that is required to pass my course. Because at the end of the day, who really cares about a trigonometric function or what the graph of tangent looks like? But those other life skills are transferable, and those are the ones that I wish my colleagues would spend just a little more time developing in our students.



As for the article, to me the best part is when the student says, "If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't have taken his course. I was still in a high-school mindset, and he's not a high school teacher." The funny (extremely sad?) implication there is that for all of her other professors there was simply no need to shed her high school mentality and perform on a collegiate level. Most notably, there were no ill feelings towards that professor in particular, but just an observation that his level of expectation was very high and simply did not jive with the rest of her collegiate experience.

In the End...
The moral of this story is that freshman year in college should not resemble the "13th grade". And likewise for grades 14 through 16. But until we get better instructors, higher admission standards, or come to grips with the fact that a 70% pass rate may not be a realistic nor fair objective, professors like myself and the plaintiff in the article will continue to be the odd men out.

_______________________________


And in other news of teachers who are making a difference: As many of you know, my wife teaches the same subject as I do, but at the high school level. With that, I'm proud to report that her level of dedication, radical vision, and determination to make a difference has been embraced and acknowledged time and time again by her students, colleagues and supervisors. So much so that as a junior faculty member with just two years of experience in her current school district, she was offered (not one but) two different department chair positions in the past 3 months alone. One opportunity was at another public school in the same district, and the other was within her very own Math Department. I think it is great that her level of achievement and potential for excellence has not gone unsung. And so next time you see her, be sure to congratulate her on a job well done because she is truly an exceptional teacher. We're so very proud of the difference you make, you magnificent teacher, you!