Day 295

Today's bow was a gift from a former colleague. Today was a professional development day and I spent a fine portion of the day preparing lessons for the next couple of weeks - and thinking about the Spartan Times Square Challenge - an invitational exhibition obstacle race taking place in the heart of NYC. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity that I feel pretty privileged to be a part of. 

Day 260

It's Day#23 in Bushwick and we're already talking about dividing fractions. I'm trying to convince the kiddos it's really like tying your shoelaces. It might be a daunting task at first, but once we master the process step by step, it's going to be pretty routine. We'll see how that goes.

Check out the stripes on stripes I've got going on today. The awesome navy bow is from Xoelle. Check out her awesome collection of bows here. 

Day 257

Today I got the chance to ensure 100% of the students I teach (at least those who came to school on this day) got to experience Khan Academy for themselves. I'm grateful to teach in a school that has the resources to provide each grade level with a class set of chrome books to use. We spent a chunk of our Friday practicing our math skills while taking a quiz. Awesomeness. 

Are those polkadots on my bow? Well, not quite. My sons used their fingers and fabric paint to modify this vintage, silk navy bow. It's definitely a favorite of mine.

Day 255

Today's bow (and coordinating outfit) was inspired by the premiere of one of our favorite shows. Lily and I can't wait to watch the next season of  Boardwalk Empire if only for the fashion of the 1920s. This silk polka dot bow was acquired at a vintage retailer during my first year of teaching.  

Day 249

Here's a vintage throwback from my early years of teaching. Unfortunately I forgot to remove it from the laundry basket. I'm not looking forward to how the laundromat treats a vintage silk bow tie that already had some imperfections.

Day 203

Sunday fun day found us at an outlet mall after the morning church service. We walked around for a few hours, I found some cool gear, and met some nice folks.

Today's bow is a summer favorite - acquired from Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont and features a strip of old cars, palm trees and surf boards. Way cool.

Day 184

We spent the early part of the afternoon together taking in another historic landmark in NYC today. For those of you keeping score at home, it's the 2nd one we've been to this summer as we're looking to find some places around this wonderful city to enhance our appreciation for living in the Big Apple. So today we took to Staten Island to visit the Alice Austen house. She was America's first prolific female photographer and her home holds some pretty amazing stories that I can't wait to impart on my students when I see them in August. Here's a sample: Although famous for her photography, she wasn't actually a professional photographer. She took and developed over 8,000 prints using glass plates as a hobby. It was something she LOVED to do and didn't really get credit from doing her passion well until she was well into her eighties. What's the lesson here, kids? Do what you love regardless of whether you'll get credit for it or not. Who knows, maybe one day YOUR home will be a city landmark. 

Today's bow tie was a gift from the very gracious Laura over at Xoelle. Have you checked out her collection, yet? 

Day 6

Today's bow tie was actually a gift from a former colleague of mine, Thomas Garza. I'm pretty sure he'll be famous one day for his work in education reform. You can watch a profile of his work here. I've always loved the combination of blue and gold and enjoy the fact that these just so happen to be my school's colors.