Year 2, Week 24 (Days 529 - 535)

This week I've opted to showcase some of my vintage collection - ties that I acquired after digging through thrift shop donations and vintage retailers in NYC. I'm doing so in celebration of my final week of the current school year. After teaching in the NYC public school system for 13 years the last days of school never seems to lose their appeal. Sure, for some, there are obligatory rituals to observe and ceremonies to attend. Although I personally don't care much for either (What value is there in celebrating the expectation?) I do think it's worth my time, as a professional educator, to reflect on the year's progression and focus on setting some goals for year 14. I look forward to doing that ... next week - perhaps at the beach.   

Year 2, Week 22 (Days 515-521)

Thanks to the kind folks at this outfit from Phoenix who transform vintage materials into classy bow ties for dapper dudes like me to don. Check them out - Dapper + Dash. Be sure to tell 'em the guy behind 1000daysofbowties.com sent you. 

Aside from the vintage bows I'm featuring this week, there's also an awesome cotton blend featuring a nifty guitar print from Xoelle that I think is super rad. You might recognize the Spartan bow tie I hand crafted from a Spartan t-shirt from a previous post. Lucas got a chance to earn it by completing his first Jr. Spartan Race over the weekend. Yay for 4 year olds overcoming obstacles! 

Year 2, Week 7 (Days 409 - 415)

Bow Tie Spotlight: This week I'll take a minute to highly recommend going to thrift shops and vintage outlets to dig out some snazzy bow ties. I was inspired to make this reminder, not only from taking a look at my own vintage ties, but after coming across this hilarious song appropriately titled "Thrift Shop." Check out an edited "clean" version here.

This week's featured sponsors:

This Humble Abode

Xoelle

Day 341

Today's bow was acquired in my first couple of years of teaching, when I would hunt for bows at vintage retailers in NYC like Cheap Jacks or Andy's Cheapies. In those days I could find a self-tie like this one for only $10. I'd be fortunate to find anything of quality for that price these days. 

Our unit on ratios is almost done. This has been my favorite unit to teach thus far and I'm really proud of what the kids have been able to accomplish. My two classes are averaging 92% mastery on their daily exit tickets and their getting very confident at their mental math skills. With the exception of one or two kiddos, the pesky 8% of kiddos left are most comprised of folks who have the potential to do much greater. We just need to work on building their capacity to give more of an effort to succeed on a consistent basis. No worries. There's plenty of time left until the end of the school year!

Have a great weekend!

Day 340

What's on the agenda for today? Scholars will be able to solve multi-step problems using a pair of tape diagrams. Oh yeah.

Today's bow was acquired at a vintage retailer years ago. 

Day 328

Today's bow was acquired during one of my vintage retailer runs during my first few years of teaching. Aren't you glad Black Friday is over? Personally, I'm more a fan of Cyber Monday. 

Day 323

I'm humbled and happy to announce my first public speaking engagement in over ten years! I've been asked to give a brief 10-minute message at our church in Corona, Queens in honor of Thanksgiving. I'm hoping to post a flip video of the evening over the mini-break. In the meantime, enjoy this vintage bow I acquired many many moons ago.

Day 318

Yay for another day of inequalities! Yikes - this new 6th grade math is tough. Fortunately I know all about overcoming obstacles and my students know that if they trust me, follow my instruction and put forth their effort they will indeed overcome the beast that is 6th grade math!

Today's bow was a vintage find from my very first year of teaching. I can't believe it's time to start rocking winter vests. Yikes again.

Day 309

We meet again, Algebra.

We're closing in our 4th unit on algebra this week - this time focusing on translating real-world problems into algebraic equations. Yay! To mark the occasion I've brought back another vintage bow I acquired years ago. 

Day 297

Chess club today. Wait. Did I mention I finally got the chance to start a chess club after school? Well, it's sort of like a chess club. We meet twice a week and spend about half 45 minutes doing homework and the other 45 minutes playing chess. I haven't done more than teach the basic moves and allow the children multiple opportunities to engage in the actual playing. More details to come.

Today's bow is a vintage bow I acquired years ago from a vintage retailer in NYC.

Day 284

I decided to go with a vintage bow for today. 

In case you're joining us late, allow me to recap the purpose of this blog. Nearly a year ago I decided to challenge myself to wearing a bow tie for 1,000 consecutive days. There were no rules placed on this challenge other than having to wear a bow tie for 1,000 consecutive days. This didn't have to be 1,000 different bow ties. This doesn't mean I wake up and go to sleep wearing a bow tie. I wear a bow tie when appropriate (not while I'm working out or in the shower) and I use it as a conversational piece to get me talking about what we're doing at our school in Bushwick, Brooklyn to close the achievement gap. This blog is a way of chronicling my self-imposed challenge.

From time to time I'll use this platform to share some insight into my life inside and outside of the classroom. I hope you enjoy!

Day 281

Today's adventures on Columbus Day included another toilsome workout with my coach and a family outing to Ikea where I got to show off this handcrafted CocaCola bow tie I put together using some vintage fabric I found on Ebay.

Day 271

Today was Professional Dress Day at our school. A student I don't even teach decided to wear a bow tie and glasses. I wonder where he got his inspiration from.

Today's bow was acquired from a vintage retailer during my first year of teaching. 

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 232

It's the second week of school, but the first week I'm getting to teach some real content. Routines will have to be learned, reputations will have to be overcome and kids will get to know what it means to be a mathlete of mine. The work doesn't get any easier in year 13, but hopefully, I've learned from my mistakes and I'll get to build on the work we did last year. 

Today's bow is a throwback - a vintage number I found at thrift shop during my first year of teaching. 

Day 164

Today's bow tie was acquired at a vintage retailer many years ago. It's the first diamond point bow I owned and what inspired me to hunt down more diamond points. If a fine bow tie is very hard to find, imagine how hard it is to find a fine diamond point. I'm thankful to have started to learn the craft that will have me making my own diamond points for years to come. Have a great Tuesday, peeps. 

Day 148

Today's bow was salvaged from a vintage retailer in SoHo over a decade ago. I don't know what's cooler - the fact that it's one of few pieces in my wardrobe that has stood the test of time or the fact that it's outlasted the store where it was found. Have a great rest of your holiday weekend, folks!

Day 125

Some days, more than others, I'm really glad I get paid to teach math. I came across an interesting string of articles related to the recent 8th grade NYS ELA standardized test. Yikes. This is certainly worth a moment of your time. I hope to never see a word problem about a pineapple and a hare on a math state exam.

Today's bow is another vintage tie I acquired a few years ago when I had the time to seek out places like Cheap Jacks or Andy's Cheapies in Manhattan. Today marks the last day I'm going to proactively look for brand new bows to rock on a daily basis. I still have some new ones (or old ones you haven't seen yet) but I think I'll limit these guys to making an appearance once a week and I'll start revisiting some of the ones I've already worn because I don't want to neglect all of my cool sponsors. I really do have some cool sponsors.

Alright, folks - enough of me. Have a great Friday!