My Father in the Window: a Glimpse into Firefighting

Back when he was a new firefighter in 1962, my father helped pull a fellow firefighter to safety as a porch roof collapsed in a Bronx house fire. The moment was captured by a New York Daily News photographer, and it was splashed on the front page the next day. We...

A Smile from the FDNY

I know there’s an image of New Yorkers being somewhat hard-boiled when visitors get googly-eyed over the charms and flash of NYC, but on a recent visit, I saw the opposite, thanks to the FDNY. We were walking past a firehouse not far from Times Square, and the bay was...

Standing up to Fearmongers and Hate

My message to those stirring fears and hatred toward LGBTQ+ teachers was published this week in The Advocate Magazine: “Stop Calling Us Groomers and Quit Making Us Your Prey.” This op-ed, reflecting on my 30+ years as an out queer teacher, was cathartic to...

Poetry Friday- Haiku Riddles!

In the midst of this challenging winter, I’m trying to keep warm by surrounding myself with great poetry books. LION OF THE SKY: HAIKU FOR ALL SEASONS presents a delightful gift to teachers who want to introduce their young writers to poetry writing and haiku....

Poetry Alert at the Latinx KidLit Book Festival!

Two poets I admire are having a conversion today, and we can all tune in.  The ongoing LATINX KIDLIT BOOK FESTIVAL is happening on youtube, and poets Margarita Engle and NoNieqa Ramos will be talking about how poetry can convey emotion, tone, and drama. This is...