All I want for Christmas is Youk....

.... And now Gonzalez. And now Crawford. Has there been a better off-season in baseball in... ever?

I'm usually treating baseball like an "off again" boyfriend at this time of year- avoiding memories so I don't think about him too much when I know it'll be forever till we're together again. But it's just too good to ignore! I'm amped about April, and it's December. What am I going to do?

Oh, I know. Maybe I'll just watch Tom Brady play the best season of his career and trounce the filthy Jets. Or maybe I'll kick back and enjoy my undefeated Orange on the court. It's been good times in my sports world lately, which is much-needed now that the bitter cold has set in around DC!

Thanksgiving break was lovely and it's been back to work at full speed leading up to the Christmas holidays. We're trying to jam a whole unit in before Santa arrives, and the kids in the school are sure making it difficult. Monday, the halls were abuzz with stories of five separate fist fights at Saturday's dance. Yesterday, there were two massive food fights that got tons of kids suspended. New facebook groups about "Gwynn park hoes" are causing a lot of drama, and class-skipping seems to be at an all-time high. Cutting through all that noise to try to teach the verb "tener" is quite the task, but I'm getting there. Meredith and I get through our days blasting Usher in the hallways, wearing silly outfits, and going above and beyond with the creativity of our lessons and projects in an attempt to get the kids through the door. It's working- we're seeing some astonishing mastery levels. Our most recent class test averaged at 87%- compared to last year's 60% average.

There's a ton to look forward to this weekend. TFA holiday parties, cookie exchanges, and the high school holiday concert are all on the schedule. My Pandora is set to Manheim Steamroller, and it's probably time to hit the mall for some holiday shopping too. Music-cookies-booze-mall-Tom Brady? Not a bad weekend at all!

Peace and love!

Tori

Gobble Gobble

Well, I finally did it this weekend. On Saturday night, I became a woman.

I was a little afraid to go through with it. I had no idea what I was doing. And I admit- I had to look at a magazine for some pictures to help me out. So much bare skin! And what technique would I use?

No, it's not what you're thinking. I mean, I finally made a turkey all by myself! And, it came out FANTASTIC! Special thanks to REAL SIMPLE Magazine, hilarious roommates, and a really reliable mom to get me through the cooking process.

Saturday night was truly a celebration. We hosted a potluck Thanksgiving dinner for all of our best friends in DC and it was a huge hit. The girls in my house and I whipped up turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy and pumpkin pie. We bought fancy beer and wine and Kate even made jello-shots in the rinds of the fruit flavors they represented- a creative and chewable "cocktail." Friends brought squashes, casseroles, desserts and great stories- and our dinner party lasted late into the night!

After the plates were cleared I mustered up a second wind for the evening and headed out to meet up friends from out-of-town for a night of dancing. We only went home when the lights came on at 3 am. It's been ages since I've stayed out so late and even with some time to nap on Sunday, I'm still recovering today. It took the entertainment of dancing in the halls (including some serious dance-offs with my students) to get through the day today!

Tomorrow I fly home to MA and I could not be more excited to see my family and enjoy real Thanksgiving with the people I love. Check out the pics below for a few laughs at us attempting the turkey!

Peace and love.

Paula Deen is Insane

No, really. If you've ever watched her on TV and thought, "There is something off about that woman. Is it her eyes? I think she's nuts. I think she's a little raunchy. Something is just crazy about a woman that uses that much butter..." You would be right. More on that later. The best way to describe this weekend in all its glory, I think, would be an itinerary:

Friday night @ Churchkey: This is one of two primo beer bars in DC, noted most for its selection of Belgian beers and home-made cask ales. The beers are served all in correctly designed glasses and for the unexperienced beer drinker, may seem oddly warm at 52 degrees. Excellent spot- and one of the best happy hours in DC.

Saturday morning @ The Four Seasons Georgetown: Dr. Charles was in town and treated me to breakfast at Paul McCartney's favorite DC spot. Long discussions were held regarding educational policy, plans for next year and how baseball and education reform meet. The conversation may have been heavy, but those lemon-ricotta pancakes were oh so light...

Saturday afternoon @ TFA Professional development: Possibly the only low point of the weekend. PD in our second year is a drag- we're not experts and still crave pedagogical knowledge, but the information in our sessions feels repetitive.

Saturday evening @ Landmark E St. Theater: "127 Hours" is the new film about Aron Ralston, the mountain climber who became trapped under a boulder in 2003 and in the last few hours of his consciousness, hacked off his arm with a dull multi-tool in order to escape. The film was reminiscent of "Cast Away" as the entire feature focuses on one actor (James Franco) alone, and stuck, in a canyon. I woke up the next day thinking about it and the imagery of the hacking is still haunting me.

Sunday afternoon @ The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show: The highlight of the weekend, and possibly the highlight of the fall! The DC convention center hosted this enormous exposition of local farms, small businesses, bakeries, and more. 300 vendors offered samples of their wares: I dined on chutneys and bruschetta, cupcakes and specialty peanut butters, infused teas and spicy dips, granolas and yogurts, sausage and seafood, and so, so much more. We watched cooking demonstrations from local culinary schools and product vendors and collected a slew of pamphlets and business cards (some of you may be receiving specialty-food gifts this holiday season!) The day culminated with the crazy Queen of Butter, Paula Deen. The most entertaining part of her cooking show was that she refused to cook! She preferred joking with the audience and talking about her day, sharing inspirational stories, and embarrassing her husband extensively. She was raunchy and edgy and ultimately very genuine and loving and she had the audience in the palm of her hand the entire show. They actually had to kick her off the stage as she continued her schtick for a half-hour longer than it was supposed to go and her security told her she was going to miss her plane.

The perfect weekend ended with a Pats win... peace and love until next time!

Tori

Reflections on Change and Leadership

Last night, we had one of the best grad school classes of the semester. Two extremely intelligent individuals came to speak to us: One was a man named Eric Welch. He is a local educator engaged in the uphill task of starting a charter school in the surprisingly resistant state of Virginia. The other was a woman named Jeanne Allen. She is a conservative policymaker who supports the expansion of school choice and charters across the country. The two spoke passionately and at length about their experience in the trenches of public school reform, and Mr. Welch outlined four truths he has found in his experience to be illustrative of the current state of Public Schools:

1. Schools are 100% political.

2. Schools have an HR issue - recruiting and maintaining good people at all levels.

3. Schools - and the school system- should not be monopolized.

4. An "Emperor's New Clothes" syndrome dominates public schools- everyone knows the truth, but no one has the courage to say the obvious.

Mr. Welch also posed two essential questions to the group:

1. Why do you teach?

2. What is the purpose of school?

The fact of the matter is, the day to day operations of public schools and the bureaucracy that dominates them has taken us away from the answers that we have to these questions in our hearts.

I sat through a meeting today that made my skin crawl. I listened to colleagues shoot down reform, naysay innovation, and declare defeat before any idea was given a chance to breathe. The themes of last night's class were ringing in my brain as I drowned in the negativity of the table. It was a profound "Teach For America" moment for me- and a microcosmical reminder why it's so hard to push reform and promote the truth.

I am learning a lot, daily. The amount I still have to learn about adult interaction is sobering. I remind myself of Dr. Charles' great quote: " 'No' is almost always a lack of ingenuity." And taking a deep breath, I go in for another day!

Peace and Love,

Tori

A Tale of Two Rallies

So, I'm just going to go ahead and admit it publicly. I went to the Glenn Beck Rally. Partially, it was because my mother couldn't be there (though she was, I'm sure, in spirit.) Partially out of sick curiosity. Partially because when I look at my bi-weekly paycheck for 2000 dollars reduced to 1288, I feel taxed enough already. I wanted to see what he- and his people- had to say.

And this week, I went to the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert rally. I had every intention of comparing the two. Seeing which resonated more. Judging them in some kind of a win-loss scenario. But after giving them both a fair shake, I have to say that making some kind of comparison or call would be impossible and unfair.

The fact is, they were totally different events. Beck's rally wasn't as crazy and fear-mongering as Stewart and Colbert would have liked you to believe (though I can't say the same for his TV show.) Beck's rally WAS a serious political gathering. The rally itself and the people there were peaceful, but they had a message they wanted politicians to hear. I found myself supportive of the speeches I heard and the values reflected: for example, honoring the men and women of the military, and treasuring neglected American privileges like the right to vote.

Stewart and Colbert put on a show, and a damn good one. But a serious political gathering? That's up in the air. With the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, A Chilean mine-shaft, and the Myth-busters guys on stage, one can hardly say it was a serious political event. In the few moments in the end, the show took a more solemn turn and Stewart explained the thesis of the Rally: That in America, there are lots of differences, and good people compromise to work together every day to make our country great. Sometimes that fact gets lost in the 24-hour news cycle and as media consumers, we have to be wary of how we are influenced. As an ex-broadcast journalism major who quit for those very reasons, I agreed. I also respected that Stewart mentioned both the left and the right in his criticism of our news cycle.

I think it's odd that as a 23-year old girl that I could find resonance in both rallies. But I guess that makes me the definition of most of America- a moderate with some strong feelings on the Right and some others on the Left. I left both rallies impressed by the same thing: We are a lucky people, a civil people, capable and free to gather in peace in our Capital and express what we believe respectfully.

Now, if only I could get someone to take on the cause that I saw one rally-goer promoting:

"Moderates for Better iPhone Reception!"

Peace (Train) and love:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYxMCALVXZs

Tori

Welcome to Paradise

Question: What happens when you combine Tori Hornstein, Brian Spendley, A 75-degree day without a cloud in the sky, and a Chardonnay featuring a "long, smooth finish of warm butter and toast marshmallow" ??

Answer: PARADISE! Or maybe just Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton, VA.

Brian had the great idea to purchase a deal from the website Living Social this summer. For just a few bucks, the deal invited a couple to a local winery to sample wine, tour the grounds, and picnic with free cheese and crackers anywhere we'd like.

The land was exquisite- rolling fields surrounded by forest, just hinting the colors of autumn. The wine cellar, where we did the sampling, was located in a log cabin built BEFORE the revolutionary war! The "American Girl" in me was ecstatic. The staff was friendly and explained about the winery's history, the types of grapes, and distilling techniques. Virginia is now #3 in the nation for producing fine wine, coming in behind CA and NY.

After trying all the wines, we picked a bottle to open and take on the grounds with our picnic, and I was so impressed with the flavor of the Chardonnay that I bought a bottle to bring home as well. The wine won the "Governors' Cup" in VA, competing against hundreds of white wines from all over the state. I don't know anything about fine wine, but this was delicious. And that's good enough for me!

I feel so lucky that I had such a great friend with whom to share such a perfect day. I really do understand why Fall is everyone's favorite season!

Peace and Love.

I Spy...

We finally did it! We finally made it to the Spy museum! It only took us a year and a half, but the roomies and I ventured out on a weeknight (I know, crazy) to take advantage of Teacher night at the Spy Museum in downtown DC.

Teacher night included free food, a cash bar, raffles and free resources for local teachers. At first, it seemed a little lame (although I did eat a rice krispies treat, except it was made out of fruit loops, so that was awesome.) That was until we entered "Operation Spy"- the big feature of the Spy Museum. All I knew about it was that it was an hour long simulation mimicking the life of a Spy, and that it has been sold out every weekend I've tried to go. Now I understand why!

The experience was terrifying! Suddenly, a large metal door closes behind you. You are thrown into a very convincing set of a market in the middle east, along with a group of strangers. You have to make your way through the maze, following clues, solving problems, and achieving the mission. Dark elevators, motion simulators, computers and cameras make the experience more realistic. Some points I found myself screaming out loud (there is no way I could be a real spy!) It was Disney World, but for grown-ups. I would recommend the experience to anyone- and you know, it wouldn't make for a bad date either!

The week is finished for me tomorrow. I have a half day and then parent conferences. This weekend promises to be lovely with a trip to local vineyards! Pictures and updates soon.

Peace and Love.

Band 101!

Mom was here this weekend!

She arrived Thursday night. Friday, she came in and enjoyed celebrity status at school and watched me teach for the day. The kids were really entertained by her presence and the best moment was when one of them decided we should use the "usted" form with her because "she's a senior." Saturday, we went to the football game and watched the band perform. It was the highlight of my weekend. I love seeing the kids at their best. You've got to check it out below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QTAPWSH63Q

Saturday night we went and saw "Waiting For Superman," which is a must-see documentary. I mean that literally. You must see it! For me, it's a lot of facts I already knew. But for America, it's going to be a shock. No matter who you are, you will cry. GO SEE IT!

Today we wrapped up the weekend watching a painful Steelers loss at the Pour House. But mom treated and even as a Pats fan, I have to admit that sitting in a comfy couch at a bar with roommates, family, a plate of perrogies and a pitcher of beer isn't a bad way to end a weekend!

Peace and love.

T

Slower Lower Delaware

Last weekend marked my second trip to the Delware shore this summer. The first was to Rehoboth as a nanny for a week. This time it was a lazy weekend with my darling friend Brian to his parents' house on Bethany Beach!

Bethany-and Rehoboth to an extent- are weird beach communities. All the beaches I knew growing up were jam-packed with tacky little houses, and no matter where you rent your house, you can walk to the beach. Not so in Delaware. A lot of the beach belongs to private gated communities, and the public beaches are parks that you have to reach by car. There are no blocks of little sandy houses decorated in hand-me-down furniture. Everything is a large house with a grassy yard and there are pools and cul-de-sacs. Developments of McMansions abound and there aren't any raging bars or tatoo parlors or arcades. It's all older people in their retirement years on the beach- hence the nickname "slower lower Delware."

Brian's parents were kind hosts and his best girl friend from high school, Dana, joined us too. I wish I could tell you we partied all night long, but the weekend was more for relaxing on the screen porch with a bottle of wine, sleeping in, and laying on the beach. We were blessed with perfect weather and the usual hordes of labor day tourists stayed home, fearing Hurricane Earl. Lucky for us, Earl missed the coast all-together, and left Delware with nothing to show except ENORMOUS waves. The surfers were thrilled, but I wasn't so excited. The rip was frightening, even just a few feet in, and I don't like the feeling of struggling against an ocean current. I didn't do much more than splash around in the break and work on my tan.

I used the relaxation of the sun to pump up for the following week at school. The honeymoon period is over here and the kids are starting to pull out their usual tricks. Unfortunately there have been a ton of fights so far this year and something is amiss...the kids are really pushing the administration and teachers hard. Cross your fingers that everyone settles in and September sails out smoothly!

Peace and Love.

Bossy

It feels good to be the boss.

No. I mean it. My first week back to school was this week- and - (God, I'm going to curse it by writing this post) I am in charge! It was truly a peaceful, in-control week. I have great classes of kids that are excited to learn, and so far, supportive parents as partners for the year.

There's no doubt in my mind that this is the calm before the storm. I mean, last year I started out with NOTHING and the kids were still good enough for me. The kids at GPHS have a little fear of God to start out the year, giving all us rookies a chance in our first week. I remember it was the 3rd week last year when the big guns came out. Honeymoon over. Difference is, I know how to deal with it this time!

There are other improvements too. I have an enormous classroom, which means I have the room to move around and stay close to kids that seem off task. We have a new administration that is running a tight ship including school uniforms and a ban on cell phones and ipods. This stuff is great and makes my life so much easier! I am thrilled at the vibe at the end of the first week. I just feel comfortable in my own skin and happy to be there making a difference.

Wait, did I just say...HAPPY? to be at school?

Probably the best thing so far are all the visits from my former students. I probably get 10 hugs a day from old kids that pass me in my doorway. Especially amazing are the hugs from kids that were on the fence last year- kids I reamed for smoking weed in school, or kids that I failed for at least a quarter till they got their act together. It makes me feel like I really am accomplishing something here.

Well, keep me and my students in your prayers, and enjoy this video from my first week of school !

http://vimeo.com/14492928

Meep Meep!

I love things that look like their cartoon versions. On our family's recent vacation to Arizona, I got my fill of cartoon joy!

As soon as I got off the plane, I saw a cactus that looked like it should have been the stem of a margarita glass. I couldn't believe it was growing out of the ground. It looked fake! A couple of college guys were on the bus with me to the rental car facility. "Hey man," one said. "Why don't you run as FAST as you can into that thing. No really. No do it. It'll make a great youtube video. It'll go viral!" I had to agree...

It wasn't just the cactus, though. The landscape is the backdrop to every John Wayne western you've ever seen. The entire time I was there, I just kept pointing and saying: "Wile E Coyote fell off THAT cliff!" Canyons and red rocks, cactus and prickly pear- it all looked like a painting or movie set.

I realize I'm talking about the scenery here and not the vacation but I can't emphasize enough what it was like to take in that desert environment with your own eyes. I have been lucky to travel the world and see many "views" but the scenery in Arizona is some of the most breathtaking and unique settings in the world. It is truly God's artwork. A picture CD is in the mail, and I'll post them soon so perhaps you can get the idea!

Beyond the scenery, the time spent with the family was lovely. I really miss everyone now that I am a "grown up" and it had been since Christmas that I'd spent any time with my sister! We are a corny, nerdy family and did all the tourist stops- Native American museums, botanical gardens, outlaw-themed steak houses, Indian cliff-dwellings, hiking trails, and my favorite- a pink jeep tour in Sedona!

I'd recommend a trip to Arizona to anybody. Boycotting be damned- nothing matches the beauty and campy fun of this state. I'm sure there are embarrassing videos and pictures that will spring up soon as a result of this trip. (I can't do a somersault on land...or underwater.) But... it will be worth it!

Peace and love.

Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa.

If you're a fan of the classic Americana baseball movie, Field of Dreams, you know this line. Perhaps there's no better definition of heaven than the simplicity of family, sunshine, a great game of baseball, and ... a cornfield. After a long weekend in the Midwest, I have to agree.

My trip started out as a weekend visit to Milwaukee to visit Dr. Charles and catch up with him before the school year started. He now works at the MLB level and is at the drawing board stages of some national initiatives for MLB charities that benefit public schools. We planned to brainstorm some ideas based on my experience and the experience of my peers in TFA. My friend David, an old coworker from my Dodgers days and now a senior at Penn, is working at the Chicago Cubs this summer. He's also interested in public education, so we decided to make the trip together.

I wasn't sure what to expect out of the weekend, and it spun itself into quite the adventure. I figured: it's summer, I'm in the midwest, who knows when I'm coming back... so might as well make the most of it! We had plenty of dinner conversations about baseball, careers, charities, and teaching- but decided to turn the trip into a vacation as well! We took an impromptu trip to the one and only Field of Dreams in Iowa, and played catch with some major leaguer's gloves. (See photo album.)

After our trip to the cornfields, dinners at Ryan Braun's, and all the checking out downtown Milwaukee (which is actually a very cute, very friendly town) David and I took a bus down to Chicago to do a little sightseeing. This was my first time visiting the city, and like most people, I was impressed. I was even spoiled with some 2nd-row Cubbies tickets on my first trip to Wrigley park! I think I was most surprised at the total and complete lack of advertisements at the field. Even Wahconah park is covered with ads- it was a field lost in time.

Overall it was a delightful trip and I was so happy to visit with Charles and David. Enjoy pictures from my midwest adventure here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2398087&id=5515657&l=8c634d9865

Fare thee well, Blackberry

Friday night I did a stupid thing. I got pickpocketed in the most classic and preventable situation ever.

It was the day of the long awaited Dave Matthews Band concert at Nationals Park. One of my best friends in TFA lives in a high rise right next to the stadium. He invited all of us over for a pre-concert bbq on his roof. Beer and burgers flowed freely, and my friends and I spent most of the afternoon in the pool tossing a nerf football and working on our tans. Multiple points in the afternoon I announced that this was the best day of my life. Perhaps melodramatic (is anyone surprised?) but it was a truly carefree, wonderful day, and I felt lucky to be in the sun in a beautiful city surrounded by people I love. Before we knew it, it was 7 pm and time to cross the street to the concert. I changed and grabbed my phone, shoving it into the outside pocket of my purse. I had to meet a random person who bought an extra pair of tickets, and we were texting as I left the house to coordinate where to meet to make the trade.

Getting to the stadium was a cow herd. We've all been in that human sea, every time we enter a concert or sporting event. I didn't think much of it and was more concerned about finding this kid so I could get into the show. I got my tickets from will call and reached into my purse to text him and let him know I had tickets in hand, but alas! No phone.

You've got to be f------ kidding me!" I yelled. I'm not proud of my language, but I knew in that instant the phone was gone. Could it be back at the apartment? Did someone else take it by accident? Eh... maybe. But the sinking feeling I had in my stomach told me that I was sure it was in that side pocket. The scene was too easy for a crook- a huge crowd of people, hot and sweaty, pushing their way into the concert, everyone a few beers deep. Easy prey, child's play even! In any event, I knew I had to find a way to meet the person whose tickets I had, lest I be called a crook. I raced back to the apartment of my friend and borrowed a computer. Thankfully, emails go to phones these days and I was able to email him a meeting location and hand off the tickets.

I watched the concert rather glumly. Dave is a never-fail, but our seats were in no man's land, it was 100 degrees out even after the sun set, and all I could think about was my phone. I called mom to turn it off right away. Even though I knew it would make calling it to search for it impossible, better that than have all kinds of charges come up. You can do a lot of damage in 24 hours.

Life worked out well for me in the end- I was due for an upgrade and went the next morning. I got an iPhone, and so far I'm not sure how I feel about it. There's no doubt it's awesome. It's literally a computer, in your hands. But it's a tricky adjustment- the touch screen is hard for me to type on and I feel like I'm dropping calls left and right. Plus, I do miss my bbm. But I'm optimistic that I'll love it. It just feels like I did wrong by a nerdy, reliable boyfriend of two years. I ditched him at a concert and started dating DJ Pauly D the next day.

Peace and Love!

Ticker Tape Update

WHEW! What a way to kick off the month. The ticker tape update:

- We moved and are loving our "New Life." Living by Lincoln park in DC is so pleasant, quiet and pretty. Our home, a 1918 row house, is a gem and we're most of the way set up. I have a lovely room, backyard fit for a secret garden, and even a garage!

- Party on! 4th of July weekend was quite the show. Even though we moved on Thursday, the following Sunday we threw a birthday/housewarming/4th of July bbq that saw 25+ people in our new home and backyard. The capitol building is walking distance from our new place, so we meandered down to the steps to watch a glorious fireworks display. Best moment: Waving sparklers while singing loud rounds of the national anthem with dozens of total strangers en route to the capitol.

- Cousin Danny brought me to a Nats game. Not just any nats game. Since Dan is an Ivy grad, we got to meet Nats president Stan Kasten along with journalist Adam Rubin at a pregame meet and greet. I love baseball. I love Strasburg. I love baseball. Wait, did I say that already?

- Stacey Foster was here! I got to play hostess and tour guide with my darling college roommate and her friend from work. We did a night tour of the monuments, a day time trek around the city, and hit up 3 Smithsonians. We were dogged by day's end but very happy.

- And now, the beach. Yes, that's right- I'm in Rehoboth nannying for one of the Capitol Hill families I've been working for this summer and I'm not sure how I landed such a sweet gig. I'm in an enormous house with my own master suite, enjoying building sand castles with well-disciplined creative kids. So far I've already invented a high-five using feet and taught my little charges about rolly-polly bugs. It's going to be a great week!

peace and love.

The Time I sat in the Owner's Box at Fenway

Me and Dr. Charles, who now works for the Commissioner.

Mom and Dad- and our view from the Owner's Box.

Yep, John Henry in the background- PROOF!

When my mom asked me on a whim if I could get us Red Sox/Dodgers tickets, I had no idea what a day I was in for...

To pick up my tickets, I had to go to player will-call at Fenway park, which is not accessible to the general public. I found out from the main ticket window that I needed an escort to pick up my player tickets. The girl that arrived had a shirt on that said "Fenway Ambassador." Ah, the all-too-familiar polo.

"Hi, I'm Tori," I said to her. "Great shirt. I was actually an Ambassador at the Dodgers under Dr. Charles Steinberg."

"Wow, that's wonderful," She replied. "As a matter of fact, he's here today. Are you seeing him?"

"What!?" I exclaimed. "I had no idea. I'm gonna call him!"

I knew it was a long shot, but standing in line (behind Jon Lester's family) I dialed his cell. I was thrilled when he answered. "I hear you and I are both within the walls of Fenway Park today," I said. "You're kidding!" He replied. "Stay right where you are. I'm sending someone to bring you where I am."

Turns out "Where he was" was L1- the owner's private suite at Fenway Park! My family stared at the luxury suite fixings in awe- leather couches, gourmet food, and a functional office space for working during the games. My stomach did a flip as I realized just WHO I was surrounded by and WHO I was shaking hands with! Tom Werner, John Henry, even Heidi Watney stopped through. Then I heard a familiar voice...

"TOMMY! Colin! This is CRAZY!" Yep, Tommy Lasorda and my friend, his assistant, Colin were in the room.

"Tori! You're no better than that guy in the Revolution- what's his name- BENEDICT ARNOLD! For leaving us at the Dodgers!" Tommy joked with me. Apparently finishing my college degree wasn't a good enough excuse for my wavering Dodger loyalty.

Ghosts from my Dodgers past continued to come through the door, along with Boston front office stars. My head was spinning. It was a new level of professional elbow-rubbing for me. I doubt Tom Werner will remember me, but when I'm working in MLB someday I'll be able to say "Actually yes, we met at the Dodgers series in 2010."

Sadly, I didn't get to see too much of the game with all the people to meet, but I'd say it was a fair trade. My family reported that even though any day at the ballgame is a great day, they'd like to get used to those kind of seats! The day served to reinvigorate my love for working in baseball and give a little fuel to the thought that maybe-just maybe- I'll be in a front office again. After the last three years, I know God constantly laughs at my plans, so I don't bother making them anymore. But it sure would be nice...

We're moving this week. Stories to come. Peace, Love and Baseball!

BEST WEEK EVER

An odd thing happens when you turn 23, move away, and start working in the real world.
YOU MISS HOME!

You think you'd be ready for it after all your hot shot years at college, but such is not the case.

I don't know why this trip home in particular was so special. Maybe it's because I haven't seen my house since Christmas. Maybe it's because it's been such a chaotic year. Maybe it's because this trip was just packed with so many wonderful things. In any event, I can't remember being so relaxed or enjoying myself so much in a long, long time.

I got home very early Friday morning. Mom and I went out for breakfast at Cracker Barrel (I dare you to judge) and caught up on all sorts of gossip. We got back to Pittsfield, cleaned up, then headed to the local TV station to film Dad's show. This month's topic was lung disease. Each month he does a different topic with a different guest doctor. I'm proud of his excellent PR skills!

From the studio, we went to Berkshire County's Relay For Life, where Dad was the night's keynote speaker. Relay continues to inspire me in a way no other non-profit work does. It is simply so powerful. I choked on my own tears all night, and Dad gave a beautiful speech. Especially amazing was the applause for the Berkshire Health Systems Hematology/Oncology unit who took such good care of him.

Saturday, I got to see my sister and go to a Red Sox/Dodgers game that deserves its own blog entry. When I get the pictures from her, I'll tell the tale. Spoiler alert: The title of the next entry will be "The day I sat in the owner's box at Fenway!"

Sunday was Father's Day. Dad recently splurged on silver Mazda MX-5 and we went for a Sunday drive through the countryside with the top down. The Berkshires are as beautiful as ever and we got lost on purpose. Have you ever done that? It's wonderful. You never really can get lost, but you can discover roads you'd never think to drive! Some of the viewpoints we discovered were extraordinary. We ended the drive fittingly with ice cream sundaes, and the work week began.

I spent a lot of time with mom doing girly things: shopping, getting our nails done, and most thrillingly: making polish pierogies from scratch! You've never seen me cuss so much over a counter top. Those things are difficult! Smashing potato filling into thin gooey dough, pinching it all together without any potato escaping, boiling it before it dries out. Whew! It takes a real woman to handle these things! We made potato and sauerkraut stuffed ones, and they came out delicious...maybe F-bombs are the secret ingredient!

Dad and I wrapped up our time together going trout fishing in our canoe on the Housatonic river. And- we decided to let Barley test his sea legs. Let's just say this: A song was invented about the D-O-G that wanted O-U-T of the B-O-A-T ! He settled down eventually but there were a few canoe tips that were a little too close for comfort. It was a blast.

This entry could go on and on about lobster dinners, seeing neighbors and friends, home brewed beer, fireflies in the woods and all other delights of home, but I'll stop here.
Pics soon.
Peace and Love!

Ants in my pants

That’s what mom used to say when we were fidgety, cranky and rude and wanted to be anywhere but where we were. My kids have ants in their pants right now and so do I. Why bother coming to school in June? We haven’t been able to do anything since HSA testing started, and any sense of discipline or routine has dissolved into the wind. Getting kids to listen to me and try to force them to prepare for their final in my class has been like teeth on a chalkboard. (Yeah, teeth.) I can’t count how many kids I’ve kicked out of class and how many phones I’ve abducted. Let me out!!

Today really is my last day of teaching this year and I’m celebrating by going to the Nats game tonight. Our much-hyped phenom pitcher, Strasburg, is making his major league debut and for once, the stadium is sold out. I am stoked to be going and feel like a major rebel for going out on a weeknight.

In other news, I’ve started running again every other day. My body is furious since the last time I held any kind of exercise routine was oh, about a year ago. I can hardly take in a breath I am so sore. It’s my goal to have a better routine in my life next year and get a sense of normalcy back to my days. I don’t think that’s so much to ask! Maybe I’ll even get back into cooking and away from my microwavable prepackaged diet. Baby steps.

Finally, I will officially be home June 18-24 to rest, see my dad give his speech at the Relay For Life, and to hit up a Red Sox game, my first home game in years! If you’re going to be in the general New England area in that time slot, give me a shout.

Peace and Love.

Drama at Prom

You've got to read last week's post to understand this week's...

After the mayhem of the senior pranks, Ms. Marrow went easy on the students, all things considered. Her original threat of canceling all the senior week activities subsided, and instead she punished just the pranksters themselves. She was able to catch them all from the security cameras and despite raging parent protests, no one involved in the crime was allowed at prom.

Fast forward to last Thursday. Prom night at a local country club! To my delight, the students were beautifully dressed and everyone was looking great. When I was in high school, some girls pulled some skanky stunts on prom- and others just looked all out terrible in dress styles they should have never worn. These students, however, all looked fabulous, and it was clear that the girls were the boss- every boy matched his date to a T. There were corsages and boutonnieres, and everyone showed up in a limo. Everyone, that is, but one couple...

I was outside with my roommates when a straight-up Cinderella style horse and carriage pulled up the driveway to the prom. The couple inside was dressed to the nines. Yet something was amiss- the crowd outside started buzzing and I saw our administrators rush to the front of the crowd. At first I thought that maybe the issue was the horse. Do you have to get permission to have a horse trot up to the front of a country club mansion? Security approached the carriage: "You've got to move along, get out, get out now!"

The boy in the carriage stood up and addressed the gaping crowd. "Yeah ya'll! This how I bring my boo boo to prom!" The girl shouted "Yeaaah we won't be here long, don't worry!" Then it dawned on me: These were party crashers, the banned senior pranksters! I couldn't believe the gonads these kids had. But worst of all were the parents backing them up. They brought an entourage and made a scene. Our principal had to leave the beautiful celebration of the night to deal with a wildly inappropriate parents who were still furious that their kids were being punished. It was sad to see adults reinforcing such flagrantly disrespectful behavior. Well, as they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

I wish I had taken pictures at the event. It's hard not to feel like a kid at a dance! I felt like it would have been weird for me to have kids pose- we are, after all, the lame-o chaperons. All in all, it was a joyful evening. I'm always so happy to see my students in a positive light.

Memorial day weekend was delightful. Summer is SO HERE. I'll write again soon.
Peace and Love.

Lock down

"Adios chicos! Have a safe and fun weekend! Ciao! Hasta!" I called out to my students over the blare of the bell. Three periods down, one to go before I was free for the weekend. I took up my duty post outside my door to monitor the halls in between class. It was the Seniors' last day, and there were tears, hugs and pictures as students realized this was really it. Last period of the last day!

Suddenly, screams erupted. The hallways flooded with kids. "ALL STUDENTS MUST ENTER A CLASSROOM NOW!" The secretary yelled over the PA. "ALL TEACHERS PLEASE ADMIT STUDENTS, ANY STUDENTS NEAR YOUR DOOR INTO YOUR CLASSROOM. THIS IS A LOCKDOWN SITUATION I REPEAT A LOCKDOWN SITUATION, ALL STUDENTS YOU MUST GET TO A CLASSROOM IN THE NEXT 30 SECONDS."

Lockdown?
Lockdown?
My heart leaped to my throat. Why a lockdown? A gun in school? A trespasser? It really could be anything. We've never had an actual lockdown before.

"Come in, all you all down there, come in!" I yelled, suddenly militant. I herded at least 20 kids into my room and shut my door.

"What's going on?" I asked them.

"Rats!" A girl screamed.

"Rats! And snakes! And CRICKETS!" Another boy said, waving the news-bearing text message in the air.

"AND STINK BOMBS! TWO STINK BOMBS!" another one reported.

Nope, not a gun. Not a trespasser. But instead, a carefully plotted and rather impressive Senior Prank on the last day of high school. An entire menagerie released in the school's main hallways. And best of all? Every administrator distracted by an enormous food fight in the cafeteria- a purposely planned diversion.

As a survivor of the Wahconah Regional High School smoke bomb/cricket invasion of '05, I couldn't help but laugh. But just like the idiots in my day, the students were about to see some punishment. As they'd say, our principal "don't play." Last I knew, she was on her way to PetCo to check out the security cameras and find the perpetrators.

What a way to kick off a weekend!
It's been an equally exciting week. Updates soon.
Peace and love!

Going...Going...Gone

First of all, buying MLB.TV was the best decision of my life. I'm watching NESN right now, in HD, from my bigscreen TV, and I'm in DC. And if I get bored of it, I can watch EVERY OTHER GAME in the country, from ALL WEEK LONG. God, I love baseball season!

Gwynn Park's baseball season is also wrapping up- and wouldn't you know, we're going to the playoffs! My baseball players have become my favorite students and they know it. What can I say? Even I would much rather discuss the kid that got beaned in the head at yesterday's game than the imperfect verb conjugations at hand.

In other news, Meredith and I are taking over the position of Department Chair for the Foreign Language Department next year. By co-chairing, we'll take over not only the decision making for our department but also the stipend. The trade off is a couple after school meetings a month, which is fine by me. Sitting at the Department Chair meeting this afternoon was kind of awesome- it brought back memories of APO eboard in a rush, proof that college really is training for real life. We really have a phenomenal administration, and I loved being on the "inside" and hearing about what's up and coming.

In fun news, I've been filling my weekends up to the brim: dinner dates, baseball games, and last weekend I hosted my first ever adult dinner party! I had my Spanish tutor Laura and her husband Sean over for dinner. The menu came straight from Giada (a never fail) and the night was a bilingual affair of joy! Some Peruvian food has been promised in return for later this summer!

Peace and Love to everyone as the warm weather takes over bit by bit... Summer is almost here!

"Surviving May and June"

…was the title of my TFA professional development this weekend. I wish the name of the PD was “living it up” through May and June. I’m done “surviving.” It’s time to sprint it out till the end of the year. We’ve made it, we’ve really made it! The end is so close- Seniors have just a few weeks left- and I’ve decided to let my summer vacation start early by filling my weekends with as much fun as possible!

Mom came to visit this weekend and even though Saturday was a professional development, we managed to really enjoy the city! Friday night we went to the Dodgers- Nats game. I caught up with my old coworkers and really enjoyed the fireworks! If you haven’t been to a Friday night Nats game, GO! The stadium is gorgeous and the fireworks are the bomb (ha…) Saturday night we all went out to dinner at Clyde’s. Salvador Dali had it right- time is flexible and this weekend FLEW by!

Also- Important news to report. I FINALLY went to Ben’s Chili Bowl last night! This is a DC institution- a hole in the wall, really- that attracts all kinds of famous visitors from President Obama to the Cosby family. There’s really no polite way to eat the hot dog I got at this place. With the first bite, I had chili all over my nose, sauce on my hands and onions under my fingernails. It was a delicious disaster!

This upcoming weekend I’ve got a lot in store- a steeplechase AND an Orioles/Sox game! Yes... living it up is my theme for these months. The days at school are still long, but I’m determined to have fun!

April 18? Whoops.

I passed my Praxis! I passed my Praxis! I passed my Praxis! That said, I have started to enjoy life so very much more. Remember that old Nickelodeon game show, Legends of the Hidden Temple? Passing the Praxis was the same feeling of joy you got when some kid actually made it through the final obstacle course. You didn't think it was possible, and when it actually happens after so many fails... well... it was just a pure thrill !

I celebrated my first weekend of freedom in style by going with a big group of friends to a DC United game. They are the professional soccer team that now plays at the old RFK stadium. Finally, it was to our advantage that we live all the way at C and 17th! Fifteen people showed up Saturday afternoon bearing fruit, chips, cookies and salads to put together a pregame potluck. The weather was cold and breezy but we bundled up and filled up before marching down the few short blocks to the stadium.

This makes my third professional soccer experience. Now I've seen games in Madrid, Los Angeles, and DC. And actually, every one of them was a blast! I can't believe the dedication and the passion of professional soccer fans. The whole stadium jumped up and down and somehow the cement stairs below me shook with the beat of the crowd. Everyone was singing, playing drums, throwing toilet paper, and clanging bells. It was just wild! I had no idea that fans here in DC could get so rowdy! We saw a lot of people we knew and quickly forgot about the chilly night.

This weekend seemed to finish in a blink. I can't believe it's Monday tomorrow already. Time is such a ridiculously flexible thing!

Peace and Love.

Back from Break

I'm writing this post, back at school, with mixed emotions.

Spring break, that holy grail that we were chasing all through the winter, came and went so fast I'm not even sure what happened. It was a blur of beaches, hollywood, baseball and lots of expensive food. Now we've got the long haul ahead untill Summer vacation, and it's like we never left. At the same time, I was kind of ready for the break to be over. I hate to confess that. Meredith's mom says that's the sign of a good vacation: You enjoyed yourself, but by the end of it, you're ready to come home.

California was a bittersweet trip for me. I was so happy to see all my old friends, both from Syracuse and the Dodgers. Everyone is really living the life out there: living their dreams, working in careers they've pined after since they were teens. I have friends in film, baseball, and media who can't imagine a better job. It was joyful to see people I care about doing well, but also difficult to contain my jealousy. I still feel so lost so often and still wonder what direction life and my career is going to take me.

The interesting trade off, however, is that my friends in LA remain unsatisfied with their lives. Most of them don't like the city, many of them are sorely missing their social circles. At least two friends wish - of all things - that they lived in DC! The best thing that's happened to me since graduation is my new social life here in the city, my fabulous roommates and the stellar friends I've made in TFA. The LA group has jobs they love, but not a life they love. I feel just the opposite. But I'm convinced that all of us- west and east coast- can find both! Everyone in their 20's is just wandering in one way or another.

In other news, we now have 90 minute classes at Gwynn Park. I struggled to fill 77 and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my students now that I have them for an hour and a half. The hardest part of my work is management, and I'm going to have to up the creativity to keep them focused for that long.

Praxis scores come out this friday. I will keep everyone posted.
Peace and love.

4 Cups

Yesterday, I did three crazy things.
First, I ate horseradish.
Second, I ate gefilte fish.
Third, I put the horseradish ON the gefilte fish.

And the craziest thing about it was, I liked all three things!

Yes, as part of my ongoing quest to complete my JBA (Jewish By Association) degree, I participated in my first all-out Seder last night here on Spring Break in Los Angeles. Meredith has some life-long friends living and working out here, and they invited us over to share in the special meal. If you have never participated in the event, it is the ceremonial retelling of the Jewish exodus from Egypt. The word "Seder" means "order," and the whole meal is extremely structured with prayers, actions, songs, and special food. In the tradition of the Jews that fled from Egypt, no leavened bread of any type is allowed. That doesn't stop it from being an all-out feast. We dined on apricot chicken, beef brisket, twice-baked potatoes, matzoh ball soup, salad, green beans, vegetable roast, fish, matzoh, and more! Then came the rounds of dessert: apple cakes and orange-chocolate cakes, gummie candies, chocolates and coconut macaroons. And since the entire meal is structured around the mandatory consumption of 4 cups of wine, there was plenty of that pouring the whole night too.

Passover was an evening to give thanks and praise for all of our blessings. Sitting with good friends, relaxing in beautiful beach weather, enjoying delicious food, I had much to be thankful for.

More updates on Spring Break later!
Peace and Love.

News

A news ticker life update:

* It's 70 degrees out
* The cherry blossoms ARE blooming, despite the crazy winter
* It's still light out at 7:30! Oh, simple joys
* My hair is a short, choppy bob
* Old Navy dress sale + Teach For America 30% off coupon = awesome
* 4 more days till LA
* Tori in a tanning bed = Tori BURNED
* New obsession: Garrison Keillor at 6:35 am
* Second new obsession: Car Talk (Mom and Dad, apologies for all the childhood Saturday morning complaints)
* Median test grade for Spanish II - 48% - I'm giving up soon
* Great meeting with college-bound Spanish II student today- Not giving up yet
* Made borscht from scratch. Beets have a bad rap
* GPHS Talent Show proves that all high school talent shows are the same. Covering rap is just as awkward as covering Blink 182.

I think... that's it for now!
Peace and Love.

Karma

Last week, the mouse was back. This time, though, I had a trap, so the little guy couldn't make too many runs through the terrified minions or wreak too much havoc. But his presence alone in the classroom made me wary. I had moved the chocolates off the floor... and put them high on the shelf in a cabinet in my classroom. I thought I solved the problem, but decided to check anyways.

Sure enough, as soon as I got my kids settled and doing their classwork, I opened my cabinet. There were my Hershey's, thoroughly gnawed, little shreds of silver foil spread among the rather disturbing amount of mouse poo. "EW!" a girl nearby shreiked. "They left their DOODIES!" The class erupted again. "That's NASTY! Triflin!" and so on. Thankfully, the bell rang and 1st period left.

When second period came in, the rumor about the mouse poop had already spread like wildfire. I decided to turn this into a "teachable moment" (That's teacher lingo for whenever things are not going the way you want and you just give in and let the conversation derail.) Our class had just finished learning past tense verbs, so I decided to tell them all about the mouse and eating my hidden chocolate in the past tense. The kids were really invested in the story, and I was proud, because they were actually following it! For the grand finale, I whip open the cabinet and say "los ratones comieron los chocolates en mi armario!" (The mice even ate the chocolate in my cabinet!) And the whole class gets grossed out and laughs and everyone has a great time.

Now, let me preface 3rd period by saying these guys are a handful. This is the suspension/expulsion gang, and the class that has stolen from me and gives me the most disciplinary trouble. Well, they came in and I decided to tell the story again. At first, they were invested... but as the story went on, I saw a few of them gulp uncomfortably and slide down in their seats. One kid started hyperventilating and other kids were trying hard to control their laughter... I paused my story, concerned. "What's going on here?" I asked. "What's so funny? Something I need to know?" I gave them a stern face and most responded quickly "no, no Ms. Hornstein... go on." So I finished my story with a melodramatic flourish and whipped open the cabinet to reveal the mess.

The mayhem that ensued was beyond anything I have ever seen. Kids suddenly dropped to the floor, one was definitely crying, and everyone was screaming. Above the din rose one kid's voice, "I told y'all! I told y'all you shouldn't a taken it!"

"What happened!?" I demanded.

"Shaq's sick today, and now we know why! He ATE THE POO!" Screamed a kid.
"Did you eat any? Did you?" They all asked each other. Yes... my kids had been stealing my chocolate during lecture and passing it around for the last few days and for sure had eaten from a poopie stash. The ones who knew they did were devastated... "I'm going to think about this all night!" One boy moaned.

I never felt more smug all year. "Well," I said. "This is what some people call Karma. You all stole my candy that I bring in as prizes, and well... you got yours. Enjoy!"

And that is why I Teach For America!

Just another day in the 6th grade

Kaitlin: When I was giving a quiz to my second block today, pancake boy just kept yelling "Take off your panties! Take off your panties!" He seriously would not stop. He just kept yelling it and yelling it and yelling it
aaaahahaha
i actually found it funny cause it was so absurd
me: oh my god
yeah at that point you just have to laugh!
but wait i thought pancake was expelled for a million years
he's back!
Kaitlin: haha yup...
me: jeeezus
Kaitlin: he really learned how to act better from that
me: so like
what did you do to him
hahaha
Kaitlin: "Randall...thats inappropriate. Your classmates are trying to focus."
me: HA
Kaitlin: reeeeeally effective
me: HAHAHAHA
was it to you!? or to some girl in the class? or like... to the air?
Kaitlin: To the air mostly...
kid has ISSUES
me: congrats
this chat is totally going on my blog

March comes in like a lion...

This week:

Monday: School, Gradschool
Tuesday: School, Tutoring
Wednesday: School, Faculty Meeting
Thursday: School, Close grades. Parent Teacher Conferences directly follow.
Friday: School, Collapse.
Saturday: Professional Development. Studying.
Sunday: Tutoring. Work.

Today there was a massive food fight. Dozens of kids are suspended.

I also had a guest speaker come talk to my kids. She was a Navy Officer working in linguistics and knew 4 languages. I brought her to talk about education, staying in school, careers and life in the military, and the financial benefits of studying languages. To my great horror, the conversation took a turn for the worse (?) when my students starting asking if you could go into the military if you had a record... if you smoked weed... if you had done a stint in juvy... if you had been arrested, but it was in another state...

On one hand, they got the answer they needed to hear. NO. No. No...
But I couldn't help but sit at my desk with my hand over my mouth as my students aired their dirty laundry and then shrugged with a "Whelp, that counts me out."

Just hope the other ones...the bright ones... were listening!

In exhaustion,
Tori

RATON

That's spanish for "mouse."

Let me be clear about something...after a summer teaching in South Philly, where mice, cockroaches, and filth was the norm, I can say with confidence that the Gwynn Park kids are the biggest wusses in the history of mankind. They may try to act "thug," but when days like today happen, I know how much of a show it is for most of them.

This morning, I was doing a pretty dry lesson- some conjugation review... when all of the sudden, a mouse ran out of a hole in my wall and scampered across my feet.

Now, I'm not usually a wuss, but a mouse on the bare tops of my feet was gross and I was like "WHooaahaH! Oh dear goodness." and of course, the front row of boys (who happen to be my worst-behaved, toughest types, in the front row for a reason) saw it, and instantly SCREAMED like women. One boy literally threw his chair and bolted out the door, another kid climbed on top of his desk. This of course made the whole class go MENTAL and soon everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs and on top of their desks.

The mouse was literally a baby- the tiniest thing I've ever seen- and it was terrified. I didn't know what to do so I called the janitor to appease the kids. Each time I tried to settle them and start the lesson back up, though, the damn thing made another pass through my classroom and everyone went wild again. It was total mayhem.

Finally, it ran behind my desk and under my printer. I have my printer on one of those little ikea coffee tables, and when I pulled it aside, to my great dismay and disgust there was a huge mouse nest and the remnants of at least 10 chocolate candy hearts that I had brought in for prizes for the kids.

The mouse returned to the hole in the wall, and the janitors came 30 minutes later and set up traps.

The moral of the story: guess my grad school professors are right. You should never use candy- based extrinsic motivation in the classroom! It can only lead to trouble!

Squeakingly yours,
Tori

My student!

http://www.gazette.net/stories/01212010/uppespo163118_32550.php

An army brat and all around great kid!

Snowmageddon

If you are reading this, and you are a close friend, you know that I have an obsession with weather. And although I appreciate all weather, lets be real: the more severe the better. Tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards- all are thrilling. Yes, it's a nerdy hobby and something I probably shouldn't confess in a public venue like a blog, but it's the truth. For most of my young life I wanted to be a meteorologist until about the 9th grade when I realized that you have to do more than dress in a brightly colored skirt suit and point at a map. Weather is physics in disguise- oh cruel world. Now, I'm just what's known as a "Weather Hobbyist," and boy- has it been a week for me down here!

Washington has officially experienced the snowiest winter on record after two massive blizzards just days apart totally crippled our city last week. I haven't been in school for a full day since February 4th. We had a half-day Friday due to the pending storm, and then snow days all the way through last week. I wish I could say I was bored, but even with no TV (our satellite was ripped off the side of our house in the 40 mph winds) and depleted groceries, I have been completely entertained, mostly due to the very entertaining weather-related fear mongering that occurs in DC, especially on the internet and the blogosphere.

After countless hours of tracking storms, I can officially tell you that the best weather related site out there is accuweather.com. This site uses fantastic phrases like "potentially paralyzing" and verbs like "pummel." But a great one to check out is the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang whose team of happy-go-lucky local weather nerds even give a "school cast" and a "fed cast." On a scale of 1-4 apples, (or 1-4 capitol buildings) with 4 apples being the most likely, will you have school (or work) tomorrow? But more than anything, I think this site said it all.

Dump trucks have been rolling through the streets today trying to remove most of the piled up mess. Parking and driving is still a challenge, even major highways like 295 are missing lane space and the side streets really never were officially cleared out. It will probably be weeks before we see life return to normalcy. I'm so glad I was here to witness history- my nerdy heart is satisfied for now!

Feliz Cumpleanos

Hola everyone! This is my first post writing as a 23 year old. I have to say: 23 feels old. Now, I'm definitely a twenty-something. At 21, you can drink. At 22, you graduate college. But from 23 on... you're just drifting through a decade of "finding yourself." It's like the sophomore year of life. You're not old enough to do anything major, but you're not a freshman anymore. You're just trying to figure out what you want to major in and what your next move should be. It's a lot of pressure!

I do love my birthday and I was sure to celebrate my first one here in DC right. Thursday was my actual birthday and to my surprise and delight I arrived to a classroom that was completely decked out in streamers and balloons and banners! Meredith and some of my students set it up as a surprise: we drove separately and she told me she had to tutor kids when really she was setting up my classroom. After school, friends joined me for happy hour at Banana Cafe. I love this little bar! The crowd is always eclectic and there's 3 dollar margaritas and free taquitos at the happy hour. Thursday night ended with a group of a dozen x-marines in their 70's reuniting at the bar singing "Happy Birthday," to me. How can anyone go wrong?

Friday, my dear friend Brian Rodin showed up (yes, the same Brian who took me to formal last spring) and we lassoed a sizable group together to hit up Adams Morgan, DC's party neighborhood. Adams Morgan is something like a Bourbon st... just bar after bar after bar, and everyone knows you end the night with the famous "Jumbo Slice" pizza !


Saturday was my actual party and unfortunately for me, it snowed 6 inches! For DC, this is a traumatizing accumulation, and even though it's not a lot in my mind, it's a lot when the streets have never seen the swipe of a plow or a grain of sand or salt. No one could drive and a lot of people backed out of the party. However, my true friends all braved the storm and about a dozen of us enjoyed a great dinner, cocktails and a highly competitive game of apples to apples.

All in all it was a wonderful, very packed weekend and I felt truly lucky and blessed. Now, I'm sitting home enjoying a SNOW DAY and there is more winter weather on the way!

Peace and Love.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

I am writing this post on the first day of the third quarter. I just finished inputting my grades for the second quarter. It was a depressing process. Let's get it out of the way first: here's the bad news.

Of my 215 students, approximately one third of them are failing or near failing. That's about 10-13 kids a class rocking out a grade below a 65. It's a depressing statistic, almost as depressing as this:

Of my 215 students, approximately 67% percent received a LOWER grade than the first quarter. About 20 percent stayed the same, and only 10 percent (3-4 students a class) improved.

The reason? Abysmal homework turn in rates. Lack of studying. No class participation. And a general mindset of "What's the LEAST I can do to get by?"

Now, on to the good news.
Growing up, my dad always taught me that failures must been viewed not as letdowns, but as opportunities to excel. So looking at my data, I had to ask myself: what is in MY control here? What can I change in this classroom culture/structure to promote success?

I allowed my inner PR girl to kick in and created a big poster that reads: Do you believe in B or Better? And so have launched my own classroom campaign.

The poster was just the beginning of the changes. I revamped my entire room. I redid the seats, and rebuilt systems- making it much easier, for example, to get your own make up work when you are absent or find a pencil if you forgot yours. I also gave every student a personal "tracker." The sheet of paper has spaces for me to check homework, warm-ups, classwork, and participation for each student each day. It will demand complete accountability, from the students AND from me. It's an end to excuses and hopefully will propel students to succeed.

I explained everything today with a flourish and I think my crowds were impressed. Deep down, I do believe that every student wants to learn but there must be a cultivation of that desire. The new systems offer immediate rewards, (yes, 19-year-olds get amped about a star stamp on their trackers.) and the new mantra "Bs or better, college college college!" I hope will inspire.

Updates soon. Peace and love!

It's 91 degrees in school right now.

My job makes me sweat enough as it is!

Someone turn down the heat!

Unwanted fans, icepacks, freezers and snow can be shipped to:

Tori Hornstein
Spanish Teacher
Gwynn Park High School
13800 Brandywine Road, Brandywine, MD‎

Many thanks for your consideration. The kids say it won't get any better till they switch back to air conditioning in the late spring!

Peace, love, and Secret shower fresh,
Tori

PG Hoops

So, this week Meredith and I finally made it to a Junior Varsity and Varsity basketball game to watch our boys play a big rival in the county. All I can say is moments like this remind me why I chose to be a teacher! What a GREAT night!

We showed up at about 6:30 to catch what we thought would be the end of a JV game. Our boys were down by double digits and the opposing team was dominating.

(side note. The JV team at Gwynn Park could DEMOLISH any varsity team I ever watched play in Berkshire County growing up, and we saw some good basketball.)

Needless to say, this JV game has to be one of the best basketball games I've watched on any level, ever. Our boys fought back with a vengeance and sent the game into double overtime. The momentum in the gym from both fans and players was insane. The varsity giants stood on the sidelines, watching younger, skinnier versions of themselves pour out their souls on the court. At first, I think the varsity guys were annoyed that they weren't on the court yet. But it took just a few minutes of watching this fight to get them completely amped for their teammates.

Like any good sports movie, we lost to the opponents at the buzzer of the second overtime. But the varsity boys ran with the momentum and got vengeance during the main event. We had to leave early, but they were up by 20 points or more and held on to a strong lead for most of the game.

The best thing about the experience, however, was not watching the actual game. The experience was 10 times more enjoyable due to the fact that my basketball players are extraordinary young men. Watching them tuck Bibles into their gym bags before they hit the court, seeing their sportsmanship and teamwork as they played, and knowing that they're always there for extra help and turn in all their work in my class is a testament to their coach and their families. They are what young people should be as athletes and students. Many of them have seen tragedy, but many of them are striving for a bright future.

I can't wait to go again next week!

Peace and Love.

Back to school jitters

Every single Sunday night, I can't sleep. It's like having back to school jitters once a week. I just lay there, wide eyed, thinking about...stuff.

The thing is, I can't figure out why I can't fall asleep. Haven't I been doing this teaching malarkey long enough to know what to expect out of my Monday?

Today was the first day back after a long and delightful vacation. (Thanks again for the amazing leather coat, Santa!) And...it was normal. Boring, dare I say. All the same, I couldn't fall asleep last night, even with the glass of wine and Jersey Shore marathon to get my mind off things.

I used to tell my mother when I was a child insomniac that "my body was so tired but my brain just didn't want to go to sleep." I'd like to grow out of this problem any time now.

Here's hoping for an incident-free week, a short staff meeting on Wednesday, and more restful nights to come.

Peace and love.