Solid, tangible goals

Actual conversation among me and two teacher friends at a bar in Brooklyn. All of us are going into our 4th years, and all of us had to switch from horrible hellmouths of failing schools to new environments where some actual teaching and learning happens.

Teacher #1: "I think this is finally going to be the year where I don't have to tell a student that he needs to put his pants back on. I can feel it, I think it's finally going to happen."
Teacher #2: "I hope this is the year where I don't curse in front of a student. That's my goal."
Me: "I think since I have 6th grade this year instead of 8th, this will finally be the year where a student doesn't yell at me to suck his or her dick. I'm really excited."

Real accountability = real progress = real results.

Anything but math

The PE teacher was telling the students about his grading policy for the beginning of the school year. I forgot how amazing these kids could be.

Teacher: All right, so everyone starts at 100. If you don't participate for one day, you lose 15 points. What's 100 minus 15?
Students: (awkward silence) 80! 85!
Teacher: Ok, 85. If you miss another day, you lose 15 points. What's 85 minus 15?
Students: (even longer awkward silence) 80! 75! 75! 70!
Teacher: Um... 70. So if you miss again, what's 70 minus 15?
Students: (even longer, even more awkward silence) 65! 60! 65! 60! 55!
Teacher: That's a 55. So you miss 4 classes or don't participate and you basically fail... Ok, so that took awhile. Let's move on to the next topic.