Portrait: The Artist as a Young Man

When your students, with the help of your fellow faculty, pull off a wonderful prank to cap off the year—and to lift your spirits up just a tad. Well played; well played. #JustTeacherThings #MrGAtSHC (at School of the Holy Child)

My students (or colleagues, I have no idea) get me. (at School of the Holy Child)

When speaking only Spanish is a requirement to get a cup of coffee. Seeing these cups takes me back to growing up in Newark and seeing Dad get a cup from the Bloomfield Deli on Bloomfield Ave. #75centsForACupOfJoe #TakeThatStarbucks #BodegaCoffee (at Bronx, New York)

Great coffee, greater conversation, and even better friends. :) #MrGInCLE #UpAt8amForCoffee #ThatsCommitment #FriendshipGoals (at Phoenix Coffee Ohio City)

It's good to be back at a place that helped me to become my best self. And how fitting that today is essentially the last day of school. #JustTeacherThings #MrGInCLE (at Saint Ignatius High School)

Cleveland, it's so good to be back. #MrGInCLE #nofilterneeded (at Cleveland, Ohio)

We are never, ever, EVER chaperoning high schoolers at a dance ever again. #JustTeacherThings #WorseThanTheJug

When your students know that you've had a rough week grading, commenting on, and and conferencing first drafts of essays with students; asking yourself, "How do I reach these keeds?" (Eric Cartman voice) because you're doubting that your students learned the elements of English composition; and wanting the week to be over. They send you a Google doc rife with animated .gifs that include references to *The West Wing*, reactions to student writing taboos like "emotions," "things," "get," etc. I forget sometimes how dorky these girls really are. Thanks, girls. Love, Mr. OG #JustTeacherThings #TeacherAppreciationWeek #MrGAtSHC (at School of the Holy Child)

It feels good to feel appreciated. #JustTeacherThings #MrGAtSHC #ChipotleIsBae (at Larchmont, New York)

Getting theatrical today! Today, my sophomores acted out Rochester's proposal to Jane Eyre in class, reinforcing how weather, nature, and the surrounding area more generally affect the mood of the scene. "If only it were raining to make it more real!" one of my students tells me. "Yeah, but the air horn sound effect works, too," another responds. 📢📢#JustTeacherThings #MrGAtSHC #LearningByDoing (at School of the Holy Child)

So a student didn't read for a pop reading quiz. So she drew me this doodle instead. Note how I'm faceless and "da realist." I'm glad she made me a member of that literary movement. 😑 #JustTeacherThings #ShitMyStudentsWrite #MrGAtSHC #DaRealist (at School of the Holy Child)

Once more, I'm excited to announce that I have been accepted to the Klingenstein Summer Institute at Teachers College, where I will spend the early weeks of summer learning more about how to become a better teacher—all for my students' sake. Sure, the nights will be long ones, much akin to my nights on the mountain at Bread Loaf, but I certainly look forward to meeting and working alongside some wonderful people, all trying to get just a little bit better at the work we do. I'm blessed that I have these opportunities ahead of me, and I'm incredibly thankful for my colleagues who've supported me thus far in my journey to get better at what I do. It's going to be a busy, yet fruitful summer, for sure, but I simply cannot wait to be part of these new cohorts and to continue to grow as an educator. God bless the work. AMDG. (at School of the Holy Child)

Tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor. ❄️ #JustTeacherThings #ItsApril #WhyTheHellIsItSnowing #AtLeastItStoppedAnHourAgo #ThoughItShouldHaveStoppedAMonthAgo #AprilIsTheCruelestMonth #TWL #OKThatsEnoughHashtagsForOneDay (at School of the Holy Child)

Getting started on my next biography: one on my favorite director, Mr. Martin Scorsese. Oh, and some strawberry milk, too. Why? Because I'm an adult, that's why. Shout-out to @strandbookstore for having this book—and 18 miles more—on its shelves. #JustTeacherThings #IActuallyGetOutSometimes (at Strand Book Store)

Damn. I love you, Cleveland, but you've got to admit that this is funny as hell.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, y'all!

It's a wonderful day for pi(e). Happy Pi Day from the most incredible bakers (and me) to you! #PiDay2016 (at Boston, Massachusetts)