Saturday, October 24, 2009

Shameless Promotional Post: Meetings at the Metaphor Cafe


Before I was a lawyer I was a teacher.
I loved teaching.
I felt called to it.
I was passionate about it.
I could hardly imagine ever doing anything else.
And I was pretty decent at it.
How I got from teaching to lawyering isn't a particularly long story.
Or a very interesting one.
I miss teaching some days.
But not every day.

And I remain inspired by those who taught me and those I taught with. One man in particular. He's an award-winning, National Board Certified English teacher in San Diego. He is beloved by his students. And he just finished his (first) book. I read the original draft, but I haven't read it in final form yet. I just bought it, though. And you should, too.

It's called Meetings at the Metaphor Cafe.
The coming-of-age story is told by four high school students contemplating what it's like to live in post 9-11 America. Maddie worries for her father, whose been deployed to the Middle East. Mickey is afraid to tell his parents that he does not share the dream they have for his future. Rhia is reeling from her father's decision to abandon her family without warning. And Pari must face the difficulties of living as a Muslim woman in America. Brought together by their English teacher, Mr. Buscotti, these four teens gather at the Metaphor Cafe, where they learn from each other that as long as they keep their minds open and their eyes focused on their True North, they will never be lost.
You can buy a copy of the book here (and support one of my all-time favorite teachers and mentors): https://www.createspace.com/3399875
Oh, I forgot to tell you his name. Robert "Bob" Pacilio.
And please, spread the word . . .

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

the book sounds great! was that his dream to write and publish a book?

alison frm dallas

Anonymous said...

I had him as my English teacher when I was in 9th grade. I found him to be one of the worse, uninspiring teachers I have ever known. How this clown got any awards is beyond me. By the way, I graduated from SDSU with a major in Literature, so I have had an ample sampling of teachers over the years.

Karen said...

I am debating deleting Anonymous's comment above. I'm all for free speech. But if you're going to disparage someone (and certainly you're entitled to your opinion), at least put your name on it. And I'm not sure why the comment- just to make Bob feel bad? Did you read the book? Is it bad in your opinion?

As a former teacher, I can say- with near certainty- that there were students who hated me. But I know, too, that there were students with whom I completely connected, and some of them I didn't even know about until years later. That's how it goes with teaching high school- and especially high school English. Personalities are well developed. And not all students do well with all teachers. Sometimes, it's simply not a good fit. Sure, there are lazy or just plan bad teachers out there. But Bob isn't one. Far too many people for too many years have been positively impacted.

You may not have been inspired by Bob. I'm sure not every one of his more than 2,000 students will have been. But I was. And I know I'm not the only one--

Feel free to share an inspiring teacher story in lieu of showering love on Bob. I think he'd actually really like that.

Karen at BSinChina

Anonymous said...

Ok. Stop. Rewind. I usually do not leave comments about anything on any website, just a passive observer, no time for it. The charlatan who names him/herself "anonymous" must be joking with those disparaging comments, and Karen thank you for leaving them up in the spirit of free speech. I am sorry that anonymous feels the way he does because he missed out BIG TIME on the awesomeness that is Mr. Bob Pacilio. Bob should be canonized as a writing SAINT. His teaching style was brash, but direct. His criticisms of his students' work were harsh, but fair. And rewarding. When the class was sitting for too long and getting restless, he had everyone stand up to remedy "butt blood block." He wrote your name on the board if you were being a douchebag. He championed you if you deserved it. He threw erasers at you for talking and it was scary. (I dodged them) He had zero tolerance for weak excuses and B.S. He had a funny bulletin board called the Turkey Board that showcased his unique humor. He encouraged you to laugh. He's just cool, in the coolest sense of the word... I am so sorry, "anonymous" that you missed out on all the fun, live and in person. I guess you'll just have to rent the DVD.

Anonymous said...

Bob Pacilio was one of the best teachers I ever had...all the way through law school. He did have some brash but direct teaching styles. That said, I can't imagine anyone with a brain questioning why he would win awards. He was an amazing and brilliant teacher. I'm sure his book will be just as amazing!

Anonymous said...

These comments were probably written a while ago, but I feel the need to comment on this. I am currently a junior in Mr. Pacilio's class and I honestly can't ask for anyone better. I had just transferred from a different school (unfortunately my rival school) and Mr. Pacilio made me feel very welcomed in the "village". Outside of class, my classmates give the occasional "oh, hi!" in the halls, but in class, everyone is a family. To the person who thought Mr. Pacilio was bad and uninspiring, you've mistaken him for someone else. Having said this, I can't wait to buy his book and get it autographed!